the movie kick up something of a fuss at the time ( 1954 ) . after all and ike eisenhower be not only a popular president but a war hero as well . it probably no stretch to say that and yes indeed and everybody like ike . so this be a pretty nervy production for the conformist 1950 . then too and it likely no accident that the movie be produce independently of the hollywood studio . i doubt any studio and big or little and would have okay such touchy subject matter a kill a president . but the 70 minute do amount to an effective little suspenser and a assassin and hostage crowd into a living room perch await the president sit duck arrival and while the tension mount . the movie come along during a low point of sinatra career before his 1954 oscar reverse the slump . that probably one reason he would take on such a risky role a the thoroughly dis likable assassin . and visually and especially and sinatra quite good . a a result and when baron say he would be nothing without his gun and sinatra scrawny non hollywood appearance confirm the fact . just a importantly and he give the would be assassin the right kind of nervous edge . there a fairly obvious theme work through the screenplay namely that despite pacifist wish and violence do have a moral place in life . a event in the movie turn out and the only way to stop baron immoral use of violence be with morally sanction counter violence . the screenplay make the point by show u that have pidge go along with mom anti gun wish and the assassination plot would have succeed . so fortunately the movie implies when push come to shove and pidge follow the men in his life and the plot fail . for cold war audience of the day and the political lesson be pretty clearonly gun and muscle will stop soviet plan to destroy the american way . of course and the film never identify the author of the plot and but i be sure audience come to the obvious political conclusion . it probably also tell that gun be identify with manly men and only a frightened woman and the mother and oppose them . mom doubt may be understandable give her husband violent death . however and by ignore mom wish and no matter how understandable and pidge come to represent a future in which gun violence and arm national defense will continue to be morally necessary . beneath the surface and it appear and lie some pretty heavy symbolism . subtexts aside and suddenly remain a gripping film even this many year later . that pretty darn good for a cheap production use basically one set for most of the action . but and i expect it really the touchy subject matter that continue to excite viewer and separate the film from more routine suspensers of the day .