In the 1955 film "The Desperate Hours", three escaped felons (Humphrey Bogart, Dewey Martin, Robert Middleton) randomly target a suburban house to hide out in until midnight. They are waiting for an accomplice who plans to deliver them money. They take the entire family hostage -- but midnight comes and goes without a delivery. As their stay extends from hours into days, homeowner Dan Hilliard (Fredric March) complies with the felons' no-police demands to protect his wife and two children. He is hoping and trying to plot an escape from the desperate situation.

"The Desperate Hours" is a film noir that was produced and directed by William Wyler. It was based on a novel and a play also titled 'The Desperate Hours'. These items were written by Joseph Hayes and have been loosely built on actual events. The 1955 film's cinematography was done by Lee Garmes; it was edited by Robert Swink. The release of this film occurred in October and Paramount Pictures provided the required public distribution.

Overall the film received good reviews; it was even able to make a little profit at the domestic (North American) box office. In 1990 the movie got remade as "Desperate Hours", starring Mickey Rourke, Anthony Hopkins, Mimi Rogers, Kelly Lynch, Lindsay Crouse and David Morse.

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