Key Witness (1960 film)

Key Witness is a black and white 1960 crime film directed by Phil Karlson and starring Jeffrey Hunter, Pat Crowley and Dennis Hopper.^[2]

Plot summary

Fred Morrow, an average Los Angeles citizen, witnesses a gang murder when he stops in a cafe to use a telephone. Aware that he is the only witness against them, the gang members, led by young "Cowboy" Tomkins, seek out his identity and terrorize him and his family to keep him from testifying against them.

A police detective, Torno, fears he will lose his only witness, but Fred stands up to the gang, despite wife Ann's hysteria. Cowboy gives the Morrows until midnight to change their minds, he and gang members Ruby, Muggles and Apple throwing a rock through the family's window and slashing their car's tires.

Cowboy leads the cops on a car chase, but is caught. In court, though, Fred changes his testimony after learning Ann has been attacked by Ruby and their child held at gunpoint by Muggles. He later provokes Apple, who is black, into siding against Cowboy, who reveals his racist attitudes toward his accomplice. Torno takes the entire gang into custody, Apple agreeing to testify.

Cast

• Jeffrey Hunter as Fred Morrow
• Pat Crowley as Ann Morrow
• Dennis Hopper as Cowboy Tomkins
• Joby Baker as Muggles
• Johnny Nash as Apple
• Susan Harrison as Ruby
• Frank Silvera as Det. Torno

Reception

According to MGM records, the film earned $360,000 in the US and Canada and $450,000 in other countries, resulting in a loss of $496,000.^[1]

References

External links

• Key Witness at the American Film Institute Catalog
• Key Witness at the Internet Movie Database
• Key Witness at the TCM Movie Database