“The Cruel Tower” (German: “Turm des Todes“) by Lew Landers is the third film in “The Blue Series” of the film label “M-Square Classics“. The film, which is based on a novel by William B. Hartley, is being released for the first time in Germany, Austria and Switzerland and has been recut in the cinema version on DVD. The leading actress Mari Blanchard had great success as an actress in the 60’s: You could see her next to John Wayne in “MacLintock” or next to Vincent Price in “The Poison of Evil” as well as in the long-running TV hit “77- Sunset- Strip“. John Ericson became famous through “City in Fear” next to Spencer Tracy and in the 60s and 70s through countless guest roles in well-known TV series like “Bonanza“, “Smoking Colts“, “The Streets of San Francisco” or “Vegas“.
Charles McGraw on the other hand drew attention to himself especially through roles in “Spartacus“, Alfred Hitchcock‘s “The Birds” or the TV series “The Untouchables“. The sometimes breathtaking high altitude shots were staged by camera legend Ernest Haller, who won two Oscars for “Gone with the Wind” and “Jezebel“.
Synopsis:
The unemployed tramp Tom Kittredge (John Ericson) joins three assembly workers who repair giant chimneys, steel towers and high-voltage lines at dizzying heights. However, Tom is constantly struggling with his fear of heights, which his supervisor Stretch (Charles McGrawn) makes fun of all the time. When he falls in love with Stretch‘s girlfriend Mary (Mari Blanchard), catastrophe strikes…
Press reviews and quotes
“A fast-paced and beautifully photographed melodrama.” (tvguide.com)
“Sexy skyscraper thriller – not for the faint of heart!” (myrarefilms.co.uk)
“Mary Blanchard shines as femme fatale in Tower of Death.” (briansdriveintheater.com)
Technical data
Uncut cinema version, for the first time in cinema format on DVD, now digitally remastered | Picture format: WS 1.37:1 (Open Mattered original format), black and white film | Running time: 79 min | Sound format: German DD 2.0, French DD 2.0 | Original trailer, artwork gallery | Rating FSK 16 | The blue series no. 3
The Cruel Tower (German Trailer)
More information about the movie: The Cruel Tower (1956) by Lew Landers
