Three Came to Kill

Air traffic controller John Lupton comes home to his house right by the airport to find that assassin Cameron Mitchell, and two assistants have taken over the place and are holding his wife and sister-in-law hostage. Mitchell has a contract to kill the premier of a country who is scheduled to take off on his shift, and wants Lupton to signal him; two bullets into the plane's gas tank, boom, and Mitchell leaves, with the women alive.

Edward L. Cahn directed this cheap knock-off of SUDDENLY, and not only is Lyn Thomas, as Lupton's wife, supposed to convey tension and fright by speaking slowly -- she doesn't -- but every time the action on the screen and James Blakely effective editing make the situation seem tense, a narrator breaks in to tell you what you're seeing on the screen, which ruins the pacing and atmosphere. Blame Robert Kent, who not only wrote the screenplay under a pseudonym, but produced the film. With Steve Brodie, Paul Langton, and Jean Ingram.

Between September 1959 and March 1960 United Artists released three crime movies starring Cameron Mitchell, directed by Edward L. Cahn and produced by Robert E. Kent. The latter also wrote "Pier 5, Havana" and this one, while Orville H. Hampton wrote "Inside the Mafia" and provided the story for this, which in my humble opinion is the best of the three. What the three films have in common is a hard-boiled voiceover, brief running time (none is more than 72 minutes long), and narrative drive. Hampton obviously wasn't one to let a good idea go to waste. "Mafia" featured Mitchell and a sidekick taking over a small airfield in order to kill a top Mafia boss, while this one has him and Steve Brodie taking over a house next to Los Angeles airport to kill a Middle Eastern premier who's due to fly out. As usual, action is reserved for the men; the women are there to look good and be frightened. Others have noted the similarity between these two films and both "The Desperate Hours" and "Suddenly." This one is particularly close to "Suddenly." Mitchell's Marty Brill, like Sinatra's character, has shooting skills he developed in the army and plans to use them to kill a politician: much better paid than fighting for your country. Mitchell is very good, and has an interesting speech about how, having been born poor, his life has been plagued by policemen. He even manages to make a worthless mercenary rather attractive at times. The film wouldn't have been half as good with a lesser actor.

When I saw "Three came to kill", starring Cameron Mitchell, I had the feeling that I saw "Inside the mafia " again. Mobsters taking hostages - a good American family - in order to kill some important personality. Cameron Mitchell plays in both movies. These two are written by the same screenwriter, produced by the same company, and directed by the same man.

Manufactured product.

But I like that very much. Little grade B thriller.

I forgot to say that both are shot in semi documentary style, with off voice explaining the situations and the efforts made by the police and government forces to fight against crime. You can also think about SUDDENLY scheme watching this feature.

In fact, I do not remember if there is off voice for "Inside the mafia". Anyway, you have it in many Edward L cahn movies.