Product Details

• Actors: Paul Douglas, Richard Basehart, Barbara Bel Geddes, Debra Paget, Agnes Moorehead
• Directors: Henry Hathaway
• Writers: Joel Sayre, John Paxton
• Producers: Sol C. Siegel
• Format: Color, Dubbed, DVD, Full Screen, Subtitled, NTSC
• Language: English
• Subtitles: Spanish
• Aspect Ratio: 1.33:1
• Number of discs: 1
• Rating: NR (Not Rated)
• Studio: 20th Century Fox
• DVD Release Date: August 29, 2006
• Run Time: 92 minutes
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars See all reviews (9 customer reviews)
• ASIN: B000FKO3VC
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #22,949 in Movies & TV (See Bestsellers in Movies & TV)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com
"There's a jumper on the ledge...." And so, after a wordless opening sequence, begins Fourteen Hours, a taut thriller about a would-be suicide standing outside his hotel-room window on St. Patrick's Day. The jumper, nervously played by Richard Basehart, is counseled by a gallery of interested parties, including a beat cop (Paul Douglas) and the man's divorced parents (Agnes Moorehead and Robert Keith) and fiancée (Barbara Bel Geddes). Psychiatrist Martin Gabel provides some Freudian analysis of the situation. Along with the drama on the ledge, the film cruises through the reactions of the crowd below, from concerned to cynical. Among the huge ensemble are a surprising gallery of faces, including up-and-comers Grace Kelly, Jeffrey Hunter, and Debra Paget. Howard Da Silva is a cop, and Ossie Davis and Harvey Lembeck (both uncredited) are cab drivers. Director Henry Hathaway had made some of the Fox film noirs emphasizing realism and authentic location shooting (House on 92nd Street, Call Northside 777), and he takes a similar approach to the flavorful Manhattan sites here--albeit mostly within a one-block area. The movie's ticking-clock momentum holds up well, even if some of the social-concern material feels dated. And when you can cut to a vertiginous angle every few minutes, suspense is practically guaranteed. --Robert Horton

Product Description
Film noir, a classic film style of the ‘40s and ‘50s, is noted for its dark themes, stark camera angles and high-contrast lighting. Comprising many of Hollywood’s finest films, film noir tells realistic stories about crime, mystery, femmes fatales and conflict.

This compelling suspense drama spends its time with a tormented young man (Richard Basehart) as he teeters on a New York hotel’s 15th floor window ledge, deciding whether or not to jump. Paul Douglas plays a traffic cop, the first officer on the scene, and through his gentle, compassionate talk, he becomes the only one the man on the ledge trusts. He certainly doesn’t trust his mother (Agnes Moorehead) or ex-fiancée (Barbara Bel Geddes). The crowd below is mesmerized and for some, the fourteen hours that follow will change their lives forever. This film is notable for the film debut of Grace Kelly in a small role.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

14 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Tense FOURTEEN HOURS in 92 Minutes, September 1, 2006

By	Ray K. Sibul "film friend" (Morris, MN USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

The-man-on-the-ledge theme has been used in movies and on TV so often over the years that it has surely reached cliche status by now.
Director Henry Hathaway, however, in FOURTEEN HOURS (1951) guides the drama and urban tensions with such sure-handed craftsmanship, that this ledge jumper based film has remained almost as powerfully involving and suspenseful today as it was 55 years ago.
Furthermore, Hathaway gives FOURTEEN HOURS a master's touch by utilizing his own established and innovative semidocumentary style (see THE HOUSE ON 92nd STREET (1945); KISS OF DEATH (1947)). Thus, FOURTEEN HOURS, with its low-keyed black-and-white cinematography, effectively captures a segment of Manhattan's dramatically restless urban world in moody noir fashion.
And in addition, strong performances abound.
Especially noteworthy is Richard Basehart (the cause of all the commotion) as the disturbed 14hr. ledge occupant way way up on the fifteenth floor of a Manhattan hotel on St. Patrick's Day. (Actually, all this is based on a true incident; the film realistically depicts the sensationalistic media frenzy surrounding the event, with news-starved reporters everywhere, and some crude, insensitive behavior by numerous spectators).
Paul Douglas likewise shines in his role as a traffic cop who tries to keep Basehart from jumping.
Also, Barbara Bel Geddes is impressive (and eloquently gentle) as Basehart's former fiancee.
The many-faceted spectator emotions (some quite strong) on the street and surroundings set other little dramas in motion.
Here even Grace Kelly makes her film debut, as a maritally unhappy spectator observing and reacting to Basehart's plight above. Debra Paget and Jeffrey Hunter are also nearby.

By all means, add this fascinating and strongly fatalistic noir to your collection. Here are 5 stars to welcome its DVD appearance in such excellent condition.

6 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Tense Docu-Drama, September 17, 2006

By	David Baldwin (Philadelphia,PA USA) - See all my reviews (TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)

This cinema-verite account of a man hovering on the ledge of a high story New York hotel works on all cylinders. Director Henry Hathaway masterfully weaves all the threads of the ensuing circus flawlessly. From the police operation, the media hordes, the curiousity seekers on the ground, and ultimately to the scenes on the ledge we are kept enthralled throughout. The film that this one brought to my mind is "Dog Day Afternoon" in it's portrayal of a media circus. For this type of film to work there has to be a certain suspension of disbelief. Despite the presence of some well known actors(Paul Douglas, Richard Basehart, Agnes Moorehead, Barbara Bel Geddes, et al) we are so caught up in the emotions of the events that we are led to believe them as real people. Film is also of interest for some up-and-coming actors who blend seemlessly into the fabric of the film(Grace Kelly, Jeffrey Hunter, Ossie Davis, Harvey Lembeck). "Fourteen Hours" definitely rates as an unqualified success.

12 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Enjoyable but could have been much better., October 14, 2006

By	Coronet Blue (California) - See all my reviews

First, this isn't a film noir movie. There is no mystery nor are any of the characters complex. The story could not be simpler. You won't be wondering who's lurking in the shadows or why the characters can't see the train wreck ahead. No moral ambiguity. No shades of gray.

Its a pretty good 1950s drama though, with a look like the superior, Naked City. (It even has the same street sweeping scene at the end). Richard Basehart plays a disturbed young man and Paul Douglas, a cop who tries to talk him out of jumping from a ledge. You can guess the ending--after all, this is the 1950s.

The special effects are the real star as they create the suspense. Paul Douglas is very good as the stereotypical street cop--a good Joe with a heart of gold who pounds a beat. Richard Basehart is Richard Basehart. He and Douglas exchange some chit chat about beer, fishing and why life is worth living. Here is where the movie could have had brilliant insights but, asked to give 10 reasons why life is worth living, Paul Douglas says he never really thought of it that way. That suits his character but its not terribly interesting.

There are incidental parts from Agnes Moorehead (who, of course would make anyone jump), a tiny sub plot with Grace Kelly, and some psychology 101 explaning why RB wants to end it all. As night falls there are some great shots at the end giving the last 10 minutes a film noirish look.

Note that this disc has commentary by Foster Hirsch, not the unbelievably knowledgable Eddie Muller who's done most of the Fox Noir series. Hirsch is apparently seeing the film for the first time and simply describes what you are watching as you are watching it. He's silent much of the time and this is good. The disc comes with a small booklet that, in a few paragraphs, covers far more than the commentary.

So, its pretty exciting, the direction and cinematography are very skillful. But its not hard to see why this film wasn't considered for an academy award.