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The Desperate Hours (1955 film)

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violation of the right of privacy only in instances of use of a person's name or picture for commercial purposes without consent. The statute, however, had been interpreted by the New York courts to make the truth of the publication a defense. The defense for Time, Inc., was that the matter was of general interest and the article had been published in good faith. A jury awarded compensatory and punitive damages, but the state appellate court awarded a new trial at which only compensatory damages could be considered, while sustaining liability. This order was affirmed by the highest state court.
482:, at that time an attorney in private practice. The Supreme Court thus made it extremely difficult even for ordinarily private persons to prevail in a defamation or "false light" invasion of privacy case. From the Supreme Court, the case was sent back in 1967, to the New York courts for disposition under this newly announced constitutional standard, probably involving a new trial, or perhaps summary judgment rendered on the basis of affidavits and depositions. 478:
protection, for a (qualified) immunity from damages was being extended to publishing matter about people who were newsworthy only by accident, as opposed to, for example, government officials. To this point the relevant cases had only dealt with such so-called "public figures" who were suing publishers. Mr. Hill was represented in the High Court by
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Hal, the third convict and the younger brother of Glenn, is terrified by activities of police and decides to leave the house and his fellow convicts. Later, while in a phone booth, he shoots a police officer and tries to flee, but is run over by a truck and killed. Subsequently, Kobish is ambushed by
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magazine published an article in the February 1955 issue about the play, describing it as based on the actual events. The article was illustrated by staged photos with actors in the actual home that was the scene of the events, the Hills having moved away, making efforts to discourage publicity. The
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Daniel Hilliard, the family patriarch, convinces law enforcement personnel that their plan to storm the residence is too risky for his family. He then plays a trick on Griffin using an unloaded handgun and forces him out of the house with Griffin's own weapon. Griffin is machine-gunned to death when
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Police organize a statewide manhunt for the escapees and eventually discover the distraught family's plight. Griffin menaces and torments the Hilliards and threatens to kill them. A garbage collector, George Patterson, happens upon the situation after noticing Griffin's car in the garage. He is
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prohibited holding the publisher liable unless the article was known by it to be false, or at least was published with disregard as to its truth or falsity (i.e., recklessly). The jury had not been so instructed, so the judgment could not stand. This ruling was a significant expansion of press
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article, however, stated that some family members had been assaulted, profanity used, and in other ways – according to a New York appellate court – differed from the account Hill had given. Suing in a New York court, the plaintiffs relied on a New York statute which permitted damages suits for
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Actual events that took place on September 11 and 12 in 1952, wherein the five members of the Hill family were held hostage for 19 hours, inspired the 1954 Joseph Hayes novel which, in turn, inspired the 1955 play on which the movie was based. The Hill family (formerly of
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and Wilson Stone, who were staff writers for Paramount Pictures at the time, were commissioned by Paramount to write a song for possible inclusion in the film. Their song, also titled "The Desperate Hours", was recorded by
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in the Bogart role but he was passed over for the movie because Bogart was a much bigger star. The character of Glenn Griffin was made older in the script so Bogart could play the part. Bogart said he viewed the story as
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and hold four members of the Hilliard family, who live in the home, hostage. There they await the arrival of a package, being sent by Griffin's girlfriend, that contains funds to aid the three fugitives in their escape.
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was originally cast as Daniel Hilliard. Although he and Bogart were very good friends, both insisted on top billing, and Tracy eventually withdrew from the picture. Fredric March replaced Tracy.
36: 684:(1930), the first feature film for both actors, and one in which Bogart played a supporting role with Tracy as the star, although their parts were almost of equal size in the film. 522:. The Tormé recording has been erroneously included on anthologies of music by Bacharach and incorrectly identified as a tie-in to the Paramount film. 474: 1438: 1393: 1230: 461:
Hills' complaint was that the article falsely described the actual events while claiming it represented the truth. Immediately following the
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event, Mr. Hill had told the press the family had not been molested or harmed, and in fact had been treated courteously. The
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and released as a single by Columbia records in 1955 (Columbia – 40594). The song is not to be confused with
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Glenn Griffin is the leader of a trio of escaped convicts who invade a randomly selected suburban home in
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forced to drive into the country, where he is murdered by Sam Kobish, one of the three convicts.
