Suddenly Movie Review

An interesting, almost experimental little film for 1954. Clocking in at 75 brisk minutes, it's also quite prescient: A man (Frank Sinatra) holes up in a suburban home, taking the family living there hostage for an hour or so. Why? He's going to assassinate the president, whose train will be pulling up at 5 o'clock, right across the street. Sinatra shelved the film after his friend JFK was assassinated many years later. It's now resurfaced to be experienced anew. It's not great filmmaking, but the way a major assassination like this is almost shruggingly planned and executed is quite interesting. The same film made today would involve three car chases, helicopters, and the house blowing up. Suddenly portrays a killing as something that you almost don't bother thinking about before it's done. Fascinating.