Year – 1955
Released in 1955 and starring Humphrey Bogart, The Desperate Hours was directed by William Wyler (pre-Ben Hur), notorious for being a stickler who would call for take after take. In what would be his last portrayal of a villain – and second to last role ever – Humphrey Bogart played Glenn Griffin, ringleader of a small band of fugitives looking to make a run for it by holding a family hostage until some cash arrives, courtesy of Glenn’s gal.
The film is taut and suspenseful, doing a solid job of capturing the sheer claustrophobia of a home hostage scenario. Bogart is menacing, and Frederic March does a solid job going toe-to-toe with Bogart as the family patriarch. (Interestingly enough, the original Broadway production of “The Desperate Hours” featured a young Paul Newman in the role of Glenn Griffin, but he wasn’t considered nearly as bankable as Bogie.)
The film was remade in 1990 as simply “Desperate Hours“, starring Mickey Rourke and Anthony Hopkins, but it pretty much landed with a thud, having nowhere near the shine and polish of the original. – DG
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