Second Chance

Second Chance

Year: 1953

Runtime: 82 mins

Language: English

Director: Rudolph Maté

DramaCrimeThriller

For the First Time - 3D with Important Stars! A prize-fighting boxer with a lethal right punch falls for a gangster’s moll on the run in Mexico.

Warning: spoilers below!

Haven’t seen Second Chance yet? This summary contains major spoilers. Bookmark the page, watch the movie, and come back for the full breakdown. If you're ready, scroll on and relive the story!

Timeline & Setting – Second Chance (1953)

Explore the full timeline and setting of Second Chance (1953). Follow every major event in chronological order and see how the environment shapes the story, characters, and dramatic tension.

Time period

Location

San Cristóbal, La Cumbre, Posado de Don Pascual

San Cristóbal is the Latin American town where the drama unfolds, linked by an aerial tramway to the secluded mountaintop village of La Cumbre. The cable car journey becomes a central setting for pursuit, romance, and peril. The Posado de Don Pascual is a key rendezvous point where Clare’s past and Lambert’s fate intersect with the criminal plot.

🏔️ Mountain town 🚡 Cable car system 🌎 Latin American setting

Last Updated: October 04, 2025 at 18:58

Main Characters – Second Chance (1953)

Meet the key characters of Second Chance (1953), with detailed profiles, motivations, and roles in the plot. Understand their emotional journeys and what they reveal about the film’s deeper themes.

Charley Malloy (Roy Roberts)

A mob bookkeeper whose murder sets off the chain of events. He embodies the criminal underworld that feeds the film’s tension and motivations for pursuit and revenge.

🎭 Crime 💥 Murder 🕵️‍♂️ Underworld

Russ Lambert (Robert Mitchum)

An American prizefighter seeking distraction after an on-ring tragedy. He becomes Clare’s ally and romantic interest, displaying bravery in the face of escalating danger.

🥊 Sports ❤️ Romance 🧭 Escape

Clare Shepperd (Clare Sinclair) (Linda Darnell)

A singer with a stormy past who uses an alias to conceal her history. She maneuvers through danger and romance, keeping crucial secrets close as the plot unfolds.

🎤 Singer 💃 Romance 🕳️ Hidden past

Cappy Gordon (Jack Palance)

A ruthless hitman acting on orders from Spilato, determined to force Clare’s cooperation. He represents cold calculation and relentless pursuit within the criminal world.

💣 Villain 🗡️ Threat 🔥 Obsession

Felipe (Maurice Jara)

Bar owner entangled with Spilato’s network; his connections influence Lambert’s meeting with Clare and complicate loyalties.

🍹 Bar 🕴️ Hidden motives 🗝️ Criminal links

Vasco (Rodolfo Hoyos Jr.)

A jealous husband whose impulsive actions trigger a deadly incident in La Cumbre. He volunteers for the lift, paying the ultimate price, underscoring themes of sacrifice.

👤 Jealousy 🪝 Sacrifice 🗻 Mountain village

Officer Hernandez (Salvador Baguez)

A police officer involved in the cable car crisis logistics, anchoring the rescue operation and heightening the sense of danger.

👮 Law enforcement 🚨 Crisis

Mr. Woburn (Reginald Sheffield)

An English tourist in La Cumbre, contributing to the international atmosphere and social texture of the setting.

🧳 Travelers 🌍 Locale

Mrs. Woburn (Margaret Brewster)

English tourist and spouse of Mr. Woburn, aiding in creating the locale’s cross-cultural backdrop.

🧳 Travelers 🌍 Locale

Last Updated: October 04, 2025 at 18:58

Major Themes – Second Chance (1953)

Explore the central themes of Second Chance (1953), from psychological, social, and emotional dimensions to philosophical messages. Understand what the film is really saying beneath the surface.

❤️ Romance under threat

Clare and Russ form a fragile romance under the shadow of crime and danger. Their growing bond is tested by past secrets and the pursuit of a ruthless enemy. The relationship provides emotional depth while the threat of violence keeps the tension high.

⚖️ Crime and justice

A mob-controlled crime web drives the plot, with a hitman pursuing Clare and a Senate investigation shadowing the antagonists. loyalties are tested as characters navigate criminal ties and the desire for exposure and accountability. The pursuit culminates in choices that reveal who will face consequences.

🧗 Perilous ascent

The mountain cable car crisis places everyone in a life-or-death situation high above an abyss. Passengers must improvise to survive as cables fray and lifelines become the only escape. Courage, cooperation, and sacrifice determine who reaches safety.

Last Updated: October 04, 2025 at 18:58

Mobile App Preview

Coming soon on iOS and Android

The Plot Explained Mobile App

From blockbusters to hidden gems — dive into movie stories anytime, anywhere. Save your favorites, discover plots faster, and never miss a twist again.

Sign up to be the first to know when we launch. Your email stays private — always.

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.

Fugitive Romance Movies like Second Chance

Dangerous love stories born from a desperate flight from crime.Looking for movies like Second Chance? These stories feature characters thrown together by danger, forging a desperate romance while fleeing from a violent past. If you enjoyed the high-stakes tension and passionate melodrama, explore this theme.

tensedangerousromanticmelodramaticparanoidon the runlife and death

Narrative Summary

The narrative follows characters forced into flight, often from the criminal underworld, who form a fragile romantic bond. Their journey is a linear chase, where external threats constantly test their new relationship, culminating in a final confrontation that determines their survival.

Why These Movies?

Movies in this thread are connected by their fusion of a tense chase plot with a central, high-emotion romance. They share a dangerous, paranoid mood where love becomes both a motivation and a vulnerability.

Brutal Noir Survival Thrillers like Second Chance

Gritty, high-tension stories where characters fight for life in a morally gray world.If you liked the intense violence and high-stakes survival struggle in Second Chance, discover similar brutal noir thrillers. These movies feature desperate characters, moral ambiguity, and a fast-paced, tense narrative with heavy consequences.

brutalsuspensefuldangerousviolenthigh stakesmoral ambiguitysurvival

Narrative Summary

The plot is a straightforward, fast-moving survival struggle. A protagonist, often an outsider or anti-hero, is pitted against a ruthless antagonist in a series of brutal confrontations. The journey is physical and desperate, leading to a climax where survival is earned at a great cost.

Why These Movies?

This thread groups movies based on their high intensity, tense tone, and focus on physical and moral survival. They share a brutal, suspenseful vibe and often feature a mixed ending where victory is tempered by loss.

Unlock the Full Story of Second Chance

Don't stop at just watching — explore Second Chance 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 Second Chance is all about. Plus, discover what's next after the movie.

Second Chance Summary

Read a complete plot summary of Second Chance, 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.

Second Chance Summary

Second Chance Timeline

Track the full timeline of Second Chance with every major event arranged chronologically. Perfect for decoding non-linear storytelling, flashbacks, or parallel narratives with a clear scene-by-scene breakdown.

Second Chance Timeline

Second Chance Spoiler-Free Summary

Get a quick, spoiler-free overview of Second Chance that covers the main plot points and key details without revealing any major twists or spoilers. Perfect for those who want to know what to expect before diving in.

Second Chance Spoiler-Free Summary

More About Second Chance

Visit What's After the Movie to explore more about Second Chance: box office results, cast and crew info, production details, post-credit scenes, and external links — all in one place for movie fans and researchers.

More About Second Chance

Similar Movies to Second Chance

Discover movies like Second Chance that share similar genres, themes, and storytelling elements. Whether you’re drawn to the atmosphere, character arcs, or plot structure, these curated recommendations will help you explore more films you’ll love.