Customer Reviews

14 Hours

5 star:		(8)
4 star:		(8)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

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.

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.

This film is a great example of film noir. Paul Douglas gives his usual rock-solid performance and the supporting cast is excellant; Agnes Moorehead and Jeff Corey in particular and Barbara Bel Geddes' performance is intregal but it is the great Richard Basehart that drives this movie. His performance is poignant,expressive,exciting and intense; truely remarkable!
I find the filming to be exceptional; the location shots adding great credibility to the story. Great movie!

Richard Basehart (Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea) is the man on the ledge. I thought he gave a great performance throughout. I didn't really care for the psychology bit, but that doesn't take up much of the movie. A few cuts to other things going on down on the street and in a building across the way (with Grace Kelly) add to the movie. Some film noir moments, but I don't know if I'd label it as film noir. Overall I enjoyed it and will definitely keep it in my collection and watch it more than once.

Great film noir that keeps you in the action from the very start. Not only a plausible story line for today, it also shows the "non-technical" aspect of police work from days long past. An excellent movie with an all star cast. Refreshingly absent are computer graphics, fould language, hyperbolized acting. This film is a must have for the serious film studentor collector.

***SPOILERS***

Realizing what a technical `tour de force' this film is begins when one finds out that much of this film, though it looks like it was shot mostly on location in New York, was actually filmed in Fox's Studio, Stage 8. What a superb job by all the crew, especially director Henry Hathaway, cinematographer Joe MacDonald, and film editor Dorothy Spencer. I wouldn't be surprised to find that those with a fear of heights have difficulty watching it; it looks very realistic.

On the surface, our story involves Robert Cosick (Richard Basehart). The film begins with a series of locational and studio shots that emphasize loneliness and desolation. Soon, Cosick is outside his hotel room, on a ledge, which is on the 15th floor. A woman's scream alerts Police Officer Charlie Dunnigan (Paul Douglas), who is on traffic detail at the time, that there is a `jumper'. After a quick phone call into police headquarters, Dunnigan rushes to the scene, and is the first to usefully help Cosick. One gets the feeling that he could have had him off the ledge had not the police (led by Howard Da Silva) started pouring into the room, exciting the high-strung Cosick.

The authorities and behavioural specialists try to establish who `the jumper' is and why he might be in trouble. Eventually, Cosick's mother (Agnes Moorehead), his father (Robert Keith), and his ex-fiancee (Barbara Bel Geddes) are called up to talk to him. Unfortunately, his mother and father are part of the reason that he is up there, and the apparent reason why his relationships all fail.

In a way, Cosick is there to counterpoint what is going on around him. Being a film noir, there is a certain amount of cynicism. But for all the selfishness, cynicism, and despair the film contains, there is also a lot of hope. Grace Kelly, in her first role (a small one), was on her way to get a divorce finalized when she saw Cosick on the ledge and thought how her own situation was not really that bad: the couple reconcile. Elsewhere Debra Paget and Jeffrey Hunter meet in the crowd and fall in love. Hunter says that beautiful things can spring from the greatest tragedies: he and Paget usually went to work at different times and never would have met otherwise.

On yet another level, this John Paxton screenplay is most assuredly, IMO, a critique of contemporary American society. But it can also simply be savoured for the humanism and superb performance of Paul Douglas as Officer Dunnigan.

Fourteen Hours is an interesting 1951 film about the efforts of a New York police officer played by Paul Douglas to stop a despondent man Richard Basehart from jumping from a building ledge. The otherwise fictional story was inspired by an actual standoff in New York in 1938 between police and a man attempting suicide, which drew crowds of bystanders and media coverage as hours went by. The film has a happy ending, in which the young man is saved by being caught in nets set up below him. In the actual standoff, New York City Patrolman Charles V. Glasco of Woodhaven, Queens strived in vain to convince John Warde that life was worth living. Glasco pretended to be a bellhop at the Gotham Hotel, and tried to persuade Warde that a suicide would be bad for business at the hotel. As the most recent hired, Glasco would be the first one let go if business at the hotel suffered. Although Warde was initially sympathetic to the plight of the bellhop who would lose his job if the hotel lost business, he eventually jumped.

