Twelve
Hours to Kill is an unimaginative premise hampered by a tired
script and a poorly directed lead actor providing eighty-three
minutes to kill. This might have played better a decade earlier.
Distributed by 20th Century Fox, it is a bit close to a B-movie, what
with a few stalwart B-actors involved. More than likely it is due to
the director, Edward L. Cahn, infamously known for his mediocre
films. It is written by Jerry Sohl, based on a 1959 Saturday Evening
Post story by Richard G. Stern, Set Up for Murder. The
prolific Paul Dunlap handled the music score adequately.
The
Greek actor, Nico Minardos, in his first lead role, provides no spark
to the film given his lack of direction or experience. He plays an
immigrant amazed after arriving in America. Nico witnesses a mob hit
outside his apartment and then hesitantly reports it to the police. They
find it hard to convince him that he could be just as dead in America
as in Greece. No way! Not making a solid commitment as to what to do, he
flees to a small town by train and finds himself offering a seat to
Barbara Eden whose destination is the same, her hometown. She is the
most optimistic and trusting person—nothing
phases her—sounding a lot
like the Jeanne some will dream about in the near future. Dramas were not the light comedienne's strong suit and her character
also stretches believability.
Both
leave the train hand in hand as if on their first date. All
googly-eyed. She may find out too late about his lack of commitment.
Also waiting at the depot are a pair of thugs, Richard Reeves and
Gavin MacLeod. The latter seemingly lifted from a comedy skit while
MacLeod, as was often the case early in his career, is a heartless
gangster. Eden drives an adorable 1959 Simca Aronde Océane.
The standout element in this movie. Spotting the suspicious duo,
Minardos asks for a ride. She is happy to do so for her favorite
total stranger. She quickly learns of his "death dilemma"
and being the take-charge kind of person she is, tries to help. Not
so much.
Not
surprisingly, the mobsters find Eden home alone and, right out of the
Hollywood playbook, they get rough with her. After this encounter,
viewers never see her again but assume a reuniting with her only
love, the Simca ...er...Minardos. The movie moseys along as two
detectives, Grant Richards and Russ Conway, try to locate the
Greek—one with no interest
in his safety. There is a soft closing as the "ever kind and
wise" Art Baker, the police captain, exposes the double-crossing
cop and gives MacLeod a choice before going to jail: one will kill
him en route. He chooses wisely.
