Photographed in black-and-white CinemaScope. Producer: Jack Leewood. An Associated Producers Production for 20th Century-Fox. Copyright 1960 by Associated Producers, Inc. Released through 20th Century- Fox. No New York opening. U.S. release: April 1960. U.K. release: 10 July 1960. Australian release: 19 May 1960. 6,235 feet. 69 minutes.
NOTES: Movie directorial debut of former film editor and sometime TV director, Harry Gerstad.
COMMENT: In the late 1950s and early 1960s, Associated Producers tried the interesting experiment of assigning the direction of many of their "B" features to film editors. Unfortunately, with maybe three or four exceptions, the experiment was not a notable success. The movies directed by the film editors are mostly pretty undistinguished. This one, alas, is no exception. As it turns out, Gerstad's story and his smooth editing are more interesting than his direction — though he has drawn capable performers from his cast of mainly second-string players. However, his efforts are distinctly not helped by Strenge's dull CinemaScope cinematography, nor Shiells' half-hearted art direction, circumscribed as they are by the producer's modest budget.
If you look him up on IMDb, you will see that Gerstad had a distinguished record as a film editor, winning Oscars for both "Champion" (1949) and "High Noon" (1952).
NOTES: Movie directorial debut of former film editor and sometime TV director, Harry Gerstad.
COMMENT: In the late 1950s and early 1960s, Associated Producers tried the interesting experiment of assigning the direction of many of their "B" features to film editors. Unfortunately, with maybe three or four exceptions, the experiment was not a notable success. The movies directed by the film editors are mostly pretty undistinguished. This one, alas, is no exception. As it turns out, Gerstad's story and his smooth editing are more interesting than his direction — though he has drawn capable performers from his cast of mainly second-string players. However, his efforts are distinctly not helped by Strenge's dull CinemaScope cinematography, nor Shiells' half-hearted art direction, circumscribed as they are by the producer's modest budget.
If you look him up on IMDb, you will see that Gerstad had a distinguished record as a film editor, winning Oscars for both "Champion" (1949) and "High Noon" (1952).