The stars of the 1953 movie Jeopardy. Who are Barbara Stanwyck, Barry Sullivan, Ralph Meeker, and Lee Aaker?

The director of Jeopardy as well as The Great Escape. Who is John Sturges?

Long time readers know I’m a fan of the TV quiz show, Jeopardy. The Masters Tournament just wrapped up, so I couldn’t resist using some Jeopardy style answers and questions at the top of the post.

At 69 minutes, short and thrilling are the words that best describe the movie Jeopardy. Instead of a damsel in distress like Dorothy Malone in The Last Voyage, we have a dude in distress played by Barry Sullivan. He’s on a road trip to Mexico with his bad ass wife played by Barbara Stanwyck and their spunky son played by Lee Aaker.

We get to know and like this family in the first act of the movie as Sullivan takes them on a fishing holiday to a favorite spot near Ensenada. Cue Lyle Lovett song:

When they arrive, Lee Aaker does what boys do and clambers on to a rickety jetty marked peligro, Spanish for danger. The kid’s foot gets stuck, so dear old dad goes to his rescue:

After freeing the kid, Sullivan takes a fall and winds up trapped under a collapsed column:

Stanwyck tries moving it to no avail. Things get hairy as the tide comes up. She’s obliged to get behind the wheel and find help. Instead, she’s kidnapped by one of the great movie villains of the 1950’s, Ralph Meeker:

Meeker is great as a leering escaped convict who can’t believe his luck. Stanwyck tries everything to get back to her trapped husband including looking as sexy as she did in Double Indemnity:

Eventually, Stanwyck and Meeker return to the beach. She promises to go with him if he helps her drowning man. Meeker is so besotted with Barbara that he agrees. That’s all the plot I’m willing to share. This feature is called pulp fiction, not pulp spoilers, after all.

On first viewing, I thought Barry Sullivan had a thankless role as the dude in distress. Instead, his decency shines through. He’s the epitome of all that’s good about World War II veterans. His kid makes some bad coffee for him, what those who camp call mud. Sullivan knows it sucks and tells Aaker that “It’s the most unusual coffee I’ve ever had.” He won’t lie to the kid but he doesn’t want to hurt his feelings either.

A men’s fashion note: Barry Sullivan played his share of tough guys and villains so he’s wearing a dorky sweater vest to indicate he’s a nice suburban dad on holiday.

Jeopardy is an excellent argument against camping. It can lead to the worst vacation imaginable as in this movie. That concludes this message from the anti-camping association.

The movie is based on a radio play by Maurice Zinn. Mel Dinelli’s screenplay opens the story up and tells it visually and on location. This is not a talky talkie or a stagy movie. Kudos to director John Sturges and cinematographer Victor Milner for their cinematic bravado.

I saved the scariest shot of Stanwyck and Sullivan for last:

Grading Time: Jeopardy is 69 minutes long and there’s not a wasted moment. I give it 3 1/2 stars and an Adrastos grade of B+.

Posters. What’s next in this movie post?

Here’s a side-by-side image of the American and Spanish long sheets:

What’s an Adrastos movie post without a quad poster?

I’m soaking wet out of empathy with Barry Sullivan who did NOT have a mustache in Jeopardy. Let’s all go to the lobby and see if they can help dry me off.

The good news is that we didn’t run into Ralph Meeker. The bad news is that I’m still wet. Let’s dry off with some lobby cards, figuratively, not literally.

I give you the Jeopardy lobby card collection:

Next up. What is trailer time?

Back on the air after summer under the stars. What is Noir Alley? Eddie Muller gets the last word.