- Location: Capitol Hill Arts Center
- Split Second is a better-than-average noir cocktail mixed from equal parts gangsters and atom bombs. The plot is basically that of Key Largo or The Petrified Forest in that an eclectic group of people is held hostage by some escaped convicts. The interesting catch is that the gangsters, led by the fearsome Sam Hurley (Stephen McNally), have unknowingly selected the site of an H-bomb test as their hideout. Now they're stuck at what will become ground zero waiting for a doctor to arrive to patch up the injured Bart (Paul Kelly) before they can leave. In the meantime, the radio news persistently reminds us that the atomic test is scheduled for 6 AM on the following morning.
- Some of the captives, like staunch reporter Larry Fleming (Keith Andes), itinerant Dottie (Jan Sterling), and eccentric Asa (Arthur Hunnicutt) are content to bide their time until an opportunity for escape arises. Others, like the amusingly unfaithful Kay (Alexis Smith) are willing to do anything to escape, even if that includes forgetting all about her recently murdered lover (Robert Paige) or her excessively devoted husband (Richard Egan), the latter of whom is unfortunate enough to be the doctor Hurley is waiting for. As the minutes tick away, it seems increasingly unlikely that anyone will be leaving this town alive.
- The hilarious twist at the end of Split Second is of course that the bomb detonates an hour earlier than expected. Ignoring the fact that no group of self-respecting scientists and military types would ever rush through a countdown, this has the amusing effect of giving everybody about five minutes to get away from the bomb. The heroes of the piece are fortunate enough to gain shelter in a nearby cave. The villains, on the other hand, attempt to flee by car only to make the most catastrophic wrong turn ever. And when the bomb goes off, is it ever a doozy. The final scenes of destruction, some of which were obviously borrowed from real test footage, make for a memorably explosive ending to an enjoyable, obscure bit of film noir.
- The film was directed by Dick Powell, who is more famous (to me, at any rate) for playing Marlowe in Murder, My Sweet.
- When I viewed this film, it was preceded by a surprisingly amusing "Taxi Boys" short.
