Individual Movie Titles: I to N

INDIVIDUAL MOVIE TITLES

I - N

I Aim at the Stars (1960) - 107 mins

Starring Curt Jurgens, Victoria Shaw, Herbert Lom, Gia Scala, James Daly & Adrian Hoven

Directed by J. Lee Thompson

Depicts the life story of the famed rocket scientist Dr. Werner von Braun (Curt Jurgens), one of the most brilliant and controversial figures of the space age. Dr. von Braun literally pioneered man's adventure into space through his rocket experiments: his was the brains behind the V-2 rockets which blasted London in World War II and when taken out of Germany at the end of WWII, found himself in the US and working on the development space satellites, rockets and the legendary Saturn V rocket which ultimately delivered the power to allow men to walk on the Moon

I Am a Thief (1934) - 64 mins

Starring Mary Astor, Ricardo Cortez, Robert Barrat, Oscar Apfel & Irving Pichel

Directed by Robert Florey

The Istanbul Express provides the setting for this crime drama that centers around a courier carrying the priceless Karenina diamonds to Paris. While aboard the speeding train, the courier finds himself beleagured by different jewel thieves attempting to steal his gems. A murder occurs and one of the thieves gets arrested.

An arresting film with a lot to offer.

Ice Cold in Alex (1958) - 129 mins

Starring John Mills, Sylvia Syms, Anthony Quayle, Harry Andrews, Diane Clare & Liam Redmond

Directed by J. Lee Thompson

A group of army personnel and nurses attempt a dangerous and arduous trek across the deserts of North Africa during the WW2. The leader of the team is Captain Anson (John Mills), a grumbling alcoholic who dreams of his ice cold beer when he reaches Alexandria. Along the way, Anson becomes acquainted with his fellow passengers, nurses Sister Diane Murdoch (Sylvia Syms) and Sister Denise Norton (Mary Clare) and South African officer Captain Van Der Poel (Anthony Quayle). One of these is a German spy-and only two of the passengers will survive.

BAFTA Nominations for Best Film & Best Actor (Anthony Quayle)

A most interesting WWII story - well told as always by the Brits!

Originally released in the US as Desert Attack.

Ice Station Zebra (1968) - 148 mins

Starring Rock Hudson, Ernest Borgnine, Patrick McGoohan, Jim Brown & Lloyd Nolan

Directed by John Sturges

A top-secret Soviet spy satellite, using stolen Western technology, malfunctions and then goes into a descent that lands it near an isolated Arctic research encampment called Ice Station Zebra. The station, belonging to the British, starts sending out distress signals before falling silent. The atomic submarine Tigerfish, commanded by Cmdr. James Ferraday (Rock Hudson), is dispatched with orders to get to Ice Station Zebra. He must ferry three passengers: Englishman David Jones (Patrick McGoohan), a former Soviet Boris Vaslov (Ernest Borgnine), and US Marine officer, Captain Anders (Jim Brown), who is to command the Marine unit assigned to the mission. Jones is actually in command of the mission and he prefers to withhold as much information as it's possible from Ferraday, even at the risk of the Tigerfish's safety. Add to that the fact that Anders is suspicious of Vaslov, and Vaslov seems much too inquisitive and is telling even less of what he knows about the mission, and Ferraday has his hands full trying to get these men to the polar ice - 600 miles of dangerous travel - in just two days. An attempt to break through the ice - coupled with some timely sabotage - kills one man and nearly destroys the boat ….

Top flight espionage action adventure from the pen of Alistair MacLean

Oscar Nominated for Best Cinematography (Daniel Fapp) & Special Effects

Note: Fans of films based on Alistair MacLean's works are well served by this INDIVIDUAL MOVIE TITLES section of this website. In all there were 14 novels from the pen of Alistair MacLean were made into films (with three others, not relevant, here were made into TV movies) - all 14 are available from this section of the website: The Guns of Navarone (1961), The Secret Ways (1961), The Satan Bug (1965), Ice Station Zebra (1968), Where Eagles Dare (1968), When Eight Bells Toll (1971), Puppet on a Chain (1971), Fear is the Key (1972), Caravan to Vaccarès (1974), Breakheart Pass (1975), Golden Rendezvous (1977), Force Ten From Navarone (1978), Bear Island (1979) & River of Death (1989)

I Confess (1953) - 95 mins

Starring Montgomery Clift, Anne Baxter, Karl Malden, Brian Aherne & Roger Dann

Directed by Alfred Hitchcock

In Quebec City, Father Michael Logan (Montgomery Clift) is accused of killing a well-known lawyer. The priest knows the murderer, but he can't reveal his identity because the man confessed the crime to him in the confessional. The guilty person is Otto Keller (O.E. Hasse), the church sexton, who wore a priest's cassock to commit a robbery that led to the murder. Police inspector Larrue (Karl Malden) narrows his investigation to Logan, who had a motive for committing the crime. The lawyer was blackmailing Ruth Grandfort (Anne Baxter), wife of a prominent politician. He had threatened to make public a suspected liaison she had with Logan after he became a priest. Logan is arrested and tried for murder.

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I Died a Thousand Times (1955) - 95 mins

Starring Jack Palance, Shelley Winters, Lori Nelson, Lee Marvin, Lon Chaney Jr. & Earl Holliman

Directed by Stuart Heisler

I Died a Thousand Times is a scene-by-scene remake of the crime-drama classic High Sierra (1941). Jack Palance steps into the old Humphrey Bogart role as Roy "Mad Dog" Earle, the ageing bank robber who intends to pull off one last heist before retiring. Sprung from prison by likeable crime boss Big Mac (Lon Chaney Jr.), Earle is commissioned to mastermind the robbery of a resort hotel. His partners in crime include the hotheaded, immature Babe Kossuck (Lee Marvin) and Red (Earl Holliman), as well as "inside man" Mendoza (Perry Lopez). Also along for the ride is Marie (Shelley Winters), a dance-hall girl whom Babe has picked up. Marie falls in love with Earle, but he has eyes only for Velma (Lori Nelson), the club-footed daughter of a farmer (Ralph Moody) whom Earle had earlier befriended. Intending to use his share of the loot to finance Velma's operation, Earle goes through with the robbery, only to be thwarted by the ineptitude of his partners, the treachery of the late Big Mac's successors, and, finally, the fickle Velma. With the faithful Marie by his side, Earle makes a desperate escape into the High Sierras, but fate is still against him.

I Died a Thousand Times (1955) works well on its own terms - its gorgeously shot in widescreen WarnerColor

In between the Raoul Walsh directed High Sierra (1941) is Colorado Territory (1949) - acknowledged by many as a westernized remake of the High Sierra (and also directed by Raoul Walsh) - both films are available from this website

I Escaped From the Gestapo (1943) - see No Escape (1943) elsewhere on this website

If…. (1968) - 111 mins

Starring Malcolm McDowell, David Wood, Richard Warwick, Christine Noonan & Rupert Webster

Directed by Lindsay Anderson

Rebellious students at an English private school plan a violent revolt against their repressive environment in director Lindsay Anderson's highly acclaimed but extremely controversial drama. Centering on a small group of non-conformists led by Mick Travis (Malcolm McDowell), the film paints a distinctly negative picture of the British school system and, by extension, English society. Seeing the powers-that-be as humorless, bureaucratic, and needlessly restrictive, Mick and his cohorts indulge in small acts of rebellion, including sneaking into town to romance a local waitress. Their actions are discovered and punished with harsh beatings, leading the students to plot revenge. This effort culminates in the film's most famous sequence, a surrealistic depiction of a bloody uprising by the students against the adult world.

Daring and unpredictable in content and form, If... (1968) mixes color and B&W cinematography as easily as it mingles satire with dark fantasy. The film's ambiguous attitude toward violence caused controversy at the time, as many commentators saw the film as a potential incitement to violence. It became a great success among younger, counter-culture audiences who appreciated the audacious shock tactics and embraced the satirical, anti-establishment message.

Anderson and McDowell later collaborated with similar effect on Oh Lucky Man! (1973) & Britannia Hospital (1982). Indeed, the three films are often considered the “trilogy of Mick Price”, largely due to the presence in all three of lead Malcolm McDowell playing the same role Mick Travis

Oh Lucky Man! (1973) & Britannia Hospital (1982) are also both available from this website

Also worth a look for Malcolm McDowell fans: Royal Flash (1975) - again, also available from this website.

If I Were King (1938) - 93 mins

Starring Ronald Colman, Basil Rathbone, Frances Dee & Ellen Drew

Directed by Frank Lloyd

In 1463, Paris is besieged by the Duke of Burgundy, arch-rival of the king, who is content to sit tight while the poor starve. But there are traitors in Paris, and King Louis goes undercover to find one, thereby meeting Francois Villon, poet, philosopher and rogue. By chance Villon kills the king's traitor and is ordered to replace him as Grand Constable of France! But there's a catch.

"Ronald Colman and Basil Rathbone, two wonderful actors having the time of their careers playing wittily written opposites who are also spiritual soulmates -- Francois Villon, the poetic rebel, born into poverty with a noble soul, and Louis XI, King of France, born into privilege but with a rebel's iconoclasm. Add a witty script by that poetic comedic rebel Preston Sturges, who hits all the crowd-pleasing buttons without condescension and no-nonsense direction by Frank Lloyd, and you have a top Hollywood product -- a crowd pleaser with intelligence.

Rathbone is a particular delight. Pre-Holmes, he revels in playing an unprepossessing cynic to whom everyone must bow because he happens to be the king. Colman is doing what he does best, playing an intelligent, superior man, without losing the common touch. A delight all the way around".

I Live on Danger (1942) - 73 mins

Starring Chester Morris, Jean Parker, Elisabeth Risdon, Edward Norris & Dick Purcell

Directed by Sam White

A fast-moving thriller with strong performances and top-notch direction by former screenwriter Sam White. Jeff Morrell (Chester Morris) is a newscaster who gets involved in saving wrongly accused Eddie Nelson (Edward Norris) from a murder charge. Nelson's sister, Susan Richards (Jean Parker) and Jeff make for a fine romantic pair as they fight to save the innocent man

Illegal (1955) - 88 mins

Starring Edward G. Robinson, Nina Foch, Hugh Marlowe, Robert Ellenstein & DeForest Kelley

Directed by Lewis Allen

This is the story of a district attorney with a conscience. When he discovers that a man he's sent to the electric chair was innocent, he takes to the bottle. His assistants encourage him to get off the booze, stop prosecuting and, instead, become a defense attorney. He agrees but his first client is a notorious gangster who has been in business for so long because of leaks from Robinson's own office when he was the district attorney. Push comes to shove and soon, through multiple machinations and mishaps, Robinson becomes the defender of his former assistant on charges of murder.

Interesting and with Edward G. one can't go wrong

Illegal Entry (1949) - 84 mins

Starring Howard Duff, Märta Torén, George Brent, Gar Moore, Tom Tully & Paul Stewart

Directed by Frederick De Cordova

Howard Duff stars as Bert Powers, an undercover agent for the U.S. Department of Immigration. While attempting to bring a vicious gang of alien smugglers to justice, Powers falls in love with Anna Duvak (Märta Torén), a gang member who may or may not be in league with the crims.

Another excellent Howard Duff film in which the laconic style of his then current radio persona Sam Spade shows through. This film twists and turns in a noirish way but also has strong adventure elements - a nice combination of genres.

Duff & Torén combined again in the following year for Spy Hunt (1950) - which is also available from this website

Other Howard Duff films - of which Trev is a huge fan - which are available from this website are Shakedown (1950), Spaceways (1953) & The Broken Star (1956)

Illegal Traffic (1938) - 68 mins

Starring J. Carrol Naish, Robert Preston, Mary Carlisle, Judith Barrett, Pierre Watkin & Buster Crabbe

Directed by Louis King

J. Carroll Naish positively oozes immigrant gangster charm in this entertaining thriller from Paramount. He plays Louis Zonta, an immigrant gangster running a racket that transports wanted criminals. At their wits end, the authorities send in undercover agent Bent Martin (Robert Preston) to infiltrate the gang and the young G-Man concocts a plan to trap Zonta by using the gangster's mistress, Marie Arden (Judith Barrett).

A nice support role for Larry "Buster" Crabbe

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I'll Get You for This (1951) - 87 mins

Starring George Raft, Coleen Gray, Enzo Staiola, Charles Goldner, Walter Rilla & Peter Illing

Directed by Joseph M. Newman

“Lucky” Nick Cain (George Raft) is a successful American gambler who acts as an advance man for an expensive Italian casino. Kay Wonderly (Colleen Gray) is a tourist who loses all her money at the casino - to wit, Cain falls in love with her and tries to make good her debts. Unwittingly the pair soon find themselves in jeopardy when both are framed for a murder. The scene is set for Nick to do a little detective work on his own, and traces the killing to a gang of counterfeiters.

Released in the US as Lucky Nick Cain (1951)

Note that this film is an altogether quite different film to another George Raft UK vehicle: Escape Route (1952) which was released in the US as I’ll Get You (1952) - its also available from this website under its UK moniker, namely: Escape Route (1952)

Fans of George Raft are well catered for on this website: Souls at Sea (1937), Spawn of the North (1937), Invisible Stripes (1939), The House Across the Bay (1940), They Drive By Night (1940), Manpower (1941), Background to Danger (1943), Johnny Angel (1945), Whistle Stop (1946), Nocturne (1946), Intrigue (1947), Race Street (1948), Outpost in Morocco (1949), Johnny Allegro (1949), Red Light (1949), A Dangerous Profession (1949), I'll Get You for This (1951), Loan Shark (1952), Escape Route (1952), The Man from Cairo (1953), Rogue Cop (1954), A Bullet For Joey (1955) & Some Like It Hot (1959)

Ill Met by Moonlight (1957) - 104 mins

Starring Dirk Bogart, Marius Goring, David Oxley, Dimitri Andreas & Cyril Cusack

Directed by Michael Powell & Emeric Pressburger

Set during World War II on the island of Crete. Dirk Bogarde and David Oxley play Major Paddy Leigh Fermer and Captain Billy Stanley Moss, two British officers whose job it is to kidnap Nazi general Karl Kreipe (Marius Goring) and spirit him off to Cairo. The motive of this mission is to weaken German morale on Crete and to provide hope to the enslaved locals. With the help of a group of resistance fighters, Fermer and Moss manage to trap the general; now they must transport their captive back to their own lines, avoiding German patrols every inch of the way.

Originally titled Night Ambush in the US.

I'll Never Forget You (1951) (aka The House in the Square) - 90 mins

Starring Tyrone Power, Ann Blyth, Michael Rennie, Dennis Price & Beatrice Campbell

Directed by Roy Ward Baker

Tyrone Power stars as an American atomic scientist working in London. He lives in an ancestral home which dates back to the 18th century. Late one rainy evening, Power is struck down by lightning just as he enters his home. When he awakens, he finds himself transported back to the 1700s, in the person of his own ancestor. As he falls in love with his beautiful cousin Ann Blyth, Power tries to bring some 20th century technology to his "backward" forebears. Branded as a lunatic for his "hallucinations" of the future, Power is about to be carted off to Bedlam when he lapses again into unconsciousness. He awakens in his own time, but to what??

In an interesting approach, I'll Never Forget You opens in black and white, then switches to color when Power is sent back in time.

I'll Never Forget You is an updated remake of 1933's Berkeley Square, with both films being adapted from John L. Balderston's stage play.

I Love Trouble (1948) - 93 mins

Starring Franchot Tone, Janet Blair, Janis Carter, Adele Jergens & Glenda Farrell

Directed by S. Sylvan Simon

A wealthy man hires a detective to investigate his wife's past. The detective (Franchot Tone) discovers that the wife had been a dancer and left her home town with an actor. The latter is killed before he can talk, but, with the help of a showgirl, the detective learns that the wife had used stolen papers from a girl friend to enter college after she had stolen $40,000 from the night club where she worked. The detective eventually learns that the husband had killed his wife when he discovered her past in order to avoid a scandal, and had hired the detective to try and frame him for the killing.

Don't be put off by the "light-weight" title: I Love Trouble isn't one of those crime/comedy hybrids - it's a pretty hard-boiled private-eye yarn, very much in the Raymond Chandler tradition, an obscure film noir that packs a punch

A quite nice print!

I'm All Right Jack (1959) - 105 mins

Starring Ian Carmichael, Terry-Thomas, Peter Sellers, Richard Attenborough, Dennis Price & Margaret Rutherford

Directed by John Boulting

Set in the 1950s in Britain, this award-winning social comedy by director and co-writer John Boulting features Ian Carmichael as the inept Stanley Windrush, a hopeless twit with - with an Oxford degree. Unlike others in his social circle, Stanley wants to work. When he tries out for jobs in industry with the full expectation of working his way into a management position, he sets off disasters and alienates his interviewers. So his uncle gives him a job in his munitions factory, knowing what an idiot he is, and relying on him to eventually cause a strike (the uncle needs this for his own reasons). Fred Kite (Peter Sellers in a performance that would launch him as an international star) takes Stanley under his wing yet that does not exactly turn out as expected either. Stanley screws up by accidentally being too efficient, and the entire British work force is affected.

Peter Sellers won the BAFTA Award for Best Actor. Another BAFTA was secured for Best Screenplay.

If you think you recognise these self same actors playing the same roles under same director in a different story then you may be thinking of Private’s Progress (1956) - which is a prequel to I’m Alright Jack (1959)

Private’s Progress (1956) is also available from this website

I Married a Monster From Outer Space (1958) - 78 mins

Starring Tom Tryon, Gloria Talbott, Peter Baldwin, Robert Ivers & Ty Hardin

Directed by Gene Fowler Jr.

Bill Farrell (Tom Tryon) marries lovely Marge Bradley (Gloria Talbott), but one year into their marriage, Marge still feels that there is something strange about him - he doesn't drink any alcohol and seemingly hasn’t any emotions. The thing that really disturbs her is the fact that she can't seem to get pregnant. One night she notices Bill leaving the house going for a walk and follows him. She then sees him meeting with some rather odd male friends. It isn't long before Marge discovers that Bill & Co. have been taken over by aliens from the Andromeda Nebula, who have arrived on earth to replenish their species. A horrified Marge then tries to warn everyone of the alien threat.

A Cult Classic - in widescreen!

I’m a Stranger (1952) - 60 mins

Starring Greta Gynt, James Hayter, Hector Ross, Jean Cadell & Patric Doonan

Directed by Brock Williams

Heir George Westcott (Patric Doonan) struggles with his disinherited family members in order to collect his grandfather's fortune - a missing will which apparently leaves a fortune to a stranger from Calcutta. He is assisted by Greta Gynt (as herself), window washer Horatio Flowerdew (James Hayter) and Police Inspector Craddock (Hector Ross).

Tight noir from the Brits!

Impact (1949) - 111 mins

Starring Brian Donlevy, Ella Raines, Charles Coburn, Helen Walker & Anna May Wong.

Directed by Arthur Lubin

No-nonsense San Francisco industrial whiz Walter Williams's two-timing wife and her lover plot to do her husband in, but Williams survives the attack and the lover is burned beyond recognition while driving Williams's car. Half-dazed, Williams stumbles into a moving van that takes him to idyllic Larkspur, Idaho, where newspaper stories of his "death" jog his memory. While recuperating and plotting his eventual return and revenge, Williams falls in love with Marsha, an auto mechanic. Disaster looms when detective Quincy comes sniffing around.

Impact (1963) - 61 mins

Starring Conrad Phillips, Ballard Berkeley, Richard Klee, George Pastell & Linda Marlowe

Directed by Peter Maxwell

Crime reporter Jack Moir (Conrad Phillips) is framed by crooked nightclub owner, 'The Duke' (George Pastell). Found guilty for a theft of a train, Moir is sent to behind bars. In prison, Moir plans and plots his revenge.

Neat little UK “B” entry which answers the question: “whatever happened to TV”s William Tell?” - Yep that’s Conrad Phillips in the lead - he also scripted (along with director, Maxwell)

The William Tell TV Series is (arguably) the best action/adventure TV series to come out of UK in the 1950s - its available (recently remastered) from within the TV Series section of the website

In a Lonely Place (1950) - 94 mins

Starring Humphrey Bogart, Gloria Grahame, Frank Lovejoy, Carl Benton Reid & Art Smith

Directed by Nicholas Ray

Screenwriter Dixon Steele, faced with the odious task of scripting a trashy bestseller, has hat-check girl Mildred Atkinson tell him the story in her own words. Later that night, Mildred is murdered and Steele is a prime suspect; his record of belligerence when angry and his macabre sense of humor tell against him. Fortunately, lovely neighbor Laurel Gray gives him an alibi. Laurel proves to be just what Steele needed, and their friendship ripens into love. Will suspicion, doubt, and Steele's inner demons come between them?

Powerful Bogie noir - often described as one of his best (now that’s saying something!)

BOGIE! - incomparable - fabulous in every film appearance. Humphrey Bogart’s career started slowly … he scored strongly in supporting roles in “A” list films such as The Petrified Forest (1936), Bullets or Ballots (1936), China Clipper (1936), San Quentin (1937), Dead End (1937), Stand-In (1937), Angels with Dirty Faces (1938), Dark Victory (1939), The Roaring Twenties (1939), Invisible Stripes (1939), Virginia City (1940), Brother Orchid (1940) & They Drive by Night (1940). Along the way he had lead roles in “B” entries such as Racket Busters (1938), You Can't Get Away With Murder (1939). But when he won the role in Raoul Walsh’s High Sierra (1941), everything changed … all of a sudden he had made it: the lead in “A” list films. There followed a further 34 “A” films with Bogie as star - with just about all of them critically acclaimed and immensely popular: The Wagons Roll at Night (1941), The Maltese Falcon (1941), All Through the Night (1941), The Big Shot (1942), Across the Pacific (1942), Casablanca (1942), Action in the North Atlantic (1943), Sahara (1943), Passage to Marseille (1944), To Have and Have Not (1944), Conflict (1945), The Big Sleep (1946), Dead Reckoning (1947), The Two Mrs. Carrolls (1947), Dark Passage (1947), The Treasure of the Sierra Madre (1948), Key Largo (1948), Knock On Any Door (1949), Tokyo Joe (1949), Chain Lightning (1950), In a Lonely Place (1950), The Enforcer (1951), Sirocco (1951), The African Queen (1951), Deadline U.S.A. (1952), Battle Circus (1953), Beat the Devil (1953), The Caine Mutiny (1954), Sabrina (1954), The Barefoot Contessa (1954), We're No Angels (1955), The Left Hand of God (1955), The Desperate Hours (1955) & The Harder They Fall (1956) - all of the above are available from this website.

Incident at Phantom Hill (1966) - 88 mins

Starring Robert Fuller, Jocelyn Lane, Dan Duryea, Tom Simcox & Claude Akins

Directed by Earl Bellamy

At the end of the Civil War, a million-dollar gold shipment is hijacked and buried in the desert. Captain Matt Martin (Robert Fuller) knows where it is hidden sets out to get it, but he must fight off Joe Barlow and his gang who are also after it - then there’s the rampaging Apaches who also make their presence felt.

Excellent Technicolor wide-screen print of this action packed western - Robert Fuller is pretty good in the lead role and Dan Duryea is “as usual” = great!

The Incredible Shrinking Man (1957) - 81 mins

Starring Grant Williams, Randy Stuart, April Kent, Paul Langton & Raymond Bailey

Directed by Jack Arnold

Scott Carey who, while catching some sunshine on his brother's yacht, is enveloped by a mysterious dark cloud. Soon after, he discovers that he's getting thinner and smaller. Despite the assuring attitude of his family doctor Carey is losing an inch's worth of height with each passing day. By the time he's reached the size of a small boy, Williams has become world-famous. But the phenomenon has adversely affected his personality, turning him into a tyrant, lashing out at the world in general and his faithful wife in particular. When Carey is attacked and by his pet cat, his wife assumes that he's been killed: in fact, Carey, by now so minuscule that even a garden-variety spider poses a deadly threat to him, is hiding in his cellar. Uncertain of what is in store for him, he steps out into the mists, summing up his new-found philosophy: "Smaller than smallest, I meant something too. To God there is no zero. I still exist!"

Adapted by Richard Matheson from his own novel.

Jack Arnold reigns supreme as one of the great directors of 50s science fiction features. His films are distinguished by moody black and white cinematography, solid acting, smart, thoughtful scripts, snappy pacing, a genuine heartfelt enthusiasm for the genre, and plenty of eerie atmosphere. His films which can be found in this section of the website are: It Came From Outer Space (1953), The Creature From the Black Lagoon (1954), Revenge of the Creature (1955), This Island Earth (1955) - with Joseph M. Newman, Tarantula (1955), The Incredible Shrinking Man (1957), The Space Children (1958) & Monster on Campus (1958)

Indian Fighter (1955) - 88 mins

Starring Kirk Douglas, Elsa Martinelli, Walter Matthau, Diana Douglas, Walter Abel & Lon Chaney Jr.

Directed by André De Toth

Trail guide Johnny Hawks (Kirk Douglas) agrees to shepherd a wagon train through Sioux territory. Johnny tries to convince the Sioux to leave his charges alone, but white trader Wes Todd (Walter Matthau) and embittered Indian brave Grey Wolf (Harry Landers) escalate the tensions. When Todd and his partner Chivington (Lon Chaney Jr.) contrive to rob the Indians of their gold, Sioux chief Red Cloud (Eduard Franz) prepares to wipe out the settlers.

The first film assembled by Kirk Douglas' own Bryna Productions, The Indian Fighter is an excellent (and gritty) Technicolor western

Inferno (1953) - 83 mins

Starring Robert Ryan, Rhonda Fleming, William Lundigan, Larry Keating & Henry Hull

Directed by Roy Ward Baker

Inferno is a grim, fascinating tale of survival. Breaking his leg on a vacation trip, millionaire Carson (Robert Ryan) is left in the middle of the desert by his wife Geraldine (Rhonda Fleming) and his business partner Joseph Duncan (William Lundigan). Ostensibly, they have driven off to seek medical aid for Carson; in fact, they intend to leave him in the desert to die of thirst and exposure. When the truth of his dilemma is made clear, Carson vows to live long enough to exact revenge against his wife and partner. Virtually a one-man show for the most part, Inferno maintains its level of taut suspense from start to finish and what a finish.

Fabulous color print!

The Informer (1935) - 91 mins

Starring Victor McLaglen, Heather Angel, Preston Foster, Margot Grahame & Wallace Ford

Directed by John Ford

The scene is Dublin, during the Sinn Fein rebellion of the 1920s. Gypo Nolan (Victor McLaglen) has tried to join the IRA, but has been rejected because he lacked full commitment to the cause. Gypo's best friend is Frankie McPhillip (Wallace Ford), a fugitive from the British "Black and Tans" with a price on his head. Hoping to start a new life with his streetwalker girlfriend Katie Madden (Margot Grahame), Gypo decides to inform on Frankie to the British, thereby collecting the twenty-pound reward. Frankie is cornered and killed by the British troops - Gypo briefly suffers the pangs of conscience, but is too simple-minded to grasp the full impact of his betrayal. Suspecting that Gypo has turned Frankie in, IRA commander Gallagher (Preston Foster) orders his men to keep tabs on the big man. As Gypo stupidly squanders his money on food, drink and entertainment, Gallagher's lieutenants keep tab of every penny spent. Finally dragged before the rebel court, Gypo tries to bluff his way out of trouble, fingering another man Peter Mulligan (Donald Meek) as the informer, but this subterfuge quickly falls apart. Sobbingly, Gypo confesses his treachery, but before his execution can be carried out, he escapes …

Stupendous entertainment … the power of McLaglen and the glory of John Ford!

John Ford reportedly waiving his considerable salary to make certain that picture - a labor of love for the director, who was himself a native of Ireland - would be made exactly as he wanted and without compromise.

Oscar Wins for Best Actor (Victor McLaglen), Best Director (John Ford), Best Music (Max Steiner) & Best Screenplay (Dudley Nichols)

Victor McLaglen & John Ford had previously combined to great effect with The Lost Patrol (1934) which is also available from this website

The Inheritance (1947) (aka Uncle Silas) - 98 mins

Starring Jean Simmons, Katrina Paxinou, Derrick De Marney, Derek Bond & Sophie Stewart.

Directed by Charles Frank

A young heiress of a vast fortune finds herself under the guardianship of her Uncle Silas, who has evil plans for obtaining her fortune.

Well appointed thriller with a breakout performance from Jean Simmons

In Love and War (1958) - 111 mins

Starring Robert Wagner, Dana Wynter, Jeffrey Hunter, Hope Lange, Bradford Dillman & Sheree North

Directed by Philip Dunne

Frank O’Neill, Nico Kantaylis & Alan Newcombe (Robert Wagner, Jeffrey Hunter & Bradford Dillman) are three young San Francisco residents who sign up for the Marines at the outbreak of WW2. The film traces the progress of all three in the Pacific “Theatre of War” emphasizing the characters' individual strengths and shortcomings. One of the men is a gung-ho patriot, the second is a perennial goof-off, and the third hopes to prove his worth to his wealthy father.

Based on the Anton Myrer novel The Big War

Innocents in Paris (1953) - 87 mins

Starring Alastair Sim, Margaret Rutherford, Claire Bloom, Ronald Shiner, Jimmy Edwards & Claude Dauphin

Directed by Gordon Parry

In this a series of anecdotes bundled together by geography, a very diverse group of passengers catch the plane from London for a weekend in Paris. The Scotsman in his kilt, the elderly lady painter, the international negotiator and the pretty young girl - all find "the city of lights" welcomes them and changes their lives in some way.

An engaging comedy which utilizes the consummate skills of a great British cast

Inn of the Sixth Happiness (1958) - 158 mins

Starring Ingrid Bergman, Curt Jurgens, Robert Donat, Michael David, Athlene Seyler & Ronald Squire

Directed by Mark Robson

Oscar Nominated for Best Director

In China of the 1930s, real-life missionary Gladys Aylward (Ingrid Bergman) rebels against the advice of practically everyone and heads into the war-ravaged interior to spread the Christian gospel. She finds a powerful ally in the form of an elderly Mandarin of Yang Cheng (Robert Donat) who, despite his early efforts to rid himself of the troublesome Gladys, eventually converts to Christianity. Gladys' burgeoning romance with Chinese army officer Capt. Lin Nan (Curt Jurgens) is interrupted when she is obliged to guide a group of Chinese children to safety over some of the most treacherous of Northern China's mountain regions.

The film is famous for its children's song: "This Old Man" (aka "Knick, Knack, Paddywhack").

Alan Burgess' novel The Small Woman was the source for this huge British/American co-production

In Old California (1942) - 88 mins

Starring John Wayne, Binnie Barnes, Albert Dekker, Helen Parrish & Edgar Kennedy

Directed by William C. McGann

Tom Craig (John Wayne) is a mild-mannered druggist from Boston who opens a shop in wild and woolly Sacramento shortly before the Gold Rush. The town is "owned" by the Dawson brothers, Britt (Albert Dekker) and Joe (Dick Purcell), who poison Craig's tonic when saloon hostess Lacey Miller (Binnie Barnes) takes too much of an interest in the handsome newcomer. Town drunk Whitey (Emmett Lynn) has one drink too many, and all of Sacramento is soon in a lynching mood. The news of "gold in them thar hills" saves the druggist in the nick of time, but his business is destroyed. While everyone is heading for the gold fields, Craig prepares to leave town with snobbish debutante Ellen Sanford (Helen Parrish), whom he intends to marry. News of typhoid fever among the prospectors changes his mind, however, and the man once referred to as "a human hitchin' post instead of a two-legged man," risks his own life to save the suffering populace. The Dawson brothers, meanwhile, plan to hijack the medical supplies and sell them to the highest bidder, but when Britt Dawson learns that Lacey is helping the sick and may be stricken with the disease herself, he has a change of heart and eventually confesses to spiking Craig's medicine.

Rousing Western from Republic Pictures

John Wayne: Duke - one of the most recognizable persons on the planet -a true mega-star in film. You'll find the following John Wayne movies in this INDIVIDUAL MOVIE TITLES section of this website:

The Big Trail (1930), Westward Ho (1935), Stagecoach (1939), Allegheny Uprising (1939), Dark Command (1940), Three Faces West (1940), The Long Voyage Home (1940), Seven Sinners (1940), Reap the Wild Wind (1942), The Spoilers (1942), In Old California (194tsburgh (1942), Reunion in France (1942), The Fighting Seabees (1944), Tall in the Saddle (1944), Back to Bataan (1945), Dakota (1945), They Were Expendable (1945), Without Reservations (1946), Tycoon (1947), Fort Apache (1948), Red River (1948), 3 Godfathers (1948), Wake of the Red Witch (1948), The Fighting Kentuckian (1949), She Wore a Yellow Ribbon (1949), Sands of Iwo Jima (1949), Rio Grande (1950), Operation Pacific (1951), Flying Leathernecks (1951), The Quiet Man (1952), Big Jim McLain (1952), Island in the Sky (1953), Hondo (1953), The Sea Chase (1955), Blood Alley (1955), The Wings of Eagles (1957), Jet Pilot (1957) Legend of the Lost (1957), Rio Bravo (1959), The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance (1962), Donovan's Reef (1963), The Sons of Katie Elder (1965), El Dorado (1966), The War Wagon (1967), Hellfighters (1968), McQ (1974) & Brannigan (1975)

Additionally John Wayne filmed an incomparable "B" Western Movie Series: The Three Mesquiteers. A set of 8 films which were all critically acclaimed and enormously popular at the box office. You'll find this 2 DVD set comprising those 8 Three Mesquiteers westerns in the "B" Westerns Series section of this website (under "Three Mesquiteers")

In Our Time (1944) - 110 mins

Starring Ida Lupino, Paul Henreid, Nancy Coleman, Mary Boland & Victor Francen

Directed by Vincent Sherman

Jennifer Whittredge (Ida Lupino) is a young antique buyer marrying a Polish count, Stephan Orvid (Paul Henried), after a whirlwind romance in a Warsaw at the brink of World War II. The count's old-fashioned family in general and in particular, his aristocratic uncle Pawel Orwid (Victor Francen) resist the union. But Jennifer brings a breath of fresh air and a sense of good Anglo-Saxon values into the stagnant rooms of the Orvid estate and soon the farm is prosperous once again. When the German military might finally enters Poland, Jennifer and Stephan join the country's scorched earth defense by burning both their property and are soon among the refugees waiting for the day when Poland is once again free from Fascism

An Inspector Calls (1954) - 80 mins

Starring Alastair Sim, Jane Wenham, Brian Worth, Eileen Moore, Olga Lindo & Arthur Young

Directed by Guy Hamilton

The comfortable complacency of the Birling family is upset when Inspector Poole (Alastair Sim) comes calling. An impoverished young working girl named Eva Smith (Jane Wenham) has committed suicide, and Poole hopes that the Birlings will help him find out why. As the evening progresses, a series of flashbacks reveal that each member of the Birling family has in some small way been responsible for Eva's demise. A twist ending adds a mystical, thought-provoking touch to the proceedings.

An Inspector Calls was based on a play by J.B. Priestley and is the film has gained much status over the years with various retrospectives embracing the performance of Alastair Sim in a role that is not a lot removed from his performance as Inspector Cockrill in Green for Danger (1946) - which is also available from this section of the website (above)

International House (1933) - 68 mins

Starring W. C. Fields, Peggy Hopkins Joyce, Rudy Vallee, Stuart Erwin, George Burns & Gracie Allen

Directed by A. Edward Sutherland

A revolutionary television device called the Radioscope, is being offered to the highest bidder by its Chinese inventor Doctor Wong (Edmund Breese). All interested parties are obliged to converge at International House, an ultra-modern hotel in the bustling Chinese community of Wu Hu. Among those parties is American envoy Tommy Nash (Stu Erwin), Russian General Nicholas Petronovich (Bela Lugosi), the general's ex-wife Peggy Hopkins Joyce (same name), and that celebrated aviator Professor Henry Quail (W.C. Fields). The lunacy begins even before Quail arrives, thanks to the antics of the hotel's doctor (George Burns) and nurse (Gracie Allen). When Nash comes down with the measles, the hotel is quarantined. The guests make the most of their enforced stay by watching the many variety acts broadcast over the radioscope device: Rudy Vallee, singing a love song to his megaphone; Baby Rose Marie belting forth a hotcha jazz number; radio humorists Stoopnagle and Budd, showing off their own goofy inventions; and Cab Calloway, singing a paean to marijuana titled "Reefer Man". There's also an elaborate production number on the dance floor of the hotel, featuring Sterling Holloway and a bevy of beauties dressed as cups and saucers.

