A five-year-old boy is the sole survivor of a devastating plane crash in the mountains of California. When the newspapers reveal the boy was adopted and that the crash occurred on his birthday, three women begin to ponder if it's the son each gave up for adoption. As the three await news of his rescue at a mountain cabin, they recall incidents from five years earlier and why they were forced to give up their son.
Acting
Parker, Neal, and Roman each deliver distinct flavors of repressed anguish.
Direction
Wise frames the cabin like a pressure chamber, mountains as silent judge.
Writing
Flashback structure reveals three devastating backstories with economy.
Director
Robert Wise
Eleanor Parker
Susan Chase
Patricia Neal
Phyllis Horn
Ruth Roman
Ann Lawrence
Frank Lovejoy
Bob Duffy
Leif Erickson
Bill Chase
Ted de Corsia
Del Prince
Edmon Ryan
Hardin
Larry Keating
Mark Harrison
Katherine Warren
Mrs. Connors
Arthur Franz
Paul Radin
Jay Adler
Editor (uncredited)
Eleanor Audley
Warden (uncredited)
Billy Bevan
Ed Jackson (uncredited)
Trivia, insights & behind the scenes
Robert Wise made this between 'The Set-Up' and 'The Day the Earth Stood Still'—his 1950 was INSANE.
This is basically a 1950s 'Maury' episode with better lighting: three women, one possible baby daddy situation, zero DNA tests.
US
