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Ransom!
Ransom!
Ransom!
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Ransom!
Theatrical release poster
Directed byAlex Segal
Screenplay byCyril Hume
Richard Maibaum
Based onFearful Decision
1954 TV play
by Cyril Hume
Richard Maibaum
Produced byNicholas Nayfack
StarringGlenn Ford
Donna Reed
Leslie Nielsen
Juano Hernandez
Robert Keith
CinematographyArthur E. Arling
Edited byFerris Webster
Music byJeff Alexander
Production
company
Distributed byLoew's Inc.
Release date
  • January 24, 1956 (1956-01-24)
Running time
102 minutes
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish
Budget$1,003,000[1]
Box office$2,172,000[1][2]

Ransom! is a 1956 American crime drama film about the kidnapping of the son of a wealthy couple. Written by Richard Maibaum and Cyril Hume, the film is based on a popular 1954 episode of The United States Steel Hour titled "Fearful Decision" starring Ralph Bellamy.[3]

Directed by stage and television veteran Alex Segal, the film stars Glenn Ford, Donna Reed and Leslie Nielsen.

The 1996 film Ransom, directed by Ron Howard and starring Mel Gibson, was loosely based on Ransom!.

Plot

[edit]

Young Andy Stannard is the son of wealthy executive father Dave Stannard and mother Edith. Andy's school principal calls to inform the Stannards that the family doctor's nurse has collected Andy from school with an infection. Dave contacts the doctor and is told that the doctor had not requested to retrieve Andy. Dave realizes that Andy has been kidnapped and calls the police.

Police chief Jim Backett organizes a search and has an additional telephone line installed in the Stannards' house in order to keep the main line free should the kidnappers call with a ransom demand. Newspaper reporter Charlie Telfer enters the house and meets hostile resistance from Dave but is allowed to remain.

When the principal of Andy's school arrives and demands not to be held responsible for Andy's abduction, Edith attacks her with a fire poker. The doctor sedates Edith, and she is asleep upstairs when the kidnapper finally calls. The kidnapper demands a $500,000 ransom and instructs Dave to signal his intention to pay by having a popular television host wear a white jacket on the next evening's broadcast. The police trace the phone call to a phone booth and arrive in time to find the kidnapper's cigarette still burning.

With his brother and business partner Al, Dave collects the ransom money. Telfer explains that even if Dave pays the ransom, there is no guarantee that Andy will be returned alive, as he is evidence of the kidnapper's crime, and that Andy's fate will be the same regardless of what Dave decides to do. Backett expresses his wish that families would not pay ransoms, because assenting to kidnappers' demands encourages more kidnappings.

The next day, instead of following the kidnapper's plan, Dave appears on the designated television show with the $500,000 spread on the table before him. He angrily announces that he will not pay the ransom but that it will be offered as a reward to anyone who captures the kidnapper if Andy is killed.

Worried because it appears as though he had advised Dave to refuse the ransom, Backett requests a letter from Dave absolving him of any responsibility for the decision. When Edith discovers that Dave has refused to pay, she becomes furious and must be restrained before she is eventually removed from the house.

The next day, Backett presents Dave with Andy's bloody T-shirt that had been discovered behind a seat in a stolen car. Convinced that his son is dead, Dave presses his lawyer to arrange a trust that will pay the ransom money as a bounty to anyone who locates the kidnapper. Dave retreats to the backyard and sits next to a fort that Andy had been building with his friends. He begins weeping but Andy suddenly appears and Dave is overjoyed. Andy tells him that the shirt was bloodied when he had bitten the kidnapper who had posed as a nurse. The family is reunited in an embrace as the butler thanks God.

