''The Abductors'' is a 1957 American

film noir Film noir (; ) is a cinematic term used primarily to describe stylish Hollywood crime dramas, particularly those that emphasize cynical attitudes and motivations. The 1940s and 1950s are generally regarded as the "classic period" of American ' ...

crime film Crime films, in the broadest sense, is a film genre inspired by and analogous to the crime fiction literary genre. Films of this genre generally involve various aspects of crime and its detection. Stylistically, the genre may overlap and combine ...

directed by

Andrew McLaglen Andrew Victor McLaglen (July 28, 1920 – August 30, 2014) was a British-born American film and television director, known for Westerns and adventure films, often starring John Wayne or James Stewart. According to one obituary "His career ...

and starring

Victor McLaglen Victor Andrew de Bier Everleigh McLaglen (10 December 1886 – 7 November 1959) was a British boxer-turned-Hollywood actor.Obituary ''Variety'', 11 November 1959, page 79. He was known as a character actor, particularly in Westerns, and made se ...

George Macready George Peabody Macready Jr. (August 29, 1899 – July 2, 1973) was an American stage, film, and television actor often cast in roles as polished villains. Early life Macready was born in Providence, Rhode Island on August 29, 1899. He graduated ...

and Gavin Muir. It was produced by Regal Films.

Maury Dexter Maury Dexter (born Morris Gene Poindexter; June 12, 1927 – May 28, 2017) was an American producer and director of film and TV. He worked several times for Robert Lippert and American International Pictures. Life and career Dexter was born in P ...

described the film as "not too hot" but liked McLaglen's work enough to hire him as director on '' The Little Shepherd of Kingdom Come''.

Plot

Illinois Illinois ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Midwestern United States, Midwestern United States. Its largest metropolitan areas include the Chicago metropolitan area, and the Metro East section, of Greater St. Louis. Other smaller metropolita ...

, 1876: Tom Muldoon turns up in the capital city of

Springfield Springfield may refer to: * Springfield (toponym), the place name in general Places and locations Australia * Springfield, New South Wales (Central Coast) * Springfield, New South Wales (Snowy Monaro Regional Council) * Springfield, Queenslan ...

, telling an old acquaintance, undertaker John Langley, that he has just gotten out of prison in Joliet. He shows Langley a new $50 bill created by a counterfeiter who had been his cellmate. Muldoon proposes a scheme. The counterfeiter has hidden $100,000 in counterfeit currency, plus the engraving plates that can make more. But he is serving a life sentence, so Muldoon's idea is to kidnap the warden's daughter and trade her for the counterfeiter's release. Langley agrees and persuades his partner Herbert Evans, mortuary employee Jed and niece Carol Ann to be accomplices. They find the warden's daughter working in a

Chicago (''City in a Garden''); I Will , image_map = , map_caption = Interactive Map of Chicago , coordinates = , coordinates_footnotes = , subdivision_type = Country , subdivision_name ...

mission. Together they take the young woman hostage, but a carriage accident permits her to escape. Desperately needing a new plan, Muldoon suggests becoming grave robbers, stealing the body

Abraham Lincoln Abraham Lincoln ( ; February 12, 1809 – April 15, 1865) was an American lawyer, politician, and statesman who served as the 16th president of the United States from 1861 until his assassination in 1865. Lincoln led the nation thro ...

from its Springfield resting place. Evans, an admirer of Lincoln, objects and Muldoon murders him. Secret Service agent Fred Winters is tipped off that a crime is in progress. After the criminals discover Lincoln's tomb to be impenetrable, Muldoon is killed by a frightened horse. Langley gets 20 years in prison, also discovering that the counterfeiter's ruse was a lie.

Cast

as Tom Muldoon *

as Jack Langley * Gavin Muir as Herbert Evans *

Fay Spain Lona Fay Spain (October 6, 1932 – May 8, 1983) was an American actress in motion pictures and television. Early years Born in Phoenix, Arizona, Fay Spain was the younger of two daughters born to Robert C. Spain and Arminta Frances "Mick ...

as The Girl * Carl Thayler as The Boy * John Morley as Officers of the Law * Carlyle Mitchell as Officers of the Law * George Cisar as Officers of the Law * Jason Johnson as Officers of the Law * Pat Lawless as Officers of the Law * James Logan as Officers of the Law *

Fintan Meyler Fintan Meyler, born Gertrude Anne Meyler (December 14, 1929, in Ireland - July 23, 2005) was an actress on stage, on television, and in films. Meyler was one of seven children. Her early education came at a convent in Dublin, before she began s ...

as Citizens of Springfield and Chicago * Joseph Hamilton as Citizens of Springfield and Chicago (as Joe Hamilton) *

Nolan Leary George Nolan Leary (April 26, 1889 – December 12, 1987) was an American actor and playwright. Leary was born in Rock Island County, Illinois. His acting career started in France during World War I, providing entertainment for United States Tr ...

as Citizens of Springfield and Chicago * Gene Walker as Citizens of Springfield and Chicago * Calvin Booth as Citizens of Springfield and Chicago *

Cliff Lyons Cliff Lyons (born 19 October 1961) is an indigenous Australian former international rugby league footballer who played in the 1980s and 1990s. A Clive Churchill Medalllist and two-time Dally M Medallist, he made 309 first-grade appearances wit ...

as Citizens of Springfield and Chicago

Production

The film was based on a US Secret Service paper called ''The Attempted Theft of President Lincoln's Body'' about a real life attempt to steal Lincoln's corpse that took place on 27 October 1876 in Oakridge Cemetery, Springfield Illinois. Writer-producer Ray Wander said he heard about the story while working with Mark Stevens on ''Washington on Big Time'' for TV. He secured permission to dig out evidence at the Library of Congress. The film was announced in February 1957. Andrew McLaglen said he "loved" directing his father. "I made the picture in ten days. He just did it as a favour for me." He would also direct his father in episodes of ''Rawhide'' and ''Have Gun Will Travel''.

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Abductors, The 1957 films 20th Century Fox films CinemaScope films Film noir Films directed by Andrew McLaglen 1950s English-language films