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Time Limit

  • 1957
  • Approved
  • 1h 36m
IMDb RATING
7.3/10
1.4K
YOUR RATING
Richard Widmark in Time Limit (1957)
DramaWar

During the Korean War former prisoner of war, Major Harry Cargill admits to having collaborated with the enemy but military investigator Colonel William Edwards wants the details.During the Korean War former prisoner of war, Major Harry Cargill admits to having collaborated with the enemy but military investigator Colonel William Edwards wants the details.During the Korean War former prisoner of war, Major Harry Cargill admits to having collaborated with the enemy but military investigator Colonel William Edwards wants the details.

  • Director
    • Karl Malden
  • Writers
    • Henry Denker
    • Ralph Berkey
  • Stars
    • Richard Widmark
    • Richard Basehart
    • Dolores Michaels
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • IMDb RATING
    7.3/10
    1.4K
    YOUR RATING
    • Director
      • Karl Malden
    • Writers
      • Henry Denker
      • Ralph Berkey
    • Stars
      • Richard Widmark
      • Richard Basehart
      • Dolores Michaels
    • 33User reviews
    • 13Critic reviews
    • 76Metascore
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • See production info at IMDbPro
    • Nominated for 1 BAFTA Award
      • 1 nomination total

    Photos73

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    Top cast18

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    Richard Widmark
    Richard Widmark
    • Col. William Edwards
    Richard Basehart
    Richard Basehart
    • Maj. Harry Cargill
    Dolores Michaels
    Dolores Michaels
    • Cpl. Jean Evans
    June Lockhart
    June Lockhart
    • Mrs. Cargill
    Carl Benton Reid
    Carl Benton Reid
    • Lt. Gen. J. Connors
    Martin Balsam
    Martin Balsam
    • Sgt. Baker
    Rip Torn
    Rip Torn
    • Lt. George Miller
    Khigh Dhiegh
    Khigh Dhiegh
    • Col. Kim
    • (as Kaie Deei)
    Yale Wexler
    Yale Wexler
    • Capt. Joe Connors
    Alan Dexter
    Alan Dexter
    • Mike
    Manning Ross
    • Lt. Harvey
    Joe Di Reda
    Joe Di Reda
    • Gus
    • (as Joe Di Rida)
    James Douglas
    James Douglas
    • Steve
    Kenneth Alton
    • Boxer
    Jack Webster
    • Lt. Harper
    Edward McNally
    • Poleska
    • (as Skip McNally)
    Jimmie Horan
    Jimmie Horan
    • Prisoner of War
    • (uncredited)
    Karl Malden
    Karl Malden
    • Prisoner of War
    • (uncredited)
    • Director
      • Karl Malden
    • Writers
      • Henry Denker
      • Ralph Berkey
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

    User reviews33

    7.31.4K
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    Featured reviews

    Michael_Elliott

    Deserves to Be Better Known

    Time Limit (1957)

    *** 1/2 (out of 4)

    Hard-hitting drama about Maj. Harry Cagill (Richard Basehart) who is brought up on charges of treason after being in a Korean War camp and giving information to the enemy. Once back in the states Col. Edwards (Richard Widmark) tries to understand what made him crack but he refuses to talk and all of his men give the same strange story, which doesn't make enough sense to Edwards. This film isn't very well known today, which is a shame but I'm going to guess that part of the reason is that it was released in the same year as both 12 ANGRY MEN and WITNESS FOR THE PROSECUTION. All three films deal with twists and turns within a court setting, although this film here just deals with an investigation as we don't get to actually step inside the courtroom. With that said, all three films share a lot in common but this film manages to ask some pretty hard questions and it doesn't pull any punches with the answer. The film is brutally frank in its subject matter and even though we don't find the answers we're looking for until the final ten-minutes, the film still manages to pack one major punch after another. I think a lot of credit must go to Malden, in his only adventure as a director, and I do wonder how much influence Elia Kazan had on him. The film has a certain look and feel of ON THE WATERFRONT, which Malden of course made with Kazan. It appears that both films ask a lot of the same questions about bravery, talking and how much one person should take. Seeing as how this one takes place in the military it's clear that there is a political slant going on here as I'm sure many people would have to ask themselves how much torture, sickness and threats of death they could take without talking or trying to save their own skin. The "time limit" of bravery is an interesting question and we get many different answers as to how one person should be. The final ten-minutes is when things really start to break down as we finally get some answers and the twist here has been debated by quite a few reviewers. I personally didn't mind the twist and I think it worked well for what the film was going for. There were several directions that the film could have went for but the one they selected worked well enough for me. Another major benefit are the performances with Widmark leading the way in a rather laid back performance by the actor who was often shown as being a demanding, strong character. I thought Widmark was very believable playing it so laid back and I think that quiet nature here actually helped the film as it seems he was the only one who didn't want revenge for what had happened but instead just wanted the truth. Basehart is terrific as well in showing the hell that his character is going through. Dolores Michaels is good as Widmark's aide, June Lockhart is very strong in her one scene and Martin Balsam is on hand for some needed comedy relief. This is certainly an emotionally draining picture as the subject matter is rather ugly and the picture doesn't pull any punches. Malden handles the material extremely well and it's a shame we didn't get to see what else he could do behind the camera.
    8byron-116

