Suddenly

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Suddenly

1954,

1h 15m,

Mystery & Thriller

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Watchlist

100%

9 Reviews

Tomatometer

63%

1,000+ Ratings

Popcornmeter

100%

Tomatometer

9 Reviews

63%

Popcornmeter

1,000+ Ratings

In advance of a presidential visit to the small town of Suddenly, California, a trio of FBI agents enters the Benson family's home to assess potential security risks. Once inside, leader John Baron (Frank Sinatra) reveals himself as a psychopathic assassin, and he kidnaps the family in order to use their house as his vantage point in his plot to kill the president. Sheriff Tod Shaw (Sterling Hayden) matches wits with the assassin and his gang in an attempt to save the day.

Eddie Harrison

film-authority.com

Dec 4, 2022

3/5

Suddenly is a tough, unsparing film that is worth a revival today; as a historical document, is captures a sense of pessimism and entropy that wasn’t given free rein until the rampant downbeat paranoia of the 70’s….

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Clyde Gilmour

Maclean's Magazine

Dec 10, 2019

Some of the characters are rather thinly imagined but Frank Sinatra as the chief killer proves again (as he did last year in From Here to Eternity) that he doesn't need to sing to keep his name in lights.

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David Nusair

Reel Film Reviews

Aug 8, 2018

2.5/4

...a decent (and appreciatively brisk) little B movie.

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James Plath

Family Home Theater

Jan 16, 2018

B

If you remove the hokum--the overly obvious and period-wholesome nonsense that frames the main narrative--Suddenly is a taut thriller in the Key Largo mold.

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Christopher Null

Filmcritic.com

Nov 11, 2006

3.5/5

Dennis Schwartz

Dennis Schwartz Movie Reviews

Feb 10, 2005

B-

What I liked best was that Frank [Sinatra] wore a fedora throughout, even indoors.

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Rey W

May 14, 2018

Sinatra and Hayden both do well in this taut little living-room thriller about big city assassins come to a small town. This one flies under the radar for the most part, but you'll be surprised if you take the time to seek it out. Also, included in the usual 50's style hyper-seriousness, is the mysterious Paul Frees, voiceover artist extrordinaire of a thousand and one television productions in one of his few onscreen appearances. See if you can spot him by just his voice. Sinatra really does shine as the little guy with a quick gun too.

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Theodore G

Apr 19, 2018

Too many cliche and technical errors to rate it "very good". OK fro a 75 minute veg out. Not a good film noir, more like a cheap thriller.

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Theodore S

Apr 13, 2018

Goofy and interesting Film Noir. Enjoyed it.

Draco S

Apr 11, 2018

Garnering such high ratings, I was stunned by how terrible the acting and writing and direction was. It was like watching a particularly bad episode of the TV series "Lassie". Why Sinatra chose this movie after winning an Academy award is puzzling. This is one movie that should be shown in film school to show aspiring students what not to do while making a movie.

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Rey L

Apr 9, 2018

The first of 2 films, singer and actor Frank Sinatra was involved in political assassination movies with "Suddenly" being the first, with the second "The Manchurian Candidate". Small movie with bright cast with movie veteran, Sterling Heydon starring as an officer of a small town called "Suddenly" hence the title, with secret notification that the President of the United States is going to stop there by way of train.

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Poe S

Apr 8, 2018

Unusual that Frank Sinatra would agree to star in this film with such an unsympathetic central character. Still, Frank does a decent job as a man sent to the small town of Suddenly, California to assassinate the president as he arrives.

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Lewis Allen

Director

Frank Sinatra

John Baron

Sterling Hayden

Sheriff Tod Shaw

James Gleason

Pop Benson

Nancy Gates

Ellen Benson

Willis Bouchey

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Synopsis

In advance of a presidential visit to the small town of Suddenly, California, a trio of FBI agents enters the Benson family's home to assess potential security risks. Once inside, leader John Baron (Frank Sinatra) reveals himself as a psychopathic assassin, and he kidnaps the family in order to use their house as his vantage point in his plot to kill the president. Sheriff Tod Shaw (Sterling Hayden) matches wits with the assassin and his gang in an attempt to save the day.

Director: Lewis Allen
Producer: Robert Bassler
Screenwriter: Richard Sale
Production Co: Libra Productions Inc.
Genre: Mystery & Thriller
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Sep 17, 1954, Limited
Release Date (Streaming): Nov 1, 2012
Runtime: 1h 15m

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