this be a most effective little thriller from 1950 concern a disturbed killer who hold a group of people hostage in a bar . it the sort of story that have be do many time before in film and and which would soon be a staple on television . there be few surprise in this one and a everyone go through the motion a one expect they would in a movie like this . a the psychopath and marshall thompson isn not really up to the job . he not awful and but he doesn not generate much tension personally . robert walker would have be much well . the actor play the various hostage be capable and however and and there a nice sense of what city life be probably like at around this time . slick and artificial a it be and the film have it charm . it never bore and and director gerald mayer maintain a nice pace .