A truly unique filmgoing experience, International House is a must-see for any aficionado of 1930s musical comedies. PS: The film's now-famous "outtake," showing Fields calmly advising the cast and crew not to panic while the set is rocked by a California earthquake, was actually staged several days after the genuine quake.

A Classic!

W. C. Fields - he of the snide drawl snarling contempt for dogs, children and women… His hilarious films available from this website:

International House (1933), Tillie and Gus (1933), Man on a Flying Trapeze (1935), You Can't Cheat an Honest Man (1939) & The Bank Dick (1940)

International Squadron (1941) - 85 mins

Starring Ronald Reagan, Olympe Bradna, James Stephenson, William Lundigan & Reginald Denny

Directed by Lewis Seiler

Jimmy Grant (Ronald Reagan) is a hotshot US flyer who joins the Royal Air Force in England before the US entry into WWII. Grant refuses to mend his barnstorming ways, and because of his recklessness two pilots are killed. The headstrong young flyer seeks to redeem himself by going on a suicide bombing mission.

Excellent Reagan film - his wise-cracking persona and effervescent performance makes for a exciting movie - lots of Warner Bros polish as well!

This is film is actually a remake (albeit with a WWII setting) of the James Cagney film Ceiling Zero (1936) - which is also available from this website

The Interrupted Journey (1949) - 80 mins

Starring Richard Todd, Valerie Hobson, Christine Norden, Tom Walls & Ralph Truman

Directed by Daniel Birt

Intending to run off with the wife (Christine Norden) of his publisher (Alexander Gauge), novelist John North (Richard Todd) thinks the better of it as he sits in the compartment of a speeding train. North's journey is interrupted by a train crash, in which his lover is killed. Sifting through the wreckage, railroad inspector Clayton (Tom Walls) discovers that the dead woman didn't perish in the crash: someone shot her in the back!

Excellent suspenser.

Intrigue (1947) - 90 mins

Starring George Raft, June Havoc, Helena Carter, Tom Tully, Marvin Miller & Philip Ahn

Directed by Edwin L. Martin

Dishonorably discharged from the Army Air Corps, Brad Dunham (Raft) disconsolately decides to try his luck with Shanghai's postwar black market. Teaming with the treacherous Tamara Baranoff (June Havoc), Dunham prospers in his newly-found illicit profession, much to the dismay of his best friend, reporter Mark Andrews (Tom Tully). When Tamara has the troublesome Andrews murdered, Dunham realizes the folly of his behavior and works overtime to squash the black market for good and all. Meanwhile, social worker Linda Parker (Helena Carter), who realizes that Dunham's a good guy underneath and hopes against hope that he'll eventually realize it. Nice Raft vehicle and a great adventure story.

Invaders From Mars (1953) - 78 mins

Starring Helena Carter, Arthur Franz, Jimmy Hunt, Leif Erickson & Morris Ankrum

Directed by William Cameron Menzies

David MacLean (Jimmy Hunt) is a 12-year-old astronomy buff who is stunned to see a flying saucer landing in the sand pit beyond his backyard. His father, George (Leif Erickson), ventures out to look the next morning and mysteriously disappears. David's mother, Mary (Hillary Brooke), worriedly calls police, but they are quickly swallowed up by the sand in the backyard. Later, George and the two officers return, but their personalities are markedly different (having been taken over by the Martians). As David tries to find help, everyone around him comes under the frightening zombie-like spell. He finally encounters two believers in Dr. Pat Blake (Helena Carter) and Dr. Stuart Kelston (Arthur Franz). Discovering David's shocking story to be true, the doctors call in the military setting up a confrontation that escalates when David and Dr. Blake are taken captive within the Martian craft.

Highly rated sci-fi entertainment

Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1956) - 80 mins

Starring Kevin McCarthy, Dana Wynter, Larry Gates, Larry Gates, King Donovan & Carolyn Jones

Directed by Don Siegel

Dr. Miles Bennell (Kevin McCarthy) is a doctor in the small California community of Santa Mira, where several patients begin reporting that their loved ones don't seem to be themselves lately. They look the same but now seem cold, emotionally distant, and somehow unfamiliar. The more that Miles looks into these reports, the more stock he places in them, and in time he makes a shocking discovery: aliens from another world are taking over Santa Mira, one citizen at a time. Emissaries from a distant planet have sent massive seed-pods containing creatures that can assume the exact physical likeness of anyone they choose. When the people of Santa Mira go to sleep, the pod creatures take on the shape of their victims and then destroy their bodies. The aliens may look the same, but they possess no human emotions and, like plants, are concerned only with propagating themselves and eventually subsuming the earth. Miles and his friends are terrified, but since it's hard to tell who's a real person and who's a pod, they're at a loss for what to do, especially when it seems that there are increasingly more aliens than humans.

Invasion of the Body Snatchers builds tension slowly and steadily, dealing with the unnerving possibility that the enemy is among us - and impossible to tell from our allies - Don Siegel's classic exercise in psychological science fiction has often been interpreted as a cautionary fable about the blacklisting hysteria of the McCarthy era.

Fabulous (& memorable)

Based on a novel by Jack Finney, Invasion of the Body Snatchers was remade in 1978 by Philip Kaufman (see below)

Genuine wide-screen B&W print - presents perfectly on 16:9 screens (not “letterboxed” like commercial releases)

Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1978) - 115 mins

Starring Donald Sutherland. Brooke Adams, Jeff Goldblum, Veronica Cartwright, Leonard Nimoy & Kevin McCarthy

Directed by Philip Kaufman

This remake of the horror sci-fi classic Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1956) moves the action from small-town USA to 1970s San Francisco where spores rain forth, unseen, from outer space, and soon strange flowers begin popping up all over the city. After bringing one of these hybrid specimens home with her one night, biologist Elizabeth Driscoll (Brooke Adams) notices that her live-in boyfriend, Geoffrey (Art Hindle), doesn't seem like himself; he's cold and distant and somehow just not quite there. When she turns to her friend Matthew Bennell (Donald Sutherland), a colleague at the Department of Public Health, he convinces her to see his friend Dr. Kibner (Leonard Nimoy), a pop psychologist who argues that the problem is all in Elizabeth's head. Soon, though, Matthew and Elizabeth begin to notice that people all over the city are changing subtly and inexplicably. When their friend Jack Bellicec (Jeff Goldblum) and his wife Nancy (Veronica Cartwright) find a lifeless, half-formed doppelganger covered with plant fibers in the mud baths they own and operate, the group of friends finally begins to understand that a sinister transformation is sweeping their city. Kevin McCarthy & Don Siegel, respectively the star and director of the original film, have small roles in this new version, as does an unbilled Robert Duvall.

Based on a novel by Jack Finney, the 1956 version of Invasion of the Body Snatchers is available above.

Genuine wide-screen B&W print - presents perfectly on 16:9 screens (not “letterboxed” like commercial releases)

Invasion of the Saucer Men (1957) - 69 mins

Starring Steven Terrell, Gloria Castillo, Frank Goshin, Raymond Hatton & Lyn Osborn

Directed by Edward L. Cahn

When a spaceship lands in the woods, Johnny (Steve Terrell) and Joan (Gloria Castillo) accidentally run over one of the aliens. In retaliation, the saucer-men kill Joe (Frank Gorshin), an opportunistic drunkard who stumbles across the body. Meanwhile, the hand of the extraterrestrial corpse detaches itself from its body and wreaks havoc on the countryside.

Lyn Osborn, the former Cadet Happy on TV's Space Patrol, plays Frank Gorshin's drinking buddy in this film - Lyn died of a brain tumour following surgery, less than a year later, at age 32

-NEW TITLE-

Invasion USA (1952) - 73 mins

Starring Gerald Mohr, Peggie Castle, Dan O’Herlihy, Robert Bice & Tom Kennedy

Directed by Alfred E. Green

A few people are enjoying drinks in a Manhattan cocktail lounge: television reporter Vince Potter (Gerald Mohr), vacationing tractor tycoon George Sylvester (Robert Bice), cattle baron Ed Mulfory (Erik Blythe), Congressman Arthur Harroway (Wade Crosby), aimless party girl Carla Sanford (Peggie Castle), and cheerful bartender Tim (Tom Kennedy). As they discuss the state of the world and their disinterest with U.S. defense and paying taxes, Mr. Ohman (Dan O'Herlihy) begins swirling his brandy snifter, and before long the other patrons are lulled into a hypnotic state, where they're given a sneak preview of what to expect when an unnamed Communist nation invades the West Coast.

Invasion USA (1952) was shot in a mere seven days on a budget of $127,000, and ended up earning its producers well over a million dollars.

Superman fans take note: Phyllis Coates & Noel Neill, both of whom played Lois Lane in the 50's television series The Adventures of Superman, appear in the supporting cast.

Invisible Agent (1942) - 81 mins

Starring Jon Hall, Ilona Massey, Peter Lorre, Cedric Hardwicke & Albert Bassermann

Directed Edwin L. Marin

Frank Raymond (Jon Hall) is grandson of the man who invented the invisibility formula and when Nazi agents try to coerce the secret formula out of him, he evades them by becoming transparent himself. Shortly afterward, the US government parachutes Raymond behind enemy lines, reasoning that an invisible counterespionage agent would be an invaluable tool in defeating the Axis. He is aided and abetted by the beautiful Maria Sorenson (Ilona Massey), who may or may not be in league with villains Helser (J. Edward Bromberg), Stauffer (Cedric Hardwicke) and Japanese spy Ikito (Peter Lorre).

Oscar Nominated for Best Special Effects

A slyly tongue-in-cheek action melodrama, with Jon Hall in fine form even whilst invisible. Hall returned a few years later for another “Invisible Man” outing for Universal: The Invisible Man’s Revenge (1944) - see below

The Invisible Boy (1957) - 90 mins

Starring Richard Eyer, Dianne Brewster, Phillip Abbot & Harold J. Stone

Directed by Herman Hoffman

Based on a short story by Edmund Cooper, the film finds electronics genius Dr. Merrinoe (Phillip Abbott) developing a huge talking computer. While Merrinoe is the master of his laboratory, he has trouble controlling his rambunctious son Timmie (Richard Eyer). When the doctor takes Timmie to the lab with him, hoping to impress his son with the importance of his work, Timmie is interested only in reassembling a robot left behind by Merrinoe's predecessor. Though the robot has been programmed not to bring harm to human beings, the poor clunking creature falls under the spell of Merrinoe's "super computer," which has developed a demonic mind of its own. The computer arranges to launch a rocket, with the robot at the controls, that will enable it to control the earth's orbit.

Impressive on a technical level, The Invisible Boy was one of the first films to look at the idea that computers could one day take control of us!

Though Richard Eyer and Philip Abbott get top billing, the real star of The Invisible Boy is Robby the Robot of Forbidden Planet (1956) fame, which is also available from this website

Invisible Invaders (1959) - 67 mins

Starring John Agar, Jean Byron, Philip Tonge, Robert Hutton & John Carradine

Directed by Edward L. Cahn

The Earth is attacked by mysterious invaders from outer space, who plan on destroying humankind. The invaders are invisible in our atmosphere, but are able to inhabit and reanimate the bodies of the dead. The armies of rotting corpses march on the cities, and it seems as though there is no defense. Major Bruce Jay (John Agar) is put in charge of a small, secret research center with a group of scientists, who must find a way of combating the invaders. Personality conflicts develop as Jay's hard-nosed, by-the-book approach to his job, put him in opposition to scientists Phyllis Penner (Jean Byron), Dr. Adam Penner (Philip Tonge) and Dr. John Lamont (Robert Hutton). They develop an ultra-sonic gun that has the combined effect of rendering the aliens visible and killing them, but first they must test it, by capturing an alien, an action that forces them to run the risk of being discovered.

50s Sci-Fi: gotta love it!

The Invisible Man (1933) - 71 mins

Starring Claude Rains, Gloria Stuart, William Harrigan, Henry Travers & Una O'Connor

Directed by James Whale

A mysterious stranger, his face swathed in bandages and his eyes obscured by dark spectacles, has taken a room at a cozy inn in the British village of Ipping. Never leaving his quarters, the stranger demands that the staff leave him completely alone. Working unmolested with his test tubes, the stranger does not notice when the landlady inadvertently walks into his room one morning. But she notices that her guest seemingly has no head! The stranger, one Jack Griffin, is a scientist, who'd left Ipping several months earlier while conducting a series of tests with a strange new drug called Monocane. He returns to the laboratory of his mentor, Dr. Cranley (Henry Travers), where he reveals his secret to onetime partner Dr. Kemp (William Harrigan) and former fiancee Flora Cranley (Gloria Stuart). Monocane is a formula for invisibility, and has rendered Griffin's entire body undetectable to the human eye. Alas, Monocane has also had the side effect of driving Griffin insane. With megalomanic glee, Griffin takes Kemp into his confidence, explaining how he plans to prove his superiority over other humans by wreaking as much havoc as possible.

Claude Rains, making his first American film appearance was so forceful with his verbal performance as "The Invisible One" that he became an overnight movie star (after nearly twenty years on stage). Wittily scripted by R.C. Sherriff and an uncredited Philip Wylie from the H.G. Wells novel, and brilliantly directed by James Whale, The Invisible Man is a near perfect combination of horror and humor. Also deserving of unqualified praise are the thoroughly convincing special effects by John P. Fulton and John Mescall.

An out and out classic!

A semi-sequel The Invisible Man Returns (1940) followed albeit 7 years later (see below)

Legendary director James Whale helmed some memorable films in his brief career:

Frankenstein (1931), The Old Dark House (1932), The Kiss Before the Mirror (1933), The Invisible Man (1933), Bride of Frankenstein (1935), Remember Last Night? (1935) & The Man in the Iron Mask (1939)

The Invisible Man Returns (1940) - 81 mins

Starring Cedric Hardwicke, Vincent Price, Nan Grey, John Sutton & Cecil Kellaway

Directed by Joe May

Condemned for a murder he did not commit, Geoffrey Radcliffe (Vincent Price) begs Doctor Frank Griffin (John Sutton) to inject him with the invisibility serum invented by Jack Griffin (alluding to the central character of the earlier film). Frank does so, even though he warns Radcliffe that the serum will very likely drive him insane.

Radcliffe wants to avoid the Police and mete out retribution to the genuine murderer, Richard Cobb (Cedric Hardwicke), a colliery owner who has framed Radcliffe.

A semi-sequel to The Invisible Man (1933) - available above

Oscar Nomination for Best Special Effects

The Invisible Man’s Revenge (1944) - 78 mins

Starring Jon Hall, Leon Errol, John Carradine, Alan Curtis & Evelyn Ankers

Directed Ford Beebe

At the docks of London, Robert Griffin (Jon Hall) returns after five years of memory loss following a diamond field expedition in Africa. Moments later, a newspaper clipping reveals Griffin to be a homicidal maniac who had escaped from a Capetown Asylum. After acquiring new clothing and a shave, Griffin stumbles upon the home of Professor Drury (John Carradine), a scientist who has discovered the formula of invisibility. Witnessing his experiment where Drury's dog and other animals are heard but not seen, Griffin volunteers on becoming Drury's human subject. As an invisible man, Griffin can get his revenge on those who left him for dead in Africa.

Nice follow-up “Invisible Man” outing for Jon Hall who had previous played the transparent one in Invisible Agent (1942) - see above

Invisible Stripes (1939) - 81 mins

Starring George Raft, Jane Bryan, William Holden, Humphrey Bogart, Paul Kelly & Flora Robson

Directed by Lloyd Bacon

Cliff and Chuck leave prison together. Cliff tries the straight life but falls back into crime with Chuck and his gang. When he makes enough to enable his brother Tim to buy a garage and marry his sweetheart, Cliff quits crime again. But when he tries to help Chuck later on, he's implicated again

Check out the cast for this exciting story!

The Invisible Woman (1940) - 72 mins

Starring Virginia Bruce, John Barrymore, John Howard, Charles Ruggles & Oskar Homolka

Directed by A. Edward Sutherland

Kitty Carroll (Virginia Bruce) is an outspoken department store model fired from her job by the tyrannical Mr. Growley (Charles Lane). Intrigued by an ad in the personal columns requesting the services of an "adventurous woman", Kitty offers her services to eccentric scientist Professor Gibbs (John Barrymore). Much to the dismay of his timorous butler George (Charles Ruggles), his housekeeper Mrs. Jackson (Margaret Hamilton), and his nephew-financier Richard Russell (John Howard), Gibbs has been experimenting with an invisibility formula, and Kitty turns out to be a most willing guinea pig. Cloaked in her new invisibility, our heroine gets even with her old nemesis Growley and sets out for new escapades, while Gibbs and his entourage anxiously search for the girl lest harm befall her. The whole affair ends up in the Mexican refuge of gangster Blackie (Oscar Homolka), who hopes to use Gibbs' formula for his own nefarious purposes.

The Invisible Woman is consistently funny and inventive, enhanced by Universal's excellent special effects which garnered a Academy Award Nomination.

In Which We Serve (1942) - 110 mins

Starring Noel Coward, Derek Elphinstone, Michael Wilding, Robert Sansom, Philip Friend & Ballard Berkeley

Directed by Noel Coward & David Lean

Torpedoed in battle, the British destroyer Torrin miraculously survives, and is brought back to English shores to be repaired. The paint is barely dry and the nuts and bolts barely in place before the Torrin is pressed into duty during the Dunkirk evacuation. The noble vessel is finally sunk after being dive-bombed in Crete, but many of the crew members survive. As they cling to the wreckage awaiting rescue, the captain and his men flash back to their homes and loved ones, and, in so doing, recall anew just why they're fighting and for whom they're fighting.

Often considered one of the best war films ever made.

Oscar nominated for Best Picture & Original Screenplay

The Ipcress File (1965) - 109 mins

Starring Michael Caine, Nigel Green, Guy Doleman, Sue Lloyd, Gordon Jackson & Aubrey Richards

Directed by Sidney J. Furie

Harry Palmer (Michael Caine) has no real love of espionage, but he doesn't really know any other life. With studied insolence, he takes on the case of locating missing doctor Radcliffe (Aubrey Richards), who has in his possession a valuable file that would prove injurious to the Free World should it fall in the wrong hands. The government also fears that Radcliffe will be brainwashed by the enemy, as has happened to two previous British scientists. While Palmer is off doing everyone else's dirty work, his superior, Dalby (Nigel Green) is making a deal with duplicitous information "broker" Frank Gatliff to win Radcliffe's release. The price for this would seem to be Palmer, who is captured by the enemy and subjected to a gruelling brainwashing session. Palmer escapes, whereupon he confronts a traitor in his midst in the climactic exchange of gunfire.

Excellent Wide-screen Technicolor print! (yes, its in widescreen - not Pan & Scan)

The Ipcress File (1965) was Michael Caine’s first appearance as novelist Len Deighton's bespectacled British-spy Harry Palmer - followed by Funeral in Berlin (1966) & Billion Dollar Brain (1967) - both of which are available from this section of the website

All 3 films are also available from the Movie Series section of this website (under Harry Palmer)

Part of an excellent sextet of “gritty mid 60s spy films” which were seen as being realistic and ultimately the antithesis of the James Bond view of the genre: The Spy Who Came in from the Cold (1965), The Ipcress File (1965), Funeral in Berlin (1966), The Quiller Memorandum (1966), The Deadly Affair (1966) & Billion Dollar Brain (1967) - all of which are available from this section of the website.

They are also available in a 6 DVD set from within the Classic Movie Combinations section (under “G” for “Gritty mid 60s spy films”)

I Promise to Pay (1937) - 68 mins

Starring Chester Morris, Leo Carrillo, Helen Mack, Thomas Mitchell & Thurston Hall

Directed by D. Ross Lederman

Eddie Lang (Chester Morris) is a working who is unable to provide for his family on his meager salary. He arranges a loan with the seemingly benign Richard Farra (Leo Carrillo), but soon learns that he can't keep up with the usurious interest payments. Farra's loan company is actually a racket in league with the local crime organization; Eddie gets in so deep that he can't get out, and before long his wife and daughter are in dire jeopardy.

Chester Morris at his very best - a few years before his signature role: Boston Blackie (available from the Movie Series section of this website)

The Iron Curtain (1948) - 87 mins

Starring Dana Andrews, Gene Tierney, Stefan Schnabel, Barry Kroeger & Eduard Franz

Directed by William A. Wellman

Another of 20th Century-Fox's "drawn from today's headlines" dramas of the late 1940s, Behind the Iron Curtain (a.k.a. The Iron Curtain) is based on the true-life defection of Soviet Embassy code specialist Igor Gouzenko. Portrayed by Dana Andrews, Gouzenko is brought to Canada under a cloud of secrecy by Russian "special agents", the better to help them in their espionage efforts. Despite the fact that he is far from Russia, Gouzenko is hounded by his suspicious superiors and denied the simplest basic rights. When Gouzenko realizes that his government will soon call him back to Russia to engage in the "class struggle," the code clerk decides to defect, stealing secret information and turning it over to the Canadian Ministry of Justice. At first, Gouzenko is ignored, but when his information is digested by the Canadian government, the authorities round up the Communist spy ring. Gouzenko and his family are put in protective custody by the Canadian government, while several of Gouzenko's Russian superiors are punished by the Communist higher-ups for allowing the clerk to slip through their hands. Filmed in a semi-documentary style, Behind the Iron Curtain is more matter-of-fact and less paranoic than other "Red scare" films of the period and recall The House on 92nd Street in many ways (also available from this website - see above)

The story of Igor Gouzenko was also dramatized on a smaller scale in Operation Manhunt (1954) which is also available from this website

The Iron Horse (1924) - 133 mins

Starring George O’Brien, Madge Bellamy, Charles Edward Bull, Cyril Chadwick & Fred Kohler

Directed by John Ford

David Brandon (James Gordon) is a surveyor in the Old West who dreams that one day the entire North American continent will be linked by railroads. However, to make this dream a reality, a clear trail must be found through the Rocky Mountains. With his boy Davy (Winston Miller), David sets out to find such a path, but he's ambushed by a tribe of Indians led by a white savage, Peter Jesson (Cyril Chadwick) - and while the boy manages to escape, David is killed. Years later, the adult Davy Brandon (George O'Brien) still believes in his father's dream of a transcontinental railroad, and legislation signed by President Abraham Lincoln has made it an official mandate. Davy is hired on as a railroad surveyor by Thomas Marsh (Will R. Walling), the father of his childhood sweetheart Miriam (Madge Bellamy). While Davy hopes to win Miriam's heart as he helps to find the trail that led to his father's death years ago, he's disappointed to discover that Miriam is already married - and shocked to discover her husband is Peter Jesson, now working with the railroad as a civil engineer. As the Union Pacific crew presses on to their historic meeting at Promitory Point, Davy must find a way to earn Miriam's love and uncover Peter's murderous past.

This epic-scale SILENT western was shot on location in Arizona at Monument Valley, by the then 30 year old John Ford! The Iron Horse was a massive production that employed over 6,000 people; two temporary cities were built to accommodate them, with 100 cooks on hand to serve meals. It was one of John Ford’s first major successes and was hugely influential on outdoor films that followed.

The charismatic lead - George O'Brien - maintained his popularity through the silents but with the advent of 'talkies', he found himself starring in string of "B" Westerns for almost a decade - though not "A", these films were however extremely popular thanks to good stories (several from the pen of Zane Grey) and deft playing by O'Brien.

Subsequently he has become a cult favourite amongst "B" Western aficionados.

A nice 6 DVD set comprising 24 digitally restored George O'Brien (talkie) westerns can be found in the "B" Westerns section of this website

The Iron Mistress (1952) - 110 mins

Starring Alan Ladd, Virginia Mayo, Joseph Calleia, Phyllis Kirk & Alf Kjellin

Directed by Gordon Douglas

Alan Ladd stars as the fearless, knife-wielding Bowie, who is first seen arriving in New Orleans to sell a supply of lumber. Bowie falls in love with duplicitous Creole lass Judalon de Bornay (Virginia Mayo), who inspires him to increase his riches and political power. When Bowie doesn't move up the ladder of success fast enough to suit her, the fickle Judalon weds another. Bowie eventually finds happiness in the arms of Ursula de Veremendi (Phyllis Kirk), the daughter of Texas' vice-governor. The film tactfully ends long before Bowie's rendezvous with destiny at the Alamo.

The Iron Mistress is based on the novel by Paul I. Wellman recounting the life of American frontiersman Jim Bowie - the highlight of the novel, a fierce knife-and-rapier duel, is faithfully recreated here

The Iron Sheriff (1957) - 73 mins

Starring Sterling Hayden, Constance Ford, John Dehner, Kent Taylor, Darryl Hickman & Walter Sande

Directed by Sidney Salkow

In the aftermath of a robbery-murder, Frontier peacekeeper Sheriff Sam Galt (Sterling Hayden) follows the trail of evidence directly to his own son, Benjie (Darryl Hickman). Sworn to uphold the law at all costs, Galt is grimly determined to see that Benjie will receive a fair trial without any coercion on his part. But the townsfolk have already decided that the sheriff will try to spring the boy, and a lynch-mob mentality festers its way through the community. As the trial proceeds, it becomes obvious that Benjie is going to hang for his alleged crime, but there's still one or two surprises in store.

Sterling Hayden: ever the maverick, ever the individual - he preferred to sail his yacht around the world rather than act in movies. Yet despite his lack of interest in film, he was lauded and chased by the very finest directors: John Huston, Robert Altman, Francis Ford Coppola & Stanley Kubrick. In each of his roles, Hayden's individuality showed forth whatever the genre of film: noir, adventure, western & swashbuckler. He remains a huge favourite of my Dad (who introduced me to his films) and my son (to whom I, too introduced this powerful actor).

Sterling Hayden films which are available from this website are:

Bahama Passage (1941), Manhandled (1949), Asphalt Jungle (1950), Flaming Feather (1952), Denver & Rio Grande (1952), Hellgate (1952), The Golden Hawk (1952), Flat Top (1952), Fighter Attack (1953), Crime Wave (1954), Prince Valiant (1954), Johnny Guitar (1954), Naked Alibi (1954), Suddenly (1954), Battle Taxi (1955), Timberjack (1955), The Eternal Sea (1955), Shotgun (1955), The Last Command (1955), Top Gun (1955), The Killing (1956), Crime of Passion (1954), 5 Steps to Danger (1957), The Iron Sheriff (1957), Zero Hour! (1957), Terror in a Texas Town (1958), Ten Days to Tulara (1958) & The Long Goodbye (1973)

I See a Dark Stranger (aka The Adventuress) (1946) - 112 mins

Starring Deborah Kerr, Trevor Howard, Raymond Huntley, Michael Howard, Norman Shelley & Liam Redmond

Directed by Frank Launder

I See a Dark Stranger manages to be both an absorbing espionage yarn and a slyly amusing send-up of the entire genre. Deborah Kerr is terrific as Irish colleen Bridie Quilty, raised from childhood to despise the British and everything they stand for. Bridie's anglophobia proves useful to Nazi spy Miller (Raymond Huntley), who hopes to use the girl to help him steal the plans for the D-day invasion. Playing her "Mata Hari" role to the hilt, Bridie wholeheartedly throws herself into a world of clandestine meetings and coded messages, certain that by helping the Germans she is also helping Mother Ireland. Eventually she realizes the error of her ways, enabling her to turn the tables on Miller and his co-conspirators. Trevor Howard co-stars as David Baynes, with whom the impulsive Bridie falls in love despite his English forebears.

I See a Dark Stranger was released in the U.S. as The Adventuress.

I Shot Jesse James (1949) - 81 mins

Starring Preston Foster, Barbara Britton, John Ireland, Reed Hadley & Tom Tyler

Directed by Samuel Fuller

Bob Ford (John Ireland) is a member of The James Gang but he decides to settle down and buy a farm as a means of gaining favour with his long-time love, Cynthy Waters (Barbara Britton) - who has gains a new admirer. He learns that the Governor has issued a $10 000 reward and amnesty for anyone who brings Jesse James (Reed Hadley) to justice. So, after some deliberation, he shoots his Jesse in the back when the outlaw turns to straighten a painting. Neither the government nor Cynthy takes kindly to his treachery: Ford is jailed, and collects only $500. He is reduced to re-enacting the infamous murder in a stage show, hearing a travelling minstrel sing about his dirty deed, and running from the would-be gunfighters that hope to kill the man who shot Jesse James.

Very tough western - typical of the Samuel Fuller style

He followed up with another highly regarded western a year later with The Baron of Arizona (1950) - also available from this website

Island in the Sky (1953) - 109 mins

Starring John Wayne, Lloyd Nolan, Walter Abel, James Arness & Andy Devine

Directed by William A. Wellman

During World War II, a Military Air Transport Command DC-3 piloted by a civilian crew is forced down in the arctic wastes. The five men, led by Dooley (John Wayne), have barely any food and almost no way to keep warm, and their power supply is fading fast, but they have to find a way of staying alive until search planes find them. At first, even Dooley is overwhelmed by the responsibility for his crew's safety, and he is too lax in handling them - but after one man dies, frozen to death just steps from help, he takes over and pushes his men and himself to the limits of their endurance. Meanwhile, the men who fly with Dooley push themselves and their machines past their endurance limits searching the arctic wastes for the downed plane.

Based on the book by Ernest K. Gann (who also wrote Fate is the Hunter which is also available from this website), Island in the Sky is actually a true incident that happened during the war.

Fabulous adventure with Wayne & Nolan in top form!

John Wayne: Duke - one of the most recognizable persons on the planet -a true mega-star in film. You'll find the following John Wayne movies in this INDIVIDUAL MOVIE TITLES section of this website:

Island of Terror (1966) - 89 mins

Starring Peter Cushing, Edward Judd, Carole Gray, Eddie Byrne & Niall MacGinnis

Directed by Terence Fisher

At a cancer research lab off the coast of Ireland, a group of scientists dies under mysterious circumstances. Before anyone notices their demise, the human and bovine inhabitants of the island's lone, tiny village begin to turn up dead - with their bodies of a pudding-type consistency. Renowned bone Doctors Brian Stanley (Peter Cushing) and David West (Edward Judd) are dispatched from the mainland to solve the medical mystery. West's rich-girl paramour, Toni Merrill (Carole Gray), bribes her way into the expedition by providing air transport. With the plane returning home, the group becomes trapped on the isolated island just as the true extent of the science-run-amok menace becomes apparent.

Hammer horror veteran Terence Fisher helmed this film for small British outfit Planet Studios - followed by the equally interesting Night of the Big Heat (1967) which is also available from this website

Isle of the Dead (1945) - 71 mins

Starring Boris Karloff, Ellen Drew, Marc Cramer, Katherine Emery, Helen Thimig, Alan Napier & Jason Robards Sr.

Directed by Mark Robson

On a Greek island during the 1912 war, several people are trapped by quarantine for the plague. If that isn't enough worry, one of the people, a superstitious old peasant woman, suspects one young girl of being a vampiric kind of demon called a Vorvolaka.

Eighth in an incredible run of nine psychological horror films from gifted producer Val Lewton. The last three form their own subset because they star the master of the macabre, Boris Karloff. The “Lewton Nine” consist of: Cat People (1942), I Walked with a Zombie (1943), The Leopard Man (1943), The Seventh Victim (1943), The Ghost Ship (1943), The Curse of the Cat People (1944), The Body Snatcher (1945), Isle of the Dead (1945), Bedlam (1946). All nine films are available from this (INDIVIDUAL MOVIE TITLES) section of the website - they are also available in a series of multi-film DVD sets from within the Classic Movie Combinations section

Istanbul (1957) - 84 mins

Starring Errol Flynn, Cornell Borchers, John Bentley, Torin Thatcher, Leif Erickson & Peggy Knudsen

Directed by Joseph Pevney

Adventurer James Brennan (Errol Flynn) finds a bracelet containing 13 precious gems while visiting Istanbul. He soon finds himself pursued by crooks who appear to want those jewels. He is then deported by the Turkish authorities, but not before he has time to hide the bracelet in a hotel. Five years later, Brennan returns to seek out the stones. Again he is pursued by both the authorities and criminals. He must also contend with the reappearance of his wife whom he thought had burned to death on their wedding night.

A remake of Singapore (1947) which is also available from this website

It Came From Beneath the Sea (1955) - 79 mins

Starring Kenneth Tobey, Faith Domergue, Donald Curtis, Ian Keith & Harry Lauter

Directed by Robert Gordon

After an encounter at sea with an unknown underwater creature, a naval commander works with two scientists to identify it. The creature they are dealing with is a giant, radioactive octopus that has left its normal feeding grounds deep in the sea and has risen towards the surface in search of new sources of replenishment. As the creature attacks San Francisco, the Navy tries to trap it at the Golden Gate Bridge but it manages to enter the Bar area leading to a final confrontation with a submarine.

It Came From Beneath the Sea was the first of several fruitful collaborations between producer Charles H. Schneer and special-effects wizard Ray Harryhausen. "It" is a giant, six-tentacled octopus, and the stop-motion animation utilized by Harryhausen is convincingly frightening.

It Came From Outer Space (1953) - 81 mins

Starring Richard Carlson, Barbara Rush, Charles Drake, Joe Sawyer & Russell Johnson

Directed by Jack Arnold

Based on a story by Ray Bradbury, It Came From Outer Space tells of writer John Putnam, a new arrival to the town and an amateur astronomer. One night he is looking at the skies with his fiancée, schoolteacher Ellen Fields, when they see what looks like a huge meteor crash into the desert. Putnam and Ellen go to the site of the crash and find a huge crater. When he goes down inside, Putnam sees what is very obviously some kind of vehicle or device embedded in the ground, but before he can show it to anyone, a rock slide buries what he saw. He reports that a spacecraft of some kind is buried there and is duly ridiculed by the local press and some of his own colleagues in the astronomical community, and even Ellen has her doubts. Putnam is at a loss as to what to do when various townspeople start to disappear, including Ellen, to be replaced by alien "duplicates."

A Classic!

It Happened One Night (1934) - 105 mins

Starring Clark Gable, Claudette Colbert, Walter Connolly, Roscoe Karns & Alan Hale

Directed by Frank Capra

Ellie Andrews, a spoiled heiress is about to marry fortune-hunting aviator King Westley, despite her father's objections. To keep Ellie from marrying this lothario, her father has been holding her prisoner aboard his yacht. But Ellie bolts from the yacht, swims ashore in her clothes, and eventually slips onto a Greyhound bus bound for New York. Aboard the bus is newspaper reporter Peter Warne, who has recently been fired for drinking on the job. Peter gets the last seat on the bus - but when he gets up to argue with the bus driver, Ellie takes his seat. Since it is the last seat on the bus, they have to share it. When Ellie has her purse stolen and she refuses to report it, Peter begins to suspect something. The next morning, they both miss the bus after a leisurely breakfast, and Peter reveals that he knows her identity. She makes a deal with him: if he helps her get to New York, he can write a scoop about her for his paper. But as they travel northward and engage in a series of misadventures, the gruff newspaperman and the spoiled rich girl, thrown together by circumstances, fall in love with each other.

This film has often been opined as the "perfect" movie - it was to be the template for so many films: the witty and romantic clash of temperaments between a man and a woman mismatched in both personality and social position The winner of all five major Academy Awards (Picture, Actor, Actress, Director & Screenplay), it remains as breezy and beguiling today as it was in the mid 30s.

It Happened Tomorrow (1944) - 85 mins

Starring Dick Powell, Linda Darnell. Jack Oakie, Edgar Kennedy & Edward Brophy

Directed by René Clair

On the eve of their 50th anniversary, a couple argue about whether or not to reveal a story from the husband's past that explains how they met and came to be married. Flashbacking back to the mid-1890's, we meet Lawrence ‘Larry’ Stevens (Dick Powell) in his first day on the job as a reporter for a New York newspaper -- celebrating his release from writing obituaries with a few too many beers, he and his colleagues start to listen to aging newspaper employee Pop Benson (John Philliber) talk about the past and the future, and the fact that to him they're interchangeable. Larry goes out with his friends to check out a clairvoyant act featuring Cigolini, a phony Italian mystic (Jack Oakie), and his pretty woman assistant, Sylvia Smith (Linda Darnell). He starts to woo Sylvia, who resists his charms, before heading back to the newspaper, where he meets Pop, who hands him what he says is the newspaper he wanted - it's only later that Larry realizes that he has tomorrow night's newspaper, and that one story concerns a robbery at the opera house. He gets to the performance that night, with Sylvia accompanying him (at first unwillingly) and witnesses the robbery, writing it up before the police can even leave the scene. His editor, Mr Gordon (George Cleveland) is ecstatic, but police Inspector Mulrooney (Edgar Kennedy) wants to know how Larry knew about the robbery. Sylvia tries to protect him by claiming that she predicted it in her act, and to cover herself and Larry she foretells the drowning of a woman that night in the river. Meanwhile, Larry meets Pop again, who tells him of tomorrow's paper and its account of his attempted rescue of a drowning woman -- he later realizes that the woman is Sylvia, attempting to save him and having to fake a drowning to convince the police of her predictions; he runs to the river and dives in to rescue her. By this time, the two of them are totally involved with each other emotionally, but now Larry must face a new threat. Pop appears again and hands him a newspaper from the next day, which includes a front page story about Larry being shot and killed at the St.George Hotel. Larry vows to avoid the hotel at all costs, and even tries to get some good out of the paper by betting on the winners in five consecutive horse races that afternoon; but it seems that no matter what he does to stay away, he's destined to be at the hotel, at the appointed time….

