Count the Hours!

1953 "THE PICTURE OF UNCOUNTED "THRILLS"!"
6.2| 1h16m| NR| en| More Info
Released: 01 April 1953 Released
Producted By: Benedict Bogeaus Production
Country: United States of America
Budget: 0
Revenue: 0
Official Website:
Info

A lawyer defends a migrant worker in a sensational murder trial.

Genre

Drama, Crime

Watch Online

Count the Hours! (1953) is currently not available on any services.

Director

Don Siegel

Production Companies

Benedict Bogeaus Production

AD
AD

Watch Free for 30 Days

All Prime Video Movies and TV Shows. Cancel anytime.
Watch Now
Count the Hours! Videos and Images
View All

Count the Hours! Audience Reviews

GamerTab That was an excellent one.
Smartorhypo Highly Overrated But Still Good
WillSushyMedia This movie was so-so. It had it's moments, but wasn't the greatest.
Erica Derrick By the time the dramatic fireworks start popping off, each one feels earned.
gavin6942 A lawyer defends a migrant worker falsely accused of two murders.What is interesting, first of all, is how the defendant is described as a "migrant worker". That is not incorrect, but I think perhaps the connotation in 1953 is different than in 2017, because now the term would almost exclusively be referring to a Latino employee. In fact, the United Nations defines a migrant worker as "a person who is engaged or has been engaged in a remunerated activity in a State of which he or she is not a national." This, more often than not, would be Mexican farmhands in the case of the United States.Anyway, the film is quite good. I don't know if it was a feature or a B-movie, as it does give the impression of not having big names attached and perhaps a smaller budget. But for entertainment purposes and a but of suspense, it does the job. In retrospect, it also serves as a great example of early work from director Don Siegel.
blanche-2 MacDonald Carey and Teresa Wright, both of whom starred in Hitchcock's Shadow of a Doubt, work together again in a less prestigious film, "Count the Hours" from 1953, directed by Don Siegel.Wright is Ellen Braden, whose husband George (John Craven), a migrant worker, is arrested for the murder of an elderly man and his housekeeper that was done apparently during a robbery - the man kept a lot of money in his house. When asked if he has a gun, he at first says no. His wife runs home and throws the gun in the lake, but she's seen doing it. By then he's admitted to having one. He's believed to be guilty.Carey plays attorney Doug Madison, who is asked to take the case but refuses. After speaking with Mrs. Braden, he changes his mind. He's convinced that they have to find the gun. But when they do, it's a disappointment. Doug believes in George's innocence, which means they have to find the killer.Pretty good mystery-suspense film which also features Jack Elam. Wright is sympathetic as the pregnant Ellen who believes in her husband, but John Craven doesn't register much.Carey was an affable leading man who found his great success on Days of Our Lives. He had a wonderful speaking voice and a gentle presence. Elam is his usual evil-looking and sleazy self.On the ordinary side but tense nonetheless.
bkoganbing MacDonald Carey stars as an Atticus Finch like attorney in Count The Hours where he's asked to defend George Craven who is accused of killing an elderly rancher and his wife. From the reactions around the town the two were beloved in the community and everyone just wants to hang Craven and be quick about it.His defense of Craven puts Carey's own relationship with rich girl friend Dolores Moran in jeopardy. And he's certainly not winning any popularity contest defending Craven. Still Carey soldiers on until the truth emerges.Don Siegel got some beautiful performances from several of his cast members. First Teresa Wright as Craven's wife who is the picture of innocence. Her innocence makes you the audience as well as Carey believe in the rightness of the cause. Also Adele Mara poaches on what is usually Gloria Grahame territory. She plays a real low life white trash slut and she does it magnificently.Finally though there's Jack Elam who was a former hand at the deceased's place and he's a former mental patient. That blind eye of Elam's served him so well in films he could play some really loony characters. Elam is at his bug-eyed best in this part.It's sad that Don Siegel did not have a bigger budget to work with. As it is Count The Hours is a real noir classic and Carey's Dave Madison belongs right up there with Atticus Finch in the pantheon of film's incorruptible men of the law.
last-picture-show A minor noir classic. Superbly photographed with some good performances and an unusual score by Louis Forbes featuring excessive use of a haunting Theramin and a wonderful dream-like sequence in the courtroom where he uses a repeated piano motif in a modern, almost ambient style. Watch out for the continuity error at the end. The accused, Max Vern (Jack Elam), returns to his home in a fit of rage. Notice that he is walking towards a lone house (in long shot) which looks strangely familiar. Why it's the same house that he (the killer) is seen walking towards in the very first shot of the movie where the farmer and his housekeeper are killed! Confusing huh? Director Don Siegel may have been trying to make a subliminal point here but I guess the truth is that due to budget restrictions he liked the location so much he used it twice.