Cast

[edit]

Production

[edit]

The film was based on a television play by Richard Maibaum and Cyril Hume which Maibaum called "probably the best thing Cyril and I ever did." They turned it into a stage play which was not produced, but the television play sold to MGM for $85,000. Maibaum and Hume wrote the script. Maibaum felt Glenn Ford "was not as effective as Ralph Bellamy had been on television" and Alex Segal's direction was not as effective because he directed it with too much intensity. "As a result, just when the story should have gripped you the most, the audience was emotionally depleted. Although I thought it was a good film, I wasn’t as fond of it as of the TV show."[4]

Reception

[edit]

According to MGM records, the film earned $1,224,000 in the U.S. and Canada and $948,000 elsewhere, resulting in a profit of $336,000.[1]

See also

[edit]

References

[edit]
[edit]
Revisions and contributorsEdit on WikipediaRead on Wikipedia

Ransom!

View on Grokipedia
from Grokipedia
Ransom! is a 1956 American crime drama film directed by Alex Segal, starring as a wealthy executive whose young son is kidnapped for a $500,000 ransom, leading him to controversially offer the money as a reward for capturing the perpetrators instead of paying the kidnappers. The film, written by Cyril Hume and Richard Maibaum, is an adaptation of their 1954 teleplay Fearful Decision, which originally aired on the anthology series The United States Steel Hour. In the story, Glenn Ford portrays David Stannard, a successful businessman who, after initially preparing to pay the ransom, decides—advised by police and a reporter—to publicly announce the bounty on national television, defying his distraught wife Edith (Donna Reed) and facing backlash from the community and media. This bold strategy heightens the tension as Stannard endures personal and public agony, with the plot culminating in the son's safe return amid the ensuing chaos. Produced by (MGM) with a runtime of 109 minutes, Ransom! explores themes of , media influence, and the of anti-crime measures in America. The supporting cast includes as the emotional mother, in an early role as a persistent reporter, as the family butler, and Robert Keith as a police chief. Released on January 24, 1956, the film marked Segal's feature directorial debut after his television work. Upon release, Ransom! received mixed reviews for its intense premise but was criticized for uneven pacing and overly dramatic performances, though Ford's portrayal of paternal resolve was often highlighted. It holds an score of 63% on based on over 100 ratings, with modern critics noting its riveting suspense despite flaws. The film's legacy endures as the basis for the 1996 remake , directed by and starring , which updated the story for a contemporary while retaining the core twist of turning ransom into bounty.

Background

Source Material

The film Ransom! (1956) originated from the television play "Fearful Decision," written by Cyril Hume and Richard Maibaum for the anthology series The United States Steel Hour. The play aired live on June 22, 1954, as part of the series' first season. With a runtime of approximately 60 minutes, it adhered to the standard format of live dramatic anthologies of the era, emphasizing contained storytelling within broadcast limitations. Starring Ralph Bellamy as the father and directed by Alex Segal, the live production imposed stage-like constraints, relying on minimal sets, real-time dialogue delivery, and a small ensemble to maintain dramatic intensity without the flexibility of pre-recorded editing or extensive locations. At its core, "Fearful Decision" explores a father's profound and emotional struggle amid a crisis, highlighting the tension between personal anguish and decisive action. In adapting the play to cinema, Ransom! expanded its narrative scope, incorporating broader visual storytelling, additional subplots, and dynamic sequences that transcended the original's teleplay boundaries. Cyril Hume and , longtime collaborators, brought their established screenwriting expertise to the project; their prior joint works included the 1937 crime drama They Gave Him a Gun and the 1949 adaptation of . Maibaum, in particular, went on to achieve prominence as a key screenwriter for the James Bond film series, contributing to 13 entries from Dr. No (1962) to Licence to Kill (1989).

