[Thor Joachim Haga]

Jack Nicholson’s debut film from 1958 is a 60-minute, Corman-produced B movie about a young man (played by Nicholson) who finds himself in a compromizing situation as he tries to pull his love interest away from the local punk gang leader, only to end up in an involuntary hostage situation with a man, woman and baby.

The film is very uneven in quality. It has an interesting premise that can create a very tense, chamber piece-like atmosphere, but it is often ruined by stale dialogue, shoddy performances or implausible situations and plot holes. Jack, however, is quite good as the desperate, temperamental young man. You can clearly see the talent here even though he isn’t quite “polished” yet, especially not in terms of the Method acting he would later be known for.

Fried’s score is a pretty standard big band jazz score, slightly reminiscent of the rambunctious cop music at the time; something like M SQUAD or CHECKMATE. At times, it seems a bit too upbeat and whimsical for the serious situations the film wants to convey, but it’s quite in-your-face and swingin’. I don’t think there ever was a soundtrack? (there’s a title song too, which is pretty bad).