The Third Day

The Third Day is a feature film released in 1965. It stars George Peppard and his then wife Elizabeth Ashley, and is a suspense thriller. It was largely ignored in cinemas and is rarely seen on television. It was directed by Jack Smight from a book by Joseph Hayes. Steve Mallory has been involved in a car crash, and it appears he has killed his mistress, Holly. Steve suffers from amnesia, he has no recollection whatever of the event. His wife is hostile and cold toward him, his father is severely disabled and his younger brother appears to hate his guts. Added to this is the sinister presence... of Lester Aldrich, who turns out to be the downtrodden husband of the sleazy Holly. This curious film could have been a rather formulaic work, were it not for powerful performances from Elizabeth Ashley, George Peppard and Sally Kellerman. Steve is intent on not only finding out what happened, he also wants to fix things with his wife and family. The fact that the accident has made him a nicer person is a central theme. It is as though he has been given a second chance. But his dastardly brother, played by Roddy McDowall, prefers things the way they were.
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