Crashout

Crashout

Year: 1955

Runtime: 89 mins

Language: English

Director: Lewis R. Foster

Crime

The desperate cry of caged men erupts as Convict Van Duff orchestrates a massive prison break. Six survivors flee to a forgotten mine near the prison, then embark on a perilous trek by foot, car, train and truck to recover Duff’s stolen bank loot. Along the way they cross ordinary lives, each confronting his own destiny.

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Timeline & Setting – Crashout (1955)

Explore the full timeline and setting of Crashout (1955). Follow every major event in chronological order and see how the environment shapes the story, characters, and dramatic tension.

Time period

Location

Prison, Forgotten mine, Mountaintop

The action unfolds around a prison complex and a forgotten mine shelter where six escapees hide, then trek across harsh terrain toward a distant mountaintop. The locations shift from claustrophobic confines to open, wintry landscapes as the group travels by foot, car, train and truck. The setting emphasizes isolation and danger, heightening the tension of pursuit and betrayal.

🏭 Prison setting 🏔️ Mountainous terrain 🗝️ Abandoned mine

Last Updated: October 04, 2025 at 17:29

Main Characters – Crashout (1955)

Meet the key characters of Crashout (1955), with detailed profiles, motivations, and roles in the plot. Understand their emotional journeys and what they reveal about the film’s deeper themes.

Van Duff (William Bendix)

The wounded, self-serving ringleader who capitalizes on the others’ help to access his hidden loot. He’s calculating and unwilling to share power, yet his physical weakness makes him dependent on others. His later act—killing Swanee in self-defense—narrows down the group and seals a grim fate for the caper.

🪙 Greed 🗡️ Ruthless 🧠 Strategist

Luther Remsen (William Talman)

A reverend-turned-religious fanatic whose instability edges toward madness. His zeal and volatile temper contribute to the group’s peril, culminating in a violent breakdown. He embodies the corrupting influence of fanaticism under pressure.

🔥 Fanatic 🧭 Instability 🗡️ Violent

Pete Mendoza (Luther Adler)

A hardened killer who brings menace and decisive action to the group. He’s quick to commit violence to protect himself and the loot, but is ultimately undone by the journey and law enforcement.

⚔️ Violence 🧱 Hardened 🕯️ Stoic

Monk Collins (Gene Evans)

A tough, loyal enforcer among the escapees. He often acts as muscle, pushing the plan forward even as tensions rise within the group.

💪 Muscle 🧭 Pragmatic 🧯 Alert

Billy Lang (Marshall Thompson)

The naive, younger prisoner who serves as a moral contrast to the hardened criminals. His innocence makes him a potential target and ultimately leads to tragedy as the group disintegrates under pressure.

🎒 Naiveté 🕊️ Innocence 💔 Tragic

Joe Quinn (Arthur Kennedy)

An embezzler whose greed remains a driving force, even when the odds are against him. He schemes to run off with the money and survives the trek by clinging to cunning and resilience.

💼 Cunning 🧭 Opportunist 💰 Loot-motivated

Last Updated: October 04, 2025 at 17:29

Major Themes – Crashout (1955)

Explore the central themes of Crashout (1955), from psychological, social, and emotional dimensions to philosophical messages. Understand what the film is really saying beneath the surface.

💰 Greed

The stash behind the bank robbery drives the escapees’ journey, turning survival into a race for the money. Loyalty fractures as the promise of wealth corrodes trust, pushing individuals toward treachery and deadly choices. The loot becomes both motive and weapon, shaping each character’s decisions.

🧭 Survival

The six prisoners endure a brutal journey through freezing weather, often making risk-filled choices to stay alive. Each encounter—on the road, with locals, and with the law—tests resolve and resourcefulness. The landscape itself becomes a harsh character, narrowing options and forcing hard decisions.

⚖️ Justice

Law enforcement closes in as the fugitives’ actions collide with societal rules and punishment. The break’s collapse exposes the consequences of crime, from internal mutiny to external pursuit. Ultimately, each survivor faces accountability, whether through capture, death, or confession.

Last Updated: October 04, 2025 at 17:29

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Explore Movie Threads

Discover curated groups of movies connected by mood, themes, and story style. Browse collections built around emotion, atmosphere, and narrative focus to easily find films that match what you feel like watching right now.

Thrillers of Crumbling Alliances like in Crashout

Desperate groups turn on each other when greed and survival clash.If you liked watching the convicts' partnership disintegrate in Crashout, you'll find similar tension in these movies. This collection features stories where groups under pressure are torn apart by internal conflict, betrayal, and desperate survival instincts.

paranoidsuspensefulbetrayaltensedesperatemoral conflictcrumbling alliancegreed

Narrative Summary

Narratives in this thread typically follow a group with a shared goal whose unity is fragile. As external pressures mount or a valuable prize appears, individual self-interest overrides the common good, leading to a breakdown of trust, often with violent consequences.

Why These Movies?

Movies are grouped here for their intense focus on psychological conflict within a group dynamic. They share a tense, paranoid mood where the real enemy is often within, creating a predictable but gripping arc of moral collapse and betrayal.

Gritty Crime Treks like the one in Crashout

A violent, linear trek towards a prize that costs everything.For viewers who enjoyed the convicts' desperate cross-country journey in Crashout, this section collects similar movies about dangerous quests for hidden wealth. These films share a fast pace, heavy violence, and a bittersweet or bleak conclusion to the pursuit.

grimdesperatebrutalsuspensefulmanhuntsurvivalgreedharsh journey

Narrative Summary

The narrative pattern is a straightforward, goal-oriented trek across harsh landscapes. The journey is punctuated by violent encounters and double-crosses, stripping away the characters' humanity until the final, often tragic, reckoning with the empty promise of the treasure.

Why These Movies?

These films are united by their core structure of a linear, violent quest. They deliver a consistent experience of high tension, fast pacing, and heavy emotional weight, climaxing in an ending that underscores the futility or cost of the ambition.

Unlock the Full Story of Crashout

Don't stop at just watching — explore Crashout in full detail. From the complete plot summary and scene-by-scene timeline to character breakdowns, thematic analysis, and a deep dive into the ending — every page helps you truly understand what Crashout is all about. Plus, discover what's next after the movie.

Crashout Summary

Read a complete plot summary of Crashout, including all key story points, character arcs, and turning points. This in-depth recap is ideal for understanding the narrative structure or reviewing what happened in the movie.

Crashout Summary

Crashout Timeline

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Crashout Timeline

Crashout Spoiler-Free Summary

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Crashout Spoiler-Free Summary

More About Crashout

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