{{Short description|1961 film by Edmond O'Brien}} {{About|the 1961 film|other uses|Mantrap (disambiguation){{!}}Mantrap}} {{Use mdy dates|date=February 2026}} {{Use American English|date=January 2025}} {{Infobox film | name = Man-Trap | image = Man-trap-film.jpg
| caption = Theatrical release poster | director = Edmond O'Brien | producer = Stanley Frazen | screenplay = Ed Waters | based_on = {{Based on|"Taint of the Tiger"|John D. MacDonald}} | starring = Jeffrey Hunter<br>David Janssen<br>Stella Stevens<br>Elaine Devry | music = Leith Stevens | cinematography = Loyal Griggs | editing = Stanley Frazen<br>Jack Lippiatt | studio = Tiger Productions | distributor = Paramount Pictures | released = {{Film date|1961|09|20}} | runtime = 93 minutes | country = United States | language = English | budget = | gross = }}
'''''Man-Trap''''' is a 1961 American neo-noir film about a Korean War veteran who becomes involved in a scheme to steal $3.5 million from a Central American dictator. The film was directed by Edmond O'Brien and stars Jeffrey Hunter, David Janssen and Stella Stevens. The plot is based on the novel ''Soft Touch'' by John D. MacDonald, which had previously been serialised in ''Cosmopolitan'' magazine in March 1958 as "Taint of the Tiger".<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://catalog.afi.com/Film/23281-MAN-TRAP|title = AFI|Catalog}}</ref>
==Plot== Although injured in combat, Matt Jameson returns home from Korea safely and works in California as an engineer. He is unhappily married to Nina, an alcoholic, and is attracted to his boss's secretary, Liz Addams.
Vince Biskay, a friend from the Marines whose life Matt saved, turns up with a risky but tempting offer. He knows of a Central American dictator whose shipment of $3.5 million in illegal weapons is being transported to the U.S. If they can intercept it, Matt and Vince could turn it in to law authorities and split the reward.
A gun battle erupts at the San Francisco airport, with the dictator's thugs trying to protect the loot. Vince is shot. Matt takes him and their stolen money home, where Vince recovers while a drunken Nina makes a pass at him.
Matt orders Vince to leave when he realizes that Vince intends to keep the money rather than returning it. Nina then has a fatal accident that a desperate Matt tries to cover up. He is found and beaten by the Central American thugs, looking for their money. Vince has the money but comes to an unhappy end of the road.<!-- What does this mean? Does he die? --> Matt ends up with Liz, feeling lucky to get out of the dangerous situation alive.
==Cast== {{Div col}} * Jeffrey Hunter as Matt Jameson * David Janssen as Vince Biskay * Stella Stevens as Nina Jameson * Elaine Devry as Liz Addams * Virginia Gregg as Ruth * Dorothy Green as Vera Snavely * Hugh Sanders as E.J. Malden * Frank Albertson as Paul Snavely * Arthur Batanides as Cortez * Perry Lopez as Puerco * Bernard Fein as Fat Man * Tol Avery as Lieutenant Heisen * Bob Crane as Ralph Turner {{Div col end}}
==Production== The original title for the film was ''Hell Is for Heroes'', but actor Steve McQueen demanded that his own contemporaneous project, originally called ''Separation Hill'', be given that name. Edmond O'Brien was furious when studio executive Martin Rackin acceded to McQueen's dictate, but, as a leading man and up-and-coming star, McQueen had more clout than O'Brien.<ref>{{cite book|last1=Eliot|first1=Marc|title=Steve McQueen: A Biography|date=2011|publisher=Three Rivers Press|location=NY|isbn=978-0307453228|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=DzdsAwAAQBAJ&q=hell+is+for+heroes&pg=PT91|accessdate=30 December 2017}}</ref>
Hunter made the film after ''King of Kings''.<ref name="hunter">{{cite magazine|first=Stephen|last=Vagg|magazine=Filmink|access-date=12 May 2025|date=12 May 2025|title=Not Quite Movie Stars: Jeffrey Hunter|url=https://www.filmink.com.au/not-quite-movie-stars-jeffrey-hunter/}}</ref> He later wrote that the film was "experimental ... our script was not the finest by any means. It was the first time I had worked with an actor-director." He said that O'Brien "... being a very strong performer, interprets each character himself; and at times this can be very very helpful, and at other times it can be terribly frustrating, only because the actor likes to feel that he is an individual and not a parrot." However, Hunter thought that O'Brien was "... a good sport, he accepts suggestions, and I think he has all the makings of being a very fine director."<ref>{{cite magazine|url=http://www.jeffreyhunter.net/NewSite/InPrint/1962/filmsandfilming0462.pdf|title=Actor's Choice|first=Jeffrey|last=Hunter|magazine=Films and Filming|date=April 1962}}</ref>
==References== {{reflist}}
==External links== * {{IMDb title|id=0055134|title=Man-Trap}}
Category:1961 films Category:1961 crime drama films Category:American black-and-white films Category:American crime drama films Category:American heist films Category:American neo-noir films Category:Films based on short fiction Category:Films directed by Edmond O'Brien Category:Films scored by Leith Stevens Category:Films set in California Category:Films set in San Francisco Category:Films shot in San Francisco Category:Paramount Pictures films Category:1961 English-language films Category:1961 American films Category:English-language crime drama films