Everett discovers that Beechum might be innocent, but has only a few hours
to prove his theory and save Beechum's life. Eventually Steve learns that
a young man named Warren, who was stabbed to death three years previously,
killed the victim but is unable to prove it.
スティーブ・エベレットはかつては敏腕新聞記者として鳴らしていたが、飲酒と女性問題で今ではすっかり閑職に追いやられている。
After seeing a necklace belonging to the victim on TV, Steve remembers
Warren's grandmother wearing it when he visited her and he returns to her
house where she has come to the same realization about the murder and rushes
off with Steve to alert the governor as the execution starts.
ある夜、若い同僚のミシェルが交通事故で急死したため、翌日、エベレットはミシェルの仕事を引き継ぐことになった。
They reach the governor and tell him what they know and he calls the prison
and pardons Frank, but it looks to be too late.
それはその日死刑が執行されることになっている殺人犯フランク・ビーチャムの最後のインタビュー取材をすることだった。
Months later at Christmas, Steve, who has now lost his wife and his job encounters a very much alive and free Frank who is out Christmas shopping with his family.
事件現場を訪れてみて、目撃者の証言に違和感を抱いたエベレットは急遽事件の洗い直しを始めるが、死刑執行まで残り12時間を切っていた…。
It had an opening weekend gross of $5,276,109 in the US and grossed $16,649,768 total in the US, out of a budget of $55 million. It received mixed reactions from critics, with a score of 51% on Rotten Tomatoes.
日本での劇場公開時、メイン上映館だった銀座シネパトスは、この作品上映時に限り“銀座シネマグナム”と館名を変えて興行を行った。