A Time to Kill1955

This is an impressive film. And by impressive I mean that it is remarkable that the writer was able to fit in as many cliched old sayings into the first 15 minutes of the movie as she did. I can't recall a motion picture with more. It's as if someone handed Doreen Montgomery a book of idioms and dared her to write a screen play using all the entries.

The pace of one-liners slows after the first quarter hour, but the film by no means abandons them. One impatient driver taps out "shave and a haircut - two bits" on his car horn to add a jingle to the mix.

The plot is a somewhat standard who-done-it with a mysterious blackmailer. Well he's mysterious until a clue is given half way through the movie that gives everything away. The ending will surprise no one.

Still it's an enjoyable film with likable characters and an interesting story.

I may go back and watch this movie again and count the cliches during the opening segment.

Just from memory, I believe there must have been 20 or more.

Nice try, but a B-movie all the same. The plot is routine, the strip club scenes tedious and not erotic, and the ending all too obvious. What saves it is David McCallum's acting as the slimy hood with the mom who makes excuses for him (dad is excessively over the top). He reminds me of Richard Widmark in "Night and the City" -- alas, "A Time to Kill" doesn't have that movie's stellar supporting cast. McCallum has to carry it all, and he does a creditable job -- better than his later years with "The Man From U.N.C.L.E." on TV.

Absolutely smashing British B Noir, filled with a great assortment of character types (including Joan Hickson, who went on to be such a great Miss Jane Marple!) I loved it!

Pretty entertaining movie. Held my interest; even though it didn't take a long time to figure out the culprit.