Convict Van Duff engineers a large-scale prison break; the six survivors hide out in a forgotten mine working near the prison, then set out on a long, dangerous journey by foot, car, train and truck to retrieve Duff's bank loot. En route, as they touch the lives of "regular folks," each has his own rendezvous with destiny.
Acting
William Bendix's volcanic desperation anchors every scene.
Cinematography
Blinding white snow vs. black souls—visual poetry.
Director
Lewis R. Foster
William Bendix
Van Morgan Duff
Arthur Kennedy
Joe Quinn
Luther Adler
Pete Mendoza
William Talman
Luther Remsen
Gene Evans
Maynard 'Monk' Collins
Marshall Thompson
Billy Lang
Beverly Michaels
Alice Mosher
Gloria Talbott
Girl on Train
Adam Williams
Fred Summerfield
Percy Helton
Louis Barnes
Tom Dugan
Ed
Morris Ankrum
Head Guard
Christopher Olsen
Timmy Mosher
Trivia, insights & behind the scenes
Lewis R. Foster won an Oscar for writing another prison film, 'Mr. Smith Goes to Washington,' before directing this grim inversion of American hope.
The 'traveling band of doomed men' structure directly inspired Tarantino's 'The Hateful Eight'—minus the snow, plus the same rotting trust.
US
