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Cover of The Desperate Hours
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The Desperate Hours

by Joseph Hayes · first published 1956

The Desperate Hours is a 1955 play by Joseph Hayes, adapted from his 1954 novel of the same title. It is a three-act melodrama, with a medium-sized cast and tense pacing. The story concerns a family of four, living in a suburb of Indianapolis, whose quiet home is invaded by three convicts recently escaped from prison. The play was produced by the author and Howard Erskine, staged by Robert Montgomery, and starred Karl Malden and Nancy Coleman as the parents, with Paul Newman as the convict leader.

Summary: Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0

Original language:
English
Year page:
1956

Screen Adaptations

  1. 1967 · Film
  2. 1990 · Film

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