Rotten Tomatoes
Cancel Movies Tv shows RT App News Showtimes

Five Minutes to Live

Play trailer Poster for Five Minutes to Live 1961 1h 20m Mystery & Thriller Play Trailer Watchlist
Watchlist Tomatometer Popcornmeter
Tomatometer 5 Reviews 31% Popcornmeter 100+ Ratings
As his partner in crime, Fred Dorella (Vic Tayback), heads to the bank and tries to extort cash from executive Ken Wilson (Donald Woods), Johnny Cabot (Johnny Cash) kidnaps Wilson's wife, Nancy (Cay Forester). Fred tells Ken that, unless he hands over $70,000 in cash, Johnny will kill Nancy. Ken comes up with a ploy to buy some time for the police to assess the situation. Though the scheme is coming unstuck, Fred and Johnny aren't about to go quietly.
Watch on Fandango at Home Stream Now

Where to Watch

Five Minutes to Live

Critics Reviews

View More
Budd Wilkins Slant Magazine 08/28/2024
Bill Karn’s Door-to-Door Maniac is a fever dream of a heist film that features a ferocious turn from country music icon Johnny Cash. Go to Full Review
Michael Barrett PopMatters 09/20/2024
...a twist so fantastically unlikely and macabre that it transcends reason... Go to Full Review
Matt Brunson Film Frenzy 09/02/2024
2/4
Cash’s performance runs hot-and-cold, and the film itself is mostly a non-starter. Go to Full Review
Dennis Schwartz Dennis Schwartz Movie Reviews 09/12/2010
B
It was incredible fun seeing a crazed Cash threatening to kill his hostage suburban housewife. Go to Full Review
Phil Hall Film Threat 07/20/2007
2/5
Crummy B-Movie, notable only for Johnny Cash's unusual screen acting debut. Go to Full Review
Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

View More
nick s @Nick_S 10/14/2023 Good effort creating interesting characters, with some amusing moments. Just lacking a bit of polish in terms of pacing and story line. See more Logan M 02/03/2023 A surprisingly suspenseful and interesting crime b-movie. See more 03/11/2016 It's much more enjoyable than it should have been. From the script quirkiness sprinkled with humour to the middle part of a "sopa-opera gone bad" to Johnny Cash being a whole lot of Johnny Cash during the movie, it's almost impossible that you don't skip the technical deficiencies and go straight to a really fun 1h15m low-budget ride. Better watched withing a group of friends. See more 12/18/2015 Awkward, cheap, and tone-deaf, but not without high aspirations. See more 07/01/2015 A "Leave It To Beaver" Episode Guest Starring Johnny Cash Being A Deep-Voice, Cynical Hit-Man. The Old-Print, With All It's Marks, Soundtrack Clicks & Scratches Was More Interesting To Watch Than The On-Screen Drama. If It Wasn't For Mr Cash Is Doubt Many Ppl, Like Myself Would Have Even Given It A Go.. See more 10/19/2013 I've never seen so much of nothing in my life. A group of gangsters go door-to-door killing whoever answers and stealing their kids. The town is obviously in disarray as the robbers pile up victims. Is there any hope for the town or will the robbers wipe them out? "You don't appreciate me." "What's there to appreciate?" Bill Karn, director of Dangerous Assignment, Gang Busters, Guns Don't Argue, and Ma Barker's Killer Brood, delivers Five Minutes to Live. The storyline for this picture isn't as good as it had the potential to be. The acting and soundtrack were both a little corny and disappointing. The cast includes Johnny Cash, Donald Woods, Cay Forester, and Ron Howard. "I need someone with experience." "I've been around." I DVR'd this picture off Turner Classic Movies (TCM) because it starred the legendary Johnny Cash. I had never heard of this movie but the plot sounded great. This is a classic drive-in movie with songs from the period, and Johnny Cash acting cool on the big screen; however, the content was minimal and disappointing. I'd skip this picture. "I'm wearing that horrible negligee you bought me." Grade: C- See more Read all reviews
Five Minutes to Live

My Rating

Read More Read Less POST RATING WRITE A REVIEW EDIT REVIEW

Movie Info

Synopsis As his partner in crime, Fred Dorella (Vic Tayback), heads to the bank and tries to extort cash from executive Ken Wilson (Donald Woods), Johnny Cabot (Johnny Cash) kidnaps Wilson's wife, Nancy (Cay Forester). Fred tells Ken that, unless he hands over $70,000 in cash, Johnny will kill Nancy. Ken comes up with a ploy to buy some time for the police to assess the situation. Though the scheme is coming unstuck, Fred and Johnny aren't about to go quietly.
Director
Bill Karn
Producer
James Ellsworth
Screenwriter
Cay Forester
Production Co
Flower Films
Genre
Mystery & Thriller
Original Language
English
Release Date (Theaters)
Dec 7, 1961, Limited
Release Date (Streaming)
Dec 9, 2016
Runtime
1h 20m
Most Popular at Home Now