MovieChat Forums > Ransom! (1956) Discussion > Was Brother Al the kidnapper?

Was Brother Al the kidnapper?


After watching this movie on TCM, I can't help but think that Dave Stannard 's brother Al was behind the kidnapping of his son Andy -- or at least that was the original intent of the writers.

1) Al was very much in favor of paying the ransom and was the first person to call after the kidnapping (he was anxious to come to the house).
2) Al helped put the ransom money together at the bank, and at one point "offered" up his own money to cover the ransom - Al was smart enough to know that David had enough money himself to cover the ransom. This seemed to me a courtesy gesture to deflect any suspicion. Likewise his offer to the bank employees a $25 bonus out of his corporate spending account.
3) Al had a motive - personal revenge as the board meeting early iin the movie implied he and his brother apparently disagreed often over business decisions - with Dave normally winning (Dave was the President).
4) In the board room, Dave told the fable of the greedy dog who lost his bone looking at his reflection in the water. Later, David had a line about looking at himself in the mirror each morning -- perhaps symbolically implying that he is the greedy dog?

Looking at the TCM site, they have a note that says the original script was denied by the censors due to the kidnapping, especiaally of a child, being the theme. The original script had to be modified to de-emphasize the kidnappers and focus on the dilemma facing the parents. Is it possible the re-writes removed the true identity of the kidnappers -- with perhaps Al as the mastermind - yet left the clues in place that indict him to the viewer?

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I think you may be right. The brother looked really guilty to me from the moment he came on the screen, and they seemed to make a point of the fact that Al was the older brother, but Dave was in charge of the family business, which seemed like it was setting up a jealousy motive, and a backstory where Dave was the family favorite, or Al had "failed" at some point.

Also, there didn't seem to be a particular reason for them to be brothers in the first place-- it was a complicating detail that was like Chekhov's gun that never got fired. The same with the over-emphasis on how generous Al was with his employees. It seemed like a setup to knock down later.

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I agree, the brother looked like the guilty party here, and the only reason I can think was jealousy b/c the younger brother was the one in charge of the family business.

I can't figure out what the brother would be hoping to accomplish though...using the ransom money to go out on his own and start his own business perhaps?

After Dave didn't pay the ransom and they found the bloody shirt his reputation and the business would be tarnished forever, so Al would have basically succeeded in getting what he wanted. I'm sure the board would have voted him as the head man in charge.

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Movie girl: I had a question at the end, and thought he might be behind it.

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no

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