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Rock Hudson, Salome Jens, John Randolph, Will Geer, Jeff Corey ... see more see more... , Richard Anderson , Murray Hamilton , Wesley Addy , Robert Brubaker , Frank Campanella , Khigh Dhiegh , Elisabeth Fraser , Dody Heath , Dorothy Morris , Frances Reid , Edgar Stehli , Karl Swenson , Barbara Werle , Ned Young , Francois Ruggieri , Thom Conroy , William Wintersole , John Lawrence

Arthur Hamilton (John Randolph) is a listless Manhattan businessman who lives with his wife in the New York suburbs. One day, he runs into an old friend (Murray Hamilton) whom he thought had died. The... read more read more... friend leads him to The Company, a secretive operation run by The Old Man (Will Geer). The Company is a high-tech service which, for a price, provides older men with plastic surgery, a beefed-up body, and a fresh start in life. To cover the "disappearance," a middle-aged male cadaver is "killed" in a hotel fire. Hamilton submits to the operation that will turn him into a "Second," and when the bandages are removed, he's shed twenty years, renamed Tony Wilson and portrayed by Rock Hudson. The Company creates a new identity for Hamilton, relocating him in a hedonistic California beach community with an identity as a painter. Celebrating during a local wine festival, Hamilton has his revelry cut short when he learns that all his new young friends are Seconds like himself and suddenly feels trapped in these surroundings. Unfortunately, finding a way out isn't nearly as easy as it was to find a way in. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

Flixster Users

85% liked it

3,722 ratings

Critics

87% liked it

23 critics

R, 1 hr. 46 min.

Directed by: John Frankenheimer

Release Date: October 5, 1966

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DVD Release Date: January 8, 2002

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Stats: 272 reviews

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Salome Jens and Rock Hudson Poster designed by Saul Bass Seconds
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Flixster Reviews (272)

  • kenstachnik
    July 14, 2011
    kenstachnik
    A great atmospheric psychological thriller in the vain of Orson Welles' The Trail. Also features the first use of the Snori-Cam (to the best of my knowledge)
  • ceWEBrity
    May 16, 2011
    ceWEBrity
    Bold, highly psychological science fiction that might have gone on to enjoy a cult reputation if 2001 hadn't stolen its thunder two years later. Seconds is nowhere near the auteurial spectacle that Kubrick's magnum opus is, but its premise gracefully avoids Twilight Zone-style mo... read moreralization by communicating its sensations through aesthetics, not thematic monologuing. The ending is wordy, but it doesn't say half as much as Rock Hudson's blissful surrender at the wine ceremony, or the disorientation and betrayal he feels at a house party. This approach surely works because of the incredible cinematography, way ahead of its time; it keeps a tight focus around the human aspects of the film, locked behind Hudson's head as he goes through the motions of a painfully dull life or fisheyed on some strange faces looming over him. As a visual representation of a character's inner workings, it's very immediate and unabashedly obvious, but perfectly in sync with the film's own unique claustrophobia. A diamond in the rough, if you can hunt it down.
  • ajv2688
    December 7, 2010
    ajv2688
    This movie's plot reminds me of so many other movies I've seen more recently, I wondered if this was were they got their ideas? I hope not, this movie was terribly boring and slow. I did not like it.
  • webalina
    July 27, 2010
    webalina
    Riveting suspense thriller about a middle-aged man who takes the opportunity to exchange his mediocre humdrum life for something supposedly better. The best moral for this story would be "Be careful of what you ask for. "

    This film, starring Rock Hudson in a performance I didn... read more't think he had in him, has me glued to the screen from the first frame. The film was made in a beautfiul B&W. The intro and titles involve a great deal of distorted and disorienting photography, courtesy of cinematography great James Wong Howe, enhanced by a driving, dramatic score by Jerry Goldsmith. This score tells you that there is nothing light-hearted about what's coming up.

    Director John Frankenheimer did a marvelous job at moving the story along so that you never wanted to look away. I remember being surprised when the film was over because It seemed a lot shorter than its 1:46 running time.The film starts with a mystery already in the making, in that the main character has already been unnerved by a sinister phone call. And if I never remember another thing about this film, the Twilight Zone-style final frames at the end of the film will haunt me forever. I'm usually not one to pick up on director style, but this film reminded me visually of The Manchurian Candidate so much that I would know Frankenheimer's work if he did a dog food commercial.

