Split Second

Armored car robbers Sam Hurley (Sam Hurley) and Bart Moore (Bart Moore) break out of Carson City prison, though Moore takes a bullet to the stomach during the escape. They’re picked up by an accomplice, Dummy (Dummy), waiting on a deserted stretch of road, who drives them to a gas station where Hurley intends to upgrade to a faster car. When the attendant tries to play hero, Hurley executes him with cold efficiency, setting the tone for a raid that will soon test every survivor’s nerve and temperament.

From there they head toward a ghost town on the Nevada Proving Ground to lay low. Along the way they seize more hostages: first the wealthy Kay Garven (Kay Garven) and her lover, insurance man Arthur Ashton (Arthur Ashton); later, when Kay’s luxury sedan runs dry, she flags down newspaper reporter Larry Fleming (Larry Fleming) and the former dancer Dorothy “Dottie” Vale (Dorothy ‘Dottie’ Vale). They hole up in an abandoned saloon that appears recently inhabited, and the lone resident, hermit prospector Asa Tremaine (Asa Tremaine), emerges and is held at gunpoint along with the others.

Sam calls Kay’s husband, Neal Garven (Neal Garven), a doctor in Los Angeles, and uses the threat against Kay to pressure him into coming to help Bart. Kay, who is divorcing Neal and has become involved with Arthur, doubts Neal will come, but he does arrive and is able to operate on Bart, warning Sam that moving his friend too soon could be fatal. Kay leverages her charm to try to persuade Sam to take her with him, while Neal’s arrival underscores that he still loves Kay and will fight to keep her safe.

Unknown to the captors, atomic test scheduling has been moved forward by an hour due to favorable weather. When the five-minute warning sounds earlier than expected, Sam and Bart rush to Neal’s car, and a desperate Kay barges in with them. Larry overpowers Dummy, but Sam drives away with the group in tow. Asa leads Dottie, Larry, and Neal to a nearby mine, hoping for safety, while Sam initially drives the wrong way toward the blast. The explosion ultimately incinerates the ghost town, and the fate of the would-be rescuers unfolds with tragic finality for some, while others manage to survive the ordeal.

Last Updated: October 09, 2025 at 12:37