User Reviews

Here's an excellent Barbara Stanwyck double bill on one disc. The first movie - and believe me the lesser of the two - is MGM's "To Please A Lady" (1950) in which she is paired with Clark Gable. It is essentially a star vehicle with Gable as usual dominating the film with his screen presence. Here he plays a macho racing driver who gets some bad press from feminist reporter Stanwyck and the battle of the sexes begins. Of course after much ado they eventually end up in each others arms and it all comes to a predictable and pleasing close. A bit of a fluff of a move really but Gable and Stanwyck - two icons of the Golden Age - make it watchable!

But the real meat on this DVD is the second feature - a marvellous and quite unknown little thriller called JEOPARDY. Produced by MGM in 1953 this is a wonderful little gem of a movie that hasn't dated one iota! Here Stanwyck plays the wife of Barry Sullivan and mother to their young son Lee Aaker on vacation on a deserted and remote Mexican beach when suddenly tragedy strikes. A dilapidated wooden pier collapses trapping Sullivan under a heavy pylon and guess what? Yes,the tide is coming in. With not a soul in sight and unable to free him herself Stanwyck sets off by car for assistance. After driving some distance the only aid she can muster comes from an unscrupulous escaped convict (Ralph Meeker) who - in return for his help - wants more from her than money or a change of clothes ("I'll do anything to save my husband"). Does she or doesn't she??.

Meeker runs away with the picture! He turns in quite a brilliant performance! Once he comes into the film you simply cannot take your eyes off him! An actor in the smouldering Brando style he surprisingly never made much of his career in films. Although he gave splendid performances as the unsavoury, disgraced cavalry officer in the outstanding Mann/Stewart western "Naked Spur" (1953) and as one of the doomed sacrificial french troopers in Stanley Kubrick's powerful WW1 drama "Paths Of Glory" (1957) his only real claim to fame was as Mike Hammer in Mickey Spillane's "Kiss Me Deadly" in 1955. His performance in "Jeopardy" should have done wonders for him but he had only a so-so career in films. He died in 1988.

Because of this release "Jeopardy" can now proudly take its rightful place as a classic noir. A memorable, taut and exciting thriller thanks to fine performances, tight direction by John Sturges, the crisp Monochrome Cinematography of Victor Milner and an atmospheric score by Dimitri Tiomkin. Extras, however are no great shakes except for a radio version of "Jeopardy" and trailers for both movies.

This disc is also part of a Barbara Stanwyck box set celebrating her centenary. Hard to believe that the lady would be over 100 years old if she was still around!

JEOPARDY - an MGM winner!

What a great Barbara Stanwyck film that I happened to see the other night. "Jeopardy" was fantastic. It was made in 1953 and probably for double bills but it kept me on the edge of my seat.

Barbara Stanwyck plays Helen, who with husband Doug (Barry Sullivan) and son (Lee Aaker) drive to an isolated fishing spot in Mexico for a vacation. Husband has a fall from the jetty and the only way he is to be saved is if Barbara drives back to a garage for some rope.

While there she runs into a psychotic killer (Ralph Meeker - one of my favourites) and what follows is a game of cat and mouse as Barbara tries everything in her power to get Meeker to come back with her to free her husband.

The film was so suspenseful and such a surprise - I was not expecting such a great film. But I suppose I should have realized - is there anything Barbara Stanwyck does that is anything less than wonderful?

"I like cheap perfume better; it doesn't last as long..." - Ralph Meeker's convict character (Lawson) tells this to Barbara Stanwyck's Helen character, after he gets a whiff of the perfume that she picked out w/her husband in Tijuana...! This line cracked me up, and also seemed like a metaphor for this film - that cheap is better than expensive, because a cheap perfume-loving man who has a way with a 2 x 4 is a better man to have around in the long run! I agree with some of the other comments posted about Helen's attraction to Lawson. Even though her narration states that she wants Lawson to be put away, she did seem attracted to his fiery nature, and that passion he stirred up in her wouldn't likely wash away with the tide!

This film has a couple of things going against it, which makes it feel a bit like a B movie...well, it is a B movie...but a darned good one. "A list" movies usually aren't only 69 minutes long, and despite being in 1953, it's black and white. And, the film has only one first rate star.

