Crashout

1955 film by Lewis R. Foster

March 1, 1955 (1955-03-01) (United States)
July 8, 1955 (1955-07-08) (New York City)

Running time

89 minutesCountryUnited StatesLanguageEnglish

Crashout is a 1955 American film noir crime film directed by Lewis R. Foster and starring William Bendix, Arthur Kennedy, Luther Adler, William Talman, Gene Evans, Marshall Thompson, and Beverly Michaels.^[1]

Plot

Convict Van Duff is the leader of a large-scale prison break. The breakout works as the six survivors hide out in a forgotten mine working near the prison.

Once the coast is clear they then set out on a long, dangerous journey. The convicts take by foot, car, train and truck in an attempt to get to some hidden stolen bank loot. On the journey, the doomed prisoners meet with some locals including a farm woman, a kidnapped doctor and a young woman on a train). Joe Quinn, the only one of the escapees with a conscience, is prepared to run off with the girl on the train until he hears the radio blaring his description and realizes he can't drag her into things.

As they near their goal in freezing weather, Luther Remsen, a religious fanatic who kills on orders from God, goes insane and Duff has to kill him in self-defense. Once the money is recovered, Duff turns on Quinn and leaves him for dead. Quinn finds Duff frozen to death the next morning, still holding the money. Quinn, the only survivor of the six, gives himself up to an approaching search party and is grateful for their presence.