The screenplay was written by John Paxton, based on an article by Joel Sayre in The New Yorker, and was directed by Henry Hathaway. It co-starred Barbara Bel Geddes, and was the first movie for both Grace Kelly and Jeffrey Hunter, who have supporting roles.

There s some interesting multi-character drama in this piece cutting between the dramas on the Hotel window ledge, taxi drivers in the street, the cops trying to get Richard Basehart to come down, the despondent, dominant mother and the father who previously left, the fiancé, a potential divorcee who eventually patches things up with her husband and a young couple who meet out in the street watching the events unfold in the crowd.. It is obvious the screenwriters considered the Window Ledge drama contained too little drama to sustain the suspense and tension for a complete movie and so expanded the story to include minor characters surrounding this story with their own stories all of which link into the main story in some way..

I've always been intrigued by this kind of story with this kind of premise.. There aren't many of these types of movies around with this kind of main premise, its pretty unique and for that alone this oddity is well worth adding to your collection.. Some great photography in this too.. Great little movie...

Warning: this review may contain spoilers>> The DVD contains some interesting commentary by film noir expert Foster Hirsch. His basic thesis is that what 14 Hours is really about is a crisis over masculinity. Hirsch argues that the subtext of the film is that the Richard Basehart character ("Robert Cosick") is gay but in 1951, Hollywood was not permitted to deal with such gay themes explicitly. Hirsch makes some good points particularly in his description of Charlie Dunnigan, the down-to-earth cop (convincingly played by Paul Douglas) who is set up as a well-adjusted family man in contrast to the tormented Cosick.

14 Hours works on two levels. The primary level is the attempt by Dunnigan to get Cosick off the ledge and prevent him from killing himself. It's interesting that it's immediately apparent that Dunnigan has established a rapport with Cosick but the higher-ups (represented by the Police Captain played by Howard DaSilva) sends Dunnigan back to the street. Only once the two 'professionals' (the psychologists) are brought to the scene and realize that Cosick will only speak to Dunnigan that the brass have to eat crow and bring their 'inferior' back up to negotiate.

If the whole movie was just Dunnigan trying to sway Cosick, things would get pretty boring after awhile. But Screenwriter John Paxton mixes things up nicely by bringing in the three family members who try and coax the errant son/husband back to reality. Agnes Moorehead probably has the most interesting part in the movie as Cosick's semi-demented mother who just can't cut the strings. Then there's the passive alcoholic father played by Robert Keith (the real life father of well known actor, Brian Keith) who comes off as much more genuine than the spotlight-grabbing mother. Barbara Bel Geddes has the thankless role of being the good 'wife' who deep down knows she'll never have a sexual relationship with her husband ever again. There are other characters that add to the film's verisimilitude high above street level: the slew of cops who are continually trying to physically remove Cosick from his perch as well as the obsessed preacher, the 'man of God' who sabotages the rescue plan almost culminating in disaster!

The second level takes place 'below' the main action. On the street level, we're introduced to a group of 'everyman' characters. One of them is Mrs. Fuller (in Grace Kelly's first screen role). She's on her way up to her attorney to finalize divorce proceedings. Then there's the down-to-earth 'Ruth' (played by Debra Paget) who meets Danny (played by Jeffrey Hunter of 'Kings of Kings fame') in the gathering crowd who are staring up at the great passion play above. There's also a group of taxicab drivers (one of them is Ossie Davis in his first screen role) who represent the various ethnic types found in NYC. They cynically place bets on the exact time they expect Cosick to jump. Finally, there's the media--the reporters, both print and TV journalists who are covering the media event. Suffice it to say, the 'media' does not come off very well in this film.

14 Hours has a gripping story that moves along at a brisk pace. You'll find out from the DVD commentary that most if was filmed on a Hollywood sound stage but through expert editing, the NY scenes were inserted to make it look like the entire film was filmed in New York City. As I mentioned before, I agree with Foster Hirsch's central thesis that this is a film about a guy who doesn't trust his masculinity. Some of Hirsch's theories go a little too far, especially when he suggests that the Woolworth Building in the background is a phallic symbol. Furthermore I disagree with his view that the film takes a dim view of the psychologist who provides the 'psychological' explanation of Cosick's malady. Quite the contrary, psychoanalysis was all the rage at that time, especially in the movies, so when the explanation is offered that Cosick is suffering from an "Oedipal Complex', and all his family members are depicted as contributing to Cosick's neurosis, it appears that the filmmakers seem to accept that line of reasoning.

