Too Tough to Kill
Cast & Crew
D. Ross Lederman
Victor Jory
Sally O'neil
Thurston Hall
Johnny Arthur
Robert Gleckler
Film Details
Technical Specs
Synopsis
John O'Hara, a hardrock tunnel engineer, is hired by the Whitney Construction Co. to finish a "jinxed" tunnel that is needed to complete a segment of an aqueduct system. John is promised a partnership by Whitney if he can complete the tunnel before the final government deadline. After firing bullying foreman Shane, John demands new machinery, and orders some much needed repairs to the existing tunnel. John's problems are complicated by the arrival of reporter Ann Miller and photographer Willie Dent of the Los Angeles Chronicle , who have been sent by their editor to investigate the mysterious accidents that have plagued the construction site. John, superstitious about having women on a work site, orders them to leave, but a landslide, caused by the explosion, closes the only road out of the camp. Construction worker Nick Pollack is blamed for the explosion, and for good reason, as he, Shane, and Bill Anderson, John's assistant, are saboteurs working for another construction firm that hopes to take over the government contract once Whitney's firm is dismissed. Another cave-in kills and injures a number of workers. Ann rushes to the phone to call in the story, only to be verbally attacked by John for her insensitivity. She then goes to assist the doctor in caring for the wounded. John fires Swede, one of the inspectors, as the cave-in happened at the precise location that John had previously ordered repairs. Swede then overhears John telephoning Whitney and telling him that he plans to start the job over with an entirely new crew. Swede tells Anderson this and the saboteurs plan another explosion, this one to kill John. Ann and Willie see Anderson planting the dynamite in the tunnel, but they are captured before they can warn John. With the help of another worker, Danny, the two escape and Ann takes a truck into the tunnel to stop O'Hara. Ann manages to warn John by phone, but the engineer refuses to leave until he can get all his men out. As Willie and Danny fight with Anderson and his men to stop them from setting off the explosives, Ann arrives just in time to get the construction workers out of the tunnel before the explosion occurs. As Anderson hears the explosion and sees the smoke billowing out of the tunnel, he is surprised to see John and his men emerge safely. John forces Anderson to confess and the saboteurs are arrested. Ann writes a front-page story about the conspiracy, and she and John finally admit their true feelings to each other. Willie, realizing that Ann is never going to marry him, proposes to a telephone operator, who accepts.
Director
D. Ross Lederman
Cast
Victor Jory
Sally O'neil
Thurston Hall
Johnny Arthur
Robert Gleckler
George Mckay
Robert Middlemass
Dewey Robinson
Ward Bond
Eddie Chandler
Monte Carter
Frank Rice
Richard Tucker
Howard C. Hickman
Edward Lesaint
Jack Hatfield
Paul Guilfoyle
Jeanie Roberts
Orrin Burke
Jonathan Hale
Wyrley Birch
Ethan Laidlaw
Bill Gaiver
Ed Brandenberg
John Tyrell
Jim Millican
Chuck Hamilton
William Anderson
John Thomas
Bobby Dale
Jack Mower
Ron Wilson
Crew
Film Details
Technical Specs
Quotes
Trivia
Notes
The working title for this film was Jackhammer.