Fascinating!

Oscar Nominations for Best Music & Best Sound Recording

It Happens Every Spring (1949) - 87 mins

Starring Ray Milland, Jean Peters, Paul Douglas, Ed Begley, Ted de Corsia & Ray Collins

Directed by Lloyd Bacon

A college professor is working on a long term experiment when a baseball comes through the window destroying all his glassware. The resultant fluid causes the baseball to be repelled by wood. Suddenly he realizes the possibilities and takes a leave of absence to go to St. Louis to pitch in the big leagues where he becomes a star and propels his team to the world series.

Yes, it’s a comedy but one of Trev's favourite, so its included here - a lot of fun!

Oscar Nominated for Best Screenplay

I, The Jury (1953) - 87 mins

Starring Biff Elliot, Preston Foster, Peggie Castle, Margaret Sheridan, Alan Reed & Tom Powers

Directed by Harry Essex

When a former war buddy of detective Mike Hammer is brutally murdered, Mickey Spillane's famous P.I. scours New York’s criminal underbelly to avenge his death.

During his investigation, Hammer falls in love with lady psychiatrist, Charlotte Manning (Peggie Castle) and even decides to marry her. Unfortunately, she is not nearly as nice as she seems… and Hammer must put duty ahead of his personal romantic feelings

Beautifully shot by the legendary cinematographer (and Anthony Mann collaborator) John Alton

Based on a lurid novel by Mickey Spillane

Nicely restored print!

I, The Jury (1953) became the first of Mickey Spillane's Mike Hammer novels to hit the screen, but it takes its cues from movies of 1947, when the book hit the kiosks.

In a sense, Biff Elliott (in his first film) makes an ideal Hammer, closer to Spillane's lout than his (relatively) spruced-up successors Ralph Meeker in Kiss Me Deadly (1955) and Robert Bray in My Gun Is Quick (1957). Even Mickey Spillane himself played Mike Hammer in The Girl Hunters (1963).

All of these Mike Hammer films are available from this (INDIVIDUAL MOVIE TITLES) section of website.

The 1950’s Mike Hammer TV series (starring Darren McGavin) - both seasons complete, perfect B&W prints of all 78 half hour episodes - is available from the TV Series I - Z section of this website (under “M”)

Mickey Spillane also penned the interesting non-Hammer film: The Long Wait (1954) which stars Anthony Quinn as an amnesiac victim who may or may not have committed a murder - its available from this website (see below)

It! The Terror From Beyond Space (1958) - 69 mins

Starring Marshall Thompson, Shirley Patterson, Kim Spalding, Ann Doran, Dabbs Greer & Paul Langton

Directed by Edward L. Cahn

A rescue ship travels out to Mars to retrieve the only survivor of a space probe that has experienced some sort of cataclysm. That survivor, Col Ed Carruthers (Marshall Thompson) is accused of murdering his fellow crewmen. But Ed claims that the killer was a Martian monster, and hopes to prove his assertions when he gets back to Earth. On the long voyage back home, mysterious sounds precede a violent confrontation between the crew members and an unknown assailant - they are being systematically killed off, and it looks as though Ed is up to his old tricks. As it turns out, however, there is a monster on board, the savage descendant of the once-mighty Martian civilization, who came secretly aboard ship just before blast-off. The monster stays alive by absorbing the vital body fluids of its victims and there seems to be no way to stop this parasitic creature!

A truly frightening sci-fi talewhich is full excitement and action all-the-way. Fans of Dabbs Greer will love his contribution here.

One of the best of the medium-budgeted science fiction flicks of the 1950s, It! The Terror from Beyond Space is set in the future: 1973! If the plot of It! The Terror from Beyond Space seems vaguely familiar, it is because it was one of the primary inspirations for the 1979 sci-fi classic Alien.

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Ivanhoe (1952) - 106 mins

Starring Robert Taylor, Elizabeth Taylor, Joan Fontaine, George Sanders, Robert Douglas & Finlay Currie

Directed by Richard Thorpe

Returning to England from the King Richard the Lionhearted’s Third Crusade, Ivanhoe (Robert Taylor) is given a cool but cordial reception by his estranged father Cedric (Finlay Currie), a Saxon who despises the Norman King. Cedric introduces Ivanhoe's fellow knights De Bois-Guilbert (George Sanders) and Sir Hugh de Bracy (Robert Douglas) to Cedric's lovely ward Rowena (Joan Fontaine) - who was in love with Ivanhoe until he cast his lot with Richard. Leaving his father's castle, Ivanhoe rescues Isaac of York (Felix Aylmer), a wealthy Jew, from a band of anti-Semitic Normans. In gratitude, Isaac's beautiful daughter Rebecca (Elizabeth Taylor) finances Ivanhoe's entry into an upcoming tournament; he'd been denied backing by his father because he'd planned to use the prize money to ransom the captured King Richard. At the tournament, the disguised Ivanhoe vanquishes all comers, dedicating his victory to Rebecca, which provokes considerable gossip within the crowd. Behind the scenes, Richard's wicked brother, Prince John (Guy Rolfe) plots to discredit Ivanhoe so that the ransom can never be paid. Joining John in this conspiracy is De Bois-Guilbert, who covets Rebecca, and Sir Hugh, who wants to make Rowena his own.

Lensed on an epic scale in Technicolor (by Freddie Young), this adaptation of the Sir Walter Scott classic remains one of MGM's most solid swashbucklers.

Oscar nominated for Best Picture, Color Cinematography & Music (Miklos Rozsa)

I Wake Up Screaming (1941) - 82 mins

Starring Betty Grable, Victor Mature, Carole Landis, Laird Cregar, William Gargan & Alan Mowbray

Directed by H. Bruce Humberstone

Well-known New York sports promoter Frankie Christopher (Victor Mature) is the prime suspect in the murder of Vicky Lynn (Carole Landis), a successful model and would-be actress. Questioned relentlessly by the police, and particularly by hulking detective squad commander Ed Cornell (Laird Cregar), he maintains his innocence. Meanwhile, Vicky's sister Jill (Betty Grable) is also being questioned. Their answers, given in adjoining interrogation rooms, become the basis for brief, neatly constructed interlocking flashbacks at the opening of the movie that explain the plot in very little time. Both are released after admitting nothing, and the police begin working on other suspects, including journalist Larry Evans (Allyn Joslyn), aging actor Robin Ray (Alan Mowbray), and hotel clerk William Harrison (Elisha Cook Jr.) Jill had little use for Frankie, the man who had been promoting her sister's career, but the two are drawn together in the course of trying to sort out their lives and the murder of her sister, and her realization that Frankie is capable of truly loving a woman, and not just exploiting her. Meanwhile, Cornell makes it his business to pressure and torment Frankie, illegally entering his apartment and promising him an arrest and a death sentence. Eventually, the noose seems to tighten around Frankie as the circumstantial evidence piles up, until Frankie, trying to clear himself, uncovers a clue leading back to the real killer who was known to Cornell all along!

Great stuff!

I Walk Alone (1948) - 97 mins

Starring Burt Lancaster, Lizabeth Scottt, Kirk Douglas, Wendell Corey & Kristine Miller

Directed by Byron Haskin

On the run from the cops, bootleggers Frankie Madison (Burt Lancaster) and Noll Turner (Kirk Douglas), find themselves racing up to an enormous roadblock. The two split up, agreeing that if one was caught, the other would operate their nightclub and save half the profits for his partner. The unlucky Madison is caught and when released from prison 14 years later, he returns to claim his money. Turner, never intending to split the money, tries to distract Madison by offering him the affections of his girlfriend Kay (Lizabeth Scott). Madison's brother Dave (Wendell Corey), Turner's accountant, help's Turner by doctoring the books to hide the lucrative profits of the club. Madison is enraged that he has been swindled by his friend and his brother.

Excellent print of this rare Paramount production

Burt Lancaster ran the gamut of film genres. He made a number of powerful dramas & gritty noirs: The Killers (1946), Brute Force (1947), Desert Fury (1947), I Walk Alone (1948), Criss Cross (1949), Jim Thorpe -- All-American (1951), From Here to Eternity (1953), Sweet Smell of Success (1957), Run Silent Run Deep (1958), The Devil’s Disciple (1959), Elmer Gantry (1960), Birdman of Alcatraz (1962), Seven Days in May (1964) & The Train (1964)

Then, of course there were his fabulous adventure films: Rope of Sand (1949), The Flame and the Arrow (1950), Ten Tall Men (1951), The Crimson Pirate (1952), South Sea Woman (1953) & His Majesty O'Keefe (1954)

Burt was also “out West” with Vengeance Valley (1951), Apache (1954), Vera Cruz (1954), The Kentuckian (1955) Gunfight at the O.K. Corral (1957) & The Unforgiven (1960)

All of the above are available from this website

I Walked with a Zombie (1943) - 69 mins

Starring Francis Dee, Tom Conway, James Ellison & Edith Barrett

Directed by Jacques Tourneur

Betsy, a young Canadian nurse comes to the West Indies to care for Jessica, the wife of Pat, a plantation manager. Jessica seems to be suffering from a kind of mental paralysis as a result of fever. When she falls in love with Paul, Betsy determines to cure Jessica even if she needs to use a voodoo ceremony, to give Paul what she thinks he wants.

Second in an incredible run of nine psychological horror films from gifted producer Val Lewton. The “Lewton Nine” consist of: Cat People (1942), I Walked with a Zombie (1943), The Leopard Man (1943), The Seventh Victim (1943), The Ghost Ship (1943), The Curse of the Cat People (1944), The Body Snatcher (1945), Isle of the Dead (1945), Bedlam (1946). All nine films are available from this (INDIVIDUAL MOVIE TITLES) section of the website - they are also available in a series of multi-film DVD sets from within the Classic Movie Combinations section

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I Was a Communist For The FBI (1951) - 83 mins

Starring Frank Lovejoy, Dorothy Hart, Philip Carey, James Millican, Richard Webb & Paul Picerni

Directed by Gordon Douglas

The true story of how Matt Cvetic (Frank Lovejoy) renounced his friends and family and embraced the Red cause - all of it on behalf of the FBI, for whom he was a volunteer undercover agent. Cvetic uses his job as a Pittsburgh steelworker to contact various American Communist cell leaders, and he eventually exposed their insidious plans to overthrow the American government.

Excellent noir presented in the semi-doco style so popular in the 1950s

Oscar Nominated for Best Documentary

I Was a Mail War Bride (1949) - 105 mins

Starring Cary Grant, Ann Sheridan, Marion Marshall, Randy Stuart & Bill Neff

Directed by Howard Hawks

Howard Hawks directed this classic farce about how love attempts to triumph over military red tape after the close of World War II. Capt. Henri Rochard (Cary Grant) is a French officer who is assigned to put a stop to a black market operation in occupied Germany with the help of Lt. Catherine Gates (Ann Sheridan), an American WAC. While their initial meetings are hardly harmonious, in time Rochard and Gates find that opposites really do attract, and they fall in love. The two decide to get married, which seems simple enough, but the moment Gates receives orders to return to the United States and Rochard wants to join her, they soon discover just how complicated the U.S. Army can make things. While the Army has a strict protocol for dealing with "war brides," there is no similar routine for men who marry female Army personnel, so in order to follow his new wife into the States, Rochard has to disguise himself as a WAC. From this moment on, nearly everything that happens to Rochard is an affront to his dignity and/or his patience, from his inability to share a bunk with his new bride to his discovery that Army regulations prevent him from driving a motorcycle (Gates has to take the handlebars, while her husband is forced to ride in a sidecar).

Wonderful!

Cary Grant - the suavest … great films including adventures, dramas and probably most famously comedies - almost all are “classics” and the following titles can be found on this website: The Last Outpost (1935), Topper (1937), The Awful Truth (1937), Bringing Up Baby (1938), Holiday (1938), Gunga Din (1939), Only Angels Have Wings (1939), His Girl Friday (1940), My Favorite Wife (1940), Suspicion (1941), The Talk of the Town (1942), Once Upon a Honeymoon (1942), Mr. Lucky (1943), Destination Tokyo (1943), Arsenic and Old Lace (1944), Notorious (1946), The Bachelor and the Bobby-Soxer (1947), The Bishop’s Wife (1947), Mr. Blandings Builds His Dream House (1948), I Was a Mail War Bride (1949), Crisis (1950), People Will Talk (1951), Monkey Business (1952), To Catch a Thief (1955), North by Northwest (1959), Operation Petticoat (1959), Charade (1963) & Walk Don’t Run (1966)

I Was a Spy (1933) - 80 mins

Starring Madeleine Carroll, Conrad Veidt, Herbert Marshall, Nigel Bruce & Edmund Gwenn

Directed by Victor Saville

This is a briskly paced, highly suspenseful cinematic rendering of the war-time exploits of Martha Cnockhaert, a Belgian girl who reluctantly engaged in espionage work for the Allies during the Great War. The beautiful Madeleine Carroll gives a convincing, at times deeply moving, portrait of the reluctant Belgian spy whose work as a volunteer nurse in a hospital for wounded Germans complicates her efforts to aid in their ultimate destruction. Indeed, ironically it is her dedicated work in relieving the suffering of war (not to mention her exquisite beauty and charm) that endears her to the German commandant (played by the great Conrad Veidt) enabling her to carry out more effectively her clandestine activities.

I Was Monty’s Double (1958) - 101 mins

Starring John Mills, Cecil Parker, Patrick Allen, Patrick Holt, Leslie Phillips, Marius Goring & M.E. Clifton James

Directed by John Guillermin

If official documentation didn't exist, we'd never believe a fantastic yarn but its true!! Actor M.E. Clifton James plays himself, a British stock-company actor who becomes an unsung hero during World War II. It becomes apparent that James, whilst serving his country as a junior officer, is the exact double of General Montgomery. Major Harvey (John Mills) trains James to impersonate Montgomery to the last detail, then sends the actor on a tour of North Africa - the better to divert the German's attentions away from the real "Monty."

Based on James' own written reminiscences, I Was Monty's Double (1958) was released in the U.S. under the title Hell, Heaven or Hoboken (1958)

Jack London (1943) - 94 mins

Starring Michael O'Shea, Susan Hayward, Oas Massen, Harry Davenport, Frank Craven & Virginia Mayo

Directed by Alfred Santell

An ambitious filmed biography of writer-adventurer Jack London sees Michael O'Shea well cast as London, whose rugged adventures range from the high seas to the Klondike. London's insatiable wanderlust causes friction in his marriage to the lovely Charmian (Susan Hayward), but she stands nobly by his side in good times and bad (the script is based on Mrs. London's memoirs). In the interests of topicality, the film contrives to have London endeavor to warn America of Japanese military expansion some four decades before Pearl Harbor.

Strong performances of O'Shea, Hayward and a superb supporting cast.

Worth checking out is two films which came from the pen of Jack London: Call of the Wild (1935) and The Sea Wolf (1941) - both films are available from this section of this website

Jack McCall Desperado (1953) - 76 mins

Starring George Montgomery, Angela Stevens, Douglas Kennedy, James Seay & William Tannen

Directed by Sidney Salkow

Jack McCall (George Montgomery) is a Southerner, but joins the Union Army during the Civil War. When he is tricked into giving out the location of headquarters, he's tried as a spy and sentenced to death. He makes good his escape, but vengeful union sergeant Will Bill Hickok (Douglas Kennedy) kills his parents to seize Jack’s plantation and money. Trying to prove his innocence, he again tangles with Hickok who is now after gold in the Dakotas.

Yes its revisionist West - depicting Hickok as villain

Excellent Technicolor print!

George Montgomery westerns available from this website are: Belle Starr's Daughter (1948), Davy Crockett Indian Scout (1950), Dakota Lil (1950), Texas Rangers (1951), Cripple Creek (1952), The Pathfinder (1952), Jack McCall Desperado (1953), Fort Ti (1953), Gun Belt (1953), Battle of Rogue River (1954), The Lone Gun (1954), Masterson of Kansas (1954), Seminole Uprising (1955), Robbers’ Roost (1955), Canyon River (1956), Last of the Badmen (1957), Gun Duel in Durango (1957), Pawnee (1957), Black Patch (1957), Man From God’s Country (1958), The Toughest Gun in Tombstone (1958), Badman’s Country (1958), King of the Wild Stallions (1959) & Hostile Guns (1967)

George Montgomery also made an excellent TV series titled Cimarron City. In it, he plays the (very hands-on) Mayor of this emerging town, during the late 1800s. An action packed one hour B&W series, it ran for 26 episodes in 1959-60.

The complete series (all 26 episodes, including the 1^st one which co-starred fellow Hollywood heavyweight Fred MacMurray) can be found in the TV Series section of this website

Jane and the Lost City (1987) - 93 mins

Starring Sam Jones, Maud Adams, Jasper Carrott, Kristen Hughes, Graham Stark & Robin Bailey

Directed by Terry Marcel

Jane (Kirsten Hughes) and her companion Jungle Jack Buck (Sam Jones) travel with a team of British adventurers to Africa and the mythical Lost City. Their mission is to find the fortune in diamonds before they fall into the hands of the Nazis, led by Lola Pagnola (Maud Adams).

This adventure is taken from the popular (and a bit risqué) British comic strip by Norman Pett that ran between 1932 until 1963

Beware: it’s a bit risqué! - but it does answer the question: "Whatever happened to Sam 'Flash Gordon' Jones?"

UK TV comedian Jasper Carrot has a nice role here!

Jason and the Argonauts (1963) - 104 mins

Starring Todd Armstrong, Nancy Kovak, Gary Raymond, Laurence Naismith, Niall MacGinnis & Nigel Green

Directed by Don Chaffey

Jason (Todd Armstrong), rightful heir to the throne of Thessaly, is spared from death through the intervention of the goddess Hera (Honor Blackman). The other celestial inhabitants of Mount Olympus watch in amusement as Hera surreptitiously aids Jason in his search for the Golden Fleece. Obstacles to this goal include a giant come-to-life statue named Talos, the screeching harpies plaguing blind prophet Phineas (Patrick Troughton), a set of huge clashing rocks, the seven-headed hydra, and an army of skeletons - this bravura climactic sequence assured special-effects guru Ray Harryhausen place in the hearts of 13-year-old boys of all ages. Bernard Herrmann's surging musical score was icing on the cake for this greatest of all Ray Harryhausen creations

Jassy (1947) - 100 mins

Starring Margaret Lockwood, Patricia Roc, Dennis Price, Basil Sydney & Dermot Walsh

Directed by Bernard Knowles

A brooding British melodrama, Jassy stars Margaret Lockwood as a tempestuous gypsy girl who is hired as a servant in an aristocratic 19th century household. Dennis Price is her handsome master, with whom she falls in love. They marry, and it comes to pass that the master comes to a violent end. The girl is accused of murder, but appearances are deceiving. Boasting lush Technicolor photography, the film was based on a popular novel by Norah Lofts

The Jayhawkers (1959) - 100 mins

Starring Jeff Chandler, Fess Parker, Nicole Maurey, Henry Silva, Frank DeKova & Leo Gordon

Directed by Melvin Frank

In the Kansas territory of the 1850s, we meet ruthless Luke Darcy (Jeff Chandler), one of the raiders known as "Jayhawkers" who want more than what life is willing to offer. Starting out as anti-slavery activists, the Jayhawkers' origins are barely mentioned in the story, as Darcy uses them to support his growing power. Opposing his unscrupulous bid for control of the region is Cam Bleeker (Fess Parker) an ex-convict. Cam knows that Darcy is responsible for the death of his wife while he was in prison and he plans to bring him down.

Fabulous Technicolor VistaVision print (thanks to legendary cinematographer, Loyal Griggs)

Jesse James (1939) - 106 mins

Starring Tyrone, Power, Henry Fonda, Randolph Scott, Nancy Kelly, Henry Hull & Brian Donlevy

Directed by Henry King

Irresistibly entertaining story of Jesse (Tyrone Power) and Frank James (Henry Fonda) becoming train and bank robbers to avenge the death of their mother killed at the behest of greedy railroad interests.

Director Henry King stages the action sequences in glorious outsized fashion, notably the famous bank-robbery scene in which Jesse rides his horse through a plate glass window. The scenes involving both James brothers are stolen hands-down by Henry Fonda, not so much because he was a better actor than Tyrone Power but because his character had all the best lines. Jesse James was filmed largely on location in Missouri.

Yes, Randolph Scott is not the star here but he has a pivotal (& "A" list star-making role) as Marshall Will Wright

Then came the sequel! The equally powerful The Return of Frank James (1940) - Henry Fonda back as Frank James in another Technicolor extravaganza (directed by Fritz Lang) - also available from this INDIVIDUAL MOVIE TITLES section of the website

Jet Pilot (1957) - 112 mins

Starring John Wayne, Janet Leigh, Jay C. Flippen, Paul Fix, Richard Rober & Roland Winters

Directed by Josef von Sternberg

John Wayne stars as air force Colonel Jim Shannon who is stationed in an Alaskan outpost only 40 miles or so from the Soviet Union. Wayne is put in charge of Russian jet pilot Lt. Anna Marladovna Shannon (Janet Leigh), who claims that she wants to defect. Actually, Shannon is the Communist spy Olga Orlief, but thanks to Shannon's affectionate attentions she is won over to the side of Democracy. It transpires that Orlief must decide if she should rescue Shannon when he is kidnapped and nearly brainwashed by her Soviet comrades.

The enthralling aerial scenes were staged by legendary test pilot Chuck Yeager in this $4 million color production.

John Wayne: Duke - one of the most recognizable persons on the planet -a true mega-star in film. You'll find the following John Wayne movies in this INDIVIDUAL MOVIE TITLES section of this website:

Jet Storm (1959) - 99 mins

Starring Richard Attenborough, Stanley Baker, Hermione Baddeley, Bernard Braden, Diane Cilento & Harry Secombe

Directed by Cy Endfield

Ernest Tilley (Richard Attenborough) is a has-been brilliant scientist who has lost his daughter in a hit-and-run accident. He tracks down the man responsible for the accident and boards the same plane, threatening to blow up himself and everyone on board as an act of vengeance.

Gripping stuff from the Brits - and great work from Dicky Attenborough!

Jewel Robbery (1932) - 70 mins

Starring William Powell, Kay Francis, Alan Mowbray, Spencer Charters & Lee Kohlmar

Directed by William Dieterle

William Powell as an elegant jewel thief plying his trade in Vienna. His latest victim is bored baroness Kay Francis, who is much taken by the gentleman crook's handsomeness and poise. Since Francis is casting about for a new lover and newer thrills, Powell meets her qualifications, criminal or no. But the lady's husband is not so easily charmed, and he sets about to bring Powell to justice.

Another fabulous William Powell vehicle (and Kay Francis is a treat!)

Jigsaw (1949) - 70 mins

Starring Franchot Tone, Jean Wallace, Marc Lawrence & Myron McCormick.

Directed by Fletcher Markle

When the owner of a printing shop is found dead, the District Attorney assumes that it was a suicide. But the Assistant D.A., Howard Malloy, suspects that there is a connection with an extremist political group called the 'Crusaders'. When a journalist whose articles had attacked the Crusaders is also killed, Malloy is convinced. With help from the widow of a prominent judge, he conducts an investigation. As he does so, he meets a peculiar political boss and also an attractive night club singer, each of whom could become either a source of help or a source of danger.

Jim Thorpe -- All-American (1951) - 107 mins

Starring Burt Lancaster, Charles Bickford, Steve Cochran, Phyllis Thaxter & Dick Wesson

Directed Michael Curtiz

Jim Thorpe was the Native American athlete whom many consider the greatest athlete of the 20th century. We first see Thorpe as a child on the reservation, highly resistant to the notion of going to school. He proves to be an excellent student, eventually attending the all-Indian college in Carlisle, Pennsylvania. Still, Thorpe doesn't feel like mixing much with the other students until coach Charles Bickford encourages the lad to go out for the track team. Thorpe finds that he can be more "articulate" as an athlete than as a scholar, and soon excels at all school sports. He also marries his college sweetheart. After graduation, Thorpe tries to get a coaching job, but is frozen out by the white establishment. Determined to make a name for himself, he enters the 1912 Olympics at Stockholm, where he earns more gold medals than anyone else and is praised as the world's greatest athlete by the King of Sweden. Unfortunately, the fact that Thorpe briefly played semi-professional baseball while attending Carlisle costs him his amateur status and every one of his medals. Things go from bad to worse for Thorpe after this but he then is reunited with his old coach Bickford, who offers Jim a ticket to the 1932 Olympics in Los Angeles. It is the first small step on the road to regeneration for Jim Thorpe

A great biopic about an incredible athlete played to the hilt by Lancaster - himself an excellent sportsman

Burt was also “out West” with Vengeance Valley (1951), Apache (1954), Vera Cruz (1954), The Kentuckian (1955) Gunfight at the O.K. Corral (1957) & The Unforgiven (1960)

All of the above are available from this website

Joan of Paris (1942) - 91 mins

Starring Paul Henreid, Michelle Morgan, Thomas Mitchell, Laird Cregar & Alan Ladd

Directed by Robert Stevenson

Joan of Paris is best known for the joint debut of both Michelle Morgan and Paul Henreid on the American cinema. Henreid is a member of the Free French flying with the RAF and he and the crew are shot down over occupied France. Henreid and the group including a wounded Alan Ladd (in his last minor role before achieving stardom later in the year with the release of This Gun For Hire, The Glass Key & Lucky Jordan - all of which are available from this website) make their way to Paris where he tries to contact either the French underground or any British intelligence operatives. Laird Cregar is great as the relentless pursuer of the downed fliers.

Joe Dakota (1957) - 79 mins

Starring Jock Mahoney, Luana Patten, Charles McGraw, Barbara Lawrence, Claude Akins & Lee Van Cleef

Directed by Richard Bartlett

Joe Dakota (Jock Mahoney) rides into the small town of Arborville, deserted except for Jody (Luana Patten). It transpires that all of the townspeople are working on an oil rig on a small ranch. They're led by Cal Moore (Charles McGraw), and include brothers Aaron (Claude Akins) and Adam Grant (Lee Van Cleef). Joe asks a few questions, rousing the ire of the hot-tempered brothers, who toss him into a pool of oil. Joe has come to town to meet an old Indian who lived on the property where the oil well is situated - something has happened to the old Indian, and the townspeople were involved. Imagine their surprise when Joe announces that he owns the land on which the oil is being pumped. As Joe’s unpopularity increases, it appears that Jody is his only friend.

Gorgeous widescreen Technicolor print - first of a trio of Universal westerns starring legendary cowboy (& stuntman) “Jocko” Mahoney - followed by The Last of the Fast Guns (1958) & Money, Women and Guns (1958) which are also available from this (INDIVIDUAL MOVIE TITLES) section of the website.

Further these 3 films are available in a special 3 DVD set from within the Classic Movie Combinations section of this website under the heading “Jocko” … on the Big Screen ...

Jocko also appeared in his own western TV series in 1958 - the 34 episode half hour Yancy Derringer. The entire collection of episodes of this wonderful series can be found in the TV Series section of this website

Johnny Allegro (1949) - 81 mins

Starring George Raft, Nina Foch, George Macready & Will Geer

Directed by Ted Tetzlaff

A reformed gangster, accustomed to a life of danger, finds himself dealing with a new and different threat in this adventure thriller. Johnny Allegro (George Raft) is a former mobster who has gone over to the other side and now works for the U.S. Treasury Department as an undercover agent. Allegro is asked to help get the goods on Morgan Vallin (George MacReady), a polished counterfeiter who is involved in a right-wing plot to bring down the American government by flooding the U.S. economy with bogus currency. Allegro makes his way to the island that's Vallin's base of operations, with Glenda Chapman (Nina Foch) in tow, and he convinces Vallin that he's a fugitive from American justice. Vallin takes Allegro and Glenda in, but he soon discovers Johnny's true identity, and Allegro learns that Vallin has a bizarre hobby he likes to hunt, but he feels that humans are a more interesting quarry than animals.

A fabulous Raft film!

Johnny Angel (1945) - 79 mins

Starring George Raft, Claire Trevor, Signe Hasso, Lowell Gilmore & Hoagy Carmichael

Directed by Edwin L. Martin

This is a twisty plotted film noir involving smugglers and a double-cross that is set on the dimly lit docks and in the swinging French Quarters of New Orleans. George Raft plays his trademark tough guy role to perfection, as the sea captain Johnny Angel who works for the Gustafson Steamship Line, where his father also works as a captain. Johnny discovers in the sea fog a ghost ship and is alarmed to find no crew and a ship that shows signs of a battle taking place, as it's riddled with bullet holes and broken furniture is strewn across the deck while its cargo of African mahogany is still suspiciously on board. It's an intriguing film noir tale about avenging a murder of a loved one, a femme fatale getting her man to do her foul deeds, and of the two men struggling to hold their own against the gigantic shadows of their fathers.

Johnny Apollo (1940) - 93 mins

Starring Tyrone Power, Dorothy Lamour, Edward Arnold, Lloyd Nolan & Lionel Atwill

Directed by Henry Hathaway

Wall Street broker Robert Cain, Sr., is jailed for embezzling. His college graduate son Bob then turns to crime to raise money for his father's release. As assistant to mobster Mickey Dwyer, then falls for Dwyer's girl Lucky. He winds up in the same prison as his father.

Tyrone Power: that fabulous adventurer … great Tyrone Power movies available from this website are:

Suez (1938), The Mark of Zorro (1940), Johnny Apollo (1940), Blood and Sand (1941), A Yank in the R.A.F (1941), Son of Fury (1942), The Black Swan (1942), Crash Dive (1943), The Razor's Edge (1946), Captain From Castile (1947), Nightmare Alley (1947), Prince of Foxes (1949), The Black Rose (1950), Rawhide (1951), American Guerrilla in the Philippines (1950), Diplomatic Courier (1952), The Mississippi Gambler (1953), King of the Khyber Rifles (1953), The Sun Also Rises (1957) & Witness for the Prosecution (1957)

Johnny Belinda (1948) - 102 mins

Starring Jane Wyman, Lew Ayres, Charles Bickford, Agnes Moorehead, Stephen McNally & Jan Sterling

Directed by Jean Negulesco

In Nova Scotia, deaf-mute Belinda MacDonald (Jane Wyman) leads a lonely existence on the rugged farm of her father Black MacDonald (Charles Bickford) and her aunt Aggie (Agnes Moorehead). Newly arrived doctor Robert Richardson (Lew Ayres) takes a special interest in Belinda, vowing to ease her road in life by teaching her sign language. Despite initial resistance from her father and aunt, Belinda quickly learns how to communicate with others, opening a whole, wonderful new world for her. But things take a sorry turn when local trouble-maker Locky (Stephan McNally) corners poor Belinda after a village dance and rapes her.

Adapted from a stage play by Elmer Harris, this adult film of great power resulted in a well won Oscar for Jane Wyman (Best Actress) - also Oscar Nominations for Best Picture, Best Actor (Lew Ayres), Best Supporting Actor (Charles Bickford), Best Supporting Actress (Agnes Morehead), Best Music (Max Steiner), B&W Art Direction, B&W Cinematography, Best Director, Best Sound Recording & Best Screenplay

Johnny Eager (1941) - 107 mins

Starring Robert Taylor, Lana Turner, Edward Arnold, Van Heflin, Robert Sterling & Barry Nelson

Directed by Mervyn LeRoy

Ruthless hood Johnny Eager is pretending to his parole officer that he has chucked the rackets and is now a full-time taxi driver. In fact he's as deep in as he ever was, and desperately needs official permission to open his new dog track. When he meets up with Lisbeth Bard he finds he not only has a stunning new girlfriend but a possible way to get his permit.

Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor (Van Heflin).

Johnny Guitar (1954) - 110 mins

Starring Joan Crawford, Sterling Hayden, Mercedes McCambridge, Scott Brady, Ward Bond & Ernest Borgnine

Directed by Nicholas Ray

The title character, played by Sterling Hayden, is a guitar-strumming drifter who was once the lover of Arizona saloon-owner Vienna (Joan Crawford). Though her establishment doesn't make a dime, Vienna doesn't care because the railroad is going to come in soon, bringing a whole slew of thirsty new customers. This puts her at odds with rancher Emma Small (Mercedes McCambridge), who doesn't want any new settlers on her land. Hating Vienna with a passion, Emma will do anything to drive her out of the territory and Emma's got the law and the other ranchers on her side. Hoping to keep Emma at bay, Vienna hires Johnny Guitar, who unbeknownst to everyone else in town is a notorious gunslinger. But Johnny prefers to bide his time, waiting for Emma to strike before he makes his move.

According to most sources, the animosity between Joan Crawford and Mercedes McCambridge was quite real, added several extra dimensions to their scenes together.

Yes it’s a color Republic western - but this film is loaded both actual and symbolic noirish elements

Sterling Hayden films which are available from this website are:

Johnny O'Clock (1947) - 96 mins

Starring Dick Powell, Evelyn Keyes, Lee J. Cobb, Ellen Drew, Nina Foch & Jim Bannon

Directed by Robert Rossen

Three years after song-and-dance man Dick Powell reshaped his nice-guy image by playing hard-boiled gumshoe Phillip Marlowe in Murder My Sweet, he returned to film noir with this crime-based thriller. Johnny O'Clock (Dick Powell) and his partner Pete Marchettis (Thomas Gomez) operate a gambling casino that has seen better days. Chuck Blayden (Jim Bannon), a cop on the take, wants in on the casino, and he makes friends with Pete while trying to convince him that Johnny, the smarter of the two, should go. When Chuck's girlfriend Harriet (Nina Foch) is found dead, a supposed suicide, his sister Nancy (Evelyn Keyes) smells a rat, especially after Chuck skips town. Nancy is convinced that her sister was murdered, and she asks Johnny to help her prove it. Johnny, who already has a number of women in his life including Nelle (Ellen Drew), Pete's wife figures that one more can't hurt and agrees to help her. But Police Inspector Koch (Lee J. Cobb), convinced that Johnny and Pete were behind Harriet's death, is making it hard for Johnny to do much investigating, and matters get worse when Chuck's body is found floating in the river. Screenwriter Robert Rossen made his directorial debut with this film, 14 years later, he would return to this film's tough, gritty style for his best picture, The Hustler.

Note that this film is part of the Dick Powell "Drama" Combination which can be found in the Classic Movie Combinations section of this website

Johnny Reno (1966) - 83 mins

Starring Dana Andrews, Jane Russell, Lon Chaney Jr., John Agar & Lyle Bettger

Directed by R.G. Springsteen

Sheriff Johnny Reno (Dana Andrews) is heading to a small town in order to see his one-time sweetheart Nona Williams (Jane Russell). On the way, he is set upon by the Connors brothers (Ab & Joe) who think he is after them. Forced to shoot Ab, he then captures Joe (Tom Drake) and brings him to town. His prisoner insists he is innocent of the crime - but the whole town wants him hanged. Johnny begins to wonder if its possible that Joe is telling the truth.