But on the plus side, this is a taut little thriller. Can a woman (Barbara Stanwyck) save her husband (Barry Sullivan) who is trapped under a beam at a pier in the deserted Baja California in Mexico and will drown when the tide comes in? She's got her little boy to think about, too. So who does she find when she goes for help? An escaped murderer (Ralph Meeker).

Stanwyck may be past her prime here (although she still had a few "A" pictures coming up in her career (such as "Titanic" with Clifton Webb"), but she was still a powerful actress...and she certainly demonstrates that here. Barry Sullivan, who was soon to turn more to television parts, is a comparative lightweight, but he nevertheless does fine here. And an actor most of us love to dislike (or even hate) -- Ralph Meeker as the ex-con -- gives a whirlwind performance here. You'll love the scene where he slaps Stanwyck...multiple times! Of course, we are quite sure the husband will be saved...but how? And will Meeker survive? And did Stanwyck have a tryst to secure Meeker's help. Well, on that last one you're left to guess...after all, it was 1953! Worth watching at least once!

Jeopardy (1953)

This is a almost linear plot contrivance that works better than you'd think. The basics get laid out quickly. In a very very isolate spot on the Baja peninsula of Mexico our two leads and their son go for a camping and fishing trip. But the dad (Barry Sullivan) gets trapped under a really heavy bit of an old pier--and the tide is rising.

Mom (Barbara Stanwyck in a really good performance) needs to do something fast. It gets complicated by a murderer who happens to be in the same vicinity, but these complications get really interesting morally by the way the movie presents them. There is even a voice-over a couple times with Stanwyck asking, what would any woman do in this situation? her answer comes out loud part way through: I would do anything to save my husband. Anything.

There are some totally realistic aspects here, including a killer/criminal who is modern and unromanticized, a bit of a surprise, really. But every now and then there is a little moment of bad judgement on the part of the writer and director, and the believability, which is important, is shot down. But then it picks up and you go along some more. Most of it is really interesting. An example of this is at the end when Stanwyck really needs to tell Sullivan what is going on in the water together, and she doesn't. It's as if she has some new bond with the criminal that overrides her obvious love for her husband.

But maybe to save his life.

Like a lot of 50s movies, this one is shot all on location. This avoided the problem with the studios as they were falling apart (financially) and made a pretty cheap shoot overall. And it works. One of the appeals is the setting--dry and isolated, for sure. And they don't make the Mexican cops speak English most of the time, another point for realism.

Is this a great movie? No way. I wish there had been more focus on how creepy and dangerous it got physically and psychologically between Stanwyck and the killer. This could have played out as the main part of the movie (which in a way it was--it presented the core moral dilemma). But in the rush to make a compact movie there was no room for subtlety, I guess. Just an excellent Stanwyck and a very good Sullivan in his more limited role trapped by the pier.

Curious stuff. Compare to Ida Lupino's "The Hitch-Hiker" if you get a chance.

On holiday in Mexico , daddy Doug (Barry Sullivan) and mummy Helen Stilwin (Barbara Stanwyck) are heading off for a fishing vacation with their child Bobby (Lee Aker). Doug wants to go back to beach he visited years before. The family is towing a small trailer with camping gear so they can fish and camp on the isolated beach south of Escondido in Mexico. Along the way , they suffer several threats to their security , specially being by a timber that trapped the father on the beach . With the tide rising , the wife drives off to seek help , leaving her young son to tend his daddy . She runs into a suspicious man (Ralph Meeker) , but things go wrong . "I'll do anything...to save my husband!" A WOMAN IN "JEOPARDY" .She did it... and no woman in the world would blame her!.The Picture You've Been Hearing About on Radio and Television! A Shocker that makes others sound like baby talk! .She did it...there was no other choice! She did it...she'd do anything! She did it...and it was bad!.She did it...would you? .She did it ... because her fear was greater than her shame !

Nice thriller with slick filmmaking about an ordinary family enjoying holiday in which various incidents threaten their safety and whose father is trapped by a timber from a collapsing pier on a remote beach . This interesting movie contains marvellous performances from all concerned , suspense , thriller , exciting situations and some action . The film is intriguing and stirring , but the situation is contrived , resulting in a spurious tension . It's a Metro Goldwyn Mayer movie , so you know that family and the love of a good woman will weigh heavily along the story .

