A TV talk-show host who may have killed his wife finds himself being pursued by both the police and a gang of hoods.A TV talk-show host who may have killed his wife finds himself being pursued by both the police and a gang of hoods.A TV talk-show host who may have killed his wife finds himself being pursued by both the police and a gang of hoods.
- Director
- Writers
- Stars
- Nominated for 1 Oscar
- 1 win & 1 nomination total
J.D. Cannon
- Walt Leznicki
- (as J. D. Cannon)
Hal K. Dawson
- Apartment House Guard
- (uncredited)
Richard Derr
- Jack Hale
- (uncredited)
- Director
- Writers
- All cast & crew
- Production, box office & more at IMDbPro
Featured reviews
This has every appearance of a mid-1960s contemporary television drama, filmed on 1960s television studio sets, using 1960s television lighting, using 1960s television music, with overskilled movie actors for the roles they're given. I expect an epilogue announcing "this is a quinn-martin production."
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Janet Leigh's 1940 noir moll dialogue is ludicrous almost to the point of spoof.
Eleanor Parker's portrayal is grotesque, indulgent, and minimally watchable.
There are some interesting police procedural tidbits, almost lifted from Dragnet. J.D. Cannon is great as a Joe Friday with anger issues.
The two stars, Whitman and Leigh, seemed to take a mini-vacation from acting. They're both easy to watch, but seem distracted or tired or like they're donating their time for free. I don't know what the norman mailer novel was like, but I hope to god it wasn't like this movie.
The two stars, Whitman and Leigh, seemed to take a mini-vacation from acting. They're both easy to watch, but seem distracted or tired or like they're donating their time for free. I don't know what the norman mailer novel was like, but I hope to god it wasn't like this movie.
The film was ridiculous but that theme song will live forever. A Time for Love, by Johnny Mandel, has an unforgettable melody and Mandel's arrangement, playing over the opening credits, was the best part of the movie. Vidal Sassoon also gets special mention for Janet Leigh's chic hairstyle. The pacing and direction were so weak, I lost interest early on. I was hoping the movie would be good but it wasn't. The five stars go to Johnny Mandel. The rest of the movie deserves a big fat zero.
Watching this on TCM. I've taken to the channel as a window on style and design from eras past. Janet Leigh was a total fashion plate throughout the movie. Got a kick out of seeing George Takei pre-Star Trek. This one is rich with mid-century elements from the architecture...to the lush interiors...to the gorgeous mid 60s automobiles. Janet's 1964 Thunderbird and the mobster's Lincoln Continental along with the Mercury Monterey was literally all I watched it for. Elinore Parker delivers an over-the-top fight scene in the early going...and I found myself thinking: "Go easy on the interior...try not to make a mess of the place on the way to the ledge".
I watched this film for the first time today, having avoided it since its release. Mailer wrote the book, Janet Leigh is in it, so can it REALLY be as bad as all that? Oh gee . . . Eleanor Parker opens the "action" with a performance that beggars description. She acts demented, if not possessed. In the context of the film, it is impossible to believe she did not manifest bizarre behavior, such that suicide would be deemed unthinkable. Then there's the unexpected involvement of the mob boss as the film veers away from a police procedural into film noir. And then comes the whole religious prohibition against abortion and suicide, but by that point . . . Who cares? This is not one of those films which are so bad they are good. This is just bad.
Eleanor Parker is an embarrassment to acting. Her ugly and obnoxious portrayal of rich and spoiled socialite Deborah Kelly Rojack who goads her war hero husband Stephen Richard Rojack (Stuart Whitman) into a bedroom tussle that lands them both overhanging their penthouse balcony until she falls to her annoying death was pitiful.
Talk about overacting and a crummy screenplay that includes a jilted lover and dance hall singer to the mob, a girl named Cherry McMahon (Janet Leigh) and the murdered daughter's wealthy father Barney Kelly (Lloyd Nolan) all making our war hero turned TV broadcaster Stephen Richard Rojack a target for everyone including the mob.
The film tries in vain to build suspense with a penetrating music score and continued non-stop hurried dialogue between Stuart Whitman and EVERYONE and ANYONE else who shares screen time with him. Well it just does not work.
A most forgettable film worthy of a 3 out of 10 rating and nothing more.
Talk about overacting and a crummy screenplay that includes a jilted lover and dance hall singer to the mob, a girl named Cherry McMahon (Janet Leigh) and the murdered daughter's wealthy father Barney Kelly (Lloyd Nolan) all making our war hero turned TV broadcaster Stephen Richard Rojack a target for everyone including the mob.
The film tries in vain to build suspense with a penetrating music score and continued non-stop hurried dialogue between Stuart Whitman and EVERYONE and ANYONE else who shares screen time with him. Well it just does not work.
A most forgettable film worthy of a 3 out of 10 rating and nothing more.
Did you know
- TriviaDirector Robert Gist had a small acting role in the 1958 film adaptation of Norman Mailer's novel, The Naked and the Dead (1958). "An American Dream" and Mailer's own adaptation of Tough Guys Don't Dance (1987) have been the only other Mailer novels filmed to date, though a number of other films have been based on Mailer's nonfiction books.
- GoofsThe wall calendar inside Lt. Roberts' office is for January 1959 while the wall calendar just outside his door is for September 1963.
- Quotes
Stephen Rojack: I want a divorce.
Deborah Rojack: From the daughter of the eighth richest man in the whole U.S.? Bitch I am but rich I am.
Stephen Rojack: Tired I am. The war's over.
- ConnectionsFeatured in Norman Mailer: The American (2010)
- SoundtracksA Time for Love
Music by Johnny Mandel
Lyrics by Paul Francis Webster
Performed by Janet Leigh (uncredited), dubbed by Jackie Ward (uncredited)
[Cherry performs the song in her club act]
- How long is An American Dream?Powered by Alexa
Details
- Release date
- Country of origin
- Language
- Also known as
- See You in Hell, Darling
- Filming locations
- 1430 Wright Street, Los Angeles, California, USA(As the Castle Motel, Cherry McMahon's apartment building.)
- Production company
- See more company credits at IMDbPro
- Runtime
- 1h 43m(103 min)
- Sound mix
- Aspect ratio
- 1.85 : 1
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