Fourteen Hours

• Paul Douglas: Officer Charlie Dunnigan
• Richard Basehart Robert Cosick
• Barbara Bel Geddes: Virginia Foster
• Debra Paget: Ruth
• Agnes Moorehead: Christine Hill Cosick
• Robert Keith: Paul E. Cosick
• Howard Da Silva: Lieutenant Moskar
• Jeffrey Hunter: Danny plumber
• Frank Faylen: Walter

Fourteen hours is an American film directed by Henry Hathaway from the year 1951. Served as pattern two years earlier in The New Yorker magazine published story, The Man on the Ledge by Joel Sayre.

Action

In the 15th floor of a New York hotel is the young Robert Cosick in suicidal intent on the narrow ledge of the facade. In the streets below him the traffic comes to a halt, passersby stare transfixed upward. Police and fire departments are preparing for the bailout, newsreel and television cameras are set up. The incident becomes a media event, all waiting for the death leap. Clergy and psychologists try in vain to move the Disillusioned to repentance. Only the traffic cop Charlie Dunnigan comes from the Immediate window with the man in conversation and slowly gaining his trust.

While the policeman told patiently by the everyday things of life, the dramatic events do not stay on the onlookers passers-by with no effect. Thus, two young people meet - wedged in the crowd - and know very soon that their casual acquaintance will be permanent. In a law office, which is located opposite the hotel, Ann Fuller tried to discuss divorce terms with her husband. The tragedy on the other side of the road causes her but a change of heart.

Charlie talks, however, continue with Robert, who takes him cigarettes and coffee. It has become dark. Due to the distraction of the man succeeds the other officers to build up a network of the upper floors and down to allow careful. Suddenly, a spotlight will be on. Robert is startled, gets into tumbling and crashing. At the last moment he can cling to the prepared power and is finally rescued.

Background

• The story is based on a true story: On July 28, 1938, a young man named John Warde revealed his sister to want to take his life. Venue was a New York hotel room on the 17th floor. The man suffered from manic- depressive psychosis. He climbed through the window on a narrow ledge 50 feet above the 55th Street and plunged after some hesitation in depth.
• The film was produced with two different circuit versions: according to the facts of the fall in one version is deadly. The other end with the rescue of tired of life by a safety net. Initially, the audience could decide which should be used of the two versions. Since the majority of the happy end decided the film was subsequently shown only to the positive final.
• At the box office, the film was a flop at the time. Grace Kelly and Richard Beymer celebrated with supporting roles her debut as a film actor.

Reviews

" The external events of the 14 hour-long rescue operation to serve the densely atmospheric, persuasively illustrated movie as a period for psychoanalytic fanning of the supposedly authentic case. "

Awards

• The film was nominated for Best Art Direction for the Academy Awards 1952 in the category.
• He won the 1951 NBR Award for Best Actor and was also proposed in the same year for the Golden Lion at the Venice Film Festival.
• A year later two other nominations came for the British Film Academy Award for best film and for the WGA Award added as the best -written drama.

DVD Release

• Fourteen Hours, 20th Century Fox, 2006 ( not yet published in the German-speaking area )