It contains a thrilling and moving musical score by Dimitri Tiomkin. As well as atmospheric and evocative cinematography in black and white by cameraman Victor Milner. Being shot on various locations in Pioneertown, Dana Point, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios, California , with adequate art design and production design from Cedric Gibbons , MGM's ordinary designer. The motion picture was competently directed by John Sturges that gives this thriller certain edge . John began his directing career at Columbia Pictures, where from 1946-49 he he worked on "12-day wonders" ("B" pictures shot on a 12-day schedule). From there he moved on to MGM where he filmed more "B" pictures, albeit on a larger budget . He established an independent production company in 1959, releasing through United Artists. From 1960-67 he worked under contract for United Artists. His first major hit was the western Dog Day at Black Rock (1955) , which he shot in just three weeks, wrapping up virtually every scene in a single take . He specialized in robust action pictures, particularly westerns . He excelled at bringing to life tautly written stories about tough characters facing difficult circumstances . Throughout his career he regularly alternated hits with misses . He has also been criticized for his lack of stylistic trademarks , though his best films remain exciting to watch . Sturges was expert on all kinds of genres , but especially warlike, such as : ¨Great Escape¨, ¨Ice Station Zebra¨ and ¨Eagle has landed¨ and Western , such as ¨Last train of Gun Hill¨, ¨Magnificent Seven¨, ¨Backlash¨, ¨Law and Jake Webb¨, ¨Joe Kidd¨ and Chino¨, among others . This high-level film will appeal to Barbara Stanwick fans .

What do you do when you are in the middle of nowhere with an abandoned pier on the ocean front on the Pacific coast's Baja California? Go exploring, of course! It doesn't matter that the planks of these piers each weigh a ton and can pin a man under in the incoming tide. Add on a wanted felon and you're in Jeopardy! No vowels or Vanna will help you now.

This is the tale of a typical American family-father, mother and son. Papa Barry Sullivan is the unlucky man who goes out to rescue his son trapped on the pier and ends up being embraced by one of the loose planks, and Barbara Stanwyck is the frantic mother. A cute little kid named Lee Aaker is their precocious son. But the danger, hinted at by a roadblock, arrives in the form of help. Escaped gangster Ralph Meeker is the wanted man, and he wants more than help escaping-he wants Stanwyck.

A compact, neat little thriller with a passing resemblance to the same year's "The Hitchhiker" (adding on the family angle), "Jeopardy" seems to be like an extended TV anthology show released as a "B" feature with an "A" leading lady. Not quite past her prime, but not a box office attraction anymore like Elizabeth Taylor, Doris Day or Marilyn Monroe, Stanwyck still has a fine, youthful figure, but I found her just a trifle too old to be believable as the mother of a pre-teen. The Jedi set is extremely scary looking, reminding me of set pieces in various Hitchcock films (particularly "Rear Window") and the one Stanwyck tries to escape from in 1954's "Witness to Murder". She starts off gently as the kindly wife and mother (narrating the opening much like she did in MGM's "East Side West Side") and turns tough in this, acting more like her calculating character in the same year's "Blowing Wild", where she was totally evil. Meeker, too, is brilliant in this, adding a touch of humanity (not too much fortunately) to his villain.

In watching the conclusion, I began to feel a bit sorry for him and felt touched by the screenwriter's obvious sympathy towards him in how Stanwyck bids him adieu. Her final words about him hit the nail on the head yet don't minimize the consequences of his previous evil actions. Ironically, the same year, Stanwyck would face doom on another ocean-the Atlantic-in 20th Century Fox's "Titanic".

John Sturges' 1953 thriller 'Jeopardy' presents a unique challenge for film noir enthusiasts who are accustomed to the genre's characteristic nighttime settings. Set in Mexico and primarily taking place during the day, the film defies traditional classification as a bona fide noir. The story unfolds when Barbara Stanwyck's character, Helen Stilwin, embarks on a family vacation to the Baja Peninsula with her husband Doug (Barry Sullivan) and their nine-year-old son Bobby (Lee Aaker).

The narrative kicks into gear when the family reaches a deserted beach, and young Bobby finds himself in peril as his foot becomes trapped under a decaying plank on a pier. While it strains credibility that the parents would allow Bobby to venture so far out, despite their desire for some private time on the beach, it is husband Doug who becomes the catalyst for a series of unfortunate events. Although he rescues Bobby, Doug himself falls into a dangerous predicament when another plank gives way, pinning his foot beneath it and leaving him with only a few hours before the rising tide spells certain death by drowning.

