Key Witness (1960)

Absolutely Fantastic

It's entirely possible that sending the audience out feeling lousy was intentional

It’s not bad or unwatchable but despite the amplitude of the spectacle, the end result is underwhelming.

It is encouraging that the film ends so strongly.Otherwise, it wouldn't have been a particularly memorable film

The bizarre 'hepcat' language from the punks, their oh-so-clever 'street' names, the just-plain-corny phrases from the adults('Torno do me a favor. Stay as sweet as you are'), the ridiculous plot, the awful acting - these all add up to one laughably awful film. Like any bad accident, you just can't turn away.Joby Baker gives the only decent and believable performance. The others characters' roles were so cluttered with clichés and overdone acting that Joby's work seemed Oscar-worthy by comparison.Jeffery Hunter was much better in a later role, on Star Trek - strapped into a box with just one blinking yes/no light and no dialog.It amazes me that Dennis Hopper has continued to get work in spite of performances like this.

Very rarely shown, I was fortunate to have seen it at its release.Several dozen onlookers witness a daring gang murder, but only LA businessman Fred Morrow agrees to testify. His family is tormented by the youthful thugs, the police being unable to protect them from the gang's attacks and ever increasing violence. Will Morrow hang tough and perform his civic duty or will he recognize his mistake and develop amnesia, thereby allowing one of B-movie Hollywood's most brazen killers to go free? The theme music ("Ruby Duby Du"), written by Charles Wolcott, is absolutely haunting, and is far and away my favorite instrumental.Jeffrey Hunter, Dennis Hopper, Pat Crowley, Johnny Nash and Susan Harrison make for a top-notch cast.Four years after its release I met a person who likewise considered "Key Witness" his favorite movie. Forty-two years later we remain best friends.

Pretty good movie and relative to the times. But It was the song "Ruby Duby Du" that I remember. Its one of those tunes that once it gets into your head you can not stop it. I remember it being played throughout the movie but that was 46 years ago; maybe it was just the play on the radio and of course; bought the 45 as well. It was a hit song at the time. The gang leader's girl was named Ruby. As far as the film, story, itself; I remember the impression that movie gave me was one of helplessness or "how to fight such a terrible gang of young people". After all, its just a dad and his family. This was a movie about young thugs and a family. I could relate to the family but was frightened by the cold heartlessness of the gang. I remember the scene where the gang had entered the family's home and scratched the words "Key Witness" on the roof of their automobile inside the attached garage. That scene, for me, started the scary meanness threaded throughout the rest of the story. And oh yes, "the circle" with the father in the middle and finally one of the gang members went back-to-back with the dad as the movie's second hero. As I recall the daughter kinda liked that boy. Only the "Ruby Duby Du" song helped ease the tenseness for this 11 year old in 1960. I downloaded that song just a couple of years ago. Pretty cool dad...daddy-o.Al

One of the great bad movies of all time with an over-the-top performance from Dennis Hopper which he wouldn't top in outrageousness until "Blue Velvet."Sample dialogue:Dennis Hopper: "You're real a talkin' talker, right? You know what happens to talkin' talkers who talk, Talker?"Jeffery Hunter: "What are you talking about?"And no, its not supposed to be a comedy--its supposed to be a hip, hardcore juvenile delinquent thriller. But it's hilarious!Find it at all costs!