    The wildest thing about this film is how relevant it seems in this day and age . The theme of the film -- getting away from your old life, having all responsibilities and demands disappear, and to be installed into your dream career without any effort on your part -- sounds like the perfect solution for many people these days. But I think the lesson here would be over the heads of most of those same people.

    I'm surprised that this film hasn't been remade, although there is no reason for it to be. I can see a mediocre, high-octane version of this done with Arnold Schwarzenegger in the Rock Hudson role. I hope no powers-that-be see this post; we will have that very thing inflicted on us as a big-budget summer movie. I shudder to think...
  • pier007
    July 19, 2009
    pier007
    Hallucinatory and craftily directed thriller. Seemingly inspired by Orson Welles' method, and particularly his take on Kafka's The Trial, using the camera as a tool for enhancing the central character's tormented mental realm; a closer look into the excruciating nightmare he's in... read more, an alternate reality plagued by baroque, dark and bizarre visions.

    Nothing can please a nonconformist in his quest for happiness and realization.
  • jjnxn
    August 10, 2007
    jjnxn
    pitch black and depressing, well acted but a bleak viewing experience.
  • lesleyanorton
    April 15, 2010
    lesleyanorton
    1960's John Frankenheimer (BIRDMAN OF ALCATRAZ, MANCHURIAN CANDIATE, RONIN) film, where Arthur Hamilton/ John Randolph gets middle-aged angst and turns into Mr Wilson/Rock Hudson. Not as good a decision as you'd think.
    According to Brian Wilson's autobigraphy, he thought SECONDS... read more was made deliberatly by Phil Spector to mess with his mind,("Come in, Mr Wilson") causing him to abandon his masterwork, Smile for thirty five years and not visit the cinema again for fifteen.
    The power of film.. you have been warned.
  • robfearon
    October 1, 2009
    robfearon
    Great premise and a strong visual style.
  • jimbotender
    March 23, 2009
    jimbotender
    Gritty,inhumane.A prophetic movie on the consequences of change,identification.Hudson in a thrilling role,Frankenheimer is a trustful choice,the makings of a classic being re-evaluated.
  • littlecharmer1959
    February 14, 2008
    littlecharmer1959
    Visually this film is stunning. The cinematography is amazing all thanks to James Wong Howe. He uses fish eye lenses, hand held camera shots and interesting angles to create a sense of paranoia and claustrophobia.
    A movie way ahead of it's time, with great acting by Rock Hudson... read more, defiantly one to see.

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Critic Reviews

Variety Staff
September 23, 2007
Variety Staff, Variety

US suburbia boredom is treated in an original manner in this cross between a sci-fi opus, a thriller, a suspense pic and a parable on certain aspects of American middle-class life. Full Review

Dave Kehr
May 29, 2007
Dave Kehr, Chicago Reader

The screenplay ollapses into musty moralizing in the second half, and director John Frankenheimer throws in the towel. Full Review

Steve Crum
March 2, 2008
Steve Crum, Video-Reviewmaster.com

Creepy, Twilight Zone-type tale starring Rock Hudson, directed by John Frankenheimer.

May 29, 2007
TV Guide's Movie Guide

The film features a surprisingly good performance by Rock Hudson, an impeccable supporting cast and stunning cinematography by screen veteran James Wong Howe. Full Review

Trevor Johnston
February 9, 2006
Trevor Johnston, Time Out

Little wonder it flopped at the time, only to be cherished by a later generation. Full Review

Jake Euker
June 26, 2004
Jake Euker, F5 (Wichita, KS)

Frankenheimer directed, but cinematographer James Wong Howe set the tone and provided whatever's memorable. Which isn't much.

Ken Hanke
May 23, 2004
Ken Hanke, Mountain Xpress (Asheville, NC)

Never has Oscar Wilde's caveat about being careful what you wish for been so chillingly portrayed. Full Review

James O'Ehley
March 9, 2004
James O'Ehley, Sci-Fi Movie Page

Features some great technical credits, with rich black-and-white cinematography and deep-focus from James Wong Howe. Full Review

Dennis Schwartz
December 12, 2003
Dennis Schwartz, Ozus' World Movie Reviews

Gets under your skin like a nightmare. Full Review

Kevin N. Laforest
June 2, 2003
Kevin N. Laforest, Montreal Film Journal

Criminally underseen sci-fi masterpiece.

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