The black-and-white film stars Barbara Stanwyck and Barry Sullivan as a married couple, and Ralph Meeker as an escaped convict.

[4] Award-winning cinematographer Victor Milner, in addition to photographing the film, has a bit part in the movie.

A portion of the film was shot in Pioneertown, and features footage of the "cantina" building that now houses Pappy & Harriet's.

[5] Americans Doug and Helen Stilwin and their young son, Bobby, embark on a vacation driving across the border into desolate Baja California in Mexico to a remote fishing spot along the coast that her father used to frequent with his old military buddies.

Upon arrival at the remote beach, young Bobby goes exploring out onto a precarious, rotting pier high above the water.

Doug sends her for a rope or help at a deserted gas station they stopped at earlier.

Helen points out that he will need to change his clothes; his shirt has a prisoner number on the back, and he left his jacket behind while fleeing the police.

He ties the rope to the fallen piling and the car bumper, and tries to pull it loose, without success.