Development

Following the successful broadcast of the teleplay "Fearful Decision" on ABC's The U.S. Steel Hour on June 22, 1954, (MGM) promptly acquired the rights to adapt it into a , recognizing its dramatic potential for theatrical release. Development commenced in late 1954, shortly after the television airing, with the project advancing through script revisions and planning into 1955, culminating in a finalized screenplay by mid-year. This rapid timeline reflected 's interest in capitalizing on the story's timeliness. The adaptation was handled by the original teleplay authors, Cyril Hume and , who expanded the narrative by adding roughly an hour of new material to enhance character depth, introduce subplots involving and media pressures, and incorporate visual elements like tense confrontations and location-based suspense unsuitable for constraints. These revisions shifted focus from the mechanics of the abduction—deemed too sensitive for direct depiction—to the psychological and ethical turmoil faced by the parents, ensuring compliance with Production Code Administration standards after initial script concerns raised by the Breen office in 1955. Under producer Nicholas Nayfack's oversight, key creative decisions emphasized the father's bold public announcement of a reward as the story's pivotal twist, heightening the drama around moral dilemmas and public scrutiny rather than a straightforward negotiation. Nayfack's input guided the adaptation toward a more cinematic exploration of family resilience and societal intrusion, aligning with MGM's goal of a suspenseful yet restrained crime drama.

Production

Pre-Production

The pre-production of Ransom! began with the selection of Alex Segal as director, leveraging his extensive background in television drama. Segal, a veteran of live TV productions during the , had previously directed the original 1954 teleplay "Fearful Decision" on , which served as the basis for the film adaptation. His familiarity with the material from the small-screen version made him a natural choice to helm the expansion to feature length. Nicholas Nayfack oversaw production for (MGM), handling key logistical aspects including budget allocation and securing distribution through Loew's Incorporated, MGM's theatrical division at the time. Nayfack's role ensured the project's alignment with MGM's slate of mid-1950s crime dramas, facilitating a smooth transition from television origins to cinematic release. Casting preparations focused on leads capable of conveying intense familial tension. was chosen for the role of David G. Stannard, drawing on his established reputation for portraying resolute, everyman protagonists in moral quandaries, as seen in prior vehicles. was selected as Edith Stannard, capitalizing on her dramatic versatility demonstrated in post-war films following her breakout in . Key crew hires included cinematographer Arthur E. Arling, tasked with achieving the film's stark black-and-white visuals to enhance its noir atmosphere. Pre-production involved adapting the teleplay by adding material to expand from the intimate to feature length.

Filming

for Ransom! took place primarily at the Studios in , from September 23 to November 1955, ahead of the film's January 1956 release. The production utilized the studio's facilities to construct sets recreating urban New York environments, including apartments and police stations, while incorporating limited exterior filming in , to enhance realism in key sequences such as the . The was shot in black-and-white on 35mm film, with cinematographer Arthur E. Arling overseeing the visual style to emphasize psychological tension through close-ups and shadowed interiors typical of 1950s dramas. Direction by Alex Segal, transitioning from television to features, focused on authentic emotional performances, particularly in scenes involving and . Editing wrapped by late 1955, with no significant reshoots required, allowing to meet its release timeline efficiently.

Plot

Warning: Spoilers below. Wealthy industrialist David "Dave" Stannard (Glenn Ford) and his wife Edith () live a comfortable life with their young son Andy (Bobby Clark) in a . Andy is abducted from his by unknown criminals who the family demanding a $500,000 . Dave quickly liquidates assets to gather the money, while Edith becomes increasingly distraught. The family butler, Uncle Jesse (), provides quiet support amid the chaos. Police Chief Jim Backett (Robert Keith) and persistent reporter Charlie Telfer () arrive at the Stannard home. They advise Dave that paying the does not guarantee Andy's safe return and may encourage future kidnappings. Influenced by their counsel, Dave decides against paying and instead publicly announces on national television that he will offer the $500,000 as a reward for information leading to the capture of the kidnappers, dead or alive—effectively turning the into a bounty. This controversial move shocks , who begs him to pay for their son's life, and draws fierce backlash from the community, media, and even Dave's brother. As tension mounts, Edith's emotional state deteriorates; when the school principal arrives to disclaim responsibility for the abduction, a hysterical attacks her with a fire poker before being sedated by a doctor. Isolated and vilified, Dave endures public scorn and personal agony, with the media eventually abandoning the story. However, tips from the bounty lead authorities to the kidnappers' hideout. The perpetrators are apprehended in a violent confrontation, and Andy is rescued unharmed. The family reunites, with Dave's resolute strategy vindicated, though at great emotional cost.