Excellent widescreen Technicolor western

Journey into Fear (1942) - 69 mins

Starring Joseph Cotten, Orson Welles, Dolores del Rio, Ruth Warrick, Agnes Moorehead & Everett Sloane

Directed by Norman Foster

"Orson Welles had planned to produce, direct and star in RKO's Journey Into Fear, but prior commitments compelled him to vacate the director's chair in favor of Norman Foster. Joseph Cotten, who adapted the screenplay from the novel by Eric Ambler, plays an American gunnery engineer up to his armpits in international intrigue. Targeted for extermination by the Gestapo, Cotten secretly books passage on a steamer bound from Turkey to Batumi. His fellow passengers include dancer Dolores Del Rio and her gigolo partner Jack Durant; talkative Frenchwoman Agnes Moorehead and her browbeaten husband Frank Readick; German archaeologist Eustace Wyatt; and a secretive, obese, thick-spectacled gent, played by Orson Welles' business partner Jack Moss. From the outset, it is no secret that Moss is a Nazi assassin. The question: who are his contacts, and how long will it be before Cotten is forced into a showdown? The very complex storyline was made even more so by RKO's decision to pare the film down to 69 minutes; several resultant plot gaps had to be bridged by an ongoing offscreen narration, presented in the form of a letter written by Cotten to his worried wife Ruth Warrick. As one can see, virtually the entire roster of Welles' Mercury Theatre troupe is involved in Journey into Fear. Welles himself plays colorful Turkish police officer Colonel Haki, while Everett Sloane, Hans Conried and Edgar Barrier essay significant smaller roles. Director Norman Foster so slavishly imitates the patented Wellesian visual style (following Welles' pre-production "storyboards" dictating choice of camera angle, lighting etc.) that many historians have assumed that Welles himself directed the picture"

Journey to the Centre of the Earth (1959) - 132 mins

Starring James Mason, Pat Boone, Arlene Dahl, Diane Baker, Thayler David & Alan Napier

Directed by Henry Levin

Amusingly absent-minded professor Sir Oliver S. Lindenbrook (James Mason) receives a lump of lava brought to him by his student Alec McEwen (Pat Boone). Melting down the curiously composed lump, Lindenbrook discovers a hastily scrawled message from long-lost explorer Arne Saknussem, with directions for reaching the Earth's core. Accompanied by Carla Göteborg (Arlene Dahl) - the widow of a famed geologist and Icelandic guide Hans Belker (Peter Ronson), Lindenbrook and Alec head for the centre of the Earth. They are closely followed by the villainous Count Saknussem (Thayer David), descendant of the lost explorer who wrote the directions - the Count hopes to use Lindenbrook's discoveries for his own personal and political gain.

A Jules Verne Classic: fabulous in every way replete with Bernard Herrmann's ominous musical score.

Oscar Nominated for Best Color Set Direction, Best Sound & Best Special Effects

Journey to the Far Side of the Sun (1969) - 101 mins

Starring Roy Thinnes, Ian Hendry, Patrick Wymark, Lyn Loring, George Sewell, Ed Bishop & Herbert Lom

Directed by Robert Parrish

A previously unknown planet is discovered within our solar system, orbiting on the far side of the sun exactly opposite the position of the Earth, and at precisely the same speed. The European space agency Eurosec, headed by Jason Webb (Patrick Wymark), whose solar probe made the discovery, decides to send a manned mission to investigate, teaming America's top astronaut Glenn Ross (Roy Thinnes) and British astro-physicist John Kane (Ian Hendry). Their voyage aboard the space vehicle Phoenix is supposed to take six weeks, but when the ship returns to orbit in only three weeks - ending in a crash of their landing vehicle that kills Kane - Eurosec can only conclude that Ross has engaged in some sort of sabotage. The astronaut is at a loss as to how they could have done a round-trip in just three weeks, until he makes a startling discovery - that everything that he sees, from the layout of rooms and buildings to all of the writing around him, is reversed, left to right and right to left.

Absorbing well made sci-fi employing the skills of Gerry & Sylvia Anderson of The Thunderbirds fame - they also wrote the story

Journey to the Seventh Planet (1962) - 80 mins

Starring John Agar, Greta Thyssen Carl Ottosen, Peter Monch, Ove Sprogøe & Louis Miehe-Renard

Directed by Sidney W. Pink

Travelling by spaceship to the planet Uranus in year 2010, a group of astronauts discovers a bizarre world right out of their own heads, featuring places and people the crew-members recall from childhood. and a gargantuan one-eyed monster. It's all part of a fantasy created by the planet's master, a giant, pulsating brain that can also turn their worst thoughts into reality!

Filmed in Denmark with a largely Danish cast except for Hollywood actor John Agar and Greta Thyssen (a former Miss Denmark who had doubled for Marilyn Monroe and appeared opposite The Three Stooges) added a bit of box-office value to the otherwise mundane proceedings. Apparently filmed in English, the Danish actors speak their lines with utmost care and deliberation, presumably to make it easier for dubbing purposes.

Note: this is a very nice print - much better than commercial offerings!

Jubal (1956) - 100 mins

Starring Glenn Ford, Ernest Borgnine, Rod Steiger, Valerie French, Felicia Farr, Noah Beery Jr. & Charles Bronson

Directed by Delmer Daves

Likable (and extremely gullible) ranch owner Shep Horgan (Ernest Borgnine) hires handsome drifter Jubal Troop (Glenn Ford) as a cowhand, much to the delight of Horgan's hedonistic wife Mae (Valerie French). But psychotic ranch hand Pinky Pinkum (Rod Steiger) is envious of Jubal and hoping to enjoy Mae's sexual favors himself - ergo, he sows the seeds of suspicion in Horgan's mind by falsely accusing Jubal of messing around with Mae. Within the maelstrom of emotions that develop, the virtuous Naomi Hoktor (Felicia Farr) comes to the aid of Jubal

Although often considered to be (Shakespeare’s) ‘Othello Out West’, Jubal is officially based on a novel by Paul I. Wellman.

Solid dramatic western - a blueprint for many 50s westerns

Glenn Ford … one of Canada’s finest … earnest & genuine, he was the go-to guy for any genre: noir, western or comedy … Glenn Ford was tops with the public and critics alike and his films are well represented on this website: Texas (1941), Flight Lieutenant (1942), The Desperadoes (1943), Destroyer (1943), Gilda (1946), A Stolen Life (1946), Framed (1947), The Man from Colorado (1948), The Undercover Man (1949), Lust for Gold (1949), The White Tower (1950), Convicted (1950), The Secret of Convict Lake (1951), Affair in Trinidad (1952), Time Bomb aka Terror on a Train ((1953), The Man from the Alamo (1953), Plunder of the Sun (1953), The Big Heat (1953), Appointment in Honduras (1953), Human Desire (1954), The Americano (1955), The Violent Men (1955), Blackboard Jungle (1955), Ransom! (1956), Jubal (1956), The Fastest Gun Alive (1956), 3:10 to Yuma (1957), Cowboy (1958), The Sheepman (1958), Torpedo Run (1958), Cimarron (1960), Experiment in Terror (1962), Fate Is the Hunter (1964)

Jubilee Trail (1954) - 90 mins

Starring Forrest Tucker, Vera Ralston, Joan Leslie, John Russell, Ray Middleton & Pat O'Brien

Directed by Joseph Kane

Ambitious California landowner Charles Hale (Ray Middleton) hopes to add to his riches by marrying off his brother Oliver (John Russell) to a wealthy Spanish family. But when Oliver weds a gal named Garnet (Joan Leslie) instead, Charles vows revenge against the new bride. Later, Oliver is killed, leaving Garnet to raise their baby alone. Charles intends to claim the baby for himself, but Garnet, who has subsequently fallen in love with John Ives (Forrest Tucker), isn't about to let that happen.

The film is somewhat stolen by veteran Pat O'Brien as a drunken doctor who serves as last-minute problem-solver.

Based on a novel by Gwen Bristow, Jubilee Trail is a sprawling, all-star western from Republic Studios - it followed two equally well financed (& regarded) "A" westerns from Republic: Rock Island Trail (1950) & Californa Passage (1950) - both of which are available from this website

Juggernaut (1974) - 109 mins

Starring Richard Harris, Omar Sharif, David Hemmings, Anthony Hopkins, Shirley Knight & Ian Holm

Directed by Richard Lester

Juggernaut is the pseudonym of a madman who plants several steel drums aboard the luxury liner “Britannic” and calls the company's officials once the boat has put out to sea, demanding a large sum of money in exchange for instructions on how to defuse bombs inside the drums. Supt. John McLeod (Anthony Hopkins), himself under a lot of pressure since his wife and children are among the 1200 passengers, sends in an experienced anti-bomb squad headed by Lt. Cmdr. Anthony Fallon. Although all 7 bombs are successfully located, a very high skill level will be necessary to dismantle them.

One of the very best ‘disaster’ films.

Julie (1956) - 99 mins

Starring Doris Day, Louis Jourdan, Barry Sullivan, Frank Lovejoy, Jack Kelly & Ann Robinson

Directed by Andrew L. Stone

Julie Benton (Doris Day) learns that her musician husband Lyle Benton (Louis Jourdan) in fact killed Julie's first husband. And she immediately recognizes that he is so possessive of her that he would sooner kill her than lose her. So she leaves Lyle and seeking protection under the wing of a country club acquaintance, Cliff Henderson (Barry Sullivan). She returns to the flight stewardess job she once held. Meanwhile the San Francisco police deduce that Julie is in danger from Lyle, and begin to close in on the poor woman to protect her, but she inadvertently losses them at the same time as Lyle has boarded “her” plane, planning to murder most of the crew and especially Julie.

Oscar Nominated for Best Music & Screenplay

The Jungle (1952) - 73 mins

Starring Rod Cameron, Cesar Romero, Marie Windsor, Ruby Mayer & David Abraham

Directed William Berke

In India, Steve Bentley, Rama Singh & Princess Mari (Rod Cameron, Cesar Romero & Marie Windsor) team up to investigate reports that the elephant population is being terrorized and stampeded by prehistoric mammoths. Friction exists within the trio, because Steve has previously escaped a murderous encounter with a giant mammoth - an incident that led to the death of Rama’s brother. And, of course the two men are competing for the charms Mari

Filmed on location in India

Big scale Rod Cameron adventures (mostly westerns) available from this website are Frontier Gal (1945), Pirates of Monterey (1947), Panhandle (1948), River Lady (1948), The Plunderers (1948), Brimstone (1949), Short Grass (1950), Stage to Tucson (1950), Oh! Susanna (1951), Cavalry Scout (1951), The Sea Hornet (1951), Fort Osage (1952), Wagons West (1952), The Jungle (1952), Ride the Man Down (1952), San Antone (1953), The Steel Lady (1953), Southwest Passage (1954), Hell’s Outpost (1954), The Fighting Chance (1955) & Passport to Treason (1956)

Rod Cameron also appeared in two westerns in which he played the "baddie" - both films have developed "cult" status because they pit Rod against George Montgomery. Belle Starr’s Daughter (1948) & Dakota Lil (1950) are the two films and it’s a treat to watch this dynamic pair of western legends “going at it” in some interesting and provocative exchanges - both Belle Starr’s Daughter (1948) & Dakota Lil (1950) are available from this website.

Rod Cameron also made a couple of nice half hour adventure TV series: Coronado 9 & State Trooper - both of these excellent shows can be found in the TV Series section of this website

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Jungle Book (1942) - 108 mins

Staring Sabu, Joseph Calleia, John Qualen, Frank Puglia & Ralph Byrd

Directed by Zoltan Korda

Mowgli (Sabu), having been lost in the jungle as an infant has been raised by wolves. While he has no trouble conversing with his animal neighbors, Mowgli yearns to touch base with his human roots; thus, he returns to the native village whence he came. With the help of his jungle companions, Mowgli rescues his adoptive family, his natural mother, Messua (Rosemary DeCamp) and the rest of the humans from the greedy machinations of villains Buldeo (Joseph Calleia), The Barber (John Qualen) and The Pundit (Frank Puglia).

Adapted for the screen by Lawrence Stallings and co-directed by Zoltan Korda and Andre De Toth, Jungle Book isn't always faithful to the Rudyard Kipling, but 1942 audiences swept up in the grandeur of the production values and the lush Technicolor photography didn't mind at all.

The print presented here is a perfect Technicolor rendition - much superior to commercial releases

Oscar Nominated for Best Color Cinematography, Special Effects, Art Direction & Music (Miklos Rozsa)

Fourth entry in the legendary Korda / Sabu quartet - preceded by The Thief of Bagdad (1940), The Drum (1938) & Elephant Boy (1937) - all of which are available from this website

Jungle Goddess (1948) - 62 mins

Starring George Reeves, Wanda McKay, Ralph Byrd, Armida & Smoki Whitfield

Directed by Lewis D. Collins

When pilots Mike Patton (Reeves) and Bob Simpson (Byrd) learn that the father of long-missing Greta Vanderhorn (Wanda McKay) is offering a huge reward for his daughter's return, they fly off to the African jungle where Greta's plane crashed many years ago. Mike and Bob trace Greta to a superstitious native tribe, where she reigns as queen. Bob has the misfortune to kill one of the natives, whereupon Greta condemns him to death.

Of interest here: The actors who played Superman and Dick Tracy, George Reeves and Ralph Byrd star in this nice "jungle" actioner. They appeared together again a few months later in Thunder in the Pines (1948) which is also available from this website

Jungle Jim (1948) - 71 mins

Starring Johnny Weissmuller, Virgina Grey, George Reeves, Lita Baron & Rick Vallin

Directed by William Berke

Jungle Jim (ex-Tarzan Johnny Weissmuller) is guiding gorgeous lady scientist Hilary Parker (Virginia Grey) through the wilds of Africa in search of an herb that will cure infantile paralysis. At first, Hilary resents Jim's casual chauvinism, but after being nearly killed on several occasions, she's willing to acknowledge his expertise in all things African. Once Hilary's expedition has arrived in a hidden native village, they find themselves as the mercy of crooked gold prospector Bruce Edwards (a pre-Superman George Reeves), who foments a tribal sacrifice as a means of getting the safari out of the way.

Based on the popular comic strip by Alex Raymond, this initial entry in the "Jungle Jim" movie series led to an unbroken run of 15 further outings for Johnny Weismuller as the jungle hero.

All 16 Jungle Jim films can be found in a 6 DVD set which can be found within the Movie Series section of this website.

Kangaroo (1952) - 84 mins

Starring Maureen O’Hara, Peter Lawford, Finlay Currie, Richard Boone, Chips Rafferty & Charles Tingwell

Directed by Lewis Milestone

Besotted by alcohol, Australian cattle-station owner Michael McGuire (Finlay Currie) is led to believe that crooked gambler Richard Connor (Peter Lawford) is his long-lost son. Connor and his partner-in-crime Gamble (Richard Boone) go along with the gag, convincing McGuire's daughter Dell (Maureen O'Hara) that they've arrived to help the old man save his livestock, when in fact they're planning a major swindle. The scheme goes awry when Connor falls genuinely in love with Dell. The arrival of mounted policeman Leonard (Chips Rafferty) sets the ball rolling for an onslaught of violence, renunciation and redemption.

Vividly filmed on location in Australia, Kangaroo was the first Technicolor feature film produced by Hollywood in Australia

The Kangaroo Kid (1950) - 72 mins

Starring Jock Mahoney, Veda Ann Borg, Martha Hyer, Douglass Dumbrille & Guy Doleman

Directed by Lesley Selander

19th-century San Francisco detective Tex Kinnane (Jock Mahoney) is sent to Australia to investigate a series of robberies. He poses as a stage driver and makes friends at the saloon with Baldy Muldoon (Alex Kellaway) and barmaid Stella Grey (Veda Ann Borg). Lawyer Vincent Moller (Douglass Dumbrille), the leader behind the robberies, learns Tex's real identity, and frames a plot to blame the crimes on him.

But Tex proves adept at adjusting to his new (Australian) environment - much more so than Moller.

This Australian production boasted “4 Hollywood stars” on posters at the time:

‘Jocko’, Douglass Dumbrille, Martha Hyer & Veda Ann Borg

US director Lesley Selander puts the polish on this exciting western adventure.

Although he was the star in three Movie Serials - Code of the Pony Express, Roar of the Iron Horse & Gunfighters of the Northwest - Jocko had to wait until 1954 before his first starring role in a US film:

Overland Pacific (1954) - which is also available from this website (so too the serials from the Movie Serials section)

Kansas City Confidential (1952) - 98 mins

Starring John Payne, Coleen Gray, Preston Foster, Neville Brand, Jack Elam & Lee Van Cleef

Directed by Phil Karlson

A hard-hitting film noir about a bitter ex-cop who arranges an armored car robbery with a phony florist's delivery truck. Framed for the robbery, the driver of the real florist's truck, a hero in the war, hunts down the men who set him up to get his share of the loot, revenge or, if possible, a combination of the two. It is generally agreed that Quentin Tarantino must have seen this movie before scripting Reservoir Dogs

Another powerhouse performance from John Payne - he followed up with 99 River Street (1953) with the same diirector

Another excellent 50s noir from legendary director Phil Karlson - joining Scandal Sheet (1952), 99 River Street (1953), Tight Spot (1955), 5 Against the House (1955), The Phenix City Story & The Brothers Rico (1957)

Kansas Raiders (1950) - 80 mins

Starring Audie Murphy, Brian Donlevy, Marguerite Chapman, Scott Brady, Tony Curtis, Richard Arlen, Richard Long, James Best, Dewey Martin & Richard Egan

Directed by Ray Enright

A young Jesse James (Audie Murphy) falls under the Svengali-like spell of the outlaw William Quantrill (Brian Donlevy). Jesse and his youthful gang join the rebels to avenge the death of his parents only to become disillusioned with the senseless violence and looting of innocent civilians. Goaded by Quantrill's girl to leave, Jesse vacillates until the Yankess close in.

Check out that cast - fabulous!

The Kennel Murder Case (1933) - 73 mins

Starring William Powell, Mary Astor, Eugene Pallette, Ralph Morgan, Robert McWade & Robert Barrat

Directed by Michael Curtiz

Often (and accurately) described as a model of the whodunit genre, The Kennel Murder Case stars William Powell, making his fourth screen appearance as S. S. Van Dine's dilettante detective Philo Vance. This time the story involves intrigue at the Long Island kennel club. The murder victim is Robert H. Barrat, who works overtime making himself a much-hated target in the first ten minutes. With the aid of a Doberman, Vance solves not only Barrat's murder but a follow-up killing designed to deflect attention from the killer. The suspects include Mary Astor, Ralph Morgan, Jack LaRue, Helen Vinson, Paul Cavanaugh and Arthur Hohl, all of whom have "done it" from time to time in other murder mysteries (movie buffs, however, will have little trouble spotting the killer; the person in question has probably been the hidden murderer in more films than any other member of the Screen Actor's Guild). Kennel Murder Case was William Powell's last "Philo Vance" film; it would be remade in 1940 as Calling Philo Vance, with James Stephenson as Vance and a new World War II angle added to the plot.

Note that both The Kennel Murder Case (1933) & Calling Philo Vance (1940) are part of the Philo Vance Movie Series which is can be found in the Movie Series section of this website

Note: This is a much better quality print than commercial offerings

The Kentuckian (1955) - 104 mins

Starring Burt Lancaster, Dianne Foster, Diana Lynn, John McIntire, Una Merkel & John Carradine

Directed by Burt Lancaster

The recently widowed Elias Wakefield (Burt Lancaster) heads towards Texas with his son Little Eli (Donald McDonald). Most of the folks he meets, notably winsome schoolmarm Susie (Diana Lynn), bond-slave Hannah (Dianne Foster), and Elias’ down-to-earth brother Zack (John McIntyre) and sister-in-law Sophie (Una Merkel), are pretty good souls, despite a raging family feud. The same cannot be said of whip-wielding saloonkeeper Stan Bodine (Walter Matthau in his film debut), who goads Elias into a bloody fight.

Based on a novel by Felix Holt, The Kentuckian was produced and directed by Burt Lancaster - it makes excellent use of Technicolor and Cinemascope, as well as the musical expertise of composer Bernard Herrmann.

Burt was also “out West” with Vengeance Valley (1951), Apache (1954), Vera Cruz (1954), The Kentuckian (1955) Gunfight at the O.K. Corral (1957) & The Unforgiven (1960)

All of the above are available from this website

The Key (1958) - 134 mins

Starring William Holden, Sophia Loren, Trevor Howard, Oskar Homolka, Kieron Moore & Bernard Lee

Directed by Carol Reed

Plymouth, England during WWII and Canadian tug captain Tennant (William Holden) and his British counterpart Chris Ford (Trevor Howard) pay a visit to Ford's lady friend Stella (Sophia Loren). Before the men leave, Ford is handed Stella's apartment key. It turns out that this key is harbinger of death; it has previously been held by Stella's former lovers, all tug captains, all dead. When Ford is killed in combat, Tennant comes into possession of the key, returning to Stella to commence a torrid love affair. However, she is unable to fall in love with Tennant, sensing that his demise is imminent. Eventually, she does fall for him, vowing that if he survives the war, she will never pass her key along to any other man. As a result, Tennant begins exhibiting hesitance in battle, as if determined to break the "jinx" at the expense of his fellow seamen.

Excellent film utilizing the wonderful directorial skills of Carol Reed - his others include Night Train to Munich (1940), Odd Man Out (1947), The Man Between (19353) & The Third Man (1949) - all of which are available from this website

A Best Actor BAFTA for Trevor Howard!

The Key was adapted by Carl Foreman from Stella, a novel by Jan De Hartog.

Trev's Note: My interest in tracking down this film came from a chance meeting with Des Jackson - he runs one of those now very rare Telegraph Stations in the beautiful town of Beechworth (a stamping ground for Australia's most famous outlaw 19^th century: Ned Kelly). Des informed me that the Morse Code, which is extensively used in this film, is real Morse Code (which he understands and performs regularly) and not just a smattering of keystrokes (used in other movies). So Trev got Des to send a telegram on his behalf (yes, it did get to its destination - my son - albeit by mail for the final stage of delivery) and then Trev set about sourcing this wonderful film. Anyone else out there who can "read" Morse Code?

Key Largo (1948) - 100 mins

Starring Humphrey Bogart, Edward G. Robertson, Lauren Bacall, Lionel Barrymore & Claire Trevor

Directed by John Huston

A group of gangsters have taken over a hotel located on Key Largo. Along comes Bogey, who has come to visit the father of a war time pal who was killed, and gets drawn into the drama.

Bogart as Frank McCloud is suitably laid back and brave as he confronts the gangsters headed by Edward G. Robinson as Johnny Rocco. Lauren Bacall plays the widow of Bogey's war time friend and Lionel Barrymore is outstanding as Temple, the hotel proprietor. Claire Trevor plays Rocco's moll Gaye Dawn, an alcoholic former singer for which she deservedly won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress.

Bogart and Robinson appeared together many times during the 30s with Robinson usually playing the hero and Bogey the heavy. This time their roles are reversed.

This was the second collaboration between Humphrey Bogart and John Houston during 1948 (the other being "The Treasure of Sierra Madre"). Both films represent both artists at the peak of their respective careers.

The Kid From Texas (1950) - 78 mins

Starring Audie Murphy, Gail Storm, Albert Dekker, Shepperd Strudwick, Will Geer & William Talman

Directed by Kurt Neumann

Billy the Kid becomes embroiled in Lincoln County, NM, land wars. When a rancher who gave him a break is killed by rival henchman, Billy vows revenge. Billy's new employer takes advantage of his naivety to kill rivals and lets The Kid take blame. Billy takes to the hills with friends but when caught, he escapes hanging but remains in area to be near employer's young wife with whom he's infatuated.

Audie's first western!

Kid Glove Killer (1942) - 74 mins

Starring Van Heflin, Marsha Hunt, Lee Bowman, Cliff Clark & Eddie Quillan

Directed by Fred Zinnemann

First feature film from director Fred Zinneman is a snappy little "B" feature that features Van Heflin, in his first leading role immediately after winning a Best Supporting Actor Oscar for Johnny Eager, playing a forensic scientist. He and his wisecracking assistant Hunt are on the trail of the murderer of the mayor who had promised to clean up the town. The taut plot is well served by the style of documentary fiction Zinnemann applied to a few of his earlier films. Watch for a 20-year-old Ava Gardner, who has two lines as a waitress.

The Killer is Loose (1956) - 73 mins

Starring Joseph Cotton, Rhondaa Fleming, Wendell Corey, Alan Hale Jr., Michael Pate & John Larch

Directed by Budd Boetticher

In this thriller, "Foggy" (Wendell Corey) is a bank teller who got his nickname for the thick spectacles he must wear. Foggy is also an inside man for a gang of thieves planning to rob his bank. Unfortunately, their plan goes awry and he is arrested. During the ensuing scuffle, his wife is accidentally killed and the crook blames the arresting officer (Joseph Cotten). While he stands trial, Foggy lets on that he plans on getting revenge by killing the officer's wife. Later he is transferred to a prison farm. The fearsome former clerk busts out of prison and kills a few people on his way to the policeman's home. The panicked policeman attempts to secure protection for his wife, but the cops decide to use the woman as a decoy to draw the criminal to them.

Yep, its director Budd Boetticher in his final film before commencing his long association with Randolph Scott in that incredible set of western masterpieces (all of which are available from this website - in the Randolph Scott Western section)

Killer McCoy (1947) - 104 mins

Starring Mickey Rooney, Brian Donlevy, Ann Blyth, James Dunn, Tom Tully, Mickey Knox & Sam Levene

Directed by Roy Rowland

In one of his first "adult" roles (he made his last Andy Hardy vehicle only a year earlier - the complete Andy Hardy is available from the Movie Series section of this website), Mickey Rooney plays Tommy McCoy, a dancer who performs in a going-nowhere nightclub act with his alcoholic father, Brian (James Dunn). Johnny Martin (Mickey Knox), a lightweight boxing champ who is headlining the show that Tommy and his Dad are currently working, admires Tommy's footwork and tells him that he might have a future in the ring. Tommy gives the fight game a try, and he soon proves he's got the goods as a slugger. Before long, Tommy is fighting Johnny for the lightweight title, and after a hard-fought match, Tommy wins and Johnny dies. Now dubbed "Killer" McCoy by the press and boxing fans, a distraught Tommy allows his career to be taken over by Jim Caighn (Brian Donlevy), an unscrupulous manager with a gambling problem. Jim drags Tommy through the dirtiest and most dishonest levels of the fight game, but Jim's daughter Sheila (Ann Blyth) sees Tommy's decent side and tries to rescue him.

Is this Mickey's best non-AH film?

The Killers (1946) - 105 mins

Starring Burt Lancaster, Ava Gardner, Edmond O'Brien, Albert Dekker & Charles McGraw

Directed by Robert Siodmak

A compelling crime drama based on the Earnest Hemingway story telling of two professional killers who invade a small town and kill a gas station attendant, "the Swede," who's expecting them. Insurance investigator Reardon pursues the case against the orders of his boss, who considers it trivial. Weaving together threads of the Swede's life, Reardon uncovers a complex tale of treachery and crime, all linked with gorgeous, mysterious Kitty Collins. Noteworthy for the film debut of Lancaster and Miklos Rozsa's dynamic score featuring the familiar dum-da-dum-dum theme later utilized in TV's Dragnet.

Academy Award nominations for Director, Screenplay, Film Editing, Film Score.

Burt was also “out West” with Vengeance Valley (1951), Apache (1954), Vera Cruz (1954), The Kentuckian (1955) Gunfight at the O.K. Corral (1957) & The Unforgiven (1960)

All of the above are available from this website

The Killers (1964) - 93 mins

Starring Lee Marvin, Angie Dickinson, John Cassavetes, Clu Gulager, Claude Akins, Norman Fell & Ronald Reagan

Directed by Don Siegel

Don Siegel directed this re-make of Robert Siodmak's 1946 film noir masterpiece The Killers, based upon a story by Ernest Hemingway (see above. As the story opens two professional looking men in business suits, Charlie (Lee Marvin) and Lee (Clu Gulager) push their way into a school for the blind and terrorize a secretary until she reveals the whereabouts of Johnny North (John Cassavetes). When Charlie and Lee trace Johnny to an automobile repair class, Johnny just stands there as the two men gun him down. Afterwards, Charlie wonders why Johnny just stood there, accepting his death. He also starts to wonder about his hefty paycheck for the murder and rumors that Johnny was involved in a million-dollar heist. He decides to pay Johnny's old friend Earl Sylvester (Claude Akins) a visit at his auto shop in Florida. Earl recalls the summer day long ago when former race car driver Johnny caught the eye of the rich and beautiful Sheila Farr (Angie Dickinson). Johnny has been preparing for a race, but Sheila's attentions sidetrack him. The day of the big race, Earl notices that Sheila is visited by a group of rich gangsters, headed by Browning (Ronald Reagan, in a very surprising performance). During the race, Johnny is involved in a terrible crash, effectively ending his racing career. However, it seems Browning is arranging a mail heist and hires Johnny to drive the getaway car.

Reagan's last screen appearance before moving on to a career in politics

The Killer Shrews (1959) - 69 mins

Starring James Best, Ingrid Goude, Ken Curtis, Gordon McLendon, Baruch Lumet & Alfred DeSoto

Directed by Ray Kellogg

A horde of outsized rodents are running amok on an isolated island. The creation of mad scientist Dr. Marlowe Craigis (Baruch Lumet), the monster shrews having escaped the lab during a hurricane, are devouring nearly every other animal on the island before seeking human prey - including Thorne Sherman (James Best) and his girlfriend, Ann Craigis (Ingrid Goude), who are stranded on the island by the same storm.

Interesting Sci-Fi

Killers of Kilimanjaro (1959) - 91 mins

Starring Robert Taylor, Anthony Newley, Anne Aubrey, Gregoire Asian & Allan Cuthbertson

Directed by Richard Thorpe

Robert Adamson (Robert Taylor) is an engineer in charge of a project to set up a railroad track through East Africa, up against a rival railway gang who are giving him a lot of trouble. More pressing, at times however, Adamson has to handle the convicts who are working underneath him, hungry crocodiles, dangerous lions, rhinos, and similar wild beasts, as well as Jane Carlton (Anne Aubrey), a woman along for the duration.

Anthony Newley as Adamson’s sidekick Hooky Hook is a stand-out with his high energy brand of whimsy in this fast-paced adventure

Very nice (true) widescreen print!

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The Killer That Stalked New York (1950) - 79 mins

Starring Evelyn Keyes, Charles Korvin, William Bishop, Dorothy Malone, Lola Albright & Barry Kelley

Directed by Earl McEvoy

Singer Sheila Bennet (Evelyn Keyes) arrives in New York City by train after a trip to Cuba, carrying a small cache of smuggled diamonds … but what she doesn't know is that she's also carrying a deadly smallpox infection. Her philandering husband Matt Krane (Charles Korvin) isn't too worried about her violent headaches and fever, especially as he is carrying on behind her back with Sheila's younger sister, Alice Lorie (Dorothy Malone). Sheila's condition worsens, however, and she ends up at a local clinic, where she infects a young girl (Beverly Washburn) who crosses her path. The police and public health authorities get called in after the girl falls ill, and begin desperately trying to find the source of the girl's infection. Meanwhile, Sheila is hiding out from the FBI who are following her over the diamonds, and also realizes that her husband is cheating on her.

Powerful noir!

The Killing (1956) - 83 mins

Starring Sterling Hayden, Coleen Gray, Vince Edwards, Marie Windsor, Jay C. Flippen, Joe Sawyer & Ted de Corsia

Directed by Stanley Kubrick

When ex-con Johnny Clay (Sterling Hayden) says he has a plan to make a killing, everybody wants to be in on the action. Especially when the plan is to steal $2 million in a racetrack robbery scheme in which "no one will get hurt." But despite all their careful plotting, Clay and his men have overlooked one thing: Sherry Peatty (Marie Windsor), a money-hungry, double-crossing dame who’s planning to make a financial killing of her own…even if she has to wipe out Clay’s entire gang to do it!

Directed in a revolutionary story-telling technique by the legendary Stanley Kubrick, The Killing is tough, taut, tense, and one of the greatest crime thrillers ever made!

Sterling Hayden films which are available from this website are:

Kill or Be Killed (1950) - 68 mins

Starring Lawrence Tierney, Marissa O'Brien, Rudolph Anders & George Coulouris

Directed by Max Nosseck

A crime caper, largely filmed in Mexico with Lawrence Tierney as Robert Warren, a tough but honest lug who is framed on a murder charge. Hiding out at a jungle plantation, Warren falls in love with Maria (Marissa O'Brien), the wife of plantation owner Marek (Rudolph Anders). Luck of luck, Marek and his partner Sloma (George Coulouris) are inextricably linked with the murder for which Warren is being pursued.

Quality Note: Not the greatest of prints but still worth a look - an excellent adventure with Lawrence Tierney in a sympathetic role for a change

Fans of Lawrence Tierney should also check out his lead roles in noir thrillers:

Dillinger (1945), Step By Step (1946), San Quentin (1946), The Devil Thumbs a Ride (1947), Born To Kill (1947), Bodyguard (1948), Kill or Be Killed (1950) & Female Jungle (1955) - all of which are available from this website

Kim (1950) - 113 mins

Starring Errol Flynn, Dean Stockwell, Paul Lukas, Robert Douglas, Thomas Gomez & Cecil Kellaway

Directed by Victor Saville

Kim, a young boy living on his own on the streets of India, is actually the son of a British officer. He meets a lama, a holy man, and devotes himself to his tending. But when British administrators discover his birthright, he is placed in a British school. His nature, however, is opposed to the regimentation expected for the son of a British soldier, and he rebels. His familiarity with Indian life and his ability to pass as an Indian child allows him to function as a spy for the British as they attempt to thwart revolution and invasion of India. Rejoining his holy man, Kim with the help of daring adventurer Mahbub Ali (Flynn) takes on a dangerous mission.

While a great deal of Kim was filmed on location in India, some of the more complicated exterior sequences were lensed in Lone Pine, California.

Kind Hearts and Coronets (1949) - 106 mins

Starring Alec Guinness, Valerie Hobson, Dennis Price, Joan Greenwood & Miles Malleson

Directed by Robert Hamer

Louis Mazzini (Dennis Price) is ninth in line to inherit the dukedom from the aristocratic D'Ascoyne family. Louis vows to kill all eight people who stand between him and the duke's title. Aside from two cases of natural causes, Louis works through the list, eliminating rivals (all played by Alec Guinness). Along the way he romances Sibella (Joan Greenwood), a childhood friend who ends up marrying a dullard, and Edith (Valerie Hobson), the beautiful widow of one of his victims with whom he plans to share his title. But just when Louis is ready to assume the D'Ascoyne mantle, a bizarre irony strikes.

Yes - Alec Guinness gets to die eight times in the Ealing black comedy!

Alec Guinness led the cast in several wonderful UK made comedies, including Kind Hearts and Coronets (1949), The Lavender Hill Mob (1951), The Man in the White Suit (1951), The Captain’s Paradise (1953), The Ladykillers (1955) & The Horse’s Mouth (1958) - all of which are available from this website

King & Country (1964) - 86 mins

Starring Dirk Bogarde, Tom Courtney, Leo McKern, Barry Foster & Peter Copley

Directed by Joseph Losey

Misfit World War I British soldier Pvt. Arthur Hamp (Tom Courtenay) who is on trial for desertion, is defended by martinet officer Capt. Hargreaves (Dirk Bogarde). Disgusted by the assignment, Hargreaves wearily asks the dullwitted Hamp the reasons for his actions. Hamp replies that, after being the sole survivor of a battle and discovering that his wife had been cheating on him while he was serving his country, he didn't see any purpose in going on; thus, he "went for a little walk". Hargreaves' dislike of his client melts into sympathy, which in turn leads to temporary indignation over the manner in which the average enlisted man is treated by his aristocratic superiors. Despite his pleas for leniency, Hargreaves' client is sentenced to be shot. But all is not done …

Adapted by Evan Jones from John Wilson's play Hamp.

The gritty realism of Joseph Losey is legend … his films which can be found on this website are: The Lawless (1950), The Prowler (1951), The Big Night (1951), The Criminal (1960), King & Country (1964) & Figures in a Landscape (1970). As well as - against type - Modesty Blaise (1966)

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King Dinosaur (1955) - 63 mins

Starring William Bryant, Wanda Curtis, Douglas Henderson, Patti Gallagher & Marvin Miller

Directed by Bert Gordon

A group of intrepid space travellers blast off to explore the earth's new neighbors: a “new” solar system less than "a half-year's rocket flight away". Upon landing on one of the planets, the astronauts confront all manner of outsized reptiles. Then the planet's dinosaurs threaten the astronauts - which the latter must somehow repel and hopefully make the planet safe for colonization

This was legendary sci-fi director Bert I. Gordon first ever time at the helm - followed by The Cyclops (1957), Beginning of the End (1957), The Amazing Colossal Man (1958), Attack of the Puppet People (1958) & War of the Colossal Beast (1958) - all of which are available from this website

King Kong (1933) - 100 mins

Starring FayWray, Robert Armstrong, Bruce Cabot & Frank Reicher

Directed by Merian C. Cooper & Ernest B. Schoedsack

Master showman Carl Denham has fallen on hard times due to the depression, and mounts an expedition to the mysterious Skull Island to find another showpiece. He takes along adventurer Jack Driscoll and the down-on-her-luck gorgeous blonde Ann Darrow with him to spice up the show. Arriving on the island, they discover it is home to gigantic beasts like dinosaurs, and ruling over all is Kong, a 30 foot tall gorilla. The natives kidnap Ann as a sacrifice for Kong, and the other crew members head into the dangerous island interior to rescue her.

