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Ambush
Ambush
	Theatrical release poster
Directed by	Kurt Neumann
Screenplay by	Laura Perelman; S. J. Perelman
Story by	Robert Ray
Starring	Gladys Swarthout; Lloyd Nolan; William "Bill" Henry; William Frawley; Ernest Truex; Broderick Crawford
Cinematography	William C. Mellor
Edited by	Stuart Gilmore
Music by	Gerard Carbonara; Floyd Morgan
Production; company	Paramount Pictures
Distributed by	Paramount Pictures
Release date	January 20, 1939;
Running time	82 minutes
Country	United States
Language	English
Budget	$200,000

Ambush is a 1939 American drama film directed by Kurt Neumann and written by Laura Perelman and S. J. Perelman. The film stars Gladys Swarthout, Lloyd Nolan, William "Bill" Henry, William Frawley, Ernest Truex and Broderick Crawford.^[2]^[3] The film was released on January 20, 1939, by Paramount Pictures.

Plot

Four bandits rob a California bank, Gibbs, the mastermind, Sidney who is a gunman and Randall a blackballed airplane pilot.^[4]

Charlie Hartman is also part of the gang. They pulls off a daring robbery in broad daylight and flee with $98,000.^[5] Charlie's honest sister Jane ends up being taken hostage but manages to convey her dire need for help to a truck driver, Tony Andrews.^[6]

Tony attempts to help save Jane and, if possible, her brother as well. Pretending to help Gibbs and the thieves, he leaves clues for the police to follow. One of the crooks, Blue, is killed, after which another, Randall, attempts to escape after Charlie's guilty conscience causes a change of heart. Tony is able to free Jane from the clutches of Gibbs, after which he and Jane collect the reward and begin to plan a new life together.

Cast

Gladys Swarthout as Jane Hartman
Lloyd Nolan as Tony Andrews
William "Bill" Henry as Charlie Hartman
William Frawley as Inspector J.L. Weber
Ernest Truex as Mr. Gibbs
Broderick Crawford as Randall
Rufe Davis as Centerville Sheriff
Richard Denning as Police Garage Mechanic
John Hartley as Sidney Blue
Antonio Moreno as Captain Mike Gonzalez
Harry Fleischmann as Captain Bosen
Clem Bevans as Pop Stebbins
Max Hoffman Jr. as Motorcycle Officer Sam Moore
Archie Twitchell as Bank Teller
Jane Dewey as Mother at Restaurant
Billy Lee as Boy at Restaurant
Polly Moran as Cora
Wade Boteler as Bank Guard Riley
George Melford as Bank President Wales

Other uncredited cast members (alphabetically)

Eddie Acuff as Bus Conductor
Ethel Clayton as Bank Customer
Raymond Hatton as Mosher - Hardware Storekeeper
Al Hill as Deputy
Robert Homans as Garage Watchman
Olin Howland as Radio Actor (segment "Uncle Toby")
Lew Kelly as Farmer
Sammy McKim as Boy With Wagon
Gene Morgan as Reporter
James Pierce as Officer Mack McKelway
Buddy Roosevelt as Reporter
Dick Rush as Metzger
Guy Usher as Detective at Mosher's
Virginia Vale as Waitress at Restaurant
Bryant Washburn as Reporter
Clarence Wilson as Lafe, Centerville Storekeeper

Production

Ambush is one of five film produced by Paramount in the 1930s featuring Gladys Swarthout, a very popular Metropolitan Opera mezzo-soprano. The studio was attempting to build on the popularity of Grace Moore, another opera singer, who had also expanded her talents into films.^[7]

References

^ "Swartout's Salary One-Third Pic's Cost". Variety. 17 August 1938. p. 4.
^ "Ambush (1939) - Overview". TCM.com. Retrieved 2015-08-03.
^ Nugent, Frank S. (1939-02-09). "Movie Review - Ambush - THE SCREEN; 'Boy Slaves,' a Melodrama of Peonage, Opens at the Rialto-'St. Louis Blues" and 'Ambush' Shown". NYTimes.com. Retrieved 2015-08-03.
^ Ambush (1939). Retrieved 2024-05-31 – via letterboxd.com.
^ Ambush (1939). Retrieved 2024-05-31 – via letterboxd.com.
^ Ambush (1939). Retrieved 2024-05-31 – via letterboxd.com.
^ "Champagne Waltz (Paramount)". Time magazine. January 25, 1937. Retrieved 2013-12-21. The perennial and expensive effort to make a Grace Moore out of Gladys Swarthout seemed to have more logic some time ago when Miss Moore was a more important box-office draw.