5 Minutes to Live
The film opens with Vic Tayback getting the third degree in a police detective's office. He tells the cops, "It all started back in New Jersey were Johnny killed those two cops..." The film cuts away to a warehouse were two men are breaking in. A pair of cops pull up which starts a gun-battle that ends with one of the men, and both cops dead. The survivor is Johnny Cabot, who is played by Johnny Cash. He knows he is now hot, so he grabs his girl, and flees town for the west coast. He cools his heels in a rundown $2.50 a day motel outside of L.A. He starts to grow bored with his dolly and the lack of money.
He jumps at the offer of a big payoff for a one day job when contacted by local heavy, Tayback. Tayback has the "perfect" plan. They are going to hit the largest of the local banks for no less than 70 grand. Cash asks as to how only the two of them could pull this off. Tayback lays it all out for him. They will grab the manager's wife as a hostage, and then threaten to kill her if the money is not handed over.
Tayback tells Cash he has spent months planning the job and that nothing can go wrong. Cash is to grab the wife while Tayback goes to the bank to pay the manager, Donald Woods, a visit. Next morning they begin the caper. Cash poses as a door to door salesman to gain entry to the banker's house and get a grip on the wife. Tayback calmly enters the bank and asks to see the manager on an urgent matter. He is shown into Woods' office where he quickly fills in Woods on what he must do. Of course it turns out there is a fly in the ointment. It seems Woods has been getting some on the side and had planned to leave for Vegas that night with his new love. Woods sees no reason to pay! Tayback plays it cool and calls the house where Cash is holding the woman. "If you don't hear from me in 5 minutes, kill the woman!" Now the game of chicken starts, will Woods stand his ground or cave?
Back at the house, Cash is having a grand old time smacking the wife around and destroying the furniture. Woods meanwhile has agreed to the terms and gets Tayback the money. Tayback tells Woods he will call from outside the bank and have Woods' wife released. Smooth as could be, Tayback heads for the exit. Another fly enters the picture as the guard recognizes Tayback from a poster and jumps him. To Woods horror several bystanders also pile on Tayback. Woods runs for the nearest phone and calls the police.
At the house, Cash is enjoying himself so much he loses track of the time. The couples' son, Ronnie Howard, shows up just as the police do. Cash grabs the kid as a shield and runs out the back door. A quick exchange of gunfire and Cash is dispatched.
The wife is played by Kay Forester who also wrote the screenplay. The director was Bill Karn. His claim to fame is that fun grade d film, MA BARKER'S KILLER BROOD. Despitethe low origins there are several things that make this film work. First, the cast is all quite good with Cash looking great as a gunman with a screw or two loose.
Second is the overall look of the film which was lensed by Carl Guthrie. Guthrie worked on such film noir as, THE WOMAN IN WHITE, FLAXY MARTIN, BACKFIRE, THIS SIDE OF THE LAW, HIGHWAY 301 and CAGED. A neat little low, low, low budget gem. I loved it!
The film opens with Vic Tayback getting the third degree in a police detective's office. He tells the cops, "It all started back in New Jersey were Johnny killed those two cops..." The film cuts away to a warehouse were two men are breaking in. A pair of cops pull up which starts a gun-battle that ends with one of the men, and both cops dead. The survivor is Johnny Cabot, who is played by Johnny Cash. He knows he is now hot, so he grabs his girl, and flees town for the west coast. He cools his heels in a rundown $2.50 a day motel outside of L.A. He starts to grow bored with his dolly and the lack of money.
He jumps at the offer of a big payoff for a one day job when contacted by local heavy, Tayback. Tayback has the "perfect" plan. They are going to hit the largest of the local banks for no less than 70 grand. Cash asks as to how only the two of them could pull this off. Tayback lays it all out for him. They will grab the manager's wife as a hostage, and then threaten to kill her if the money is not handed over.
Tayback tells Cash he has spent months planning the job and that nothing can go wrong. Cash is to grab the wife while Tayback goes to the bank to pay the manager, Donald Woods, a visit. Next morning they begin the caper. Cash poses as a door to door salesman to gain entry to the banker's house and get a grip on the wife. Tayback calmly enters the bank and asks to see the manager on an urgent matter. He is shown into Woods' office where he quickly fills in Woods on what he must do. Of course it turns out there is a fly in the ointment. It seems Woods has been getting some on the side and had planned to leave for Vegas that night with his new love. Woods sees no reason to pay! Tayback plays it cool and calls the house where Cash is holding the woman. "If you don't hear from me in 5 minutes, kill the woman!" Now the game of chicken starts, will Woods stand his ground or cave?
Back at the house, Cash is having a grand old time smacking the wife around and destroying the furniture. Woods meanwhile has agreed to the terms and gets Tayback the money. Tayback tells Woods he will call from outside the bank and have Woods' wife released. Smooth as could be, Tayback heads for the exit. Another fly enters the picture as the guard recognizes Tayback from a poster and jumps him. To Woods horror several bystanders also pile on Tayback. Woods runs for the nearest phone and calls the police.
At the house, Cash is enjoying himself so much he loses track of the time. The couples' son, Ronnie Howard, shows up just as the police do. Cash grabs the kid as a shield and runs out the back door. A quick exchange of gunfire and Cash is dispatched.
The wife is played by Kay Forester who also wrote the screenplay. The director was Bill Karn. His claim to fame is that fun grade d film, MA BARKER'S KILLER BROOD. Despitethe low origins there are several things that make this film work. First, the cast is all quite good with Cash looking great as a gunman with a screw or two loose.
Second is the overall look of the film which was lensed by Carl Guthrie. Guthrie worked on such film noir as, THE WOMAN IN WHITE, FLAXY MARTIN, BACKFIRE, THIS SIDE OF THE LAW, HIGHWAY 301 and CAGED. A neat little low, low, low budget gem. I loved it!