THE great adventure yarn- copied many times but never equalled!

King of the Khyber Rifles (1953) - 100 mins

Starring Tyrone Power, Terry Moore, Michael Rennie, John Justin & Guy Rolfe

Directed by Henry King

This remake of John Ford's The Black Watch (1929) stars Tyrone Power as British army captain stationed in India in 1857. Shunned by his fellow officers because he is a half caste, Power defies the social structure of the era by falling in love with the daughter (Terry Moore) of his superior officer. Power proves his loyalty to the Crown by quelling an uprising, led by his Indian boyhood friend (Guy Rolfe).

A great action / adventure yarn

Gorgeous Widescreen Technicolor Print!

Tyrone Power: that fabulous adventurer … great Tyrone Power movies available from this website are:

King of the Wild Stallions (1959) - 76 mins

Starring George Montgomery, Diane Brewster, Edgar Buchanan, Emile Meyer & Denver Pyle

Directed by R.G. Springsteen

Martha (Diane Brewster) is troubled because unless she can come up with $500 she will lose her land to Matt (Emile Meyer), a wealthy cattle rancher. Coincidentally, Matt is offering a $500 reward for the capture of a powerful wild stallion, and as such Martha may have a way out of her dilemma. But at the same time, Martha's son Bucky (Jerry Hartleben) wants to keep the horse if he can catch him. Caught between her son's wishes and losing her land, Martha may have another chance - Randy Burke (George Montgomery) is her ingenious, talented, and good-looking foreman!

One of George Montgomery’s last westerns (as star)

Excellent Cinemascope & Technicolor print!

The complete series (all 26 episodes, including the 1^st one which co-starred fellow Hollywood heavyweight Fred MacMurray) can be found in the TV Series section of this website

Kings of the Sun (1963) - 108 mins

Starring Yul Brynner, George Chakiris, Shirley Anne Field, Richard Basehart & Brad Dexter

Starring J. Lee Thompson

Balam (George Chakiris) is the son of the ruler of the Mayan people - so when his father is killed in battle, Balam succeeds his father as King and leads his followers out of Mexico to a coastal region. The Mayan's new home, however, is already the province of a hostile Indian tribe led by Black Eagle (Yul Brynner), who leads a raid against the Mayan's camp. Balam is severely injured, but Black Eagle's wife Ixchel (Shirley Ann Field) tends to his wounds, and eventually the two leaders agree to settle their differences and co-exist in peace. Hunac Ceel (Leo Gordon), Balam's old nemesis, is not so forgiving. He has followed the Mayans to their new home, where he and his troops mount a furious attack, with the Indians and the Mayans leading a united front against the invaders.

Fabulous wide-screen Technicolor print!

Director J. Lee Thompson & star Yul Brynner reunited for this historical adventure saga - they had previously combined to similar effect with Taras Bulba (1962), which is also available fro this website

King Solomon's Mines (1937) - 80 mins

Starring Cedric Hardwicke, Paul Robeson, Roland Young, Anna Lee & John Loder

Directed by Robert Stevenson

The first of three talkie versions of H. Rider Haggard's adventure novel King Solomon's Mine was produced by British Gaumont. Cedric Hardwicke plays the legendary explorer Alan Quartermaine, while African-American singing star Paul Robeson, plays dauntless native- guide Umbopa. The plot gets under way when Anna Lee organizes an expedition to locate her father, who has disappeared in the wilds of Africa while searching for King Solomon's Mines, a legendary diamond repository. Umbopa's motivation for guiding the expedition is to reclaim the tribal throne wrested from him by treacherous witch-doctor Gagool. At first treated as white gods by the natives, the explorers soon find their lives imperiled. Thanks to Umbopa's know-how, the whites are saved from a horrible death and the evil tribesmen are overthrown. Quartermaine and his party finally locate the fabled diamond cache and then fate deals an ironic hand, as fate has a habit of doing.

A very fine adventure film, with much to recommend it. Plenty of excitement, a little romance, and a few well-sung songs help push the plot along. Footage shot in Africa enhance the atmosphere of this Gaumont-British film.

Sir Cedric Hardwicke is a sturdy, stoic Quartermain, just the sort of no-nonsense fellow you would want guiding your expedition. American opera star Paul Robeson has marvelous presence as a mysterious native who seems to know a bit too much about the lands they are seeking. Arthur Sinclair & Anna Lee are the two Irish treasure seekers who spark much of the action. John Loder & Roland Young (very droll) nicely play the two English chaps who finance the trek.

King Solomon's Mines (1950) - 103 mins

Starring Stewart Granger, Deborah Kerr, Richard Carlson, Hugo Haas & Lowell Gilmore

Directed by Compton Bennett & Andrew Marton

MGM's expansive (shot on location) adaptation of H. Rider Haggard's famous novel, stars Stewart Granger as fearless-explorer Alan Quartermaine, and Deborah Kerr as the spunky Irish lass who hires him on to locate her husband. Kerr's spouse has disappeared somewhere in Africa while attempting to unearth the long-lost diamond mines of King Solomon.

Fabulous color print of a fabulous adventure!

Academy Awards for Best Color Cinematography & Film Editing. Also nominated for Best Picture

Why not check out the sequel Watusi (1959) which is available elsewhere in this section

King's Rhapsody (1955) - 93 mins

Starring Errol Flynn, Anna Neagle, Patrice Wymore, Martita Hunt, Finlay Currie & Francis De Wolff

Directed by Herbert Wilcox

Based on a musical play by Ivor Novello, about a European prince Richard, King of Laurentia (Erol Flynn) who falls in love with a commoner Marta Karillos (Anna Neagle). The prince abdicates his duties (as Prince) and goes into exile so he may set up house with the woman he loves. When the King dies, Flynn is obliged to return to his throne and marry the hand-picked Princess Cristiane (Patrice Wymore). Years later, Richard finally free to marry whm he chooses, seeks out Marta.

Patrice Wymore was Mrs. Flynn at the time.

Quality Note: This is a wide-screen color print - however its not the greatest of prints - a little smeary at times - but its still a good chance to see another side of Flynn

The King's Thief (1955) - 78 mins

Starring Edmund Purdom, David Niven, Ann Blyth, George Sanders, Roger Moore & John Dehner

Directed by Robert Z. Leonard

Director Robert Z. Leonard brought his 31-year association with MGM to a rousing close with The King's Thief. Set in England during the reign of Charles II (drolly portrayed by George Sanders), the film stars Edmund Purdom as Michael Dermott, who sets about to steal the crown jewels on behalf of his king. The current possessor of the gems is the wicked duke of Brampton, played with relish by a cast-against-type David Niven. Ann Blyth is a decorative heroine, while one of Michael Dermott's cohorts is played by a young, muscular Roger Moore. The plot of The King's Thief, purportedly based on fact, is merely an excuse for the nonstop swashbuckling of star Edmund Purdom.

Fabulous widescreen Technicolor color print!

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Kismet (1944) - 100 mins

Starring Ronald Colman, Marlene Dietrich, James Craig, Edward Arnold, Hugh Herbert & Joy Page

Directed by William Dieterle

Hafiz (Ronald Colman) is the "king of beggars" who poses as a prince and woos Jamilla (Marlene Dietrich), the favorite wife of the evil Grand Vizier (Edward Arnold). Meanwhile, Hafiz’s daughter Marsinah (Joy Ann Page) falls in love with the handsome Caliph (James Craig) while the Vizier connives to get Marsinah into his own harem. A tangle of engagements with a great cast!

Oscar Nominations for Color Cinematography, Music, Sound Recording & Color Art Direction

The fascinating and alluring Marlene Dietrich! - the movies starring this amazing woman and which are available from this website are: Blue Angel (1930), Morocco (1930), Dishonored (1931), Shanghai Express (1932), The Scarlet Empress (1934), The Devil Is a Woman (1935), Desire (1936), The Garden of Allah (1936), Knight Without Armour (1937), Destry Rides Again (1939), Seven Sinners (1940), The Flame of New Orleans (1941), Manpower (1941), The Spoilers (1942), Pittsburgh (1942), Kismet (1944), Golden Earrings (1947), A Foreign Affair (1948), Stage Fright (1950), No Highway in the Sky (1951), Rancho Notorious (1952), The Monte Carlo Story (1957), Witness for the Prosecution (1957)

The Kiss Before the Mirror (1933) - 67 mins

Starring Nancy Carroll, Frank Morgan, Paul Lukas, Gloria Stuart, Jean Dixon & Donald Cook

Directed by James Whale

Dr. Paul Held (Frank Morgan) is an attorney who has been asked to come to the aid of his old friend Walter Bernsdorf (Paul Lukas). Bernsdorf has been accused of killing his wife, and he wants Paul to defend him in court. Whilst he admits to shooting his spouse, Bernsdorf tells Paul that he lost control when he found out his wife was having an affair. Paul takes on his friend's case, but as he pours over the facts in the slaying, he finds himself wondering about the fidelity of his own wife, Maria (Nancy Carroll).

A well-detailed thriller from the maestro, James Whale.

Legendary director James Whale helmed some memorable films in his brief career:

Kiss Me Deadly (1955) - 106 mins

Starring Ralph Meeker, Albert Dekker, Paul Stewart, Juano Hernandez, Wesley Addy & Marian Carr

Directed by Robert Aldrich

"Regarded by many critics as the ultimate film noir, and by many more as the finest movie adaptation of a book by Mickey Spillane, Kiss Me Deadly stars Ralph Meeker as Spillane's anti-social private eye Mike Hammer. While driving down a lonely road late one evening, Hammer picks up a beautiful blonde hitchhiker (Cloris Leachman), dressed in nothing but a raincoat. At first, Hammer assumes that the incoherent girl is an escaped lunatic; his mind is changed for him when he and the girl are abducted by two thugs. The men torture the girl to death as the semiconscious Hammer watches helplessly. He himself escapes extermination when the murderers' car topples off a cliff and he is thrown clear. Seeking vengeance, Hammer tries to discover the secret behind the girl's murder. Among those who cross his path in the film's tense, tingling 105 minutes are a slimy gangster (Paul Stewart), a turncoat scientist (Albert Dekker), and the dead woman's sexy roommate (Gaby Rodgers). All clues lead to a mysterious box -- the "Great Whatsit," as Hammer's secretary Velda (Maxine Cooper) describes it. Both the box and Velda are stolen by the villains, at which point Hammer discovers that the "Whatsit" contains radioactive material of awesome powers. The apocalyptic climax is doubly devastating because we're never quite certain if Hammer survives (he doesn't narrate the story, as was the case in most Mike Hammer films and TV shows). Director Robert Aldrich and scriptwriter Jack Moffit transcend Kiss Me Deadly's basic genre trappings to produce a one-of-a-kind melodrama for the nuclear age"

Yes its that Hammer guy!

I, The Jury (1953) was the first of Mickey Spillane's Mike Hammer novels to hit the screen. It starred Biff Elliott (in his first film) as an ideal Hammer, closer to Spillane's lout than his (relatively) spruced-up successors Ralph Meeker in Kiss Me Deadly (1955) and Robert Bray in My Gun Is Quick (1957). Even Mickey Spillane himself played Mike Hammer in The Girl Hunters (1963).

All of these Mike Hammer films are available from this (INDIVIDUAL MOVIE TITLES) section of website.

Kiss of Death (1947) - 98 mins

Starring Victor Mature, Brian Donlevy, Colleen Gray, Richard Widmark & Karl Malden

Directed by Henry Hathaway

A gritty tale of deceit and manipulation filmed with an almost documentary-style realism, this hard-edged noir thriller stars Victor Mature as a gangster who takes the rap for a jewellery-store heist to protect his wife and children. But when his friends on the outside fail to honour their promise, he turns the tables on the mob and works with the FBI to incriminate the men who helped put him away. Richard Widmark debuts as the evil mobster with the manic laugh.

Academy Award nominations for Best Supporting Actor (Widmark) & Best Original Story.

Kiss Tomorrow Goodbye (1950) - 102 mins

Starring James Cagney, Barbara Payton, Helena Carter, Ward Bond, Luther Adler & Barton MacLaine

Directed by Gordon Douglas

From the trial of the survivors, we flash back to amoral crook Ralph Cotter's violent prison break, assisted by Holiday Carleton, sister of another prisoner, who doesn't make it. Soon Ralph manipulates the grieving Holiday into his arms, and two crooked cops follow her into his pocket. Ralph's total lack of scruple brings him great success in a series of robberies. But his easy conquest of gullible heiress Margaret Dobson proves more dangerous to him than any crime

Cagney's follow-up to White Heat is a tour-de-force with a fabulous finale!

Kit Carson (1940) - 97 mins

Starring Jon Hall, Lynn Bari, Dana Andrews, Harold Huber, Ward Bond & Clayton Moore

Directed by George B. Seitz

This Edward Small historical drama with Jon Hall as legendary frontiersman Kit Carson gets off to an exciting start as Kit and his two saddle pals Ape and Lopez (Ward Bond & Harold Huber) are attacked by Indians. They manage to escape unscathed and make their way to Fort Bridger, where Captain John "Frontier" Fremont (Dana Andrews) hires Kit to guide a wagon train westward. The plot thickens when both Carson and Fremont fall in love with pretty Dolores Murphy (Lynn Bari), but all misunderstandings and rivalries are forgotten when the two heroes fight shoulder to shoulder against another Indian attack.

Exciting western - the battle scenes are well staged by serial veteran George B. Seitz.

Knight Without Armor (1937) - 107 mins

Starring Marlene Dietrich, Robert Donat, Irene Vanbrugh, Herbert Lomas, Austin Trevor & Basil Gill

Directed by Jacques Feyder

Marlene Dietrich and Robert Donat star in this gripping melodrama about the Russian revolution, based on the novel by James Hilton. Donat plays A.J. Fothergill, a British interpreter in St. Petersburg who is ordered to leave Russia after writing an article that criticized the czar. Fothergill meets a British secret agent who can arrange for him to stay in Russia if he will agree to spy for England and monitor revolutionary groups trying to depose the czar. Fothergill infiltrates a group planning to kill Russian nobleman Vladinoff (Herbert Lomas); the radicals bomb Vladinoff's coach, but he and his daughter, Alexandra (Marlene Dietrich) escape unharmed. Fothergill is arrested and sent to Siberia. When the monarchy is deposed during the Russian Revolution in 1917, Alexandra is arrested by Communist forces and put on trial. Fothergill is freed from prison with his friend Axelstein (Basil Gill), and they are now revolutionary heroes. Alexandra must go to Petrograd to face trial and Fothergill is chosen to escort her. When they reach the train station, Fothergill discovers the White Army (fighting to restore the czar) is coming.

Absolute fabulous story - with star-power to match!

Knock on Any Door (1949) - 100 mins

Starring Humphrey Bogart, John Derek, George Macready, Allene Roberts & Candy Toxton

Directed by Nicholas Ray

Attorney Andrew Morton (Humphrey Bogart), himself a product of the slums, is persuaded to take the case of underprivileged teenager Nick Romano (John Derek), who has been arrested on a murder charge. Through flashbacks, Morton demonstrates that Romano is more a victim of society than a natural-born killer and he manages to arouse sympathy for the plight of those trapped by birth and circumstance in a dead-end existence. Will this defence strategy have the desired result on the jury despite the badgering behaviour of District Attorney Kernan (George Macready)?

The first production of Bogart's Santana company, Knock on Any Door (1949) showcases Columbia's newest young male discovery John Derek - as Nick Romano, John Derek would never be better, nor would he ever again play a character who struck so responsive a chord with the audience. Nick's oft-repeated credo: "Live fast, die young, and leave a good-looking corpse" became the clarion call for a generation of disenfranchised youth.

Knockout (1941) - 73 mins

Starring Arthur Kennedy, Olympe Bradna, Virginia Field, Anthony Quinn & Cornel Wilde

Directed by William Clemens

In this boxing drama, champion fighter Johnny Rocket (Arthur Kennedy) aka Kid Williams decides to leave the ring to please his new bride. Unfortunately, his greedy manager, unwilling to get off the gravy train engineers things so that the fighter cannot find work and must return to the squared circle to make a living. His ploy works, and the fighter resumes his career. He also begins falling in love with a sexy female sports writer. This causes his marriage to disintegrate. The avaricious manager decides to make a lot of money fast and so sets his fighter up to take a dive and betting against him.

Arthur Kennedy was to appear in another "Boxing" film 8 years later and for which he was nominated for a Best Supporting Actor Oscar: Champion (1949) - which is also available from this website

Krakatoa: East of Java (1969) - 131 mins

Starring Maximilian Schell, Diane Baker, Brian Keith, Barbara Werle, Sal Mineo & Rossano Brazzi

Directed by Bernard L. Kowalski

Its 1883, in the Dutch East Indies and Captain Hanson (Maximilian Schell) of the "Batavia Queen" is preparing to embark on a salvage expedition. His mistress, Laura (Diane Baker), knows the location of a ship belonging to her late husband - now a shipwreck concealing a cargo of rare pearls. So Hanson installs a diver and diving bell aboard ship. But a government agent coerces Hanson into accepting a shipment of convicts for the ship's hold. The wreck lies dangerously close to the erupting volcano on the island of Krakatoa, where Laura's young son attends the convent school...

Volcano (1969) is the reissue title of this disaster film - the name change was reportedly put into effect after thousands of filmgoers noted publicly that Krakatoa is in fact West of Java!

The climactic special effects of the long-dormant volcano at Krakatoa erupting with A-bomb force, are spectacular and were Oscar Nominated for Best Special Effects

Kronos (1957) - 78 mins

Starring Jeff Morrow, Barbara Lawrence, John Emery, George O’Hanlon & Morris Ankrum

Directed by Kurt Neumann

An alien satellite enters close orbit around the Earth and releases a projectile that takes over the body and mind of Dr. Hubbell Eliot (John Emery), the director of Lab Central, America's top astrophysics research facility. Even as Elliot is falling victim to the invaders, Lab Central scientist Dr. Leslie Gaskell (Jeff Morrow) and his colleagues, Vera Hunter (Barbara Lawrence) and Dr. Arnie Culver (George O'Hanlon), have begun tracking the object - not certain what it is - and determine that it is going to hit the Earth in less than 24 hours. An attempt to destroy it with nuclear warheads fails, and the vehicle comes down off the coast of Mexico. While Eliot tries to resist the invaders' control and is hospitalized in a state of collapse, Gaskell, Vera, and Culver fly to the site of the landing, where the submerged craft emits a powerful energy pulse that spreads across the surface of the ocean and toward the beach. When it clears, there stands on the beach a huge metallic object: a towering robot, Kronos - hundreds of feet tall and possessing immense power, Kronos proceeds to rampage across the countryside, destroying everything in its path as it seeks out and absorbs all sources of electrical and atomic energy. Back at Lab Central, Eliot temporarily breaks free of the aliens' control, long enough to tell Gaskell of the robot's purpose and mission -- Kronos is a accumulator, sent to Earth by a race whose own planet is depleted of energy, and it will continue to grow stronger unless someone can find a way of reversing the process; worse yet, if Kronos isn't destroyed, other accumulators will be sent to drain the Earth of all its energy.

Gorgeous wide-screen B&W print - fills the full 16:9 screen (not like "letterboxed" commercial releases)

Enjoyable Sci-Fi film with Jeff Morrow returning to the genre after success in This Island Earth (1955). Jeff followed up with the equally impressive The Giant Claw (1957) - both of which are available from this website.

The Ladies Man (1961) - 95 mins

Starring Jerry Lewis, Helen Traubel, Pat Stanley, George Raft & Harry James

Directed by Jerry Lewis

After his girl leaves him for someone else, Herbert H. Heebert (Jerry Lewis) gets really depressed and starts searching for a job. He finally finds one in a big house which is inhabited by many, many women. Can he live in the same home with all these females?

Another very funny Jerry Lewis vehicle (which he also directed)

What’s your favorite Jerry Lewis picture?

The titles that are on this website are the ones that Trev best “connected with” during school holidays at the local cinema. The following with Dean Martin: Sailor Beware (1952), The Stooge (1952), Scared Stiff (1953),

The Caddy (1953), Living It Up (1954), Pardners (1956) & Hollywood or Bust (1956).

Then with Jerry on his own: The Bellboy (1960) & The Ladies Man (1961), both of which had Jerry in the directors chair and The Disorderly Orderly (1964) which reunited Jerry with director Frank Taslin, who had previously helmed Hollywood or Bust (1956).

All 10 titles are available from this website

Ladies of the Jury (1932) - 63 mins

Starring Edna May Oliver, Jill Esmond, Ken Murray, Roscoe Ates & Kitty Kelly

Directed by Lowell Sherman

Edna May Oliver portrays a society dowager called for jury duty on a murder trial wherein a pretty young woman is accused of killing her older husband. She takes her job quite seriously, and soon is playing both prosecutor and defense attorney with judge and witnesses alike. In this unorthodox but highly entertaining fashion, will she get to the truth and exposes the genuine murderer?

Edna May all the way!

The Lady and the Bandit (1951) - 79 mins

Starring Louis Hayward, Patricia Medina, Suzanne Dalbert, Tom Tully & John Williams

Directed by Ralph Murphy

The "bandit" of the title is notorious 18th-century British highwayman Dick Turpin, herein portrayed by Louis Hayward. The lady is the high-born Joyce Greene (Patricia Medina), who becomes Turpin's bride. Motivated by Irish patriotism and revenge against the man who hanged his father, Turpin cuts quite a swath through the British countryside, relieving wealthy passengers of their riches. For his wife's sake, Turpin briefly gives up his life of crime, but not for long. Upon learning that his wife is slated to be hanged as his accomplice, Turpin embarks upon a 200-mile ride from St.Alban's to York, knowing full well that by rescuing his bride, he will forfeit his own life. Well produced Columbian costumer which is based on the Alfred Noyes poem Dick Turpin's Ride.

Quality Note: Not the greatest of prints - although the images are sharp and the sound is good.

Louis Hayward made a number of "swashbucklers" during his career - there was The Man in the Iron Mask (1939) and The Son of Monte Cristo (1940) followed by The Black Arrow in 1948. Then he filmed The Pirates of Capri (1949) in Italy for legendary director Edgar G. Ulmer, before combining again with The Black Arrow's director Gordon Douglas and co-star George Macready for Fortunes of Captain Blood (1950). Louis Hayward next played Dick Turpin in The Lady and the Bandit (1951) before Captain Pirate (1952) marked his last swordplay movie. He then moved to TV for The Lone Wolf TV series - each of the above films are available from this website, whilst the TV series is available in the TV Series section of this website.

The Lady Eve (1941) - 94 mins

Starring Barbara Stanwyck, Henry Fonda, Charles Coburn, Eugene Pallette, William Demarest & Eric Blore

Directed by Preston Sturges

Charles Pike (Henry Fonda) is an ophiologist (a snake expert) who has just spent a year "up the Amazon" looking for rare snakes with his cynical and protective guardian/valet Muggsy (William Demarest). But Charles is also the heir to The Pike Ale fortune ("The Ale That Won for Yale") and when he arrives to board the S.S. Southern Queen bound for New York, he immediately becomes the main order of business for a collection of single women looking to nab the eligible bachelor. Amongst those watching Charles board are a trio of con men and cardsharps -- Colonel Handsome Harry Harrington (Charles Coburn), his partner Gerald (Melville Cooper), and the Colonel's daughter Jean (Barbara Stanwyck). All three see Charles as a pushover and eventually they play cards, with Charles winning $500 from the Colonel and $100 from Jean. But Charles is merely being set-up for the next game when the Colonel will come in for the kill. Muggsy warns Charles that the Colonel and Jean are cardsharks, but Charles won't hear of it. Meanwhile, the Colonel is looking forward to fleecing Charles, but Jean doesn't want any part of it, since she has now become attracted to Charles ….

Preston Sturges wrote and directed this classic romantic comedy - a scintillating battle of the sexes, pointing up the terrors of sexual passion and the unattainability of the romantic ideal.

Oscar Nominated for Best Screenplay

Preston Sturges proved himself the master-class writer / director. An astounding achievement consisting of an unbroken string of seven (screwball comedy) hits: The Great McGinty (1940), Christmas in July (1940), The Lady Eve (1941), Sullivan’s Travels (1941), The Palm Beach Story (1942), The Miracle of Morgan’s Creek (1944) & Hail the Conquering Hero (1944) - all available from this section of the website. Indeed each of these films are also available in a specially packaged 7 DVD set from within the Classic Movie Combinations section titled Preston Sturges’ Screwball Septet

The Lady from Shanghai (1947) - 87 mins

Starring Rita Hayworth, Orson Welles, Everett Sloane, Glenn Anders & Ted de Corsia

Directed by Orson Welles

A complex, involving puzzle-within-a-puzzle mystery story, is a showcase for Orson Welles, showing his singular talents and sensibilities as few other films have. The story is superficially simple: a seaman Michael O'Hara (Welles) is hired as a crew member on the yacht of the wealthy Banister (Everett Sloane). His beautiful but mysterious wife Elsa (Rita Hayworth) has met O'Hara earlier, when he saved her from a mugging. What ensues is a complicated and bizarre pattern of deception, fraud and murder, with O'Hara finding himself implicated in a murder, despite his innocence. The film is best remembered for its final sequence when the plot comes to a literally smashing climax in the famous "hall of mirrors" sequence, with Elsa and Banister shooting it out amidst shards of shattering glass. Orson Welles, who produced, directed, wrote and starred in the film, is sometimes self-indulgent in his use of visual tricks and techniques, which at times sacrifice plot for visual brilliance, but he pulls it together in the end to produce a stunning, difficult film. Rita Hayworth gives one of her best performances as the deceptive, seductive temptress, hard-edged and cynical. The film confounds, unsettles and disorients the viewer, very much as Welles intended to do. While not an easy film, it is well worth the attention required to follow it, and Welles offers no easy solutions or any false happy endings to his tour-de-force mystery.

Lady in the Lake (1947) - 105 mins

Starring Robert Montgomery, Audrey Totter, Lloyd Nolan, Tom Tully, Leon Ames & Jayne Meadows

Directed by Robert Montgomery

Robert Montgomery is the director and star of the film noir mystery Lady in the Lake, adapted for the screen by source novelist Raymond Chandler. Montgomery plays detective Philip Marlowe, a private eye who has decided to publish his own crime stories. Kingsby Publications editor Adrienne Fromsett (Audrey Totter) meets with Marlowe, but offers him a job as a detective instead of a writer. She wants him to find the missing wife of her boss, Mr. Kingsby (Leon Ames). (Adrienne wants them to proceed with their divorce so she can marry Kingsby herself.) Marlowe accepts the job and goes looking for clues at the home of the wife's sometime lover, Chris Lavery (Dick Simmons). When Marlowe gets knocked out and picked up for drunk driving, he decides to drop the case. He is drawn back in, however, when Adrienne suggests that Kingsby's wife is responsible for the murder of a mysterious lady in the lake. Lloyd Nolan and Tom Tully play two police detectives also on the case. Lady in the Lake is remembered as being filmed with a subjective camera almost entirely from Marlowe's point of view and subsequently hyped by an MGM ad campaign.

When its all said and done - all gimmicks aside - this is a great noir with Montgomery playing Marlowe - what more could one want!

Note that this film is part of the Philip Marlowe "at the Movies" Combination which can be found in the Classic Movie Combinations section of this website

The Ladykillers (1955) - 91 mins

Starring Alec Guinness, Cecil Parker, Herbert Lom, Peter Sellers, Danny Green & Jack Warner

Directed by Alexander Mackendrick

Music professor Marcus (Alec Guinness) rents a London flat from a sweet old lady (Katie Johnson). He tells her that, from time to time, several other musicians will visit in order to rehearse. In truth, Marcus can't play a note, nor can his visitors: he's a criminal mastermind, holding court over a gang of thieves, including the likes of punkish Harry (Peter Sellers), homicidal Louis (Herbert Lom) and punchdrunk One-Round (Danny Green). The gang uses Marcus’ flat as headquarters as they conceive a daring £60,000 robbery. After pulling off the job, the gang stuffs the loot in a railway station locker. To avoid detection, Marcus convinces the ever-trusting old lady to pick up the money. Through a series of comic complications, the old lady returns home with a police escort, with neither the woman nor the bobbies suspecting that she's carrying a fortune in her suitcase. Mistakenly believing that old lady has ratted on them, the gang reluctantly plans to eliminate her.

Oscar Nominated for Best Screenplay (William Rose)

Alec Guinness and director Alexander Mackendrick had previously combined to great effect in The Man in the White Suit (1951)

Lady on a Train (1945) - 93 mins

Starring Deanna Durbin, Ralph Bellamy, Edward Everett Horton, George Coulouris, Dan Duryea & Allen Jenkins

Directed by Charles David

While waiting at a train station, Nikki Collins witnesses a murder from a nearby building. When she brings the police to the scene of the crime, they think she's crazy since there's no body. She then enlists a popular mystery writer to help with her sleuthing.

Talents as diverse as Deanna Durbin's charm and singing ability, Edward Everett Horton's flair for screwball comedy, and Dan Duryea's knack for portraying impish, enigmatic characters, are brought together here in a pretty good comic mystery. Neither the mystery story nor the comedy would have been enough to sustain a movie by itself, but they fit together well, with the help of an assortment of interesting characters and some well-chosen settings.

Adds up to an enjoyable movie - and you'll never pick the murderer!

The Lady Vanishes (1938) - 97 mins

Starring Margaret Lockwood, Michael Redgrave, Paul Lukas, Dame May Whitty, Googie Withers & Cecil Parker

Directed by Alfred Hitchcock

On a train through Europe, Iris Henderson meets the kindly old woman Miss Froy, and they meet several other passengers over the course of their conversation. Iris later wakes up from a nap to discover that Miss Froy is nowhere to be found, and none of the people they met seem to have any recollection of her. A psychiatrist on the train suggests that Miss Froy never existed: Iris was bumped on the head before boarding, and the conversation may have only taken place in her head. However, Iris is certain that something more sinister is going on, and teams up with another acquaintance, the musician Gilbert, to find her before the train reaches its destination. The redoubtable Basil Radford & Naunton Wayne as Charters & Caldicott make there first of several film appearances here

Note: An excellent print - much better than those commercially available

Check out the 1979 remake below.

Basil Radford & Naunton Wayne were to appear as “Charters & Caldicott” in a total of four fabulously “British” films: The Lady Vanishes (1938), Night Train to Munich (1940), Crook’s Tour (1941) & Millions Like Us (1943) - all of which are available from this website.

The Lady Vanishes (1979) - 99 mins

Starring Elliott Gould, Cybill Shepherd, Angela Lansbury, Herbert Lom, Arthur Lowe & Ian Carmichael

Directed by Anthony Page

On an express train travelling through pre-World War II Germany, American heiress Amanda Kelly (Cybill Shepherd) befriends a cute old nanny, Miss Froy (Angela Lansbury). But when Miss Froy disappears, everyone Amanda questions denies having ever seen her. Eventually Amanda persuades American photographer Robert Condon (Elliot Gould) to help her search the train, during which they discover that Miss Froy wasn't quite what she seemed. A pleasing remake of the Hitchcock classic (which is also available - see above)

Perfect Wide-screen Technicolor print!

Note that this film along with Rogue Male (1976), The Thirty Nine Steps (1978) & The Riddle of the Sands (1979) are available in a 4 DVD set titled British Espionage from within the Classic Movie Combinations section of the website

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Lafayette Escadrille (1958) - 93 mins

Starring Tab Hunter, Etchika Choureau, Marcel Dalio, David Janssen, Paul Fix, Will Hutchins & Clint Eastwood

Directed by William A. Wellman

Long before the USA's entry into WWI, a group of courageous young American aviators, banded together to fight the Kaiser in the skies of France. They were known as ‘The Lafayette Escadrille’ (from the French Escadrille de Lafayette). One of these reckless flyboys is Thad Walker (Tab Hunter), who arrives in Paris after being thrown out of his wealthy father's home. Joining the Escadrille with Walker are fellow expatriates Tom Hitchcock (Jody McCrea), Duke Sinclair (David Janssen) and "Wild Bill" Wellman (played by the director's son, Bill Wellman Jr.). In between romancing the locals, this courageous group take on the might of Germany, in their less than sturdy biplanes!

Did You Know that director William Wellman was actually attached to the Lafayette Flying Corps during WW1

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Lancer Spy (1937) - 78 mins

Starring George Sanders, Dolores del Rio, Peter Lorre, Virginia Field, Sig Ruman & Lionel Atwill

Directed by Gregory Ratoff

Michael Bruce (George Sanders) is an officer in the British Navy during WWI, who bears an uncanny resemblance to the recently-captured Baron Kurt von Rohbach (George Sanders). Rohbach is highly connected in the German aristocracy, and his capture has been kept quite secret. This allows Bruce to be drafted into service to impersonate the German officer, infiltrate the enemy at the top level, and send back information that can turn the tide in the war. Bruce does a remarkable job and fools just about everyone, with only the head of the secret police Major Gruning (Peter Lorre) having doubts. But Gruning can hardly accuse someone of the Baron's standing on nothing more than suspicions. He therefore engages a nightclub singer Dolores Daria Sunnel (Dolores Del Rio) to seduce Bruce and find out if his suspicions are sound or baseless.

Excellent & suspenseful espionage thriller

Land of the Pharaohs (1955) - 106 mins

Starring Jack Hawkins, Joan Collins, Dewey Martin, Alex Minotis & James Roberston Justice

Directed by Howard Hawks

Extravagantly produced with a cast of seeming millions (actually there were some 10,000 extras), the film speculates on the circumstances surrounding the construction of the Great Pyramids of Egypt. Jack Hawkins plays the Pharaoh, who orders enslaved architect Vashtar (James Robertson Justice) to build a magnificent, thief-proof tomb for him. At first, the people of Egypt willingly pitch in to construct the huge pyramid. But as the years roll by and the work shows no signs of abating, the Pharaoh begins relying upon forced labor from lands he has conquered. He also plunders the coffers of his neighboring countries. Cyprus can't pay the required gold tax, so the country sends luscious Princess Nellifer (Joan Collins) as a "present" for the Pharaoh. Fascinated by the spitfire Nellifer, the Pharaoh makes her his second wife. Hoping to gain all of the Pharaoh's kingdom and the riches therein, she plots her husband’s death.

The Land That Time Forgot (1975) - 90 mins

Starring Doug McClure, John McEnery, Susan Penhaligon, Keith Barron, Anthony Ainley & Godfrey James

Directed by Kevin Connor

Its 1916 and the US Montrose is fired on and sunken by a German U-boat. However the survivors manage to sneak aboard and capture the U-boat. In between subsequent coups, the British and Germans agree to an uneasy truce until they can reach a neutral port. But they become lost and instead arrive on the mythical continent of Caprona where dinosaurs and cavemen still roam. Amid this savage, primitive environment they attempt to survive and repair the submarine

The Land That Time Forgot (1975) was the first of three Edgar Rice Burroughs tales that were adapted for film by British production house Amicus under the direction of Kevin Connor and starring American actor Doug McClure (remember Trampas from the 60's TV series The Virginian ?). The second was At The Earth's Core (1976), which also starred Peter Cushing and the lovely Caroline Munro, and the last was The People That Time Forgot (1977), a sequel to the first film in which Patrick Wayne goes in search for Doug. The Land That Time Forgot is also significant because well known Fantasy writer Michael Moorcock worked on the screenplay. A fourth Connor / McClure film in this series of period lost world films was also produced : Warlords Of Atlantis (1978). Although not based on the works of Edgar Rice Burroughs, it followed fairly much the formula set by the other films in the series - a journey by stalwart period English scientists into a lost world filled with monsters, a voyage that takes places in a marvellous vehicle of period technology.

(Kevin Connor sandwiched these 4 films between equally enjoyable sci-fi / fantasy romps: From Beyond the Grave (1973) & Arabian Adventure (1979) - both of which are available from this website)

McClure then returned to US TV but within two years was back on the big screen in the outrageous Humanoids from the Deep (1980). From the Roger Corman (low-budget shocker) stable this film achieved dubious notoriety for its gratuitous and uncompromising approach to the genre

The films all also feature charismatic acting from lantern-jawed lead man Doug McClure and talented support players.

