The Desperate Hours
film by Wyler [1955]
The Desperate Hours, American crime film, released in 1955, that is noted for the war-of-wills tension between a ruthless killer and a terrorized family held captive. Three escaped convicts led by Glenn Griffin (played by Humphrey Bogart) hide out in a suburban middle-class home owned by Dan Hilliard (Fredric March). The resulting confrontation becomes an engrossing cat-and-mouse game as Hilliard cooperates with the criminals, giving the impression that he is a coward, but ultimately uses his wits to overcome his adversaries and save his family. The Desperate Hours was a return to the crime genre for director William Wyler, who ...(100 of 190 words)