Just saw Ransom! again- the 1956 version on TCM and was quite surprised how awesome that film was and it's not even acknkowledged here on RT. Seeing it again for the 2nd time made me realize how much better this film was compared to the Ron Howard 1996 version of Ransom starring Mel Gibson and Rene Russo!! The reason the Ron howard's version is not so great, is that to describe the 1996 version, I as a viewer felt awkward about seeing the kidnappers point of view about why they kidnapped the son in the first place because I felt while watching it shouldn't deserve a point of view since they're the ones doing the antagonising first!! In the 1956 version - the only point of view are only on the victims which are the parents David (Glenn Ford) and Edith (Donna Reed) - and while talking with officers in charge of the case go through real life diemmas which is like i am that father and what am I going to do, what can I do!! The loss of their missing son was so intense so much so, that they almost broke up as as a couple, a natural result which DOES happen in real life if a child goes missing can surely split up the the family apart!! 1996 Ransom by Ron Howard is not a total loss for I think it is well done but with some reservations- I JUST don't feel that the ones doing the kidnapping deserve any screen time at all no matter what the execuse is whether it is good or bad!! There is also a sense of realism in the 1956 version which I can relate to even as of right now despite seeing the film in B/W is still very real and I can really feel for the parents wheras in the 1996 version - you would see first the parents point of view then the kidnappers as well as some of the police!! As a viewer II only want to see the view of the parents and no other since they're the ones holding the money as well as the son kidnapped!!

(1956) Ransom!! 4/4

(1996) Ransom 3/4