Five Miles to Midnight
The VHS cover
Directed by	Anatole Litvak
Written by	Maurice Druon André Versini
Screenplay by	Peter Viertel Hugh Wheeler
Produced by	Anatole Litvak Louis Wipf
Starring	Sophia Loren Anthony Perkins
Cinematography	Henri Alekan
Edited by	Bert Bates Ginou Dodard
Music by	Mikis Theodorakis Jacques Loussier Giuseppe Mengozzi
Distributed by	United Artists
Release date	12 December 1962 (1962-12-12) (France)
Running time	110 minutes
Countries	France, Italy, United States
Language	English

Five Miles to Midnight (French: Le Couteau dans la plaie, literally The Knife in the wound) is a 1962 Franco-Italian international co-production drama film produced and directed by Anatole Litvak. It starred Sophia Loren and Anthony Perkins. It was produced through Filmsonor S.A., Dear Film Produzione and Mercury, and distributed by United Artists.

Plot

Immediately after Lisa (Loren) declares that she is leaving her immature, abusive, but easy-going husband Robert (Perkins), he is reported dead in a plane crash. Secretly still alive, he convinces her to collect his life insurance, although she knows that it's a bad idea. Lisa must contend with the complications of the scheme, which involve an aggressive suitor (Gig Young), Robert's jealousy, and her own guilt.

Eventually the stress of putting up with Robert is too much for Lisa, and she runs over him and disposes of the body and car in a lake. The suitor realizes what she did as she has a mental breakdown and calls the police.

The film takes place primarily in Paris. Lisa is Italian; Robert is American.

Cast

• Sophia Loren as Lisa Macklin
• Anthony Perkins as Robert Macklin
• Gig Young as David Barnes
• Jean-Pierre Aumont as Alan Stewart
• Yolande Turner as Barbara Ford
• Tommy Norden as Johnny
• Pascale Roberts as The Streetwalker
• Mathilde Casadesus as Mme. Duval the Concierge
• Billy Kearns as Captain Wade

Production

The film was directed by Anatole Litvak and produced by Litvak and Louis Wipf from a screenplay by Peter Viertel and Hugh Wheeler with dialogue by Maurice Druon, based on an idea by André Versini. The musical score was written by Mikis Theodorakis for the film, which also includes music by Jacques Loussier and Giuseppe Mengozzi. The cinematography was by Henri Alekan.

The film stars Sophia Loren and Anthony Perkins, with Gig Young, Jean-Pierre Aumont, Yolande Turner, and Tommy Norden.