All of these films are available from within this section of the website - they are also available in a 5 DVD set from within the Classic Movie Combination section of this website

The Land Unknown (1957) - 78 mins

Starring Jock Mahoney, Shirley Patterson, William Reynolds, Henry Brandon, Phil Harvey & Douglas Kennedy

Directed by Virgil W. Vogel

Cmndr. Harold 'Hal' Roberts (Jock Mahoney) and Lt. Jack Carmen (William Reynolds) are leaders of an expedition to the South Pole. Along for the ride is girl reporter Maggie Hathaway (Shirley Patterson), over whose affections Hal and Jack constantly battle. Making a forced landing in the Antarctic, the intrepid explorers find that they've descended well below sea level. Before long, they are attacked by prehistoric beasts which have been preserved in this heretofore uncharted region. When not fending off Tyrannosauri and Pterodactyls, Hal, Jack, Maggie and copter pilot Steve Miller (Phil Harvey) try to steer clear of an unwieldly carnivorous plant. Further complicating things is the presence of a long-lost and demented scientist (Henry Brandon) who craves after Maggie!

Quite convincing special effects

Fans of "Jocko" won't be disappointed!

The Last Bandit (1949) - 80 mins

Starring Wild Bill Elliott, Lorna Gray, Forrest Tucker, Andy Devine, Jack Holt & Grant Withers

Directed by Joseph Kane

Brothers Frank & Jim Plummer (Wild Bill Elliott & Forrest Tucker) are a couple of James-like bandits until Frank deciding to go straight, adopts a new name and takes a job as an express guard. Jim assumes that Frank is merely playing possum, intending to return to banditry when the time is ripe. But Frank is serious about reforming, setting the stage for an extreme and violent form of sibling rivalry at the climax.

Casey Brown (Andy Devine eschewing his usual comedy relief) is the railroad detective who decides to risk hiring Frank, while Kate Foley (Linda Gray aka Adrian Booth) is the intelligent love interest.

The Last Bandit was one of two Wild Bill Elliott westerns that was lensed in Republic's Trucolor process. The other being Hellfire (1949)

Very nice Trucolor print!

Wild Bill Elliott had graduated from a string of Red Ryder oaters to lead a nice run of 9 “adult” A list westerns which utilized Republic’s skilled techniques in delivering action and adventure: Plainsman and the Lady (1946) Wyoming (1947), The Fabulous Texan (1947), Old Los Angeles (1948), The Gallant Legion (1948), The Last Bandit (1949), Hellfire (1949), The Savage Horde (1950) & The Showdown (1950) - all of which are available from this website

The Last Command (1955) - 110 mins

Starring Sterling Hayden, Anna Maria Alberghetti, Richard Carlson, Arthur Hunnicutt, Ernest Borgnine & J. Carrol Naish

Directed by Frank Lloyd

When Texas is threatened by the armies of Mexican general Santa Ana (J. Carrol Naish), Jim Bowie (Sterling Hayden) at first adopts a policy of peaceful coexistence. When this proves impossible, Bowie joins Davy Crockett (Arthur Hunnicut) and the rest of the courageous defenders of The Alamo. The climactic confrontation between the heroes of the Alamo and Santa Ana provides the climax to this excellent Trucolor production from Republic. Frank Lloyd's large-scale direction and the vibrant musical score of Max Steiner imbues The Last Command with a "major studio" aura.

Well done, Republic!

Sterling Hayden films which are available from this website are:

The Last Frontier (1955) - 98 mins

Starring Victor Mature, Guy Madison, Robert Preston, James Whitmore, Anne Bancroft & Peter Whitney

Directed by Anthony Mann

Crude and uncivilized backwoods trappers Jed Cooper (Mature), Gus Hideout (James Whitmore), and Mungo (Pat Hogan) have been robbed of a year's worth of skins by marauding Indians. They sign on as scouts at a remote Oregon fort which is now commanded by Colonel Frank Marston (Robert Preston) - the latter having assumed the position at the expense of Captain Glenn Riordan (Guy Madison). Riordan, a young, but sensible officer, is outraged when he learns that Marston, posted out west for having lost his 1500-man command during a Civil War battle, has ordered the entire fort's complement, totally unprepared for combat and outnumbered, to march out against experienced Indian warriors.

Jed joins with Riordan in trying to stop what, in all likelihood, will be a mass slaughter. Complicating matters is that Jed has fallen in love with Corinna (Anne Bancroft), the refined wife of Marston.

Fabulous wide-screen Technicolor print!

Anthony Mann helmed some wonderfully adult/psychological westerns in the 1950’s: Winchester ’73 (1950), The Furies (1950), Devil’s Doorway (1950), The Tall Target (1951), Bend in the River (1952), The Naked Spur(1953), The Far Country (1954), The Man From Laramie (1955), The Last Frontier (1955), The Tin Star (1957), Man of the West (1958) & Cimarron (1960) - all of which are available from this website.

Anthony Mann was also responsible for a fabulous half dozen “classic noirs” which pre-dated his westerns: Desperate (1947), Railroaded! (1947), T-Men (1947), Raw Deal (1948), Border Incident (1949) & Side Street (1950) - all of which are available from this section of the website (and in special 6 DVD set within the Classic Movie Combinations section)

Four other Anthony Mann’s can also be found on the website: the clever “B” Two O’Clock Courage (1945) with Tom “The Falcon” Conway, the outdoors adventure themed Thunder Bay (1953) with James Stewart, the WWII epic, Heroes of Telemark (1965) with Kirk Douglas & espionage thriller (he died during the filming) A Dandy in Aspic (1968) with Laurence Harvey

The Last Man on Earth (1964) - 86 mins

Starring Vincent Price, Franca Bettoia, Emma Danieli, Giacomo Rossi-Stuart & Umberto Raho

Directed by Sidney Salkow

Dr. Robert Morgan (Vincent Price) is the only survivor of a devastating world-wide plague due to a mysterious immunity he acquired to the bacterium while working in Central America years ago. In this post-epidemic nightmare world, the entire population of the Earth have become vampire-like creatures and Morgan is the monster slayer that the vampire-society fears. Curing one of them, Ruth (Franca Bettoja), with a transfusion of his blood gives Morgan hope for the future. But the vampires will never give up in their quest to kill him.

Excellent print - much superior to commercial offerings

This dark tale, based on Richard Matheson's even darker novel "I Am Legend" was later remade as The Omega Man (1971) with Charlton Heston in the Dr. Robert Morgan role.

The Omega Man (1971) is also available from this website.

Vincent Price: Master of the Macabre - starred in several horror films during his career, so much so that he eventually became typecast in the genre. A nice selection of his better horror films are available from this website: House of Wax (1953), House on Haunted Hill (1959), The Tingler (1959), House of Usher (1960), Pit and the Pendulum (1961), Tales of Terror (1962), The Raven (1963), Twice-Told Tales (1963), The Masque of the Red Death (1964), Witchfinder General (1968), The Abominable Dr. Phibes (1971), Dr. Phibes Rises Again (1972), Theatre of Blood (1973) & Madhouse (1974).

He also lead the cast in some nice sci-fi films: The Fly (1958), Return of the Fly (1959), Master of the World (1961), The Last Man on Earth (1964) & War-Gods of the Deep (1965)

Not forgetting his only western as star: The Baron of Arizona (1950) - his favorite film.

All of the above are available from this website.

The Last of Mrs. Cheyney (1937) - 98 mins

Starring William Powell, Joan Crawford, Robert Montgomery, Frank Morgan, Benita Hume & Nigel Bruce

Directed by Richard Boleslawski

Joan Crawford is a jewel thief who poses as an aristocrat. It is her intention to pilfer a valuable pearl necklace while attending a society party in the company of partner-in-crime William Powell. Here she attracts the attention of Robert Montgomery, a young nobleman who is amused by Crawford's wittiness in the face of the haughty bitchery of Benita Hume. Will the necklace be stolen?

Based on a popular drawing-room drama by Frederick Lonsdale

Last of the Badmen (1957) - 79 mins

Starring George Montgomery, Keith Larsen, James Best, Douglas Kennedy, Robert Foulk & Tom Greenway

Directed by Paul Landres

In 1880’s Chicago, detective Dan Barton (George Montgomery) prepares to head westward. Barton intends to round up a gang of stagecoach bandits, whose modus operandi is to spring criminals from jail in return for their services. In order to infiltrate the gang, Barton poses as an incarcerated crook with a huge price on his head. What he doesn't know is that gang leader Hawkins (Douglas Kennedy) invariably kills the bad guys that he's freed from jail in order to collect the reward money.

Nice premise - and GM delivers! (as always)

The complete series (all 26 episodes, including the 1^st one which co-starred fellow Hollywood heavyweight Fred MacMurray) can be found in the TV Series section of this website

The Last of the Fast Guns (1958) - 82 mins

Starring Jock Mahoney, Gilbert Roland, Linda Crystal, Eduard Franz, Lorne Greene & Carl Benton Reid

Directed by George Sherman

When a millionaire discovers that he is going to lose half of his business if his missing brother isn't found, he hires Brad Ellison - “the last of the fast guns" - to search of him. Ellison has to first find the brother and then keep him alive long enough to get back to the claim his share of the family business.

Jocko in black! - superb!

Now a (true) perfect widescreen Technicolor - fills the 16:9 screens of big TVs - a glorious presentation of this excellent western (one of Trev's favs). Gratis upgrades to previous customers

Gorgeous widescreen Technicolor print - first of a trio of Universal westerns starring legendary cowboy (& stuntman) “Jocko” Mahoney - preceded by Joe Dakota (1957) and followed by Money, Women and Guns (1958) which are also available from this (INDIVIDUAL MOVIE TITLES) section of the website.

Further these 3 films are available in a special 3 DVD set from within the Classic Movie Combinations section of this website under the heading “Jocko” … on the Big Screen ...

The Last of the Mohicans (1936) - 91 mins

Starring Randolph Scott, Binnie Bbarnes, Henry Wilcoxon, Bruce Cabot, Heather Angel & Robert Barrat

Directed by George B. Seitz

Randolph Scott has one of his best roles as Hawkeye in this exciting film adaptation of James Fenimore Cooper's often filmed novel. During the brutal French and Indian War, Hawkeye is prevailed upon to escort Major Duncan Heyward and the two daughters of Fort William Henry commander Colonel Munro, Alice and Cora to safety through enemy lines. Hawkeye is assisted by his Indian friend Chingachgook and Uncas, Chingachgook's son; the two are the last survivors of the Mohican tribe. During their travels to the fort, Alice falls in love with Hawkeye, while Cora falls in love with Uncas. But along the way, the band is continually harassed by the demonic Huron Indian Magua.

Oscar Nominated for Best Assistant Director!

The Last Outpost (1935) - 72 mins

Starring Cary Grant, Claude Rains, Gertrude Michael, Kathleen Burke, Colin Tapley & Billy Bevan

Directed by Charles Barton

WWI British Officer Michael Andrews (Cary Grant) is captured by a band of Kurdish raiders on the Eastern Front, and is rescued by a man calling himself John Stevenson (Claude Rains). The two men form a strange friendship, and help save an entire Kurdish village from a massacre and also avert a surprise attack on the British army-unit stationed there. Andrews suffers a wounded leg and is sent to the British military-hospital in Cairo. He falls in love with a nurse, Rosemary Haydon (Gertrude Michael), and she with him, but she is married although she has not seen nor heard from her husband in over three years.

Big scale adventure!

The Last Outpost (1951) - 89 mins

Starring Ronald Reagan, Rhonda Fleming, Bruce Bennett, Bill Williams & Noah Beery Jr.

Directed by Lewis R. Foster

Confederate officer Capt. Vance Britton (Ronald Reagan) leads a band of guerrillas on a series of sabotage raids against the North. The Union Army dispatches Vance's brother, Col. Jeb Britton (Bruce Bennett) to put an end to Vance's activities. But the brothers are forced to work together when an all-out Indian war begins following a botched attempt by the North to enlist the aid of the Apaches.

Meanwhile Julie McQuade (Rhonda Fleming) becomes the romantic bone of contention between the battling Brittons.

Paramount's immensely successful Pine-Thomas production unit once more struck box-office gold with this exciting Technicolor actioner. It was followed by two further Pine-Thomas vehicles that combined Ronald Reagan with Rhonda Fleming under the direction of Lewis R. Foster: Hong Kong (1952) & Tropic Zone (1953) - both of which are available from this website

Also released as Cavalry Charge (1951)

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The Last Posse (1953) - 73 mins

Starring Broderick Crawford, John Derek, Charles Bickford, Wanda Hendrix, Warner Anderson & Henry Hull

Directed by Alfred L. Werker

A posse headed by Sheriff John Frazier (Broderick Crawford) is a group of ostensibly honest townsfolk. When they catch up with the desperadoes who robbed wealthy cattle baron, Sampson Drune (Charles Bickford) some of the posse members are overcome by greed and plot to keep the stolen loot for themselves.

Broderick Crawford is as powerful as ever in this well-tuned western from Columbia

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The Last Sunset (1961) - 112 mins

Starring Rock Hudson, Kirk Douglas, Dorothy Malone, Joseph Cotten, Carol Lynley, Neville Brand & Regis Toomey

Directed by Robert Aldrich

The gunman, Brendan O'Malley (Kirk Douglas), crosses the border into Mexico and arrives at the ranch of former sweetheart Belle Breckenridge (Dorothy Malone). She is now she is married to the drunkard and cowardly John Breckenridge (Joseph Cotton), who hires O'Malley to lead his herd to Texas. Meanwhile, Sheriff Dana Stribling (Rock Hudson) arrives in the farm - he is hunting O'Malley to serve a warrant for the death of his brother-in-law, but in Mexico he does not have jurisdiction to arrest O'Malley. Stribling also agrees to work for John, bringing the cattle to Texas, and promises to deliver O'Malley to the law on arrival.

Scripted by Dalton Trumbo this off-beat, Grecian-style tragedy western was hailed as a thinking person's western.

Fabulous widescreen EastmanColor print!

Last Train From Gun Hill (1959) - 95 mins

Starring Kirk Douglas, Anthony Quinn, Carolyn Jones, Earl Holliman, Brad Dexter & Walter Sande

Directed John Sturges

Just outside the small town of Pauley, a Native American woman is attacked by two riders on horseback, raped, and killed. Her husband, Matt Morgan (Kirk Douglas), the town marshal, has only two clues to their identity, a fancy saddle with the initials "C.B." that one of the men left behind, and the fact that his wife cut one of the two men deep across the cheek with a buggy whip. Matt traces the saddle to Craig Belden (Anthony Quinn), an old friend and now a wealthy rancher in the town of Gun Hill, but he knows Craig well enough to know that he couldn't have had anything to do with attacking his wife. Matt’s arrival with the saddle sets off ugly rumblings in Gun Hill, and when he confronts the Craig, he discovers that it was his son Rick (Earl Holliman) who had his horse and the saddle, and rode out with a cowhand friend of his, Lee (Brian G. Hutton)

Providing the clincher … the cut that one of the killers has on his face … so Matt vows to take Rick and Lee back to Pauley to stand trial, while Craig swears he'll do anything it takes to protect his son.

Belden is virtually all the law there is in Gun Hill - Sheriff Bartlett (Walter Sande) won't help Matt serve his arrest warrants on the two men, or even let him use the jail - there's not a working man, a shopkeeper, or even a prostitute in the whole town that will go against the rancher, and Craig’s foreman Beero (Brad Dexter) and his men will strongarm anyone who might start feeling brave. Only Linda (Carolyn Jones), a woman who has been both romanced and abused by Craig, will lift a finger on Matt’s behalf. Foolishly Rick manages to fall into Matt’s hands and very quickly, a standoff ensues, with Matt holding Rick in one of Craig’s buildings against virtually the entire town, while the deadline - the last train out of Gun Hill that night - approaches. Fabulous in everyway

Last Train From Gun Hill (1959) reassembles many from Gunfight at the O.K. Corral (1957): Kirk Douglas combining again with director (John Sturges) and music maestro (Dimitri Tiomkin) along with the fabulous cinematography of Charles Lang (with the super-sensational VistaVision lenses).

Gunfight at the O.K. Corral (1957) is also available from this website.

The Last Wagon (1956) - 98 mins

Starring Richard Widmark, Felicia Farr, Susan Kohner, Tommy Rettig, Nick Adams & Carl Benton Reid

Directed by Delmer Daves

Comanche Todd (Richard Widmark) is a white man who has lived most of his life with the Comanche Indians. But after cold-bloodedly shooting down the three men responsible for the death of his wife, Todd is captured, chained up, and thrown into a wagon heading East. Soon afterward, the wagon train is attacked by Indians and the only survivors are Todd and a group of orphaned children. Freed from his shackles, Todd proves he's made of the right stuff by shepherding the children to safety.

The West has never looked better with this widescreen Technicolor print

The Las Vegas Story (1952) - 88 mins

Starring Jane Russell, Victor Mature, Vincent Price, Hoagy Carmichael, Brad Dexter & Jay C. Flippen

Directed by Robert Stevenson

Investment broker Lloyd Rollins, insisting to his wife Linda that they stop at Las Vegas on their trip from Boston, begins to gamble heavily. Linda visits the Last Chance, a casino where she used to sing, and where she meets police lieutenant Dave Andrews, with whom she had a brief affair some years earlier. Insurance investigator Tom Hubler soon arrives to keep an eye on Linda's valuable necklace for his company, unaware that Rollins hocked the necklace with Clayton, owner of the Last Chance.

Great stuff - a well packaged noir.

Laura (1944) - 88 mins

Starring Gene Tierney, Dana Andrews, Clifton Webb, Vincent Price, Judith Anderson & Grant Mitchell

Directed by Otto Preminger

Detective Mark McPherson investigates the killing of Laura, found dead on her apartment floor before the movie starts. McPherson builds a mental picture of the dead girl from the suspects whom he interviews. He is helped by the striking painting of the late lamented Laura hanging on her apartment wall. But who would have wanted to kill a girl with whom every man she met seemed to fall in love? To make matters worse, McPherson finds himself falling under her spell too. Then one night, halfway through his investigations, something seriously bizarre happens to make him re-think the whole case.

The sleekest of noirs, the chicest of murders and deliciously twisted - a truly haunting study of obsession.

Academy Award for Cinematography

Academy Award Nominations for Director, Supporting Actor, Screenplay, Interior Decoration.

The first in Otto Preminger's trio of noir trillers starring Dana Andrews - followed by Fallen Angel (1945) & Where the Sidewalk Ends (1950). All 3 films are available from this website.

The Lavender Hill Mob (1951) - 81 mins

Starring Alec Guinness, Stanley Holloway, Sid James, Alfie Bass & Marjorie Fielding

Directed by Charles Crichton

Henry Holland (Alec Guinness) is an unassuming transporter of gold bullion who, after working for twenty years with no rewards in sight for his faithful service to his company, decides to reward himself by stealing one million pounds worth of gold. Calling on his old friend Alfred Pendlebury (Stanley Holloway), a manufacturer of paperweights and an amateur sculptor, and a couple of Cockney crooks, Lackery Wood (Sidney James) and Shorty (Alfie Bass), they conspire to lift a gold shipment. After absconding with the gold, Henry melts the gold into a collection of souvenir Eiffel Towers, which he then ships off to Paris. But chaos reigns when a group of English schoolgirls purchase the gold towers, and the gang now become embroiled in a wild chase to recover their stolen gold.

Fabulous Ealing caper comedy well helmed by Charles ‘A Fish Called Wanda’ Crichton

Oscar Winner for Best Screenplay (T. E. B. Clarke). Also an Oscar Nomination for Best Actor (Alec Guinness)

Law and Order (1953) - 80 mins

Starring Ronald Reagan, Dorothy Malone, Preston Foster, Alex Nicol & Russell Johnson

Directed by Nathan Juran

Having cleaned up Tombstone, Marshal Frame Johnson (Ronald Reagan) quits after an attempted lynching, and hopes to settle down on a ranch near Cottonwood with his sweetheart Jeannie (Dorothy Malone). Having previously sworn to give up his guns for the love of his lady, Frame soon realizes that before he can do so he may have to clean up Cottonwood too.

Excellent RR western

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The Lawless (1950) - 83 mins

Starring Macdonald Carey, Gail Russell, Johnny Sands, Lee Patrick & John Hoyt

Directed by Joseph Losey

Former big city newsman Larry Wilder (Macdonald Carey) tires of fighting the powers that be, so he moves on to enjoy a new life as a small-town newspaper editor. He thinks his new home will provide him with an easy and unconflicted life. But when a young Latino farmworker is goaded into a fight by racist rich boys, Wilder finds himself the only white citizen of the town willing to stand up for the boy's rights. He joins with Sunny Garcia (Gail Russell), a staffer for a small weekly newspaper for the Hispanic workers, in trying to see justice done and possibly to save a life.

Another powerful film from Joseph Losey

The Lawless Breed (1953) - 83 mins

Starring Rock Hudson, Julie Adams, Mary Castle, John McIntire, Hugh O’Brian, Dennis Weaver & Lee Van Cleef

Directed by Raoul Walsh

Released from jail, John Wesley Hardin (Rock Hudson) leaves an account of his life with the local newspaper. It tells of his overly religious father, his resulting life of cards and guns, and his love for his step-sister replaced on her death during a gun fight with that for dance-hall girl Rosie.

Directed by Raoul Walsh, this is Rock Hudson first lead role!

Fabulous Technicolor production

The Lawless Eighties (1957) - 70 mins

Starring Buster Crabbe, John Smith, Marilyn Saris, Ted de Corsia & Anthony Caruso

Directed by Joseph Kane

Circuit rider William Wesley Van Orsdel (John Smith) endeavors to warn the cavalry after he sees masked men cruelly abusing an Indian band. En route, the brave rider is shot and left to die. Fortunately, gunfighter, Linc Prescott (Buster Crabbe) comes upon him and saves his life.

Nice performances by everyone involved too, especially Buster Crabbe and Ted Corsia as the corrupt Indian Agent.

Another fast-moving Republic western from veteran director Joseph Kane.

The second of two nice cowboy lead roles for the now free-lance Buster Crabbe - the other being Gun Brothers (1956) - which is also available from this website

A Lawless Street (1955) - 78 mins

Starring Randolph Scott, Angela Lansbury, Warner Anderson, Jean Parker & Wallace Ford

Directed by Joseph H. Lewis

Famed Marshal Calem Ware, whose strenous activities on behalf of law and order have exacted a toll on his personal life is keeping the peace in the town of Medicine Bend. Ware hopes to someday be reconciled with his ex-wife Tally Dickinson now a touring musical comedy star. Just as Tally arrives in Medicine Bend, Ware is forced to deal with big-time criminals Thorne and Clark, not to mention their hired gun Baskam. Will he do his duty and rid the town of his outlaw element, or will he hang up his guns as Tally wants him to?

One of the highlights is a lively saloon-hall number performed by Angela Lansbury.

The League of Frightened Men (1937) - 71 mins

Starring Walter Connolly, Lionel Stander, Eduardo Ciannelli, Irene Hervey & Victor Kilian

Directed by Alfred E. Green

Sitting in his greenhouse surrounded by his beloved orchids, Nero Wolfe a(Walter Connolly) agrees to investigate a series of murders seemingly tied in with a long-ago Harvard hazing prank that went tragically awry. Three Harvard undergrads have died under mysterious circumstances, and Ferdinand Bowen (Walter Kingsford) is determined not to become the fourth. Accepting Bowen's retainer, Wolfe dispatches his leg man Archie Goodwin (Lionel Stander) to start the investigation.

Quality Note: Not the greatest of prints of this very rare film - significant digital enhancement has been used to deliver an OK print which can be enjoyed for what it is: Nero Wolfe on the Big Screen!

The League of Frightened Men was the second and last entry in Columbia's short-lived mystery series based on the "Nero Wolfe" novels by Rex Stout. Walter Connolly takes over from Edward Arnold as the crabby, corpulent consulting detective Nero Wolfe - and he is helped by his physical resemblance to the Stout original. Lionel Stander returns as Archie. As a nod to the Production Code, Wolfe's famous addiction to imported beers is once more changed to a fondness for hot chocolate.

Preceded by Meet Nero Wolfe (1936) - which is also available from this website (see below)

The League of Gentlemen (1960) - 116 mins

Starring Jack Hawkins, Nigel Patrick, Roger Livesey, Richard Attenborough, Bryan Forbes & Kieron Moore

Directed by Basil Dearden

An engrossing suspenser with dashes of comedy, League of Gentlemen is about a daring group of highly trained army men, turned bank robbers. When Hyde (Jack Hawkins) is drummed out of the army after years of devoted service, he decides to get back at society in general. One by one, he finds seven other army officers who are now broke and who walk on the shady side of the law. All eight men go into hiding as they plan the robbery with the care and attention of a behind-the-lines reconnaissance mission. As they undertake tasks like raiding a military depot for explosives and similar stunts, suspense and incidental humor increase, leading up to bank day when the really big show has to be pulled off without a hitch

BAFTA Award nominee for Best Screenplay (by cast member Bryan Forbes)

Leave Her To Heaven (1945) - 110 mins

Starring Cornel Wilde, Gene Tierney, Jeanne Crain, Vincent Price & Ray Collins

Directed by John M. Stahl

Gene Tierney proved how wicked a woman consumed by jealousy can be long before films like Fatal Attraction came on the scene. While there's nothing particularly deep or complicated about this tale of marital devotion gone awry, Tierney makes it a rollercoaster ride of emotional devastation you can't stop watching. Cornel Wilde plays the writer of her dreams, a man she loves way too much. Her seductive, mysterious beauty draws him into her web of lies and deception from which there is no way out. He initially finds her desperate need to have him all to herself adorable, but when this exclusion includes members of their immediate family, he begins to feel the noose tighten. On the surface her actions appear to be loving and decent, but they conceal a cold, bitter heart and a mind constantly working any angle to keep them together. Those that don't go along with her plans are taken out of the game for good. When she realizes her husband is in love with her adopted sister (Crain), she sets her final plan in motion. She'd rather die than lose him and she'll be damned if they're going to live happily ever after. Once you've committed several murders, a little perjury isn't going to weigh too heavily on your soul.

The Leech Woman (1960) - 77 mins

Starring Grant Williams, Coleen Gray, Phillip Terry, Gloria Talbot & John Van Dreelen

Directed by Edward Dein

June Talbot (Colleen Gray) goes on a trip to Africa with her husband Dr. Paul Talbot (Phillip Terry), only to discover that she is to be the trial balloon in one of his experiments on an anti-aging compound. Not willing to jump off into the unknown, the already unbalanced June kills her husband after she learns of a tribal ritual that will keep her youthful if she can obtain a hormone from the pineal gland of a human male. The problem is that she will revert back to a wrinkled woman unless she keeps replenishing her stock of the hormone. That, of course, leads to gruesome killings and ultimately, one disastrous mistake.

The Left Handed Gun (1958) - 102 mins

Starring Paul Newman, Lita Milan, John Dehner, Hurt Hatfield, James Congdon & James Best

Directed by Arthur Penn

William Bonney aka Billy the Kid (Paul Newman) gets a job with a cattleman known as 'The Englishman,' and is befriended by the peaceful, religious man. But when a crooked sheriff and his men murder the Englishman because he plans to supply the local Army fort with his beef, Billy decides to avenge the death by killing the four men responsible. This has huge repercussions for those around him: the two hands he worked with, Tom Follard (James Best) and Charlie Boudre (James Congdon); Pat Garrett, who is about to be married; and the kindly Mexican couple who take him in when he's in trouble. His actions also endanger the General Amnesty set up by Governor Wallace to bring peace to the New Mexico Territory.

Adapted by Gore Vidal from his own TV play, The Death of Billy the Kid.

The Left Hand of God (1955) - 87 mins

Starring Humphrey Bogart, Gene Tierney, Lee J. Cobb, Agnes Moorehead, E. G. Marshall, Jean Porter & Carl Benton Reid

Directed by Edward Dmytryk

Bogart plays Jim Carmody, an American soldier of fortune who, after crashing his plane in China, takes up with the Chinese warlord General Yang (Lee J. Cobb). Jim becomes Yang's advisor, but after watching one of the General's flunkies brutally kill a priest, Jim decides to leave. Unfortunately, Yang has declared that any deserter will be shot. Disguising himself as the slain priest, Jim sneaks out of the General's headquarters and makes his way to a mountain village where missionaries Beryl (Agnes Moorehead) and David (E.G. Marshall) take him in. Jim still is posing as the priest but his vows of celibacy are challenged when he falls in love with the attractive mission nurse Anne Scott (Gene Tierney).

Bogie in wide-screen Technicolor!

Legend of the Lost (1957) - 109 mins

Starring John Wayne, Sophia Loren, Rossano Brazzi, Kurt Kaszner & Sonia Moser

Directed by Henry Hathaway

Location-filmed in the Sahara desert, the story concerns the efforts of Joe January (John Wayne), Dita (Sophia Loren) and Paul Bonnard (Rosanno Brazzi) to locate a missing treasure in the ruins of ancient Timgrad. Once found, the treasure is stolen by Bonnard, who leaves his partners in the middle of the desert without food or water. Fabulous color cinematography of the great Jack Cardiff

John Wayne: Duke - one of the most recognizable persons on the planet -a true mega-star in film. You'll find the following John Wayne movies in this INDIVIDUAL MOVIE TITLES section of this website:

Le Mans (1971) - 106 mins

Starring Steve McQueen, Siegfried Rauch, Elga Andersen, Ronald Leigh-Hunt, Christopher Waite

Directed by Lee H. Katzin

Le Mans, France’s annual 24-hour Grand Prix race and one of those attending is US driver Michael Delaney (Steve McQueen) - despite he being involved in a horrific crash the previous year which claimed the life of fellow driver, Piero Belgetti. Belgetti's widow, Lisa (Elga Andersen), is also at the race supporting another driver, Claude Aurac (Luc Merenda) and she is troubled at this event every time she hears an announcement of an accident on course. The relationship between Delaney and Lisa is cordial but awkward. The media is playing up a rivalry between Delaney, driving for Team Gulf-Porsche, and Erich Stahler (Siegfied Rauch), driving for Team Ferrari, although they are friends off the track. Problems mount just over half way through the race due in part to treacherous road conditions, the drivers, their team, and their personal supporters - win at all cost

One of 4 “car racing” films which can be found on this website, the others being The Racers (1955), Checkpoint (1956) & Grand Prix (1966)

The Lemon Drop Kid (1951) - 91 mins

Starring Bob Hope, Marilyn Maxwell, Lloyd Nolan, Jane Darwell & Andrea Clark

Directed by Sidney Lanfield

Known far and wide as the Lemon Drop Kid because of his fondness for that particular round, yellow confection, Sidney Melbourne (Bob Hope) is a bookie who finds himself deeply in debt to Florida gangster Moose Moran (Fred Clark). Magnanimously, Moran permits Sidney to head to New York to raise the money - but he'd better have the dough ready by Christmas … or else. Always on the look-out for “The Main Chance”, Sidney decides to exploit the Christmas spirit and to this end he secures the help of unsuspecting nightclub-singer ‘Brainy’ Baxter (Marilyn Maxwell). Sidney sets up a charity fund to raise money for an "Old Doll's Home" - ie. a home for down-and-out little old ladies. He claims to be doing this on behalf of big-hearted Nellie Thursday (Jane Darwell), but he has every intention of double-crossing Nellie and all the other elderly women by skipping town with the charity funds and leaving them at the mercy of the authorities. By the time Sidney has seen the error of his ways and tries to do right by the old dolls, Brainy’s boss Oxford Charley (Lloyd Nola)n has decided to muscle into the racket by using the ladies' home as a front for a gambling casino.

The Lemon Drop Kid is the film in which Bob Hope and Marilyn Maxwell introduced the enduring Yuletide ballad "Silver Bells", written by Jay Livingston and Ray Evans.

Wonderful comedy!

Bob Hope - the classical exponent of the wise-crack! His very best comedies can be found in this section of the website: Thanks for the Memory (1938), Never Say Die (1939), The Cat and the Canary (1939), The Ghost Breakers (1940), Nothing But The Truth (1941), My Favorite Blonde (1942), They Got Me Covered (1943), The Princess and the Pirate (1944), My Favorite Brunette (1947), The Paleface (1948), The Lemon Drop Kid (1951), My Favorite Spy (1951), Son of Paleface (1952) & Alias Jesse James (1959).

Not forgetting his seven “Road” films which he did with Big Crosby and which are also available from this section of the website: Road to Singapore (1940), Road to Zanzibar (1941), Road to Morocco (1942), Road to Utopia (1946), Road to Rio (1947), Road to Bali (1952) & The Road to Hong Kong (1962)

All 7 “Road” films have also been premastered into 4 DVD set which can be found in the Movie Series section of this website

The Classic Movie Combinations section of this website contains two specially packaged Bob Hope Collections: a 6 DVD set comprising The Cat and the Canary (1939), The Ghost Breakers (1940), Nothing But The Truth (1941), The Paleface (1948), Son of Paleface (1952) & Alias Jesse James (1959) and a 3 DVD set comprising My Favorite Blonde (1942), My Favorite Brunette (1947) & My Favorite Spy (1951).

The Leopard Man (1943) - 66 mins

Starring Dennis O'Keefe, Margo, Jean Brooks, Isabel Jewell & James Bell

Directed by Jacques Tourneur

Kiki Walker, a nightclub performer in New Mexico, at the encouragement of her manager, takes a leashed leopard into the club as a publicity gimmick. But her rival, angered by the attempt to upstage, scares the animal and it bolts. In the days that follow, people are mauled and the countryside is combed for the loose creature. But Kiki and her manager begin to wonder if maybe the leopard is not responsible for the killings.

Third in an incredible run of nine psychological horror films from gifted producer Val Lewton. The “Lewton Nine” consist of: Cat People (1942), I Walked with a Zombie (1943), The Leopard Man (1943), The Seventh Victim (1943), The Ghost Ship (1943), The Curse of the Cat People (1944), The Body Snatcher (1945), Isle of the Dead (1945), Bedlam (1946). All nine films are available from this (INDIVIDUAL MOVIE TITLES) section of the website - they are also available in a series of multi-film DVD sets from within the Classic Movie Combinations section

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The Letter (1940) - 95 mins

Starring Bette Davis, Herbert Marshall, James Stephenson, Gale Sondergaard & Cecil Kellaway

Directed by William Wyler

A shimmering moonlight night on a tropical Malayan rubber plantation is fatally disturbed as shots ring out and a wounded man, Geoffrey Hammond (David Newell) staggers from a bungalow as Leslie Crosbie (Bette Davis) coldly follows him, pumping the remaining bullets into his body. She later tells her husband Robert (Herbert Marshall) that she shot Geoffrey, a mutual friend, because he was drunk and tried to take advantage of her. Robert, who owns the plantation, believes her story and hires high-powered lawyer Howard Joyce (James Stephenson) to defend her. But then a letter surfaces in which it is revealed that Leslie had invited Geoffrey to the plantation on the night of his murder.

Oscar Nominations for Best Picture, Director, Actress (Bette Davis), Supporting Actor (James Stephenson), B&W Cinematography, Film Editing & Music (Max Steiner)

Letter From an Unknown Woman (1948) - 86 mins

Starring Joan Fontaine, Louis Jourdan, Mady Christians, Marcel Journet, Art Smith & Carol Yorke

Directed by Max Ophüls

Perhaps the finest American film from the famed European director Max Ophüls, the film stars Joan Fontaine as a young woman who falls in love with a concert pianist. Set in Vienna in 1900, the story is told in a complex flashback structure as the pianist, Stefan Brand (Louis Jourdan), comes upon a letter written to him by Lisa Berndl (Fontaine), a girl who has been in love with him for years. Stefan is in the process of fleeing Vienna on the eve of fighting a duel. As he prepares himself for the nocturnal journey, the letter arrives. It begins, "By the time you read this letter, I may be dead." As Stefan sits back in his study to read this letter, it turns out to be a confession of unrequited love from Lisa. The story flashes backs to when Lisa was 14 years old and Stefan was her neighbor. After following Stefan with a girlish obsession, the romance gets much more serious, and they have a brief encounter. Stefan promises to come back to her after a concert tour, but he never does. Meanwhile, Lisa marries another man when she discovers that she is pregnant with Stefan's child. When she runs into Stefan years later, he doesn't remember her and tries to seduce her. After Stefan reads the letter, he wants to rush to her side, but now poor Lisa is dying from typhus

The Life and Death of Colonel Blimp (1943) - 163 mins

Starring James McKecknie, Neville Mapp, Vincent Holman, Anton Walbrook, Roger Livesey & Deborah Kerr

Directed by Michael Powell & Emeric Pressburger

This much-lauded two and a half hour plus epic which satirizes British traditionalism, stirred up impassioned hostilities and indignations among the Brits when released in 1943. The sweeping story covers several decades. It begins at the tail end of the Boer War, when handsome young British officer Clive Candy, recently back from the battlefront, is infuriated by his discovery that Deutschland papers have played up the British atrocities in South Africa. He grows so irate, in fact, that he travels to Germany to address the problem. Once there, he meets an attractive British educator, Edith Hunter (Deborah Kerr) who spends her days teaching English as a second language to German students. They grow close, but Candy so aggravates the local indigenes that he winds up in a duel with a German officer, Theo Kretschmar-Schuldorff (Anton Walbrook). The men wound each other and are sent to the same hospital, where they become friends. Candy - who doesn't yet realize he's fallen in love with Edith senses that Theo and Edith are attracted to one another, and encourages the couple's marital union. Candy subsequently returns to England, then falls for and marries Barbara (again played by Kerr), a nurse who bears a strong resemblance to Edith. She later dies, but Candy meets a third woman during WWII, Johnny (Kerr a third time), assigned to drive him from one locale to another during his campaigns. Meanwhile, Theo - disgusted by Nazi atrocities - absconds to England, where he reencounters his old friend, now a prattering old shuffler rapidly approaching the end of his career and raving continuously about Nazi conduct (or lack thereof) in battle.

