TENSION

US Release date: 25 November 1949

First Melbourne Saturday Suburban: 23 September 1950

Genre: Crime

Country: USA

Running time: 95 minutes

Director: John Berry

Cast: Richard Basehart, Audrey Totter & Cyd Charisse

Australian Distributor: MGM

Melbourne Premiere Venue: MGM’s St. James theatre for two weeks from 14 July 1950 supporting Ambush.

Suburban Release Type: Union 8-W-2

Rankings

		Rank
EF Points	141	157
EF PPE	2.76	193
Metres Travelled	558,916	39
Average MT	10,959	71
Engagements	51	65
Slots	87	15
Weeks	36	17
Weeks as % of engagements	70.59%	32
Saturdays	8	248
Sats as % of engagements	15.69%	314
Tuesdays	7	215
Tues as % of engagements	13.73%	270
First billed	3	209
Second billed	48	27
Feature only	0	34*

Independent ratios

Engagements weeks 1-10	49
Ratio	96.08%
Difference to chain ratio	9.41%
Eng weeks 11-26	1
Ratio	1.96%
Difference to chain ratio	-5.66%
Eng weeks 27-52	1
Ratio	1.96%
Difference to chain ratio	-3.75%
Hoyts eng	0
Ratio	0.00%
Difference to chain ratio	-0.84%
Independent eng	38
Ratio	74.51%
Difference to chain ratio	-2.60%
Suburban eng	13
Ratio	25.49%
Difference to chain ratio	3.44%

Notes: Fine MGM noir that served as the support for Ambush through its city and suburban runs. Ranked highly on slots and weeks and, although gaining only headliners, still managed to rack up 141 EF points. Good work for a second biller but one that would have often appreciated as the better film on the engagement.

Tension engagements

SUBURB	VENUE	CHAIN	DATE	W	D	B	CO-FEATURE
Collingwood	Austral	Suburban	23/9/50	1	T	2	Ambush
Albert Park	Kinema	Independent	23/9/50	1	W	2	Ambush
Burnley	Burnley	Independent	23/9/50	1	W	2	Ambush
North Carlton	Adelphi	Independent	23/9/50	1	W	2	Ambush
Richmond	National	Independent	23/9/50	1	W	2	Ambush
St. Kilda	Astor	Independent	23/9/50	1	W	2	Ambush
Toorak	Village	Independent	23/9/50	1	W	2	Ambush
St. Kilda	Palais	Suburban	23/9/50	1	W	2	Ambush
Newmarket	Newmarket	Suburban	30/9/50	2	T	2	Ambush
Brunswick	Empire	Independent	30/9/50	2	W	2	Ambush
Caulfield	Camden	Independent	30/9/50	2	W	2	Ambush
Coburg	Plaza	Independent	30/9/50	2	W	2	Riding High
Elsternwick	Esquire	Independent	30/9/50	2	W	2	Ambush
Moonee Ponds	Moonee	Independent	30/9/50	2	W	2	Ambush
West Brunswick	Western	Independent	30/9/50	2	W	2	Ambush
Westgarth	Westgarth	Independent	30/9/50	2	W	2	Ambush
Malvern	Embassy	Suburban	30/9/50	2	W	2	Ambush
Preston	Planet	Suburban	30/9/50	2	W	2	Ambush
Brunswick East	Liberty	Independent	7/10/50	3	W	2	Ambush
East Malvern	Waverley	Independent	7/10/50	3	W	2	Ambush
Essendon	Regal	Independent	7/10/50	3	W	2	Ambush
Glenferrie	Glen	Independent	7/10/50	3	W	2	Ambush
Hawthorn	Vogue	Independent	7/10/50	3	W	2	Ambush
Balwyn	Balwyn	Suburban	7/10/50	3	W	2	Ambush
Camberwell	Rivoli	Suburban	7/10/50	3	W	2	Ambush
Ormond	Plaza	Suburban	7/10/50	3	W	2	Ambush
Preston	St. James	Suburban	7/10/50	3	W	2	Ambush
North Brighton	Gardenvale	Independent	14/10/50	4	S	2	Ambush
North Melbourne	Central	Independent	14/10/50	4	S	2	Ambush
Elwood	Broadway	Independent	14/10/50	4	T	2	Ambush
Fairfield	Fairfield	Suburban	14/10/50	4	T	2	Ambush
Ashburton	Civic	Independent	14/10/50	4	W	2	Ambush
Middle Brighton	Dendy	Independent	14/10/50	4	W	2	Ambush
Footscray	Grand	Independent	14/10/50	4	W	2	Ambush
Sandringham	Roxy	Independent	14/10/50	4	W	2	Ambush
Newport	Plaza	Independent	14/10/50	5	S	2	Ambush
Box Hill	Rialto	Suburban	14/10/50	5	S	2	Ambush
Coburg	Plaza	Independent	14/10/50	5	W	2	Ambush
Heidelberg	Orient	Independent	14/10/50	5	W	2	Ambush
Williamstown	Empress	Independent	14/10/50	5	W	2	Ambush
Yarraville	Sun	Independent	14/10/50	5	W	2	Ambush
North Richmond	Victoria	Independent	28/10/50	6	S	2	Ambush
Oakleigh	Plaza	Independent	28/10/50	6	W	2	Ambush
Port Melbourne	Port	Independent	28/10/50	6	W	1	Ambush
Surrey Hills	Surrey	Independent	4/11/50	7	S	2	Ambush
Murrumbeena	Argosy	Suburban	11/11/50	8	S	2	Ambush
West Preston	Rivoli	Independent	11/11/50	8	T	2	Ambush
Chelsea	Plaza	Independent	18/11/50	9	W	2	Ambush
West Coburg	Progress	Independent	25/11/50	10	T	1	Fighting Man of the Plains
Reservoir	Plaza	Independent	23/12/50	14	S	2	Ambush
South Melbourne	Empire	Suburban	21/4/50	31	T	1	Beauty on Parade