    A SELDOM SEEN FACE OF WAR

    Superb intelligent dialogue and powerful brilliant performances make this film exciting throughout. Time Limit should belong in everyone's movie collection of great films
    7blanche-2

    Good and still very relevant drama

    Richard Widmark, Richard Basehart, Rip Torn and Carl Benton Reid star in "Time Limit," a 1957 drama directed by Karl Malden. It's a small drama, based on a play, and very well done. During the Korean War, a military investigator, Colonel Edwards (Widmark) is assigned the case of Major Cargill (Basehart), who was a POW and is accused of treason. Edwards believes Cargill to be innocent of the charges, even though Cargill admits that the charges are correct.

    This story is really about making a humane decision rather than following military rules. Since as I write this we are still at war in Iraq, this film remains relevant. The scenes at the prisoner of war camp are excellent and really give one the feel for what these soldiers suffered.

    Widmark, Torn and Basehart are especially good - Widmark is a man looking for the answer and striving to be both humane and fair, and Torn is a witness to what occurred - both give terrific performances. Basehart is effective as the accused, who just wants to plead guilty and not explain his actions.

    A very thought-provoking drama, certainly a topic that's been covered in bigger films, but still worth seeing.
    8bkoganbing

    Isn't there a Time Limit on courage

    I have to take exception to other reviewers calling Time Limit, a courtroom drama. There are no scenes in any courtroom, military or civilian. Still it's a very engrossing story.

    Richard Widmark is acting as an investigative officer for the Judge Advocate General's Office trying to ascertain if there are enough facts to bring Richard Basehart to trial for treason. Basehart was a prisoner of war in Korea who is accused of collaborating with the enemy.

    Through a lot of patient probing of Basehart and others, Widmark arrives at a very ugly story that while it doesn't totally exonerate Basehart it does give him the basis for a defense. So much so that Widmark requests he be assigned as Basehart's attorney when he does come up for court martial.

    Time Limit ran for 127 performances on Broadway in 1956 and starred Arthur Kennedy and Richard Kiley in the roles Widmark and Basehart play. Widmark's good friend Karl Malden did this one time only job of directing and gets good performances from his cast.

    Time Limit asks a lot of disturbing questions about the behavior of prisoners of war and whether we expect too much from them. Ironically when the USS Pueblo was taken by the North Koreans in the late sixties, these same questions were asked for real.
    10herbqedi

    Insightful Drama Now More Timely Than Ever

    I had seen Time Limit three times before, always greatly admiring and appreciating the taut court-martial drama. I find it unfortunate that Malden never took another director's turn after such an impressive debut. The acting and direction still hold up well with tour-de-force performances by Basehart and Widmark. These are complemented nicely by dead-on portrayals by Carl Benton Reid, Rip Torn, Martin Balsam, and Yale Wexler as far less humane military characters. Dolores Costello and June Lockhart also give strong performances.

    But, the reason I write this today is to comment upon how timely Time Limit is to today's POW controversies. In this regard, I consider the 1962 film "the Hook" with Kirk Douglas almost as a companion piece. The questions are the same. How far should a soldier suppress his humanity in the name of the Army Code? How accountable should a soldier be held who defies the code in order to act in accordance with his conscience? How accountable should a soldier be held who obeys orders later judged to be inhumane? All these are central issues in wake of the recent Abu Gharib controversies.

    Time Limit does an excellent job of examining these dilemmas and convincing those of us who weren't already convinced that there are no easy answers. War, by its nature, is an inhumane activity, ordered by humans and executed by humans who to accomplish their orders must deny within themselves subjugate the very humanity that gives each of us his or her purpose in life. Time Limit and The Hook both provide thoughtful and fairly objective examinations of the issues involved.

    Time Limit has always been worth watching. Its renewed relevancy just makes it even more so.

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    Related interests

    Mahershala Ali and Alex R. Hibbert in Moonlight (2016)
    Drama
    Band of Brothers (2001)
    War

    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      First film where Rip Torn receives a credited role.
    • Goofs
      When Miller throws his punch, it clearly misses to the left even though the victim's head snaps back.
    • Quotes

      Maj. Harry Cargill: A man can be a hero all his life, but if in the last month of it, or the last week, or even the last minute, the pressure becomes too great and he breaks, then he's branded for life. You can't ask a man to be a hero forever. There ought to be a time limit.

      Lt. Gen. J. Connors: There is no defense for treason.

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    FAQ14

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    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • October 23, 1957 (United States)
    • Country of origin
      • United States
    • Languages
      • English
      • Korean
    • Also known as
      • Wenn Männer zerbrechen
    • Filming locations
      • Governors Island, New York Harbor, New York City, New York, USA(exteriors of Army post)
    • Production company
      • Heath Productions
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Tech specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      • 1h 36m(96 min)
    • Color
      • Black and White
    • Aspect ratio
      • 1.66 : 1

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