Cast and Characters

Ransom! features the following principal cast members:
  • as David G. Stannard, a wealthy executive whose son is kidnapped.
  • as Edith Stannard, David's distraught wife and the boy's mother.
  • as , a persistent reporter advising on the media strategy.
  • as Jesse Chapman, the family butler.
  • Robert Keith as Chief Jim Backett, the police chief involved in the investigation.

Themes and Style

Moral Dilemmas

At the heart of Ransom! lies the profound moral conflict faced by protagonist , a wealthy executive whose young son is kidnapped and held for a $500,000 ransom. Initially inclined to pay, Stannard undergoes a dramatic shift, refusing to deliver the funds to the criminals and instead announcing on that he will offer the money as a public bounty for information leading to the kidnappers' capture. This decision, driven by his belief that capitulating would perpetuate the "profit motive" in such heartless crimes, places his son's immediate safety in jeopardy while aiming for broader deterrence against future abductions. This choice exacerbates deep family tensions, particularly with Stannard's wife, , who vehemently opposes his resolve, viewing it as a reckless prioritization of principle over parental instinct. Edith's emotional pleas, including begging on her knees for him to pay, underscore the spousal discord and the raw clash between her desperate desire for their child's return and his pragmatic, unyielding stance, which she interprets as an extension of his controlling nature. The rift extends to other relatives and advisors, who criticize Stannard for endangering the boy, highlighting the ethical strain on familial bonds under crisis. The narrative critiques the role of in fueling , as the Stannards' affluent status—marked by their suburban and executive privileges—makes them prime targets, amplifying the stakes and exposing how economic disparity invites exploitation by criminals. This societal commentary reflects broader American anxieties about rising and , linked to post-World War II social upheaval. The film's resolution, following the son's safe return, introduces ambiguity in evaluating Stannard's actions, as post-crisis reflections reveal the personal toll—strained relationships and public backlash—prompting questions about whether his defiance was ultimately heroic in combating or recklessly endangering an innocent life for an uncertain greater good.

Cinematic Techniques

The film's black-and-white cinematography, handled by Arthur E. Arling, employs high-contrast lighting to evoke noir aesthetics, particularly in the sequences where deep shadows and stark profiles heighten the sense of tension and moral ambiguity. This visual style draws on conventions, using effects to underscore the psychological strain on the protagonists, transforming ordinary domestic spaces into claustrophobic arenas of suspense. Director Alex Segal, transitioning from television to feature films, infuses Ransom! with a efficient pacing honed from his live TV background, balancing taut thriller elements with deliberate rhythm. His approach favors extended takes during intense family confrontations, allowing emotional depth to unfold in real time without interruption, which amplifies the raw authenticity of the characters' dilemmas. This restraint contrasts with the film's more dynamic sequences, maintaining a mid-1950s dramatic style that prioritizes narrative drive over flashy visuals. Editing by Ferris Webster contributes to the through rapid cuts in the climactic escape efforts, accelerating the tempo to mirror the escalating chaos and urgency of the pursuit. Montage sequences depicting the media frenzy surrounding the further enhance this rhythm, intercutting newsreel-style footage with personal reactions to convey the story's broader societal impact efficiently. The sound design integrates Jeff Alexander's original score, which uses dissonant strings and percussion to underscore moments of ethical conflict, creating an auditory unease that parallels the visual tension. Diegetic elements, such as radio broadcasts and television announcements central to the plot, ground the film in realism, blending ambient news sounds with the score to heighten the immediacy of the crisis. As an adaptation of the 1954 teleplay Fearful Decision by Cyril Hume and , originally aired on the The United States Steel Hour, the film innovates by expanding into visual action sequences, including chases and pursuits absent from the stage-bound original, leveraging the medium's capabilities for heightened cinematic drama. This extension transforms the intimate TV drama into a more expansive thriller, incorporating and dynamic camera work to visualize the kidnappers' movements.

