Search DVDBeaver

S E A R C H    D V D B e a v e r

(aka "Timetable" )

 

directed by Mark Stevens
USA 1956

 

Unfortunately for anyone who hasn't seen Time Table, it's impossible to discuss without spoiling its big twist - so let's get it out of the way right now (and don't worry, the reveal occurs in the first half of the film): Stevens plays an insurance investigator who - here it comes - turns out to be the brains behind the very robbery he's asked to solve.

[...]

The movie opens with a ten-minute-long heist sequence, cleverly staged on a train speeding west through the Arizona night. A polished crook posing as a doctor manages to crack the train's safe and snatch all the money inside. The job is perfectly planned and calmly executed, using high-tech explosives, a precisely detailed timetable, and a cagey scheme involving a "sick" passenger and his "wife" - both in on the caper. The trio of bandits exit the train in a scrubby desert town, and abscond in an ambulance with half a million dollars. The railroad's insurers will have to make good on the policy unless the money is recovered, so they assign the case to Charlie Norman (Stevens), their best man, forcing him and his wife Ruth (Marianne Stewart) to delay their long-planned Mexican vacation. Charlie is partnered with railroad detective and best friend (yeah, yeah) Joe Armstrong (King Calder).

Excerpt of review from Mark Fertig @ Where Danger Lives located HERE

Posters

Theatrical Release: 8 February 1956

Reviews                                                          More Reviews                                                           DVD Reviews

 

DVD Review: Alpha Video - Region 0 - NTSC

Big thanks to Gregory Meshman for the Review!

DVD Box Cover

CLICK to order from:

 

 

Distribution

Alpha Video

Region 0 - NTSC

Runtime 1:19:48
Video

1.33:1 Aspect Ratio
Average Bitrate: 4.54 mb/s
NTSC 720x480 29.97 f/s

NOTE: The Vertical axis represents the bits transferred per second. The Horizontal is the time in minutes.

Bitrate

Audio Dolby Digital Mono (English)
Subtitles None
Features Release Information:
Studio: Alpha Video

Aspect Ratio:
Fullscreen - 1.33:1

Edition Details:
� The Serpent's Tongue trailer (1:35)
� Sex, Love and Fantasy trailer (1:12)

DVD Release Date: March 31, 2015
Keep case

Chapters 7

 

 

 

Comments

After actor-turned-director Mark Stevens made his directorial debut Cry Vengeance, followed by 2 seasons (80 episodes!) of TV series Big Town, he went on to direct and star in this caper noir Time Table, a Mark Stevens Production distributed by United Artists.

The film co-stars King Calder, Wesley Addy, Jack Klugman, Alan Reed, Marianne Stewart and very beautiful femme fatale Felicia Farr.

It's hard to tell who owns the rights to the film now - it likely fell through the cracks, so it makes DVD debut on a made-on-demand disc from public domain staple Alpha Home Entertainment. The United Artists credit is removed from the beginning of the film - it starts without any company logos besides Alpha Video watermark as the credits roll (thankfully, we don't see the watermark until the end title card). The 1956 production was shot on 35 mm and presented here in open matte, likely from a tape source prepared for TV screenings. The captures talk for themselves - the contrast is poor, the image is soft and in some dark scenes, it's hard to make out what is going on, but there is very little damage and overall it's watchable - it adds the noir mystique to the film and hopefully its orphan status would make a good candidate for a Film Noir Foundation restoration. The mono audio is fine, with no distortions, but with some mild clicks and pops. The film gets 7 chapters and the only extra are 2 unrelated trailers from Alpha New Cinema line. The film is recommended, but Alpha DVD release is disappointing - for now it's as good as it gets.

  - Gregory Meshman

 


DVD Menus
 

 


Screen Captures

 

 


 

 


 

 


 

 


 

 


 

 


 

 


 

 


 

 


 


DVD Box Cover

CLICK to order from:

 

 

Distribution

Alpha Video

Region 0 - NTSC

 

 


 




Search DVDBeaver
S E A R C H    D V D B e a v e r

 

Hit Counter

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

DONATIONS Keep DVDBeaver alive:

CLICK PayPal logo to donate!

Gary Tooze

Thank You!