5.6 /10 1 Votes
59% Rotten Tomatoes Initial release 13 September 1965 Music director Percy Faith Cinematography Robert Surtees | 5.7/10 IMDb 5.4/10 FilmAffinity Director Jack Smight Producer Jack Smight | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Cast George Peppard, Herbert Marshall, Robert Webber Similar George Peppard movies, Thrillers | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
The Third Day is a feature film released in 1965. It stars George Peppard and his future wife Elizabeth Ashley, and is a suspense thriller. It was largely ignored in cinemas and is rarely seen on television. It was directed by Jack Smight from a book by Joseph Hayes.
Contents
Plot
Steve Mallory has been involved in a car crash, and it appears he has killed his mistress, Holly Mitchell. Steve suffers from amnesia, he has no recollection whatever of the event. His wife is hostile and cold toward him, his father-in-law has been severely disabled by a stroke and his wife's cousin appears to despise him. Added to this is the sinister presence of Lester Aldrich, who turns out to be the downtrodden husband of the sleazy Holly.
Cast
Themes
This curious film could have been a rather formulaic work, were it not for powerful performances from Elizabeth Ashley, George Peppard and Sally Kellerman. Steve is intent on not only finding out what happened, he also wants to fix things with his wife and family. The fact that the accident has made him a nicer person is a central theme. It is as though he has been given a second chance.
It turns out he has been working on a reorganization plan to save the Parsons' family plant, rather than selling out to a conglomerate. The sale would cost many people in the town their jobs. But Steve's dastardly and conniving rival, his wife's cousin, Oliver, played by Roddy McDowall, prefers to sell the plant. He does not care about the townspeople, and he knows his uncle's will calls for Steve to be made President after his passing, not Oliver.
Other
Exterior scenes were filmed along the Russian River north of the town of Bodega Bay in northern California. Film sites include the Highway 1 bridge crossing the Russian River near the junction with highway 116 and Goat Rock State Beach.