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Suddenly (1954)

A review by Damian Cannon.
Copyright © Movie Reviews UK 1997
The President of the US comes under attack by hired assassins in a tense tale of psychosis, patriotism and toy guns. The small town of Suddenly is a quiet, low-key neighbourhood where Sheriff Tod Shaw (Sterling Hayden) knows everyone by name. Strangers pass through but few stop; the Mayor might as well change the town's title to Gradually! Love interest is provided by Ellen Benson (Nancy Gates), a widow whose husband was killed in the war; she has a boisterous, young son Pidge (Kim Charney) who idolises Tod. Unfortunately Ellen still hasn't recovered from her wartime loss and rejects Tod even as he's trying his best to be patient and help. This drowsy calm is disturbed when a message comes rattling over the railroad wire, yielding a confidential communication for Tod. It seems that the President will be arriving in Suddenly at 5pm and transferring to a holiday resort in the hills. Frantic organisation entails.

In no time a throng of Secret Service agents has filled the small town, passing from door-to-door in a bid to make everything secure. The local police do their bit by identifying citizens of the town and watching for suspicious strangers. One particular house causes some concern because it's situated on a hill above the station, a perfect site for an ambush. Tod laughingly explains that this is where Ellen lives, with her father-in-law Pop Benson (James Gleason). Since he used to be in the Service himself there's surely no problem, although the operatives need to visit to make sure. FBI agent John Baron (Frank Sinatra) drops by, with his colleagues Benny Conklin (Paul Frees) and Bart Wheeler (Christopher Dark). They pronounce the house to be safe but that they'll have to stay throughout the Presidential transfer.

All of this activity intrigues Pop, since he used to protect a President, and he finally wheedles out of Baron that they're expecting an assassination attempt. In the valley the railroad is crawling with agents checking stores, vehicles and anybody who appears out of place. Rising from this ordered chaos, Tod arrives at the house with the head of the Secret Service. Pop recognises the head as a former employee and welcomes him with open arms. However, as soon as Ellen mentions the FBI agents Baron pulls a gun and shoots wildly. With all shocked into incomprehension by this outburst of violence, Baron explains that they are the assassins everyone is hunting for. Taking Pidge as a hostage, Baron states that the kid'll get it if anyone tries to be heroic; since he's obviously a cold-blooded killer there's little anyone can do. As the clock ticks slowly towards 5pm the tension rises, while Pop and Tod work to outsmart the traitor Baron.

A perennial theme for film-makers, the stresses and strains which can rip apart a group under pressure are explored sweatily in Suddenly. Although this is a typical 50s message picture (patriotism triumphs over traitorism, wholesome family values are best, men know what's good for women), it's rescued from B-movie hell by some excellent acting. Sinatra is convincing as a homicidal, driven killer who's filled with numerous tics and quirks. If his performance seems over-the-top that's only because the character requires such a presence. The tensions which exist between Baron, Conklin and Wheeler are exquisitely picked apart (to Baron they're expendable while the goons are just in this mess for the money). If only the family members (Ellen, Pop, Tod and Pidge) could have been less stereotypical then their actions would have matched the intensity of the hired killers. Unfortunately, they react strictly along genre lines; Pidge is a plucky 8-year old, Ellen a dizzy and hysterical woman, Tod an upstanding lawman and Pop (the best of the bunch) a plucky 80-year old.

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