A "big" movie in every way.

Absolutely Gorgeous Technicolor print of this classic film

Powell & Pressburger combined to great effect in several films that are available from this website: The Spy in Black (1939 aka U-Boat 29), 1940's Contraband (aka Blackout), 1941's 49th Parallel (aka The Invaders) & One of Our Aircraft is Missing (1942), The Life and Death of Colonel Blimp (1943) & A Matter of Life and Death (1946) - all of which are available from this website.!

Note that The Life and Death of Colonel Blimp (1943) is part of the Powell & Pressburger … their War Films … Combination which can be found in the Classic Movie Combinations section of this website

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Lightning Strikes Twice (1951) - 91 mins

Starring Richard Todd, Ruth Roman, Mercedes McCambridge, Zachary Scott & Darryl Hickman

Directed by King Vidor

Shelley Carnes (Ruth Roman) is a stage actress who champions the cause of Richard Trevelyan (Richard Todd), whom she believes has been falsely accused of murdering his wife. Freed on a technicality, Trevelyan is nonetheless adjudged guilty in the court of public opinion. Carnes stands by her man, eventually marrying him. On the wedding night, however, it appears that Carnes has made a horrible mistake. It won't be long before she, too, will fall into the clutches of a killer - but is it Trevelyan? Based on a novel by Margaret Echard.

The Light Touch (1952) - 93 mins

Starring Stewart Granger, Pier Angeli, George Sanders, Kurt Kasznar, Joseph Calleia & Larry Keating

Directed by Richard Brooks

The title refers to the nimble-fingered technique utilized by art thief Sam Conride (Stewart Granger). Sam is a cog in the wheel of the operation controlled by illegal art peddler Felix Guignol (George Sanders). Anna Vasarri (Pier Angeli) is a young painter who'd like to reform Sam but who is unavoidably sucked into the illicit activities orchestrated by Guignol. Sam endangers Anna's life as well as his own when he masterminds a solo theft, intending to leave Guignol in the lurch.

Filmed on location in Italy.

The Limping Man (1953) - 74 mins

Starring Lloyd Bridges, Moira Lister, Alan Wheatley, Leslie Phillips, Hélène Cordet & Tom Gill

Directed by Cy Endfield

Ex G.I Frank Pryor (Lloyd Bridges) arrives in London to take up an interrupted romance with wartime amour Pauline French (Moria Lister), whom he hasn't seen in six years. At the airport a man standing alongside Pryor is slain by an unseen sniper, and he is detained by Scotland Yard for questioning. Released, he goes to Pauline's apartment, and learns that she had an intimate association with the slain man and is not interested in talking about it. Scotland Yard also knows this and Pryor and Pauline are kept under surveillance. The victim was killed by a mysterious "limping man," who is also an expert sharpshooter and has he targeted Pauline and now Frank.

Excellent UK made mystery thriller with Lloyd Bridges again acquitting himself well in a tricky role

The Liquidator (1965) - 105 mins

Starring Rod Taylor, Trevor Howard, Jill St. John, Wilfred Hyde-White, David Tomlinson & Akim Tamiroff

Directed by Jack Cardiff

Col. Mostyn (Trevor Howard) is the head of a special branch of British intelligence who is appalled to discover that a number of his best agents are either leaving the force or have turned out to be traitors. It is decided that Mostyn and his men need a special agent to ferret out those who leave his employ while knowing too much and silence them permanently. Mostyn decides the right man for the job is his old army buddy Boysie Oakes (Rod Taylor), but there's a bit of a problem: while the job requires a globe-trotting assassin who can stare calmly into the face of death, Oakes is a mild-mannered fun seeker who is terrified of airplanes and faints at the sight of blood. None of this dissuades Mostyn, who still gives Oakes the assignment, but when he finds out that flying and guns are a big part of his new job, he hires someone else to do the dirty work for him. Oakes eventually develops a taste for the cars, women, gadgets, and danger of his new career, but the real acid test comes when he actually has to go on an assignment himself.

Ungraded print! - now a perfect widescreen Technicolor rendition (gratis upgrades available)

Fans of aussie actor Rod Taylor are well catered for on this website with the following titles available: The Time Machine (1960), Seven Seas to Calais (1962), The Birds (1963), Fate Is the Hunter (1964), 36 Hours (1965), Young Cassidy (1965), The Liquidator (1965), Chuka (1967), Dark of the Sun aka The Mercenaries (1968), The High Commissioner aka Nobody Runs Forever (1968), The Hell With Heroes (1968), Powderkeg (1971), Trader Horn (1973) & Cry of the Innocent (1980) - all of which are available from the INDIVIDUAL MOVIE TITLES section of this website.

The TV Series section of this website also contains DVD sets of Rod's two TV series: Hong Kong (1960-61) and Bearcats! (1971)

Lisbon (1956) - 90 mins

Starring Ray Milland, Maureen O'Hara, Claude Rains, Yvonne Furneaux & Francis Lederer

Directed by Ray Milland

Filmed on location, Lisbon was the second directorial endeavor of actor Ray Milland. The story revolves around a Portugal-based American smuggler, Capt. Robert John Evans (Milland). Hired by attractive Sylvia Merrill (Maureen O'Hara), Evans agrees to sneak behind the Iron Curtain to locate Sylvia's husband Lloyd Merrill (Percy Marmont). It is understood that Evans is to bring Merrill back dead so that Sylvia can collect her husband's vast fortune, but the tables are turned on Sylvia and her wily co-conspirator, Aristide Mavros (Claude Rains).

Good adventure film (combining elements of both Casablanca and To Have and Have Not) with exotic locales (no sets), nice Naturama (Republic's best Trucolor) photography and competent direction of a stellar cast

Now an excellent wide-screen Naturama color print! (gratis upgrades available)

Ray Milland helmed a nice quintet of interesting movies in the midst of a successful acting career - and he was also the star of each: A Man Alone (1955), Lisbon (1956), The Safecracker (1958), Panic in the Year Zero! (1962) & Hostile Witness (1968) all of them are available from this website.

The List of Adrian Messenger (1963) - 98 mins

Starring Kirk Douglas, George C. Scott, Dana Wynter, Clive Brook, John Merivale & Gladys Cooper

Directed by John Huston

Adrian Messenger asks his friend, British colonel Anthony Gethryn (George C. Scott), to check on the whereabouts of the eleven men named on a written list. Not long afterward, the plane on which Messenger is travelling is deliberately blown up. The mystery killer slipped the bomb on the plane while disguised as a priest, and we soon learn that the killer adopts a different guise for each of his subsequent murders. As Gethryn tracks down the men on Messenger's list, he discovers that all had been POWs in the same Burmese stockade during World War II, and he deduces that the murderer, who is methodically decimating those on the list, had been a traitor and informer. Gethryn traces the killer to the British estate of The Marquis of Gleneyre (Clive Brook), where his visit coincides with the return of "prodigal" American relative George Brougham (Kirk Douglas). Gethryn is convinced that Brougham is the killer, and that he plans to murder the only heir who stands in the way of the family fortune, but he has no tangible proof.

Filmed primarily in Ireland, The List of Adrian Messenger received good theatrical bookings by virtue of its gimmick: several of the bit characters are played by famous stars in heavy makeup, and each of these stars: Kirk Douglas, Burt Lancaster, Robert Mitchum, Frank Sinatra, and Tony Curtis "unmasks" in the epilogue.

George C. Scott doing a Sherlock Holmes under the deft direction of the legendary John Huston

Little Caesar (1930) - 80 mins

Starring Edward G. Robinson, Douglas Fairbanks Jr., Glenda Farrell & Stanley Fields

Directed by Mervyn LeRoy

Rico joins Sam Ventori's gang. He replaces Sam as leader, pushes rival gang leader Arnie Lorch out of town, then goes after the job of next-higher-up Pete Montana. He accepts when "Big Boy" offers him that prize but his sights are set higher still and also on his best friend Joe's girl Olga.

Classic gangster story with Edward G. in top form.

The Little Shop of Horrors (1960) - 72 mins

Starring Jonathan Haze, Jackie Joseph, Mel Welles, Dick Miller & Jack Nicholson

Directed by Roger Corman

Seymour Krelboyne (Jonathan Haze) works at the Skid Row flower shop of Gravis Mushnick (Mel Welles). Experimenting in his spare time, Seymour develops a new plant species that he hopes will lead him to fame and fortune. Unfortunately, the mutated plant - named Audrey Junior, in honor of Seymour's girlfriend Audrey Fulquard (Jackie Joseph) - subsists on blood and human flesh. It also talks, or rather, commands: "Feed Me! FEEEEED ME!" Before long, the luckless Seymour has fed to his plant the bodies of a railroad detective, a sadistic dentist, and a flashy trollop. Meanwhile, Mr. Mushnik, who has stumbled onto Seymour's secret, has inadvertently offered up a burglar (played by Charles Griffith, who also wrote the script and supplied the plant's voice) as a midnight snack for the voracious, ever-growing Audrey Junior. When the plant blooms, the faces of its various victims are reproduced in its flowers.

Ignored on its initial release, The Little Shop of Horrors began building up a cult following via repeated TV exposure in the 1960s. By the mid-1970s, it had attained classic status, spawning a big-budget Broadway musical, a follow-up feature film in the 1980s and a Saturday morning cartoon series in the 1990s. Enhancing the original Little Shop's reputation was the brief appearance by star-in-the-making Jack Nicholson as a masochistic dental patient - shot (apparently) in two days!!!

Preceeded by Corman’s perhaps equally cultish: A Bucket of Blood (1959) - which also available from this website

The Lives of a Bengal Lancer (1935) - 109 mins

Starring Gary Cooper, Franchot Tone, Richard Cromwell, Guy Standing, C. Aubrey Smith & Kathleen Burke

Directed by Henry Hathaway

A rousing adventure saga of three British officers of the 41st Regiment of Bengal Lancers of India. The story begins as Lt. McGregor (Gary Cooper) accepts two new officers to his company: the brash Lt. Fortesque (Franchot Tone) and Lt. Stone (Richard Cromwell), the son of the garrison's commander, Col. Stone (Guy Standing). McGregor is ordered to search for a British spy, who has infiltrated the army of crazed chieftain Mohammed Khan. The three officers find Barrett, who tells them Khan is planning an uprising against the British, utilizing the mountain tribes for a massive assault.

Oscar wins for Assistant Direction as well as nominations for Best Picture, Director, Art Direction, Editing, Sound Recording & Screenplay.

Coop: forever the great adventurer (& cowboy) - these Gary Cooper titles are available from this website:

Morocco (1930), A Farewell to Arms (1932), The Lives of a Bengal Lancer (1935), Desire (1936), The General Died at Dawn (1936), The Plainsman (1936), Souls at Sea (1937), The Adventures of Marco Polo (1938), Beau Geste (1939), The Real Glory (1939), The Westerner (1940), North West Mounted Police (1940), Meet John Doe (1941), Sergeant York (1941), For Whom the Bell Tolls (1943), The Story of Dr Wassell (1944), Cloak and Dagger (1946), Unconquered (1947), Task Force (1949), Bright Leaf (1950), Dallas (1950), Distant Drums (1951), High Noon (1952), Springfield Rifle (1952), Garden of Evil (1954), Vera Cruz (1954) & Man of the West (1958)

Living It Up (1954) - 95 mins

Starring Dean Martin, Jerry Lewis, Janet Leigh, Edward Arnold, Fred Clark & Sheree North

Directed by Norman Taurog

Feckless Homer Flagg (Jerry Lewis) is led to believe that he's dying of radiation poisoning. Manhattan newspaperwoman Wally Cook (Janet Leigh), hoping to improve circulation of her paper, convinces her boss, Oliver Stone (Fred Clark), to fete Homer as a hero with an all-expenses-paid trip to the Big Apple. Meanwhile, Homer learns from local doctor Steve Harris (Dean Martin) that he isn't dying at all. But Steve talks Homer into taking advantage of the celebrity treatment bestowed on him by Wally, and a good time is had by all - until medical specialist Dr. Egelhofer (Sig Rumann) insists upon examining Homer.

Highlights include a hilarious bit at Yankee Stadium, and an energetic jitterbug number featuring Jerry Lewis and Sheree North.

What’s your favorite Jerry Lewis picture?

The Caddy (1953), Living It Up (1954), Pardners (1956) & Hollywood or Bust (1956).

All 10 titles are available from this website

Loan Shark (1952) - 79 mins

Starring George Raft, Dorothy Hart, Paul Stewart, John Hoyt & Helen Westcott

Directed by Seymour Friedman

When several workers at a tire factory suffer violence at the hands of a vicious loan shark, a union leader and the factory owner try to recruit ex-con Joe Gargan (George Raft) to infiltrate to the gang. At first Joe does not want to get involved, but changes his mind when his brother-in-law dies at the hands of a savage hood. Joe works his way into the mob, but in order to keep his cover, Joe can't tell anyone what he is up to. This results in him being disowned by his sister and girl friend.

George Raft is great in this compelling actioner which sports a no-frills cinematography from Joseph Biroc, who went on to such loftier pursuits with The Towering Inferno.

The Locket (1946) - 86 mins

Starring Robert Mitchum, Laraine Day, Brian Aherne, Gene Raymond & Ricardo Cortez

Directed by John Brahm

Lovely Nancy seems like the ideal bride to fiancée John Willis until, just before the ceremony, Willis is approached by Harry Blair, claiming to be Nancy's former husband. The tale Blair unfolds (in a flashback within a flashback within a flashback!) paints Nancy as a kleptomaniac, habitual liar, and perhaps worse. But is Blair telling the truth? And does fate have another surprise in store?

Robert Mitchum: “Poet with a Axe!” - his films in which he had the lead role (or at least a significant presence) have a big presence on this website. The following are available from this website: When Strangers Marry (1944), Nevada (1944), Story of G.I. Joe (1945), West of the Pecos (1945), Till the End of Time (1946), Undercurrent (1946), The Locket (1946), Pursued (1947), Crossfire (1947), Desire Me (1947), Out of the Past (1947), Rachel and the Stranger (1948), Blood on the Moon (1948), The Big Steal (1949), Where Danger Lives (1950), My Forbidden Past (1951), His Kind of Woman (1951), The Racket (1951), Macao (1952), One Minute to Zero (1952), The Lusty Men (1952), Angel Face (1952), White Witch Doctor (1953), Second Chance (1953), River of No Return (1954), Track of the Cat (1954), The Night of the Hunter (1955), Man with the Gun (1955), Foreign Intrigue (1956), Bandido (1956), Heaven Knows Mr Allison (1957), The Enemy Below (1957), Fire Down Below (1957), The Hunters (1958), Thunder Road (1958), The Angry Hills (1959), The Sundowners (1960), Cape Fear (1962), Rampage (1963), El Dorado (1966), Young Billy Young (1969), The Friends of Eddie Coyle (1973), The Yakuza (1974), Farewell, My Lovely (1975) & The Big Sleep (1978)

The Lodger (1927) - 75 mins

Starring Marie Ault, Arthur Chesney, June, Malcolm Keen & Ivor Novello

Directed by Alfred Hitchcock

A serial killer known as "the avenger" is murdering blonde women in London. A new lodger, Jonathan Drew, arrives at Mr. and Mrs. Bounting's home in Bloomsbury and rents a room. The man has some strange habits, he goes out during foggy nights and keeps a picture of a blonde girl in his bedroom. The Bounting's daughter, Daisy, is a blonde model and she is engaged to Joe, a detective. When Joe finds out that Bounting suspects Jonathan, he is jealous of the lodger flirting with Daisy and arrests the man accusing him of being the avenger.

Alfred Hitchcock became a director of note with this silent film, his first thriller and only his third directorial effort, which shows the young Master's talents being developed in embryo. The film is well plotted and moody, told in an almost expressionistic style, relying mainly on visuals and a somewhat frugal use of title cards. The staging in the narrow, multi-level home is especially well managed, with characters on different storeys interacting in the plot simultaneously.

Although a silent film, this movie does boast the first use of Vitaphone's Music & Sound Effects system.

The Lodger (1944) - 84 mins

Starring Laird Cregar, George Sanders, Merle Oberon & Cedric Hardwicke

Directed by John Brahm

In late Victorian London, Jack the Ripper has been killing and maiming actresses in the night. The Burtons are forced to take in a lodger due to financial hardship. He seems like a nice young man, but Mrs. Burton suspects him of being the ripper because of some mysterious and suspicious habits, and fears for her beautiful actress niece who lives with them.

A tour-de-force for Laird Cregar in his signature role. His second to last role before a heart attack took his life at age 30! Cregar's last role was Hangover Square (1945) which saw him re-teamed with George Sanders & director Brahm -its also available from this website - see above

Logan’s Run (1976) - 119 mins

Starring Michael York, Richard Jordan, Jenny Agutter, Roscoe Lee Browne, Farrah Fawcett & Michael Anderson Jr.

Directed by Michael Anderson

In a hermetically sealed, post-apocalyptic urban environment several hundred years in the future, Logan 5 (Michael York) and his friend Francis 7 (Richard Jordan) lead unquestioning lives of hedonism. Entertainment comes in the form of casual sexual liaisons and gladiatorial games in which those who do not wish to undergo euthanasia at the age of 30 vie for the illusory chance of continued life. As ‘Sandmen’, Logan and Francis are charged with tracking down and killing "runners" - those citizens who will submit to neither "renewal" (a peaceful death) nor "carousel" (a gladiatorial battle) when their time comes. When Logan grows intrigued by a beautiful young woman, Jessica 6 (Jenny Agutter), who plans to become a runner, he is forced to question the fundamental principles of his society. And when his superiors force him to pose as a runner himself to weed out Jessica's guerilla underground, Logan finds himself fleeing the city in search of a mythical place called Sanctuary where people are allowed to live out their natural life-spans.

Academy Award Nominations for Best Art Direction & Cinematography - also an Academy Special Achievement Award for Visual Effect

A great book becomes a marvellous and visually stimulating movie experience!

Gorgeous wide-screen Technicolor print!

The Lone Gun (1954) - 76 mins

Starring George Montgomery, Dorothy Malone, Frank Faylen, Neville Brand, Skip Homeier & Douglas Kennedy

Directed by Ray Nazarro

Ex-marshal Cruze (George Montgomery) rides into a wide-open Texas town, intending to bring three cattle-rustling brothers to justice. The siblings escape and take over a cattle ranch run by Charlotte Downing (Dorothy Malone) and her brother Cass (Skip Homeier), initiating a deadly game of cat and mouse with Cruze.

The complete series (all 26 episodes, including the 1^st one which co-starred fellow Hollywood heavyweight Fred MacMurray) can be found in the TV Series section of this website

The Lone Hand (1953) - 80 mins

Starring Joel McCrea, Barbara Hale, Alex Nicol, Charles Drake, Jimmy Hunt & James Arness

Directed by George Sherman

Zachary Hallock (Joel McCrea) and his son Joshua (Jimmy Hunt) set up farming in a frontier community plagued by outlaws. Vigilantes want to form a united front against the villains, but Hallock refuses to join, even after witnessing the murder of a Pinkerton detective. Instead, Hallock covertly joins the outlaws, causing anguish not only for his son but also for his new bride Sarah Jane Skaggs (Barbara Hale).

An excellent Technicolor print from Universal which benefits immensely from the genuine Colorado locations seen throughout

The Loneliness of the Long Distance Runner (1962) - 104 mins

Starring Michael Redgrave, Tom Courtenay, Avis Bunnage, Alec McCowen & James Bolam

Directed by Tony Richardson

Colin Smith (Tom Courtenay) is a bitter young man from a working-class family, who is uninterested in school and determined not to follow his father into factory work. Colin and his friend Mike (James Bolam) make their pocket money through petty crime, until they're arrested after the robbery of a baker's shop and sentenced to Borstal’s Ruxton Reform School. The Governor of the school (Michael Redgrave) takes a keen interest in Colin, but he cares less for his rehabilitation than for his gifts as a cross country runner - Colin finds himself torn between the need to please his captors and his determination not to play along with what he sees as a corrupt system.

BAFTA Win for Tom Courtenay (Most Promising Newcomer to Leading Role)

Similar in style to Tony Richardson’s A Taste of Honey (1961) which is also available from this website

Lonely are the Brave (1962) - 107 mins

Starring Kirk Douglas, Gene Rowlands, Walter Matthau, Michael Kane & Carroll O’Connor

Directed by David Miller

Unreconstructed "rugged individual" John W. ‘Jack’ Burns (Kirk Douglas) rides throughout the modern west knocking down man-made fences. Visiting his equally rebellious friend Paul Bondi (Michael Kane), Burns deliberately gets himself thrown in jail to be nearer his pal. Frustrated that Bondi doesn't want to join Burns on the road, Burns breaks out of jail, thereby becoming a fugitive. His trail is dogged by Sheriff Morey Johnson (Walter Matthau), a frustrated frontiersman who secretly admires the freewheeling Burns.

Filmed on location in New Mexico, Lonely are the Brave was adapted by Dalton Trumbo from Edward Abbey's novel Brave Cowboy.

An extraordinarily powerful film, this B&W Cinemascope western has been described as one of Kirk’s favourites

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The Lonely Man (1957) - 88 mins

Starring Jack Palance, Anthony Perkins, Neville Brand, Robert Middleton, Elisha Cook Jr., Claude Akins & Lee Van Cleef

Directed by Henry Levin

Gunfighter, Jacob Wade (Jack Palance) decides to return home after 17 years to make amends with his son, Riley (Anthony Perkins). Riley blames Jacob for his mother's death and the reconciliation is difficult. Conflict over a woman causes further anguish between the pair. And Jacob’s old enemies, led King Fisher (Neville Brand) have plans to get even with Jacob who is now having trouble with his eyesight.

Another fabulous Vistavision western!

The Lone Ranger (1956) - 86 mins

Starring Clayton Moore, Jay Silverheels, Lyle Bettger, Bonita Granville, Perry Lopez & Frank DeKova

Directed by Stuart Heisler

The Lone Ranger was the first of two Technicolor theatrical features based on the popular TV series of the same name. The Lone Ranger & and his faithful companion, Tonto (Clayton Moore & Jay Silverheels), take on evil rancher Reece Kilgore (Lyle Bettger), who hopes to become an all-powerful land baron by fomenting an Indian war. It is up to the Lone Ranger to keep the peace and to find out why Kilgore is going to such violent lengths.

Gorgeous wide-screen Technicolor print - fills the full 16:9 screen (not like "letterboxed" commercial releases)

A record 221 episodes comprised the TV series which ran between 1949 and 1955 (the first Season of which is available from the TV Series section of this website).

The Lone Ranger (1956) became the first of two theatrical Lone Ranger features - its was followed by The Lone Ranger and the Lost City of Gold (1958) which is also available - see below

The Lone Ranger and the Lost City of Gold (1958) - 81 mins

Starring Clayton Moore, Jay Silverheels, Douglas Kennedy, Charles Watts, Noreen Nash & Dean Fredericks

Directed by Lesley Selander

This second theatrical-feature spin-off of TV's Lone Ranger series stars Clayton Moore as the Masked Rider of the Plains and Jay Silverheels as his faithful Indian companion Tonto who are this time on the trail of five silver medallions. When placed together, these tiny pieces of silver reveal the location of a fabulous Lost City of Gold. The owners of three of the medallions have already been killed mysteriously and it's up to the Lone Ranger and Tonto to save the other two owners, Ross Brady (Douglas Kennedy) and little Fran Henderson (Noreen Nash), from harm.

Of note in this film is that we learn of the origin of The Lone Ranger - his party being ambushed, his being rescued by Tonto and his donning of the mask (and why) - this all happens in the first 3 minutes: before the opening credits roll!

Gorgeous wide-screen Technicolor print - fills the full 16:9 screen (not like "letterboxed" commercial releases)

A record 221 episodes comprised the TV series which ran between 1949 and 1955 (the first Season of which is available from the TV Series section of this website).

The Lone Ranger and the Lost City of Gold (1958) was the second of two theatrical Lone Ranger features - its was preceded by The Lone Ranger (1956) which is also available - see above

The Lone Wolf Spy Hunt (1939) - 71 mins

Starring Warren William, Ida Lupino, Rita Hayworth, Virginia Weidler & Ralph Morgan

Directed by Peter Godfrey

Michael Lanyard (Warren William) is a onetime criminal known as the Lone Wolf. He is determined to remain reformed for the sake of his daughter Patricia (Virginia Weidler), but a gang of foreign spies abducts Lanyard and force him to steal the blueprints for a secret anti-aircraft gun.

Excellent mystery/comedy with Warren William in his “element” here.

The first ever (Warren William) Lone Wolf entry, based on a character created by Louis Joseph Vance in a series of novels - other Lone Wolf films starring Warren William which are available from this (INDIVIDUAL MOVIE TITLES) section of the website are Counter-Espionage (1942) & Passport to Suez (1943)

This film is also part of The Lone Wolf Movies Series DVD sets which are available from within the Movie Series section of this website

The Long and the Short and the Tall (1961) - 110 mins

Starring Richard Todd, Laurence Harvey, Richard Harris, David McCallum, Ronald Frazer & John Meillon

Directed by Leslie Norman

A powerfull WWII picture, set in Malaya in which British troops encamped therein believe they've gotten a break when they capture a Japanese scout (Kenji Takaki) - but it's all part of an enemy trap. The rest of the film concentrates on a battle of wills rather than bullets, though a few spurts of action keep the war-film aficionados happy. Played against the larger tapestry of the world conflict are the fluctuating tensions among the British soldiers themselves. Adapted from a play by Willis Hall, The Long and the Short and the Tall gets its title from the lyrics of a popular wartime ballad Bless 'Em All.

BAFTA nominated for Best British film

The Long Arm (1956) - 96 mins

Starring Jack Hawkins, Jihn Stratton, Dorothy Alison, Michael Brooke & Sam Kydd

Directed by Charles Frend

Supt Tom Halliday (Jack Hawkins) is as a gruff, intensely dedicated Scotland Yard superintendent, who works as much by instinct as through scientific methods, Tom and rookie Sergeant Ward (John Stratton) tackle the case of a string of unsolved safe-crackings, supposedly committed by the elusive burglar, Gibson (Richard Leech). But robbery leads to murder with a devilish twist!

Also known as The Third Key (1956)

The Long Duel (1967) - 115 mins

Starring Yul Brynner, Trevor Howard, Harry Andrews, Charlotte Rampling, Andrew Keir & Laurence Naismith

Directed by Ken Annakin

In the 1920s, the British Raj still rule India, and Freddy Young (Trevor Howard) is a English police officer whose duty is to keep order among the native Bhantas. While Young believes in his heart that the people of India should be free to determine their own political destiny, he is forced by his occupation to uphold British law. However, not all the Bhantas willingly follow the commands of the British, and Sultan (Yul Brynner) is an Indian determined to lead his people to freedom from colonial tyranny. Young is instructed to find and capture Sultan, but while his superiors indicate that they would not be upset if Sultan were to meet with an accident, Young is impressed by the courage and intelligence of his adversary, and he is determined to bring him back alive.

Top flight big budget technicolor actioner from the Brits

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Long John Silver (1954) - 106 mins

Starring Robert Newton, Connie, Gilchrist, Lloyd Berrell, Grant Taylor & Rod Taylor

Directed by Byron Haskin

In the sequel to Treasure Island (1950), Long John Silver (Robert Newton) turns up on a British Caribbean island, where he hears that rival pirate Capt. Mendoza (Lloyd Berrell) has taken the ship carrying the governor's daughter - and his young friend Jim Hawkins. Naturally, there's more to his rescue plan than meets the eye; he hopes to get a new ship and go back for more treasure...

Australian adaptation of the classic novel by Robert Louis Stevenson.

Excellent widescreen print!

Robert Newton had previous played his (signature?) role a few earlier with the prequel Treasure Island (1950) which was also helmed by Byron Haskin - its also available from this website

The Longest Night (1936) - 51 mins

Starring Robert Young, Florence Rice, Ted Healy, Julie Haydon & Catherine Doucet

Directed by Errol Taggart

Charley Phelps (Robert Young) is the manager of a department store targeted by gangsters. His romance with store clerk Joan Sutton (Florence Rice) is threatened when they start muscling in and organise to have him accused of stealing merchandise. He cleverly sets out to clear his name and match wits (& fists) with the crooks

A fast-paced mystery with a short running time (an uncut 51 minutes making it the shortest feature film ever produced by MGM).

Nicely Restored Print!

The Long Goodbye (1973) - 112 mins

Starring Elliott Gould, Nina Van Pallandt, Sterling Hayden, Mark Rydell, Henry Gibson, Jim Bouton & David Arkin

Directed by Robert Altman

Applying his deconstructive eye to the "film noir" tradition, Robert Altman updated Raymond Chandler in his 1973 version of Chandler's novel, The Long Goodbye. Smart-aleck, cat-loving private eye Philip Marlowe (Elliott Gould) is certain that his friend Terry Lennox (Jim Bouton) isn't a wife-killer, even after the cops throw Marlowe in jail for not cooperating with their investigation into Lennox's subsequent disappearance. Once he gets out of jail, Marlowe starts to conduct his own search when he discovers that mysterious blonde Eileen Wade (Nina Van Pallandt), who hired him to find her alcoholic novelist husband Roger (Sterling Hayden), lives on the same Malibu street as the absent Lennox and his deceased spouse. As numerous variations on the title song play in unexpected places, Marlowe encounters a shady doctor (Henry Gibson), a bottle-wielding gangster (director Mark Rydell), and a guard aping Barbara Stanwyck (among other stars), before heading to Mexico to stumble onto the truth once and for all.

Note that this film is part of the Philip Marlowe "at the Movies" Combination which can be found in the Classic Movie Combinations section of this website

Sterling Hayden films which are available from this website are:

The Long, Hot Summer (1958) - 115 mins

Starring Paul Newman, Joanne Woodward, Anthony Franciosa, Orson Welles, Lee Remick & Angela Lansbury

Directed by Martin Ritt

Ben Quick (Paul Newman), a sullen but self-confident drifter, arrives in a small Mississippi town where his father had a bad reputation as a firebug. Will Varner (Orson Welles), the town's patriarch, still holds a grudge against Quick's dad, and when the young man decides to stay in town and sharecrop on Varner's land, Will goes out of his way to make his life difficult.

The first film that Newman and Woodward made together - they got married the same year.

The Long Ships (1964) - 126 mins

Starring Richard Widmark, Sidney Poitier, Russ Tamblyn, Rosanna Schiaffino, Oscar Homolka, Edward Judd & Lionel Jeffries

Directed by Jack Cardiff

Rolfe (Richard Widmark) is a Viking leader with the cunning and devious mind of a pirate. Rolfe tells others sailors of "The Mother of Voices," a mammoth bell made of gold and as tall as three men, but he adds enough incorrect details to throw them off the proper trail. However, Aly Mansuh (Sidney Poitier), the leader of a group of ambitious Moors, sees through Rolfe's story, and soon the two are in a breakneck race to be the first to capture the precious bell.

An elaborately mounted seafaring adventure, helmed by legendary cinematographer Jack Cardiff

The Long Voyage Home (1940) - 105 mins

Starring John Wayne, Thomas Mitchell, Ian Hunter, Barry Fitzgerald, John Qualen & Ward Bond

Directed John Ford

Its WWII and after a night of revelry in the West Indies, the crew of the SS Glencairn return to the tramp steamer and set sail for Baltimore. They're a varied lot, from middle-aged Irishman Driscoll (Thomas Mitchell), to the young Swedish ex-farmer Ole Olsen (John Wayne), to the brooding Lord Jim-like Englishman Smitty (Ian Hunter). After the ship picks up a load of dynamite in Baltimore, the rough seas they encounter become especially nerve-racking to the crew, who are also concerned that Smitty might be a German spy.

Oscar nominated for Best Picture, B&W Cinematography, Special Effects, Music (Richard Hageman) & Screenplay

John Ford welded four of Eugene O'Neill's one-act plays about the sea (Bound East for Cardiff, The Long Voyage Home, The Zone & Moon of the Caribees) into this film about wayfaring seamen, changing the setting from the turn of the century to WWII. This was O'Neill's favourite of the films based on his work, and he reportedly watched it so often that to he eventually wore out the print!

John Wayne: Duke - one of the most recognizable persons on the planet -a true mega-star in film. You'll find the following John Wayne movies in this INDIVIDUAL MOVIE TITLES section of this website:

The Big Trail (1930), Westward Ho (1935), Stagecoach (1939), Allegheny Uprising (1939), Dark Command (1940), Three Faces West (1940), The Long Voyage Home (1940), Seven Sinners (1940), Reap the Wild Wind (1942), The Spoilers (1942), In Old California (1942), Flying Tigers (1942), Pittsburgh (1942), Reunion in France (1942), The Fighting Seabees (1944), Tall in the Saddle (1944), Back to Bataan (1945), Dakota (1945), They Were Expendable (1945), Without Reservations (1946), Tycoon (1947), Fort Apache (1948), Red River (1948), 3 Godfathers (1948), Wake of the Red Witch (1948), The Fighting Kentuckian (1949), She Wore a Yellow Ribbon (1949), Sands of Iwo Jima (1949), Rio Grande (1950), Operation Pacific (1951), Flying Leathernecks (1951), The Quiet Man (1952), Big Jim McLain (1952), Island in the Sky (1953), Hondo (1953), The Sea Chase (1955), Blood Alley (1955), The Wings of Eagles (1957), Jet Pilot (1957) Legend of the Lost (1957), Rio Bravo (1959), The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance (1962), Donovan's Reef (1963), The Sons of Katie Elder (1965), El Dorado (1966), The War Wagon (1967), Hellfighters (1968), McQ (1974) & Brannigan (1975)

The Long Wait (1954) - 94 mins

Starring Anthony Quinn, Charles Coburn, Gene Evans, Peggie Castle, Mary Ellen Kay & Shirley Patterson

Directed by Victor Saville

Johnny McBride (Anthony Quinn) is an amnesiac victim who may or may not have committed a murder. Picking up the pieces of his life, Johnny wanders into a hotbed of small-town intrigue and corruption. Highly respectable bank president Gardiner (Charles Coburn), gangster Servo (Gene Evans), and silky femme fatale Venus (Peggie Castle) are pivotal in Johnny’s quest to regain his memory and a determination of his whether or not he’s a killer

Based on the novel of the same name by Mickey “Mike Hammer” Spillane

Nicely restored print!

FYI: I, The Jury (1953) was the first of Mickey Spillane's Mike Hammer novels to hit the screen. It starred Biff Elliott (in his first film) as an ideal Hammer, closer to Spillane's lout than his (relatively) spruced-up successors Ralph Meeker in Kiss Me Deadly (1955) and Robert Bray in My Gun Is Quick (1957). Even Mickey Spillane himself played Mike Hammer in The Girl Hunters (1963).

All of these Mike Hammer films are available from this (INDIVIDUAL MOVIE TITLES) section of website.

