Frank Sinatra: Free Movies: Drama: "Suddenly"

"Suddenly" (1954)

Starring Frank Sinatra

This movie is the story about the tranquility of a small town that is marred only by sheriff Tod Shaw's unsuccessful courtship of widow Ellen Benson, a pacifist who can't abide guns and those who use them.

Violence descends on Ellen's household willy-nilly when the U.S. President passes through town... and slightly psycho hired assassin John Baron finds the Benson home ideal for an ambush.

Summary written by Rod Crawford {puffinus@u.washington.edu} imdb.com

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The tranquility of a small town is marred only by sheriff Tod Shaw's unsuccessful courtship of widow Ellen Benson, a pacifist who can't abide guns and those who use them.

But violence descends on Ellen's household willy-nilly when the U.S. President passes through town... and slightly psycho hired assassin John Baron finds the Benson home ideal for an ambush.

Summary written by Rod Crawford {puffinus@u.washington.edu} imdb.com

Cast (in credits order) verified as complete
Frank Sinatra ....John Baron
Sterling Hayden ....Sheriff Tod Shaw, Suddenly California
James Gleason....Peter ('Pop') Benson
Nancy Gates ....Ellen Benson
Kim Charney ....Peter Benson III (Pidge)
Paul Frees ....Benny Conklin, Baron's Accomplice (also uncredited TV announcer voice)
Christopher Dark ....Bart Wheeler
Willis Bouchey....Dan Carney, Chief Secret Service Agent
Paul Wexler ....Deputy Slim Adams, Suddenly Police Dept.
James O'Hara ....Jud Kelly (as Jim Lilburn)
Ken Dibbs ....Wilson (as Ken Dibbs)
Clark Howat....Haggerty
Charles Smith ....Bebop

rest of cast listed alphabetically:
John Beradino ....Trooper (uncredited)
Richard Collier ....Ed Hawkins, station agent (uncredited)
Roy Engel ....Motorist Seeking Directions, opening shot (uncredited)
Ted Stanhope ....Motorist Seeking Directions, final shot (uncredited)
Charles Wagenheim ....Iz Kaplan, gas station operator (uncredited)
Dan White ....Desk Officer Burg (uncredited)

Directed by Lewis Allen

Writing credits: Richard Sale

Produced by Robert Bassler 

Original Music by David Raksin

Cinematography by Charles G. Clarke

Production Company: Libra Productions Inc.

Audio/Visual: sound, b&w

Keywords: crime, drama

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This tense, relatively well-crafted little thriller dispenses with frills or padding, and tells its story in a straightforward way that works pretty well. Once it sets up the story, it maintains the tension carefully enough to make up for some plot holes and one-dimensional characters. The focus remains almost entirely on the story, and the characters are never developed very deeply. The three main roles are rather well-cast, though, and Frank Sinatra, Sterling Hayden, and James Gleason each deliver what their roles call for. Although implausible at some points, the story is otherwise well-constructed, and it moves at a good pace. Many film-makers are tempted to inject superfluous material into this kind of story, and this is an example showing that it usually works better to keep it simple. While nothing extraordinary, it works more than well enough to be worth watching. --Imdb

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