Main Cast: Russell Wade, Susan Walters, Edmund MacDonald, Douglas Blackley, Vince Barnett
Release Year: 1947
Country: US
Run Time: 64 minutes
Plot
The stars of Shoot to Kill are Douglas Blackley and Susan Walters, both of whom later changed their professional names to, respectively, Robert Kent and Luana Walters. Blackley is a gangster who is framed by crooked DA Edmund MacDonald. Walters, Blackley's wife, secures a job as MacDonald's assistant, the better to find the proof of the DA's dishonesty. Reporter Russell Wade helps Walters expose MacDonald, falling in love with her along the way. The film is related in flashback by Walters, who lies hovering between life and death in a hospital bed. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
William Glasgow - Art Director, William A. Berke - Director, Arthur A. Brooks - Editor, Darrell Calker - Composer (Music Score), David Chudnow - Musical Direction/Supervision, Ben Kline - Cinematographer, William A. Berke - Producer, Tommy Thompson - Set Designer, Edwin V. Westrate - Screenwriter
A man is discovered breaking into his own jewelery shop in the dead of night. Questioned closely, it is discovered that his wife is being held hostage at their home by Steve (Clancy Brown), a brutal extortionist who demands the diamonds in the shop's safe in exchange for the woman's life. After Steve kills the family maid, FBI agent Warren Stantin (Sidney Poitier) hands over the diamonds, but Steve kills the jeweler's wife anyway, and escapes.
Feeling that he has failed, Stantin becomes obsessed with finding Steve, and he chases Steve into the rugged forests of the state of Washington, where Steve joins up with a group of sportsmen who plan to trek into the wilderness on a fishing trip. Steve's plan is to kill them and force their guide, Sarah (Kirstie Alley), to lead him through the wilderness to the Canadian border.
Stantin must team up with Sarah's mountain-man boyfriend Jonathan Knox (Tom Berenger) to pursue Steve. Jonathan doesn't believe city slicker Stantin can keep up on a tough cross-country hike that includes some rock climbing, and Stantin is determined to prove himself. They pursue Steve and Sarah into the wilderness and eventually to the streets of Vancouver. The movie also featured a chase scene aboard the BC FerriesQueen of Vancouver. After a long chase, Stantin manages to shoot Steve in an underwater struggle.
The killer's identity is not revealed until midway through the film. He attempts to evade detection by killing a member of a hiking expedition and taking his place. To keep the audience guessing as to the true identity of the villain, some of the hikers were played by actors known for playing bad guys: notably Clancy Brown, Frederick Coffin, and Andrew Robinson.
