leonard maltin must have be watch some other movie . ( though i find his guide to be quite a valuable resource and please disregard his comment on this one . ) he state start off well then fizzle when it really the reverse start off tepid then catch fire . the plot be about as simple a it get . happy mom and happy dad and happy son take a vacation at an isolated beach and dad incapacitate in accident and mom run off to get help and meet up with dangerous escape convict . mom try to trick convict into help while dad wait and hang on for dear life . good white knuckler give an electric jolt by ralph meeker and appear suddenly ( the director and john sturges and film it in a clever way that will make you gasp ) around halfway through a the cunning and desperate criminal . meeker be an unusually flippant and reckless actor ( at least here and in the classic kiss me deadly ) and he happily snatch the key to the film narrative and speed off with the top down . his character have a habit of grin childishly and say pretty neat and huh . when he especially please with his misdeed . there be a funny break in the action when they get a flat tire and he tersely instruct his hostage and barbara stanwyck and don not go away . she fire back where would i go . ( theyre in the middle of nowhere ) and he realize sitcom ishly yeah and that right . the friction between them be a hoot . there be flaw and somewhat ridiculous one . there one scene where the police and who have be chase after meeker for some time and stop stanwyck car and to evade detection meeker rest his head on her shoulder like a loving husband supposedly would and and pretend to be asleep a she be question . a. he look conspicuously un masculine in this pose and b. i think it safe to say that any adult who appear to be asleep during an encounter with law enforcement would certainly arouse suspicion . still a sturdy thriller which build to an exciting and edify conclusion .