Despite Helen's desperate attempts to free Doug, including using a tire jack, all efforts prove futile. Helen must then undertake a perilous journey back to the deserted filling station, their last point of contact with civilization before reaching the isolated beach, hoping to find a rope that can be attached to their car to dislodge the plank and save Doug.

During her quest for help, Helen encounters a Mexican family but struggles to communicate her desperate situation due to her limited knowledge of Spanish. Eventually, she procures the rope at the filling station, but her path intersects with Lawson (Ralph Meeker), an escaped convict who unexpectedly enters Helen's car and pretends to offer assistance in returning to the beach to save Doug. However, it soon becomes evident that Lawson is a full-fledged psychopath, exemplified by his violent actions, including slapping Helen and wielding Doug's gun, which he discovers in the glove compartment.

The suspense heightens during a tense encounter between Helen and Lawson when they encounter a roadblock manned by Mexican police. Prior to their arrival, Lawson instructs Helen to remain silent and poses as her sleeping husband, hoping to avoid suspicion. The fact that the Mexican police fail to wake him up or question him creates a noticeable plot hole, one of the few shortcomings in an otherwise gripping narrative.

While the scenes involving the stranded Doug and Bobby may not match the intensity of those between Helen and Lawson, they still contribute to the overall suspense. As father and son attempt to signal a passing fishing boat, the stakes rise, culminating in a heart-wrenching moment when their efforts go unnoticed, leaving them in dire straits.

The film reaches its climax as Helen seizes an opportunity to strike Lawson with a tire iron while he repairs a flat tire (the attempt ends up unsuccessful). Eventually, after a thrilling chase, Lawson agrees to return and save Doug, convinced by Helen's argument that he can use Doug's clothes and identification to facilitate his escape. In a tasteful portrayal, the price for Lawson's assistance is implied sexual assault through forceful kisses.

The climactic sequence delivers a suspenseful resolution as Lawson successfully extricates Doug from his perilous situation, utilizing a pylon attached to a rope and employing the car's power to move the beam that had entrapped Doug. However, the film's resolution disappoints slightly, as the loose ends are resolved somewhat ambiguously. Interestingly, despite adhering to the Hays Code, Lawson does not receive his just desserts, possibly due to his role in saving Doug's life. Helen agrees to help him escape, as she had promised earlier, but Lawson declines and flees, pursued by the police. It is left to speculation whether he is ultimately caught or killed.

'Jeopardy' may have a few plot contrivances, but it remains a solid thriller. Barbara Stanwyck, whom I regard as a precursor to the versatile talents of Meryl Streep (a modern-day paragon of female independence), delivers a standout performance as the resourceful and fearless mother. Barry Sullivan portrays the beleaguered husband with conviction, complemented by the perceptive acting of Lee Aaker, who would soon gain fame as the star of the Rin Tin Tin TV series. However, it is Ralph Meeker's portrayal of the dangerous escaped convict Lawson that truly captivates, showcasing his acting prowess. For fans of film noir, 'Jeopardy' stands out as a worthwhile addition to the genre.

"Jeopardy" is a psychological thriller with a very small cast. It has adventure, drama and crime set mostly in the wilds of Mexico's Baja Peninsula. The film just lists one shooting location - Pioneertown, California. But obviously, it was shot in other places as well. It has scenes along the Pacific shore, at the Mexico border crossing, and at what looks like the town of Ensenada, Mexico.

Barbara Stanwyck has the lead role as Helen Stilwin. She narrates some early segments of the film with voiceover. Her family is starting out on a two-week camping and fishing vacation. They are driving from their home in California to a place her husband had found years ago with a friend. It's not clear, but apparently, he had been scouting the area while serving in the military during WWII.

Barry Sullivan plays her husband, Doug. Child star actor Lee Aaker plays their son, Bobby. There's just one other main supporting role. Ralph Meeker plays Lawson, an escaped killer whom the Mexican police are pursuing.

All of the cast give excellent performances. Sullivan is especially good in the scenes when his leg is pinned under a collapsed dock piling. He sits on the shore while the incoming tide brings waves higher and higher that wash over him. And, Aaker is very good as a boy just seven or eight years old. He is very clever and smart for his age.

