Count the Hours! (1953)

Teresa Wright is an actress whose performances I almost always enjoy, although here she was past her prime as an actress. Nevertheless, I enjoyed her acting here.This is a pretty decent B picture. In addition to the starring role of Teresa Wright, there's also MacDonald Carey as a lawyer.The story is simple. A farmer is murdered, and the fruit picker living in a shack next door is accused of the murder. His wife, Teresa Wright knows he is innocent, but she throws his gun in a lake out of panic, and the case may hinge on that.There are several scenes here that are just plain "cheap", and that is the blame of director Don Siegel, who also directed the original "Invasion Of The Body Snatchers". Of course, Sigel also went on to direct "Dirty Harry". Additionally, the supporting actors here are second rate. His background music is very inappropriate.Overall, it's a decent B film. Nothing to write home about.

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.

Budget restrictions, my tailbone.For those who kinda like the plot detail, minus "noirsh" reviews: The midnight murder of a rancher and his wife leaves circumstantial evidence pointing the finger of guilt toward a married couple, George Braden (John Craven) and his wife Ellen (Teresa Wright), who live and work on the ranch.George confesses to the killings in order to free his wife from hours of grilling by the police. Despite the best efforts of his defense attorney, Doug Madison (Macdonald Carey), George gets the death penalty.Sunsequent events and his sympathy for Ellen convince Doug that George is innocent but he must find the real murderer to prove it. His man-hunt leads to a former hired hand, Max Verne (Jack Elam.) With the help of the latter's greedy girl friend, Gracie Sanger (Adela Mara), Max is found and admits to the killings. But when a hearing is held, a psychiatrist pronounces him unsound of mind but harmless and the judge sets him free. A precursor to things to come in the judicial system? (Gee, the experts missed this major connection to future Don Siegel films.) After the governor rejects Doug's pleas for an appeal for George, the townspeople turn against him, and his fiancée, Paula Mitchener (Dolores Moran), misconstrues his association with Ellen and breaks their engagement. And, having spent all his own money in an effort to achieve justice for George, and with his practice (job?) gone, Doug prepares to leave town.Then something happens that makes his day.

MacDonald Carey stars as a public defender taking on the case of a migrant farm worker accused of killing his employer in this unusual RKO production. Directed stylishly by Don Siegel and marvelously photographed by the great John Alton, whose penchant for deep, angular shots is on display throughout, Count the Hours has plenty of the ingredients you'd expect a noir classic to feature. Sadly, it's let down by a drab screenplay by Karen Dewolf and a dull, Lon Chaney Jr.-style performance by John Craven as the falsely accused handy man. The film also suffers from a Louis Forbes score that features an overdone theremin theme whenever the real villain appears on the screen. Count the Hours looks great and also features good performances by Teresa Wright (in a role that seems tailor made for Patricia Neal) and Jack Elam, but on balance, it remains a frustrating though watchable failure.