Release and Reception

Theatrical Release

Ransom! premiered in on January 24, 1956, at the . The film was distributed in the United States by through its subsidiary Loew's Inc., marking a standard wide release strategy for MGM productions of the era. This was followed by an international rollout beginning in early 1956, with releases in markets such as in March, in April, and the in May, extending into 1957. Marketing efforts centered on Glenn Ford's leading performance as the determined father, with trailers showcasing the film's tense plot and the dramatic reversal of offering a reward for the kidnappers' capture rather than paying the demanded ransom. Posters similarly focused on the emotional family dynamics and suspenseful kidnapping scenario to draw audiences. With a runtime of 109 minutes, Ransom! received approval from the Motion Picture Production Code Administration for general audiences, prior to the establishment of the modern MPAA rating system in 1968.

Box Office Performance

Ransom! was produced on a budget of $1,003,000. According to MGM records, the film earned $1,224,000 in rentals from the U.S. and Canada and $948,000 from overseas markets. These figures contributed to total worldwide earnings of approximately $2,172,000. The production recovered its costs and generated a net profit of $336,000 for MGM, establishing it as a moderate commercial success during the 1950s, a period when the studio navigated heightened competition from the rise of television.

Critical Response

Upon its release, Ransom! received mixed to negative reviews from critics, who found the premise intriguing but criticized the plot for lacking credibility and emotional depth. of described it as an "unrewarding" melodrama, noting that the father's refusal to pay the ransom felt unconvincing and the performances, except for Glenn Ford's agonized portrayal, came across as theatrical. Variety compared the film unfavorably to its source teleplay, offering little praise for the adaptation. Modern retrospective views are more positive, highlighting Ford's intense performance and the film's suspenseful exploration of moral dilemmas. On , it holds an audience score of 63% based on over 100 ratings as of 2025, with no aggregated critic score available. The film received no major Academy Award nominations or other significant awards at the time.

References

  1. https://www.tcm.com/tcmdb/title/2825/ransom
  2. https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/ransom-1956
  3. https://www.nytimes.com/1956/01/25/archives/the-screen-unrewarding-ransom-glenn-ford-writhes-in-agony-at-globe.html
  4. https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0737040/
  5. https://www.rottentomatoes.com/tv/the_united_states_steel_hour/s01/e18
  6. https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0537363/
  7. https://www.lib.uiowa.edu/scua/msc/tomsc150/msc149/msc149.html
  8. https://dennisschwartzreviews.com/ransom/
  9. https://www.nytimes.com/1977/08/24/archives/alex-segal-pioneering-tv-drama-director.html
  10. https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0049656/fullcredits/
  11. https://www.derekwinnert.com/ransom-1956-glenn-ford-donna-reed-leslie-nielsen-juano-hernandez-robert-keith-classic-movie-review-8225/
  12. https://www.tcm.com/tcmdb/person/159134%257C40401/Donna-Reed
  13. https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0049656/locations/
  14. https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/ransom_1956
  15. https://opensiuc.lib.siu.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1665&context=theses
  16. https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0049656/reviews/
  17. http://cinecollage.net/film-noir.html
  18. https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0049656/
  19. https://www.kqek.com/dvd_reviews/p2r/3541_Ransom1956.htm
  20. https://www.misacor.org.au/item/13035-ransom
  21. https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/ransom-1956/cast-and-crew
  22. https://www.themoviedb.org/movie/110754-ransom/cast?language=en-US
  23. https://www.cinemaretro.com/index.php?/archives/8200-DVD-REVIEW-RANSOM%21-1956-STARRING-GLENN-FORD-AND-DONNA-REED.html
  24. https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0049656/releaseinfo/
  25. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GujLIUME-DA
  26. https://posteritati.com/film/6664/ransom
  27. https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0049656/trivia/
  28. https://www.donnareed.org/post/reviews-weren-t-favorable-2
  29. https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0049656/awards/
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