Evengyny Thanks for the memories!

Lawbolisted Powerful

GurlyIamBeach Instant Favorite.

Dynamixor The performances transcend the film's tropes, grounding it in characters that feel more complete than this subgenre often produces.

JohnHowardReid Copyright 1960 by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Inc. New York opening at neighborhood theaters as a support to "Where the Hot Wind Blows": 11 November 1960. U.S. release: October 1960. Banned in the U.K. Australian release: 28 March 1962. Sydney opening as a support at the Liberty. Cut to 65 minutes in Australia. Original running time: 81 minutes.SYNOPSIS: While making a phone call to his office, Los Angeles businessman Fred Morrow is witness to a brutal street killing in which a "drug-store romeo" is knifed to death for dancing with the girl of a hoodlum called Cowboy. After calling the police, Morrow is astounded to discover that none of the other witnesses to the murder are willing to testify. Though warned by police detective Rafael Torno that there may be dire consequences, Morrow agrees to be a key witness. Almost immediately, Morrow, his wife Ann and their two children are menaced by threatening phone calls, near auto accidents and ominous letters. Despite this, and prompted by a sense of civic duty, Morrow is adamant in his determination to see that Cowboy is brought to trial. But when the hoodlum is arrested, his gang swings into action.NOTES: Film debut of singer, Johnny Nash.COMMENT: Low-budget crime thriller, long on crime but short on thrills. It is quite obvious that young, idealistic Mr. Hunter is going to identify the killer in the court-room, so the film manages to build up very little suspense. Also, it is equally obvious that no-one is going to malign the Los Angeles Police Department in this film, so we never have any doubt that the police are going to provide Mr. Hunter and his family with solid protection.Mr. Hunter, beautifully dressed and immaculately groomed, driving the latest model sedan and living in a lavishly appointed home in a tree-lined street, is hardly likely to elicit audience sympathy. Still, good to view Dennis Hopper, even if he is completely unrecognizable as the clean-shaven, short-haired killer, in the days before he became famous as director and star of Easy Rider.Pat Crowley is colorless as Hunter's wife, while Susan Harrison goes to the other extreme with her exaggerated vamping as the killer's girl-friend. Miss Harrison is very unflatteringly photographed too. Phil Karlson's direction is uninteresting and routine, despite a bit of location shooting. The film is at best a distinctively minor exercise, shot on a very tight "B"-picture budget. However, it's always great to see Frank Silvera — this time he's a somewhat unconventional detective, a sort of philosophical realist, hardened by years of experience.

sun-mines I put a copy of "Ruby Duby Du" on YouTube.com. I don't know how long it will last because I don't have the copyright. Tags: Wolcott.Now, I don't appreciate this minimum length for comment being 10 lines of text. It's a waste of my time and your time.I thought by now IMDb would have wised up.So, I'm really sorry to have to do this to you all, but just to make IMDb happy, here's a little part of a little poem by my Dad:"We do not know why the tear drop fell, and he would not like it so, But from his eyes I'll theorize he was looking into Hell.A Hell of his own making, he knew where the trail had turned, Without his help the die was cast, and so the bridges burned.High in the Hills of Tranquility sits a hawk on a lonely byrne. Broods he not in senility, but for a love who will never return.

aimless-46 "Key Witness" was Sam Katzman's inspiration for "Hot Rods to Hell" (1967). In both, wholesome (All-American) families are terrorized by over-age wimpy teenage hoods. Katzman replaced Jeffrey Hunter with a bottom feeding Dana Andrews, Patricia Crowley with Jeanne Crain, and Dennis Hopper with Paul Bertoya. He substituted a Corvette for the XK Jag and moved the action out of the family living room and onto the road. And for some reason "Hot Rods to Hell" became a revered cult classic (with its own website) while "Key Witness" was assigned to daytime TCM obscurity. This despite a bigger budget and superior performances from pretty much the entire cast. Susan Harrison (as the delinquent teen girlfriend who starts all the trouble and keeps it going until the end) is especially good. Ironically, it is the much better acting for the camera directing in "Key Witness" that keeps it from cult status. With these lame scripts competent performances tend to spoil the fun.The two films have equally preachy themes although "Key Witness" works harder to pound you over the head about the duties of a good citizen. That is what businessman Fred Morrow (Hunter) is; as the title character. Fred stops at a hangout in East Los Angeles (circa late 1950's) to use the phone. Along with a small crowd he witnesses a gang murder. The crowd is composed of ordinary but bad citizens who refuse to cooperate with the police. But Fred considers it his duty and when Hopper's gang learns his identity they begin a campaign to discourage him from giving further testimony. To the tune of "Ruby Duby Du", the gang torments the family members until a final big showdown scene. Hopper's gang is a pretty strange outfit. Hopper looks as wimpy as he did in "Giant" (where he actually played a wimp). The gang is multi-racial and they kill a Hispanic kid who looks about 30 and about as Hispanic as David Soul. The teen gang inexplicably has a garage full of cars and Hopper drives a large V-Twin motorcycle (probably a Harley) in the opening scene.If you suspend disbelief and allow yourself to get into it, "Key Witness" will get your reactionary juices flowing and prove relatively entertaining. Not campy enough to be a classic it can still provide some good laughs, if that's your idea of a good time.Then again, what do I know? I'm only a child.

eman_groove This movie really had me laughing and rolling in my lounge chair. The corny lines and predicaments the main characters were faced with let you know how advanced the screenplay writer was in the 50's & 60's. The so-called "hip-talk" was so funny that I know the actors probably had to do several takes to keep from laughing at themselves saying the lines. This movie believe it or not touches on the urban social conscience of the world too.I thought Key Witness was interesting. The characters were of different genders, race, class and creed. It also also gave you an understanding about life in East L.A. during the late 50's & early 60's. If Key Witness was re-made to reflect the times of today, the following actors should be cast in the character roles: Mr. Morrow - David Hasslehoff or Rob Lowe, Mrs. Morrow - Christina Applegate, Cowboy - Brad Pitt, Apple - David Alan Grier or Micheal Beach(Third Watch), Ruby - Christina Applegate, Carmen Electra, Madonna or Melissa Milano or Melissa Rivers (first acting gig) Muggles - Brad Pitt, Vince Vaughn or Colin Ferrell, Det. Turno - Obba Obatunde, Giancarlo Espisito, Charles S. Dutton, Magician - Vince Vaughn . The plot would be the same only updated to reflect the times. Its a classic for any young filmmaker to use as a guide and training tool. Check it out!