The story has some intense moments and an interesting ending. Some good black and white scenes show the starkness of the country and sparsity of people and other life. Stanwyck has some early poetic voiceover lines. But the screenplay has some oddities, including one blatant factual error.

In a voiceover, as she looks at a map of the Baja Peninsula, Helen says, "When you see a map, you see what isolation you're heading into. Tijuana, Ensenada up at one end, and then 400 miles to La Paz, the only other town at the other end." The actual distance from Tijuana to La Paz is 921 miles - nearly 2½ times as far. The full driving length of the Baja Peninsula is more than 1,050 miles from Tijuana to Cabo San Lucas. It's surprising that no one involved in the movie thought to check the actual distance from Tijuana to La Paz. It's obvious that the playwright didn't know.

Helen's voiceover continues, "In between, nothing but names. Oh, picturesque names. Mission Santo Tomas, Colonia Guerrero, El Rosario... but just names. Ancient settlements and missions no longer existing, ghost towns, ruins."

Yet, between Ensenada and El Rosario (150 miles south of Ensenada) today, there are some towns of good size. Among them are San Vicente, 2010 population of 4,400, 52 miles south of Ensenada. And 24 miles south of there (76 miles from Ensenada) is Punta Colonet, with 3,280 people and another nearby town of 470. And from there it's just 20 miles more (96 miles from Ensenada) to Camalú, a town of 8,600. And 24 miles further (120 from Ensenada) is Lázaro Cárdenas, with 16,300 population in 2010.

There are some smaller villages between these (San Quintin, Catavita, etc.), and more inhabited towns in the 21st century all the way to La Paz and Cabo San Lucas. The distance between towns stretches as one goes south - to 200 miles at one place - where Highway 1 crosses through the mountains. All of these places would have been much smaller in 1953, and some indeed may have been deserted or not yet existed. But, it's not likely that all - or even most of them were uninhabited.

Stanwyck has a questionable generalization in the opening scene voiceover where she talks about Americans driving for their summer vacations. She refers to "The big rolling freeways and the fantastic traffic patterns... There's a turnoff everywhere... and you can go straight ahead too, if you only know how." But, in 1953 there were very few expressways in America. Most were in California and a few were around some of the largest cities elsewhere - New York, Philadelphia and Chicago. The U. S. didn't start work on the Interstate system until 1956. So, in 1953, most Americans, in most places, drove most of the time on two-lane roads. Long distance travel was still most frequently by passenger trains, and airline travel that was growing fast.

Another big oddity in this film is the 45 pistol. Doug said it was his Army weapon. Did he steal it? He was probably an officer, since he had a sidearm. But no GI of any rank is allowed to keep his weapon when discharged from active duty. So, the movie should have made it clear that there was a unique situation in which Doug had been allowed to purchase his WWII weapon. Without that, any GI or veteran will think he stole the gun from the Army.

One more curiosity in the story is the escaped convict. How did he wind up in the middle of a large desolate expanse of country that has only one road into and out of it? Where did he come from? How did he get there? There are some other small strange things about this film, but not enough space to discuss them.

"Jeopardy" has a much slower pace than many movie fans will be used to in the early 21st century. Still, it should interest and entertain those who especially enjoy a "thinking" film. It's too bad the writer and director weren't thinking through all the goofs in the plot and script.

Here are a couple favorite lines from the movie.

Helen Stilwin: "Well, it's duty free. I'm saving money for you." Doug Stilwin: "Every time you save me money, you cost me money."

Bobby: "Aw, mom. You always talk about civilization." Helen, "Don't knock it, son."

In Mexico, Helen (Barbara Stanwyck) and Doug Stilwin (Barry Sullivan) are driving down the desolate Baja California with their young son Bobby. He has brought along his gun from the Army. Doug gets trapped by falling piling and has only a few hours before incoming tides drown him. Helen drives off in search for help. She finds Lawson (Ralph Meeker) but he's actually a murderous escaped convict.

Director John Sturges constructs a pulpy thriller from this simple story of wide-eyed Americans caught up in a dangerous foreign land. It's a slow build at first. Sturges lays down little ominous nuggets along the way. He raises the tension at very spot. I love the Mexican peasants. Stanwyck is always capable of making that turn. This may not be a classic but there is real skills at work here in this high level B-movie.