14 Hours loses a bit of its luster with it advocacy of what it believes is 'normal'. While Cosick is saved, it's quite obvious that he'll always be 'damaged goods'. But most of the other characters get to live 'happily ever after'. The 'normal' couple go off in the sunset hand in hand, presumably to begin a 'normal' (1951 style) sexual relationship. Grace Kelly realizes that divorce isn't the answer and even the taxi drivers walk away from the most cynical of their lot. Dunnigan meets up with his son and we get a peek of his doting wife waiting outside the revolving doors at the front of the hotel.

14 Hours will never win awards for tolerance of 'alternative lifestyles'. But as a taut, gripping, little thriller, it can be surely termed an 'oldie but goodie'.

`Fourteen Hours' is a far better film than one might think it to be. It reminds me a tad of `Phone Booth' in that it rarely leaves the small confines of a particular area, and it stars really only two people (sure there are other actors, but their roles are limited to a few select scenes); and like `Phone Booth', it is never boring.

The film tells of a man named Robert Cosick who causes an uproar on St. Patrick's Day when he decides to attempt suicide by jumping out of his hotel window. Before he can plummet though, he is spotted and a traffic cop makes his way to his room to try and coax him down. Robert is shaky and nervous and dangerously unnerved, but the cop, Charlie, is calming and gentle. When Robert makes it clear he'll talk to no one but Charlie, Charlie winds up spending the next fourteen hours trying desperately to find out why this man is trying to kill himself and how he can work to prevent it.

I won't lie to you; this is a film that does feel a little dated. The way in which the try and rescue Robert is a little out of date; but when you look at the film in the whole context of `this was made in the 50's' then you can easily look past that dated material.

In fact; the script is the films brightest moment.

The acting is spotty here though. The two leads are at total opposite spectrums here. It reminds me of `Strangers on a Train' in the fact that one lead is flawlessly captivating and the other is just off; totally. Paul Douglas nails his portrayal of Police Officer Charlie Dunnigan. He has this natural charm and grace that makes his character easy to listen to and easy to love. It's no wonder that Robert only wants to deal with Charlie. He exudes this genuineness that draws you to him. Richard Basehart on the other hand is so mechanical he's off putting. All his ticks and shakes and heavy handed depression just seems so fake to the viewer. I only wish he had the same natural progression of character that Douglas had.

The supporting cast is hit or miss as well. Barbara Bel Geddes and Agnes Moorehead have two very different characters and they both handle them rather well. Moorehead especially is effective as Robert's attention hungry mother. I thought that Robert Keith was slightly bland as Robert's `never there' father Paul, but he isn't really given that much to work with.

The nice thing about the script is that it touches upon how one outlandish act can bring a lot of people together and change their outlook on life in general. On the ground, as the crowd watching the spectacle grows, we are given a glimpse at love blossoming amidst the nervous curiosity; and we even see a marriage on the rocks given new life as the party ponders the blessing that life really is. It's subtle and it could have been developed a little better (and deeper) but it's a nice touch that adds an extra layer to the film. I also like the fact that, while Robert's life is explored and explained, his intentions for killing himself are never truly revealed. The ambiguity adds a sharp realization that sometimes it's something very small and seemingly insignificant that can make us feel like we cannot go on.

It can affect anyone at just about anytime.

The film is very well done and nicely crafted. If only both leads were as dynamically effective as Douglas this could have been a near perfect movie. Still, it is very enjoyable, tense and memorable. It's one of those movies you've probably never heard of but should seek out.

I think they call these `hidden gems'.

This black and white film is unusually good. The movie is a real surprise. I did not know the movie existed until I watched it. The film has several famous actors and actresses near the begining of their careers. Grace Kelly's performance was unexpected. Some great acting and suspense.