Count The Hours (1953)

When a beloved farmer (Richard Kipling) is killed during a home invasion by an intruder, a hired hand (John Craven) is arrested for his murder. He confesses to spare his pregnant wife (Teresa Wright) the stress of being interrogated. With all the evidence against the hired hand, an attorney (Macdonald Carey) reluctantly takes on the case as the town turns against him for accepting the case. Directed by Don Siegel (THE BEGUILED), this is a decent "race against time" thriller as Carey's lawyer does everything he can to stop his client's impending execution. Unfortunately, the film is hampered by its two dull leads reunited some ten years after Hitchcock's SHADOW OF A DOUBT. They didn't help that film and they pretty much diffuse any tension this film tries to build up. This leaves three supporting players to hold the movie together: Dolores Moran as Carey's wealthy fiancee who is frustrated at taking a back seat to Carey's career, Adele Mara as a gold digging tramp with no conscience and Jack Elam as a batshit crazy mental patient. This is one film that might benefit from a remake with stronger leads. With Edgar Barrier and Ralph Sanford.