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Time, Inc., appealed the case to the United States Supreme Court, which ruled that the
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was used for exterior shots of the Hilliards' home. In 1956, Joseph Hayes won an
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he hurls the firearm at a police spotlight and makes a break for it.
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also features a similar plot, with a criminal on the lam (
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The role of Griffin was Bogart's last as a villain.
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It was produced and directed by 14: 1450: 726: 654:the 1936 film with the same title 448:Whitemarsh Township, Pennsylvania 530:The movie was remade in 1990 as 1389:Films directed by William Wyler 1379:Films based on American novels 1364:American black-and-white films 711: 698: 668: 659: 644:, a hit 1935 Broadway play by 634: 617:List of American films of 1955 1: 1409:Films based on multiple works 1384:American films based on plays 1359:American crime thriller films 622: 585:) hostage in their own home. 434: 406:as State Trooper (uncredited) 1349:1950s English-language films 1178:The Liberation of L.B. Jones 773:AFI Catalog of Feature Films 588:The film was also remade in 340:as Deputy Sheriff Jesse Bard 7: 1419:Films about hostage takings 1066:The Best Years of Our Lives 605: 567:The 1994 black comedy film 490:The film featured music by 10: 1455: 1424:American crime drama films 1374:Films scored by Gail Kubik 1344:1950s crime thriller films 560:. The remake, directed by 525: 438: 394:as State Police Lieutenant 289:Mystery Writers of America 18: 1414:Films about home invasion 1399:Films set in Indianapolis 1369:Edgar Award-winning works 1303: 1252: 1188: 817: 564:, received poor reviews. 512:The Ray Conniff Orchestra 208: 200: 192: 182: 168:October 5, 1955 159: 149: 134: 124: 114: 100: 92: 67: 55: 45: 33: 28: 19:For the 1990 remake, see 1404:Paramount Pictures films 874:Anybody Here Seen Kelly? 485: 424:as motorist (uncredited) 319: 294: 204:$ 2,388,000 (estimated) 1339:1955 crime drama films 1162:How to Steal a Million 498:(who was uncredited). 418:as Policeman ("Dutch") 439:Further information: 334:as Daniel C. Hilliard 245:play of the same name 1354:1950s American films 642:The Petrified Forest 496:Daniele Amfitheatrof 143:Daniele Amfitheatrof 1277:The Desperate Hours 1269:The Desperate Hours 1261:The Desperate Hours 1241:The Desperate Hours 1146:The Children's Hour 1122:Friendly Persuasion 1114:The Desperate Hours 930:Tom Brown of Culver 850:The Border Cavalier 767:The Desperate Hours 756:The Desperate Hours 745:The Desperate Hours 734:The Desperate Hours 577:) taking a couple ( 388:as FBI Agent Carson 382:as George Patterson 271:The Desperate Hours 220:The Desperate Hours 81:The Desperate Hours 74:The Desperate Hours 29:The Desperate Hours 1312:Time, Inc. v. Hill 809:Films directed by 761:TCM Movie Database 708:, January 25, 1956 441:Time, Inc. v. Hill 400:as Sheriff Masters 370:as Ralphy Hilliard 280:Leave It to Beaver 212:$ 2.5 million (US) 154:Paramount Pictures 1321: 1320: 1206: 1205: 1018:Wuthering Heights 970:The Gay Deception 946:Counsellor at Law 842:Straight Shootin' 364:as Cindy Hilliard 346:as Ellie Hilliard 216: 215: 40:Theatrical poster 1446: 1233: 1226: 1219: 1210: 1209: 1042:The Little Foxes 826:The Stolen Ranch 803: 796: 789: 780: 779: 720: 715: 709: 702: 685: 672: 666: 663: 657: 638: 480:Richard M. Nixon 376:as Samuel Kobish 374:Robert Middleton 328:as Glenn Griffin 312:police and FBI. 175: 173: 38: 26: 25: 1454: 1453: 1449: 1448: 1447: 1445: 1444: 1443: 1324: 1323: 1322: 1317: 1299: 1293:Desperate Hours 1248: 1237: 1207: 1202: 1184: 1130:The Big Country 1090:Detective Story 994:Come and Get It 922:A House Divided 813: 807: 729: 724: 723: 716: 712: 703: 699: 689: 688: 673: 669: 664: 660: 646:Robert Sherwood 639: 635: 625: 608: 542:Anthony Hopkins 533:Desperate Hours 528: 488: 475:First Amendment 443: 437: 428:Beverly Garland 358:as Chuck Wright 326:Humphrey Bogart 322: 297: 229:Humphrey Bogart 185: 178: 171: 169: 162: 141: 107: 105:Humphrey Bogart 84: 77: 60: 41: 24: 21:Desperate Hours 17: 12: 11: 5: 1452: 1442: 1441: 1436: 1431: 1426: 1421: 1416: 1411: 1406: 1401: 1396: 1391: 1386: 1381: 1376: 1371: 1366: 1361: 1356: 1351: 1346: 1341: 1336: 1319: 1318: 1316: 1315: 1307: 1305: 1301: 1300: 1298: 1297: 1289: 1281: 1280:(1967 TV film) 1273: 1265: 1256: 1254: 1250: 1249: 1236: 1235: 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362:Mary Murphy 285:Edgar Award 275:VistaVision 263:grown up." 261:Duke Mantee 256:Paul Newman 188:113 minutes 93:Produced by 71:1954 novel 62:Jay Dratler 46:Directed by 1334:1955 films 1328:Categories 1170:Funny Girl 1034:The Letter 866:Hard Fists 623:References 583:Judy Davis 492:Gail Kubik 454:, because 452:Time, Inc. 435:Background 223:is a 1955 209:Box office 172:1955-10-05 139:Gail Kubik 119:Lee Garmes 78:1955 play 1429:Film noir 1285:36 Ghante 986:Dodsworth 914:The Storm 692:Citations 676:John Ford 628:Footnotes 599:36 Ghante 520:Dan Raven 422:Joe Flynn 416:Alan Reed 356:Gig Young 287:from the 243:and 1955 227:starring 225:film noir 125:Edited by 1002:Dead End 750:AllMovie 606:See also 602:(1974). 392:Ray Teal 193:Language 135:Music by 101:Starring 68:Based on 1304:Related 1189:Related 1138:Ben-Hur 1010:Jezebel 954:Glamour 770:at the 759:at the 592:as the 570:The Ref 526:Remakes 450:) sued 196:English 170: ( 1181:(1970) 1173:(1968) 1165:(1966) 1157:(1965) 1149:(1961) 1141:(1959) 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Index

Desperate Hours

William Wyler
Jay Dratler
The Desperate Hours
The Desperate Hours
Joseph Hayes
Humphrey Bogart
Fredric March
Lee Garmes
Robert Swink
Gail Kubik
Daniele Amfitheatrof
Paramount Pictures
film noir
Humphrey Bogart
Fredric March
William Wyler
the 1954 novel
play of the same name
Joseph Hayes
Paul Newman
Duke Mantee
Spencer Tracy
VistaVision
Leave It to Beaver
Edgar Award
Mystery Writers of America
Indianapolis
Humphrey Bogart

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