Two Seconds

Two Seconds

HIS LIFE WAS A LIVING HELL until he killed the thing that Crushed him!

Directed by Mervyn LeRoy

Produced by First National Pictures

193267 min6.3 / 10

A bleak pre-code tragedy about a man's psychological and social destruction by a manipulative woman, culminating in murder and execution.

A condemned murderer, in the process of being executed, relives the events that led to his being sentenced to die in the electric chair. Told in flashback, we witness a sleazy dancehall girl dupe a high rise riveter into marriage so she can live off of him. But when he loses his job and his marbles, she ends up supporting him with money from her side man--and misses no opportunity to rub it in his face that she's now supporting him in his emasculated state. As the animosity grows and things get more and more unbearable, he is eventually driven to desperate measures.

Questions people ask

  • Does Two Seconds end with hope? No. Less hopeful than 100% of films.

  • Is Two Seconds sad? Yes, very. More sad than 98% of films.

  • Is Two Seconds easy watching? No. Less comforting than 92% of films.

  • Is Two Seconds violent? Yes. More violent than 80% of films.

  • Is Two Seconds scary? Somewhat. More frightening than 67% of films.

These describe how the film comes across, measured across the whole film and compared with other well-known films. They are not a content list — nothing here was counted or checked scene by scene, so for age-suitability or specific content use a classification board or a dedicated content-warning service.

48/ 100

Cinnamon Score

How much this film gives you that nothing else will, and whether it delivers.

Familiar shape, done well.

Rarity85

How unlike any other film this one feels

Surprise31

How much more it delivers than it promises

Love35

How much audiences actually like it

The highest scores in the catalogue →

Ensemble

Like Two Seconds

Nearest across the full emotional profile.

Same Mood as Two Seconds

Nearest on what's most distinctive about this one.

Like Two Seconds, But Darker

Similar, pushed toward heavier and more intense.

Like Two Seconds, But Lighter

Similar, pushed toward warmer and easier.

Like Two Seconds, But Less Popular

Same territory, far fewer people have seen it.

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