Storm Fear is actor Cornel Wilde's directorial debut, which stars himself and his first wife Jean Wallace, in the role of his long lost lover Liz.
Wilde plays Charlie, a bank robber on the lamb, with his crew consisting of a dame named Edna and his psychopath partner Benji.
Their last job went sour when they were forced to kill a cop, and the fourth member of the crew was gunned down.
Knowing the cops would think they were going to head South to Mexico, they instead make their way North to Charlie's brother Fred's house- where he lives with his wife and young son, Davey.
Fred is a struggling sickly writer, who had married his no good brother's girl, and agreed to raise their son as his own.
But he's a bitter unloving man who doesn't bring much joy to their lives.
So everything gets turned upside down when Charlie shows up with a gunshot in his leg, a bag full of money, and a crew looking to hold up before they can make an escape.
They only plan to stay one night, but a storm moves in and traps them in the rural townhouse...where the pressure starts to get to them...especially Benji, who is hellbent on murdering them all so he can take the money for himself.
The bizarre love triangle between the beautiful Jean Wallace and two brothers builds up the dramatic tension, before the group of crooks decides they must take the boy and make their way over a mountain to get to the highway, so they can get away before the cops hone in on them.
But crime doesn't pay in this tragic tale...and they'll be lucky if any of them makes it off the side of this mountain.
A third suitor, named Hank, who is the family's hired man plays the deciding role in all of this.
And it doesn't particularly have a happy ending.
But it's a great first feature from Wilde, who also does an excellent job as Charlie. Wallace is a stunner as Liz, even in her homely manner as a housewive. And the standout performance goes to young actor Steven Hill as Davey in his introductory performance.
All in all, it's a great little film, that's chock full of tension. Despite the unsatisfying conclusion of the story.
6.5 out of 10.
Wilde plays Charlie, a bank robber on the lamb, with his crew consisting of a dame named Edna and his psychopath partner Benji.
Their last job went sour when they were forced to kill a cop, and the fourth member of the crew was gunned down.
Knowing the cops would think they were going to head South to Mexico, they instead make their way North to Charlie's brother Fred's house- where he lives with his wife and young son, Davey.
Fred is a struggling sickly writer, who had married his no good brother's girl, and agreed to raise their son as his own.
But he's a bitter unloving man who doesn't bring much joy to their lives.
So everything gets turned upside down when Charlie shows up with a gunshot in his leg, a bag full of money, and a crew looking to hold up before they can make an escape.
They only plan to stay one night, but a storm moves in and traps them in the rural townhouse...where the pressure starts to get to them...especially Benji, who is hellbent on murdering them all so he can take the money for himself.
The bizarre love triangle between the beautiful Jean Wallace and two brothers builds up the dramatic tension, before the group of crooks decides they must take the boy and make their way over a mountain to get to the highway, so they can get away before the cops hone in on them.
But crime doesn't pay in this tragic tale...and they'll be lucky if any of them makes it off the side of this mountain.
A third suitor, named Hank, who is the family's hired man plays the deciding role in all of this.
And it doesn't particularly have a happy ending.
But it's a great first feature from Wilde, who also does an excellent job as Charlie. Wallace is a stunner as Liz, even in her homely manner as a housewive. And the standout performance goes to young actor Steven Hill as Davey in his introductory performance.
All in all, it's a great little film, that's chock full of tension. Despite the unsatisfying conclusion of the story.
6.5 out of 10.