Ransom!
| Ransom! | |
|---|---|
 Theatrical release poster |
|
| Directed by | Alex Segal |
| Produced by | Nicholas Nayfack |
| Written by | Cyril Hume Richard Maibaum |
| Starring | Glenn Ford Donna Reed Leslie Nielsen |
| Music by | Jeff Alexander |
| Cinematography | Arthur E. Arling |
| Editing by | Ferris Webster |
| Distributed by | Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer |
| Release date(s) | January 24, 1956 |
| Running time | 109 minutes |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
Ransom! is a 1956 crime drama examining the reactions of parents, police, and the public to a kidnapping. Written by Richard Maibaum and Cyril Hume, the film was based on a popular episode of "The United States Steel Hour" titled "Fearful Decision," which aired in 1954. Directed by stage and television veteran Alex Segal, the film starred Glenn Ford, Donna Reed, and Leslie Nielsen.
A loosely based remake starring Mel Gibson was made in 1996 by director Ron Howard. Its title was Ransom, minus the exclamation point.
[edit] Plot
Young Andy Stannard is kidnapped from school by a woman disguised as a nurse. His shaken parents, Dave and Edith, notify the police.
Dave Stannard is a wealthy executive. Helped by his brother and business partner Al, he prepares to pay a $500,000 ransom demanded by the kidnappers. But the chief of police, Jim Backett, and a newspaper reporter, Charlie Telfer, tell him that the odds are his son won't be returned whether or not he pays the ransom.
Dave decides to turn the tables on the kidnappers. He appears on television, refusing to pay and instead placing the money before him as a bounty on their heads if his son is not safely returned.
Dave is vilified by his wife, brother and the public for his decision. He is left virtually alone at home, wondering until the very last minute if his gamble was worth the risk. Andy (Bobby Clark) returns to his father Dave, in the house garden in the late evening, in a new shirt making a poignant parental love scene.
[edit] Cast
- Glenn Ford as Dave Stannard
- Donna Reed as Edith Stannard
- Leslie Nielsen as Charlie Telfer
- Juano Hernandez as Chapman
- Robert Keith as Police Chief Backett
- Richard Gaines as Langly
- Mabel Albertson as Mrs. Partridge
- Alexander Scourby as Dr. Gorman
- Bobby Clark as Andy Stannard
- Ainslie Pryor as Al Stannard
- Lori March as Elizabeth Stannard
- Robert Burton as Sheriff Kessing
- Juanita Moore as Shirley Lorraine
- Charles Herbert as Butchie Ritter
[edit] External links
- Ransom! at the Internet Movie Database
- Ransom! at AllRovi