Loot (1970) - 101 mins

Starring Richard Attenborough, Lee Remick, Hywel Bennett, Milo O’Shea, Roy Holder & Dick Emery

Directed by Silvio Narizzano

Dennis & Hal (Hywel Bennett & Roy Holder) are two lay-abouts who decide to improve their lot in life by robbing a bank. After pulling the job, they have to hide the loot - and where else but in the casket of Hal’s recently deceased mother? Unfortunately, although the boys hide the money, they can't hide the casket, so they opt for stashing it in the bathroom of the hotel run by Hal’s father (Milo O'Shea). All is well until wacky Inspector Truscott (Richard Attenborough) arrives to investigate. Snapping at his heels is Nurse Fay McMahon (Lee Remick) - a sexy nurse looking for the loot. Soon, the hotel becomes a cacophony of stomping feet and slamming doors, with the loot and the corpse in a farcical shell-game, one step ahead of discovery by the inept Truscott.

Joe Orton's fast-paced black comedy farce was adapted for the big screen by the talented British pair of Galton & Simpson (Steptoe and Son, Hancock’s Half Hour & Frankie Howerd)

An absolute riot!

Lord of the Flies (1963) - 92 mins

Starring James Aubrey, Tom Chapin, Hugh Edwards, Roger Elwin, Tom Gaman & Roger Allan

Directed by Peter Brook

After a plane accident, 30 school-age boys find themselves stranded on an island. Left to fend for themselves, they must take on the responsibilities of adults, even if they are not ready to do so. The boys decide that the disciplined Ralph (James Aubrey) will be their leader. Jack (Tom Chapin) heads up a group who will hunt and butcher the local population of pigs for food. Also on the island is the mature, intelligent Piggy (Hugh Edwards). Eventually Ralph and Jack become the center of a war for leadership on the island.

Peter Brooks' big-screen adaptation of William Golding's classic Lord of the Flies adheres closely to the source material, mapping the difference between civilization and savagery.

Lost Continent (1951) - 83 mins

Starring Cesar Romero, Hillary Brooke, Chick Chandler, John Hoyt & Hugh Beaumont

Directed by Sam Newfield

An American rocket ship crashes upon a remote island in the South Pacific and Air Force pilot Major Joe Nolan (Cesar Romero) and scientist Michael Rostov (John Hoyt) are assigned to find it. They get to the island and suddenly discover that the island is populated by a myriad of extinct animals, including dinosaurs.

Good sci-fi stuff!

Nice print - much better than commercial offerings!

Lost Horizon (1937) - 128 mins

Starring Ronald Colman, Jane Wyatt, Edward Everett Horton, John Howard & Thomas Mitchell

Directed by Frank Capra

British diplomat Robert Conway and a small group of civilians crash land in the Himalayas, and are rescued by the people of the mysterious, Eden-like valley of Shangri-la. Protected by the mountains from the world outside, where the clouds of World War II are gathering, Shangri-la provides a seductive escape for the world-weary Conway.

A truly great adventure with Colman at his best in the role of Conway

Academy Awards for Art Direction & Film Editing.

Note the length of this print (128 mins) - its the restored version!

The Lost Missile (1958) - 70 mins

Starring Robert Loggia, Ellen Parker, Phillip Pine, Larry Kerr & Marilee Earle

Directed by William Berke

A rogue missile, apparently from outside our solar system, ends up plunging into the Earth's atmosphere. Driven by atomic power, it cruises at an altitude of five miles and a speed of 4,000 miles per hour, generating a temperature of one million degrees in its wake, in a field five miles across, destroying anything and anyone it passes over; most of the planes that try to shoot it down miss and are destroyed, and no missile within range can get near enough to damage it with conventional explosives. Starting from the Bering Strait, the rogue missile lays waste to ever more populated real estate as it heads in an arc that will carry it over Ottawa and then New York, 63 minutes away. If it isn't stopped, the missile will lay waste to the entire surface of the Earth as it arcs across the skies. Only one missile, the Jove which is still in the experimental stage, may be able to intercept it, and it doesn't have a warhead. The only answer is a "baby warhead," using the plutonium trigger projected by the American booster fast enough and exploded close enough to destroy the rogue - but can Dr. David Loring (Robert Loggia) assemble and launch it in time?

The Lost Missile is a very cleverly constructed low-budget sci-fi thriller with some fascinating twists - the final film of director William Berke (his son, Lester William Burke, took over shooting following his father's death during filming).

The Lost Patrol (1934) - 73 mins

Starring Victor McLaglen, Boris Karloff, Wallace Ford, Reginald Denny, J. M. Kerrigan & Alan Hale

Directed by John Ford

A World War I British Army patrol is crossing the Mesopotamian desert when their commanding officer, the only one who knows their destination is killed by the bullet of unseen bandits. The patrol's sergeant know only as The Sergeant (Victor McLaglen) keeps the group heading north on the assumption that they will meet their brigade. They stop for the night at an oasis and awake the next morning to find their horses stolen, their sentry dead and the oasis surrounded. One by one, they are picked off as they desperately fend off the enemy, hoping for reinforcements to arrive.

Oscar nominated for Best Score (Max Steiner).

This powerful film from the novel ‘Patrol’ by Philip MacDonald, combined the talents of (star) McLaglen & (director) John Ford. One year later they were back again with The Informer (1935) for which each won an Academy Award. The Informer (1935) is also available from this website.

The Lost Weekend (1945) - 101 mins

Starring Ray Milland, Jane Wyman, Phillip Terry, Howard da Silva & Doris Dowling

Directed by Billy Wilder

Don Birnam, long-time alcoholic, has been "on the wagon" for ten days and seems to be over the worst; but his craving has just become more insidious. Evading a country weekend planned by his brother Wick and girlfriend Helen, he begins a four-day bender. In flashbacks we see past events, all gone wrong because of the bottle. But this bout looks like being his last...one way or the other.

An unrelenting drama of alcoholism - and a landmark of adult filmmaking in Hollywood. Academy Awards for Picture, Actor, Director, Screenplay.

Academy Award Nominations for Cinematography Film Editing and Musical Score.

The Lost World (1960) - 97 mins

Starring Michael Rennie, Jill St. John, David Hedison, Claude Rains, Fernando Lamas & Richard Haydn

Directed by Irwin Allen

Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's classic story of an expedition to a remote plateau rumoured to be the home of prehistoric beasts is again brought to the screen in this fabulous production by Irwin “Poseidon Adventure” Allen. Professor Challenger (Claude Rains) leads a team of fellow scientists and adventurers deep into the Amazon jungle. The team must battle unforgiving jungle conditions before arriving at the isolated plateau where they discover a strange group of prehistoric beasts and unexpectedly find themselves in a fight for survival.

Memorable Sci-Fi Classic from Irwin Allen which went up against Dinosaurus! (1960) at the box office - also available from this website

The Loved One (1965) - 122 mins

Starring Robert Morse, Jonathan Winters, Anjanette Comer, Rod Steiger, Dana Andrews, Milton Berle & James Coburn

Directed by Tony Richardson

The satire in Evelyn Waugh's darkly comic novel The Loved One is an attack on the Southern California funeral industry and the film version, anxious to live up to its ad-campaign promise of containing ‘something to offend everybody’, wheels out a series of unsubtle but hilarious ‘death’ gags. Innocent British poet Dennis Barlow (Robert Morse) falls in love with funeral-home cosmetician Aimee Thanatogenos (Anjanette Comer), who in turn is loved by prissy funeral director Mr. Joyboy (Rod Steiger).

Film historian William K. Everson has commented that The Loved One is one of the best and most underrated comedies of the 1960s.

Its an ‘acquired’ taste!

Love Is On the Air (1937) - 60 mins

Starring Ronald Reagan, June Travis, Eddie Acuff, Ben Welden, Robert Barrat & Addision Richards

Directed by Nick Grinde

Andy McCaine is the ace crime reporter for a radio station. However, his exposés of corruption in high places gets him in trouble with the sponsor of his show, E.E. Nichols, who is in league with gangster Nicey Ferguson. Nichols pressures Andy's boss to demote him to a children's show, but Andy finds a way to use the kid show to bust open a murder case.

Curiously named but a great little film, Love is on the Air is historically important as the screen debut of Ronald Reagan - and he's pretty good

The Love War (1970) - 74 mins

Starring Lloyd Bridges, Angie Dickinson, Harry Basch, Daniel J. Travanti & Allen Jaffe

Directed by George McCowan

The ongoing war between the planets Argon and Zinan is slated to be resolved in a winner-take-all battle, to be held on the "neutral" planet Earth. Among the six representatives of the two planets is Argon warrior Kyle (Lloyd Bridges), who upon assuming human form arrives in a sleepy California town. Kyle's militaristic resolve is challenged by the curious emotions stirred up via his relationship with local resident Sandy (Angie Dickinson). The Love War was originally telecast on March 10, 1970 as an "ABC Movie of the Week" presentation.

The "cultist of cult" sci-fi films (actually an Aaron Spelling TV movie), this is an intelligent and excellently written piece.

A nicely restored print of an excellent TV movie

Lucky Jordan (1942) - 84 mins

Starring Alan Ladd, Helen Walker, Marie McDonald, Sheldon Leonard & Lloyd Corrigan

Directed by Frank Tuttle

Lucky Jordan, cynical gambler and racketeer, finds one thing his luck and connections can't fix: the draft board. In the army, he fits like the proverbial square peg, and deserts to find his former henchman selling the mob's services to enemy spies and saboteurs. Meanwhile, Jill, the attractive WAC he's taken hostage, hopes to reform him (by any means at her disposal). But it takes an unexpected plot twist to make Jordan change his ways.

Alan Ladd had a style as a gangster that counterpointed well with the wonderful Sheldon Leonard. Helen Walker presented an unusually perky, sexy look that was never really exploited in the movies.

This picture is fun to watch and for a light comedy, spy thriller it was away ahead of most of it's time.

Recently re-mastered using new transcoding software: Perfect B&W print! (and no logos)

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Lulu Belle (1948) - 86 mins

Starring Dorothy Lamour, George Montgomery, Albert Dekker, Otto Kruger & Glenda Farrell

Directed by Leslie Fenton

In Natchez, Mississippi in the early 1900's Lulu Belle (Dorothy Lamour) is singing in a run-down saloon when she meets rising young attorney George Davis (George Montgomery). He gives up his fiancée and career to marry Lulu. But when his money runs out, Lulu Belle goes to work in a New Orleans club run by tough gambler Mark Brady (Albert Dekker). She tries to send George back to Natchez by pretending that she has fallen for prize-fighter Butch Cooper (Greg McClure). George reacts badly and, in a fit of jealousy, drives a fork into Butch's face and is sent to prison. Meanwhile Lulu goes to New York with millionaire Harry Randolph (Otto Kruger), who makes her the singing sensation of Broadway and asks her to marry him. She refuses when she learns that George has been released from prison, realizing that he is the only man she ever truly loved.

Good story with a strong cast!

Lust For Gold (1949) - 90 mins

Starring Glenn Ford, Ida Lupino, Gig Young, William Prince, Edgar Buchanan & Will Geer

Directed by S. Sylvan Simon

We learn via flashback of Jacob ‘Dutch’ Walz (Glenn Ford), a greedy, homicidal owner of the legendary Lost Dutchman Mine. After conniving and killing his way to success, Walz meets his match when he falls in love with equally mercenary Julia Thomas (Ida Lupino). Now to the present-time and a descendant of Walz tries to locate the mine and endangers his own life in the process.

A rip-roaring western melodrama in which most of the well-staged action highlights would again turn up as stock footage in future Columbia productions, including an episode of TV's Captain Midnight (available from the TV Series section of this website)

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The Lusty Men (1952) - 113 mins

Starring Robert Mitchum, Susan Hayward, Arthur Kennedy, Arthur Hunnicutt, Frank Faylen & Walter Coy

Directed by Nicholas Ray

Former rodeo star Jeff McCloud (Robert Mitchum) has become disabled by a series of accidents and now hobbles back to his Oklahoma hometown in hopes of replenishing his bank account. Aspiring bronco-buster Wes Merritt (Arthur Kennedy) hires Jeff to train him for an upcoming rodeo, promising that they'll split the winnings. Before long Jeff has fall hard for Wes’ wife Louise (Susan Hayward) - the latter being ambivalent about the situation. After a falling out, Jeff quits and enters the rodeo himself, hoping to win the prize from his now arrogant pupil.

The Lusty Men gets an offbeat touch thanks to director Nicholas Ray - it was written (more or less) by one-time cowboy David Dotort

Macao (1952) - 80 mins

Starring Robert Mitchum, Jane Russell, William Bendix, Gloria Grahame & Thomas Gomez

Directed by Josef von Sternberg

A sultry night club singer, a man who has also travelled to many exotic ports and a salesman meet aboard ship on the 45-mile trip from Hong Kong to Macao. The singer is quickly hired by an American expatriate who runs the biggest casino in Macao and has a thriving business in converting hot jewels into cash. Her new boss thinks one of her travelling companions is a cop.

Macbeth (1971) - 140 mins

Starring Jon Finch, Francesca Annis, Martin Shaw, Terence Bayler, John Stride & Nicholas Selby

Directed by Roman Polanski

This classic Shakespeare play charts the ruthlessly ambitious Scottish lord Macbeth (Jon Finch) as he seizes the throne with the help of his scheming wife, Lady Macbeth (Francesca Annis) - together they sink deeper and deeper into the morass of their murderous ambitions - they age and wither before our eyes over a period of years (in keeping with the original story).

Brilliant performances of Jon Finch and Francesca Annis as his Lady in a fabulous wide-screen Eastmancolor print!

Macbeth was financed and released by Playboy whilst the original Shakespearean text was adapted for the screen by director, Polanski

Also released as The Tragedy of Macbeth (1971)

Machine-Gun Kelly (1958) - 84 mins

Starring Charles Bronson, Susan Cabot, Barboura Morris, Morey Amsterdam, Wally Campo & Jack Lambert

Directed by Roger Corman

A unique crime story. A small-time thief is turned into a legend by his tough-as-nails moll. "Machine Gun" robs a chain of banks and finally turns his ambitions to kidnapping - hounded all the way by a compulsive fear of death. The photography is elegant, the acting of the lead pair and the supporting cast are all pretty much dead-on. A tight, efficient telling of a memorable tale, peopled with all sorts of interesting characters. Interestingly, this film takes the gangster genre beyond film noir by making his characters not only self-loathing but worthy of self-loathing!

One of Corman's very best films as a director.

Upgraded Print! - now perfect WideScreen - gratis upgrades to previous customers of this title

Mackenna’s Gold (1969) - 128 mins

Starring Gregory Peck, Omar Sharif, Telly Savalas, Camilla Sparv, Keenan Wynn & Julie Newmar

Directed by J. Lee Thompson

Mackenna (Gregory Peck) has committed to memory the map that leads to some hidden Apache gold. The Indians now want the gold to finance their fight against the white men who invade their territory. Mexican bandit Colorado (Omar Sharif) wants the gold for himself, and the local preacher (Raymond Massey) and the editor of the newspaper (Lee J. Cobb) also get gold fever. Burgess Meredith plays the storekeeper and Edward G. Robinson is long-time town resident Old Adams. Everyone goes looking for the hidden treasure as the Indians’ numbers dwindle due to violent attacks. The search is monitored by U.S. cavalry Sergeant Tibbs (Telly Savalas). Colorado captures Mackenna to lead him to the gold as death comes to those who show the most avarice.

Mackenna's Gold is a colorful, action-packed big-scale western with an all-star cast.

Music is provided by Quincy Jones and it garnered a Grammy nomination

The Macomber Affair (1947) - 89 mins

Starring Gregory Peck, Joan Bennett, Robert Preston, Reginald Denny, Jean Gillie & Earl Smith

Directed by Zoltan Korda

Francis Macomber (Robert Preston) is a wealthy, carefree gentleman who hires Robert Wilson (Gregory Peck), an expert hunter, as his guide when he sets off on a safari in Kenya. Francis' wife Margaret (Joan Bennett) regards her husband as a fool and a coward, and before long, she develops a strong attraction to Robert - which she does not bother to keep secret. However, Robert informs her that as a matter of personal ethics, he would not consider becoming involved with her. After several weeks on the African savannah, Francis feels himself changing; he's developed a new bravery and sense of confidence, and as a test of himself, he one day stands in the path of a charging buffalo as he prepares to shoot. However, shots ring out from behind him, and Francis falls dead. Margaret insists that she was trying to kill the animal before it could trample Francis and missed, but given her well-documented contempt for her husband, the widow finds herself on trial for murder

The Macomber Affair (1947) was based on the short story "The Short Happy Life of Francis Macomber" by Ernest Hemingway, though director Zoltan Korda found it necessary to rework the material (with the input of the featured cast) in order to appease the industry censors of the day.

Madame Curie (1943) - 124 mins

Starring Greer Garson, Walter Pidgeon, Henry Travers, Albert Bassermann & Robert Walker

Directed by Mervyn LeRoy

In turn-of- the-century Paris, poor Polish student Marie (Greer Garson) gets a chance to study magnetism with kindly professor Jean Perot (Albert Basserman). Perot also arranges for the shy scientist Pierre Curie (Walter Pidgeon) to share the lab with Marie. As they work together, Pierre and Marie fall in love. Pierre eventually musters up the courage to ask her to marry him, and she accepts. After their honeymoon, Marie becomes obsessed with a piece of pitchblende that has been displaying some peculiar properties. After five years of work, Marie discovers radium. But as the years go on, Marie and Pierre struggle to raise money to continue their research, hoping to one day be able to isolate radium from the pitchblende.

Oscar Nominations for Best Picture, Best Actor, Actress, Art Direction, Cinematography, Music, & Sound

Based on Eve Curie's book about her mother, this is the story of the discovery of X-Rays.

Mad Dog Morgan (1976) - 102 mins

Starring Dennis Hopper, Jack Thompson, David Gulpilil, Frank Thring & Michael Pate

Directed by Philippe Mora

In the 1850s, Daniel Morgan (Dennis Hopper), like hundreds of other ex-patriots from the Ireland, has come to Australia to seek his fortune in the lucrative gold fields. As fate would have it, Morgan soon finds himself on the wrong side of the law, broke and desperate. A single act of highway robbery gets him 12 years of hard labor. While in prison, he is systematically abused and upon release, Morgan vows revenge on those who wronged him. With the help of local aboriginal Billy (David Gulpilil), and a growing legend of audacity, Morgan soon becomes a hero. The locals love him, while the wealthy and powerful fear his influence. He becomes Wanted: Dead or Alive!

Gorgeous Wide-Screen Technicolor Print!

Mad Dog Morgan (1976) has a sort-of-twin in Ned Kelly (1970) - another Aussie Bushranger story based on a real-life character (more, the marvellously malevolent Frank Thing is in both casts!) - Ned Kelly (1970) is also available from this website

Mad Holiday (1936) - 71 mins

Starring Edmund Lowe, Elissa Landi, Zasu Pitts, Ted Healy & Edmund Gwenn

Directed by George B. Seitz

Philip Trent (Edmund Lowe) is tired of playing film detective Shelby James. He thinks that the stories are average and plans a vacation to get away from Hollywood. But on the ship, he meets a mysterious young woman and then finds a body, only to find out that the whole affair was staged by Peter Dean (Elissa Landi) - author of the Shelby James novels. But then Mr. Van Mier is found murdered in the same way and the Dragon diamond is missing. No matter what Philip tries to do, he finds himself involved with the crime and meddles his way through it looking for the killer and the diamond - with the help of author Dean!

Trent's wisecracking press agent Mert Morgan (Ted Healey) has a wonderful moment when he stumbles over a corpse and asks nonchalantly, "What's the matter with him, he crocked?"

The always charismatic, Edmund Lowe starred in some marvellous mystery (and comedy-mystery) films in the 1930s: Transatlantic (1931), Black Sheep (1935), The Garden Murder Case (1936), Seven Sinners (1936), Mad Holiday (1936), Espionage (1937) & The Squeaker (1937) - all of which are available from this website

Madhouse (1974) - 92 mins

Starring Vincent Price, Peter Cushing, Robert Quarry, Adreieen Corri & Michael Parkinson

Directed by Jim Clark

The first on-screen pairing of icons Vincent Price and Peter Cushing, who play, respectively, aging former horror star Paul Toombes and actor-turned-writer Herbert Flay, who unite in an effort to revive the popularity of Toombes' screen character "Dr. Death" for a TV series. Having recently recovered from a nervous breakdown, Toombes comes under suspicion when several members of the show's cast and crew are murdered in grisly re-enactments of Dr. Death's greatest movie moments (as depicted in clips from some of Price's AIP films for Roger Corman).

Also known as The Revenge of Dr. Death.

He also lead the cast in some nice sci-fi films: The Fly (1958), Return of the Fly (1959), Master of the World (1961), The Last Man on Earth (1964) & War-Gods of the Deep (1965)

Not forgetting his only western as star: The Baron of Arizona (1950) - his favorite film.

All of the above are available from this website.

Madonna of the Seven Moons (1945) - 110 mins

Starring Phyllis Calvert, Stewart Granger, Patricia Roc, Peter Glenville & John Stuart

Directed by Arthur Crabtree

Though she doesn't know it at first, young convent-bred Rosalinda (Phyllis Calvert) has been born under a curse: before her life comes to a close, she will be wife, mother and mistress all in one. As a child, Rosalinda is raped by a gypsy, an experience that renders her a schizophrenic. Years later, she is the seemingly contented wife of prosperous Italian businessman Giuseppe (John Stuart) and the mother of attractive teenager Angela (Patricia Roc). From time to time, however, Rosalinda disappears from her home and retreats to the slums of Florence, where she assumes the identity of lustful gypsy girl Maddelina, the mistress of criminal leader Nino (Stewart Granger). Then she returns to her husband and daughter, completely unaware of her "other" self or even that she's been absent. Understandably curious about her mother's long absences, Angela follows Rosalinda during one of her sojourns into the Florentine underworld. Far from home and hearth, poor Angela is targetted for seduction by Sandro (Peter Glenville) - the very gypsy who'd assaulted the younger Rosalinda! And just when it seems that things can't get any more unbelievable? - well, this one is definitely better seen than described.

A classic in gothic-romantic excess, Madonna of Seven Moons was one of the most successful British films of its genre.

The Mad Miss Manton (1938) - 80 mins

Starring Barbara Stanwyck, Henry Fonda, Sam Levene, Francis Mercer & Stanley Ridges

Directed by Leigh Jason

Wealthy socialite Melsa Manton is taking her pooches for a walk in the dead of the night when she stumbles upon a dead body and a car fleeing the scene of the crime. She alerts the police but the corpse has disappeared by the time they arrive, and the lieutenant, knowing of her madcap reputation, believes she was playing a practical joke. After newspaper editor Peter Ames takes her to task in print, she sues him for libel and enlists the aid of her society friends in tracking down the body and finding the killer. Eventually, Ames comes around to believing Melsa's story and aids her in her search.

(Fonda and Stanwyck would team up again in You Belong to Me and The Lady Eve)

The Magic Box (1951) - 118 mins

Starring Robert Donat, Margaret Johnston, Maria Schell, Renee Asherson & Richard Attenborough

Directed by John Boulting

Now old, ill, poor, and largely forgotten, William Freise-Greene was once very different. As young and handsome William Green he changed his name to include his first wife's so that it sounded more impressive for the photographic portrait work he was so good at. But he was also an inventor and his search for a way to project moving pictures became an obsession that ultimately changed the life of all those he loved.

"The Magic Box was the English film industry's contribution to the 1951 Festival of Britain. Its all-star cast generously forsook their usual salaries for the privilege of paying tribute to that unsung pioneer of cinema, William Friese-Greene, here played by Robert Donat. Adapted by Eric Ambler from the controversial biography by Ray Allister, The Magic Box contends that Friese-Greene was the true father of motion pictures, and not such upstarts as W. K. L. Dickson and Thomas Edison. Told in flashback, the film details Friese-Greene's tireless experiments with the "moving image," leading inexorably to a series of failures and disappoints, as others hog the credit for the protagonist's discoveries. The huge cast includes such British film luminaries as Joyce Grenfell, Miles Malleson, Michael Redgrave, Eric Portman, Emlyn Williams, Richard Attenborough, Peter Ustinov, Cecil Parker, Kay Walsh, and, best of all, Laurence Olivier as the confused bobby who witnesses Friese-Greene's first motion picture demonstration"

Lovers of the art (of motion pictures) should check this gem out!

The Magnetic Monster (1953) - 76 mins

Starring Richard Carlson, King Donovan, Jean Byron, Harry Ellerbe & Leo Britt

Directed by Curt Siodmak

Dr. Jeff Stewart (Richard Carlson who also co-produced) is an agent for the Office of Scientific Investigation who, with his colleague, Dr. Dan Forbes (King Donovan), begin searching for a dangerously radioactive element, which they have good reason to believe is somewhere in the Los Angeles area. They soon learn that this is no ordinary investigation - among its other attributes, the unknown element generates enough radiation to kill, and also manifests a powerful magnetic field. The trail leads them to Dr. Howard Denker (Leonard Mudie), a rogue scientist who has created a new isotope of an element called Serranium, which proves to be not only highly radioactive, but dangerously unstable in ways that science has never seen before. Every 11 hours, the Serranium mass enters a growth cycle requiring massive amounts of energy, which it obtains by absorbing the energy from the atomic structure of any matter around it, releasing huge amounts of radiation in the process. The Serranium mass doubles in size with each cycle, doubling its energy needs in the process, as well as the potential destructiveness of the next cycle. The danger lies not only in the potential for destruction in the Serranium's rapidly increasing energy absorption, but its ever-increasing mass, which, at some point, will threaten to unbalance the Earth itself, in its rotation and orbit. Long before that, however, the resulting radiation is going to start killing large numbers of people, and the destructive force accompanying it will threaten to split the Earth's surface apart. Stewart and Forbes soon recognize that the only hope they have of stopping the process is to get ahead of it, by bombarding the Serranium with enough energy to force it to divide into two relatively stable elements. The only possible source of sufficient energy is the world's largest cyclotron, which has been built by the Canadian government in Nove Scotia - but is even it powerful enough to do the job, and can they get the deadly isotope there in time?

Curt Siodmak's The Magnetic Monster (1953) is a truly novel science fiction film, in terms of its rather cerebral plot and low-key, quietly intense execution. A mystery, a manhunt and a sci-fi-thriller, it pushed lots of suspense buttons for viewers in 1953 and still holds up more than a half century later.

The Magnificent Ambersons (1942) - 90 mins

Starring Joseph Cotton, Dolores Costello, Anne Baxter, Tim Holt & Agnes Moorehead

Directed by Orson Welles

The young & handsome Eugene Morgan wants to marry Isabel Amberson, daughter of a rich upper-class family, but she instead marries Wilbur Minafer.Years later, Eugene comes back, now a mature widower and a successful automobile maker. After Wilbur dies, Eugene again asks Isabel to marry him, and she is receptive. But Isabel & Wilbur's only child, George resents the attentions paid to his mother, and he and aunt Fanny set about sabotaging the romance.

A Tour de Force from Orson Welles - Academy Award nominations for Picture, Best Supporting Actress (Agnes Moorehead), Cinematography & Art Direction

The Magnificent Matador (1955) - 94 mins

Starring Maureen O'Hara, Anthony Quinn, Manuel Rojas, Richard Denning, Thomas Gomez & Lola Albright

Directed by Budd Boetticher

The exciting, metaphorical world of bull-fighting provides the setting for this dramatic tale of an aging toreador faced with a difficult decision after his illustrious reputation is nearly destroyed when he introduces his young rival and protege and suddenly runs from the ring. The distraught old matador finds comfort in the tender arms of an American fan. Unfortunately, her old boyfriend gets jealous and proclaims the fighter a coward. In time, the matador and his student enter the ring together for a final battle - it is here in the unforgiving arena that the true nature of their relationship is revealed.

The film's director Budd Boetticher, gives the film added realism as he, a former matador, also worked as the technical advisor. Originally, the bull-fighting scenes were more graphic, but squeamish censors intervened and the scenes were heavily edited.

Boetticher actually began his career as a technical adviser on Tyrone Power's Blood and Sand (1940) - also available from this website. He went on to much acclaim as the director of an exceptional series of Randolph Scott westerns - also available from this website.

Maigret (1988) - 94 mins

Starring Richard Harris, Patrick O'Neal, Victoria Tennant, Ian Ogilvy, Barbara Shelley & Eric Deacon

Directed by Paul Lynch

Richard Harris is not who we've always envisioned as George Simenon's workaday French police Inspector Jules Maigret but one tends to overlook this odd bit of casting as the story rolls on amidst some interesting twists & turns. The usually businesslike Maigret has trouble maintaining his objectivity when a close friend is murdered. The suspect is American business mogul Kevin Portman (Patrick O'Neal), as cagey a customer as Maigret. Their guarded Columbo-style byplay is the heart of this British TV movie.

Maigret was the latest attempt to launch an internationally produced TV series based on the Simenon character - and it was successful: Maigret, the 1992 UK TV series starred Michael Gambon in the title role after Harris declared his unavailability (Gambon also replaced Harris in the Harry Potter movie series).

Also worth a look is Charles Laughton's rendition of Maigret in The Man on the Eiffel Tower (1949) which is also available from this section of the website (see below)

Malaya (1949) - 96 mins

Starring James Stewart, Spencer Tracy, Valentina Cortese, Sydney Greenstreet, John Hodiak & Lionel Barrymore

Directed by Richard Thorpe

Spencer Tracy and James Stewart team up for this World War II adventure, based on an supposedly true incident from World War II. Stewart plays John Royer, an ex-newspaper reporter with a backhand knowledge of Malaya, and Tracy plays a criminal named Carnaghan, doing time in Alcatraz for smuggling. They are brought together for an undercover assignment - to smuggle a large shipment of rubber out of Japanese-held territory in Malaya and deliver the tonnage to awaiting U.S. ships. Carnaghan and Royer trek through the jungles and have to deal with several unscrupulous contacts including a man calling himself The Dutchman (Sydney Greenstreet) and a helpful FBI agent named Kellar (John Hodiak).

High adventure with a great cast!

Malta Story (1953) - 100 mins

Starring Alec Guinness, Jack Hawkins, Anthony Steel Muriel Pavlov & Renee Asherson

Directed by Brian Desmond Hurst

WW II camera reconnaissance pilot Peter Ross (Alec Guinness) crash lands in Malta. He presents his photographs to the resident air officer (Jack Hawkins) revealing that the Italians are planning a major invasion of the island. Low on fuel and men, the officer is all but helpless as the Italians mount their attack. Only the last-minute arrival reinforcements and supplies prevent Malta from falling into the hands of the enemies but the story doesn't end there. Filmed on location, The Malta Story boasts some exceptional aerial photography, not to mention excellent performances from Guiness, Hawkins, Anthony Steele, Muriel Pavlow, Flora Robson and the rest of the stellar cast.

The Maltese Falcon (1941) - 100 mins

Starring Humphrey Bogart, Mary Astor, Peter Lorre, Sydney Greenstreet & Barton MacLane

Directed by John Huston

Outstanding detective drama with Bogey as Dashiell Hammett's creation Sam Spade finding himself surrounded by shadey characters all greedily fighting for possession of a statue of a falcon containing priceless jewels. John Huston's first directorial effort (which he also scripted) moves at lightning pace.

Academy Award nominations for Picture, Screenplay, Best Supporting Actor

Notable for being also the initial combination of Greenstreet & Lorre on film (they appeared 8 times together).

Other films to feature the Greenstreet / Lorre combination were Casablanca (1942), Background to Danger (1943), Passage to Marseille (1944), The Mask of Dimitrios (1944), The Conspirators (1944), Three Strangers (1946 & The Verdict (1946) - all of which are available from this website.

The other renditions of Dashiell Hammett's The Maltese Falcon for the big screen are Dangerous Female (1931) with Ricardo Cortez & Bebe Daniels and Satan Met a Lady (1936) with Warren "Perry Mason / The Lone Wolf" William & Bette Davis - both of which are available from this website

A Man Alone (1955) - 96 mins

Starring Ray Milland, Mary Murphy, Ward Bond, Raymond Burr, Arthur Space & Lee Van Cleef

Directed Ray Milland

Fugitive gunslinger Wes Steele (Ray Milland), while escaping a lynch mob, stumbles onto an Arizona ranch that has been quarantined due to Yellow Fever. During his enforced stay, he falls in love with sheriff's daughter Nadine Corrigan (Mary Murphy), who is as much a "lost soul" as Steele. The only hope the lovers have for a happy future is Steele's exoneration, but this won't happen so long as crooked town banker Stanley (Raymond Burr) holds all the cards.

Very nice Trucolor print

Ray Milland made his directorial debut with this Republic western and it did well enough to encourage future directorial efforts - which eventually numbered five films: the well-paced espionagers Lisbon (1956) & The Safecracker (1958), the above average sci-fi exercise Panic in the Year Zero! (1962) and finally the suspenseful Hostile Witness (1968) - all of which are available from this website.

-NEW TITLE-

Man Bait (1952) - 84 mins

Starring George Brent, Marguerite Chapman, Raymond Huntley, Peter Reynolds, Eleanor Summerfield & Diana Dors

Directed by Terence Fisher

Married bookstore owner, John Harman (George Brent) is being blackmailed by the scheming Ruby Bruce (Diana Dors). The subsequent chain reaction of events leads to the death of Brent's invalid wife. But things get worse when Ruby is killed by her partner-in-crime Jeffrey Hart (Peter Reynolds), and John is accused of the crime. The bookseller's faithful secretary Stella Tracy (Marguerite Chapman) becomes an unlikely and compelling assistance

Also known as The Last Page (1952)

The Man Behind the Gun (1953) - 82 mins

Starring Randolph Scott, Patrice Wymore, Dick Wesson, Philip Carey & Roy Roberts

Directed by Felix E. Feist

Posing as a schoolteacher, undercover government agent Ransome Callicut arrives in 1850's California to gather intelligence about an insurrectionist plot to have the southern part of the state secede to the Confederate states. When he discovers a hidden cache of weapons, he reveals his true identity and assumes command of the local army post. Aided by sidekicks Monk Walker and Olaf Swenson he battles political assassination and other intrigues to unmask the ringleader of the plot and keep California in the Union.

The Man Between (1953) - 100 mins

Starring James Mason, Claire Bloom, Hildegard Knef, Geoffrey Toone, Aribert Wäscher & Ernst Schröder

Directed by Carol Reed

East Berliner Ivo Kern (Mason) is a hardened black market dealer who rescues and then falls in love with Susanne Mallison (Claire Bloom), a British woman trapped in the Soviet Zone. Despite great danger to himself, Kern takes it upon himself to escort Mallison back to her family in West Berlin. After a daring dash through the countryside, the seeming impossible is achieved but only through a conspicuous act of self sacrifice.

Incredibly suspenseful, it shares obvious parallels with director Carol Reed's earlier masterpiece The Third Man (1949)

Mason & Reed had previously combined in Odd Man Out (1947) - see below.

Another fine offering from director Carol Reed - his others include Night Train to Munich (1940), Odd Man Out (1947), The Third Man (1949) & The Key (1958) - all of which are available from this website

The Manchurian Candidate (1962) - 126 mins

Starring Frank Sinatra, Laurence Harvey, Angela Lansbury, Jannet Leigh & Henry Silva

Directed by John Frankenheimer

While on patrol, Sgt. Raymond Shaw (Laurence Harvey) and his platoon are ambushed by Korean troops. Months later, Shaw is receiving a hero's welcome as he returns to the United States to accept the Congressional Medal of Honor, and several of the soldiers who served under Shaw repeatedly refer to him as "the bravest, finest, most lovable man I ever met." It soon becomes evident that after their capture by the Koreans, Shaw and his men were subjected to an intense program of brainwashing prior to their release. While several are troubled by bad dreams and inexplicable behavior, it's Capt. Bennett Marco (Frank Sinatra) who seems the most haunted by the experience. In time, Marco is able to piece together what happened; it seems Raymond Shaw was programmed by a shadowy cadre of Russian and Chinese agents into a killing machine who will assassinate anyone, even a close friend, when given the proper commands.

The Manchurian Candidate features a host of remarkable performances: Frank Sinatra's edgy, aggressive turn as Marco is the finest dramatic work of his career and Laurence Harvey's chilly onscreen demeanor perfectly suits the Raymond Shaw role. George Axelrod's screenplay (based on Richard Condon's novel) is by turns compelling, witty, and horrifying in its implications, and John Frankenheimer's direction milks it for all the tension it can muster.

A tense and intelligent political thriller, The Manchurian Candidate was a film far ahead of its time. Its themes of thought control, political assassination, and multinational conspiracy informed by Cold War paranoia make for a powerfully original mix

Oscar Nominations for Best Supporting Actress (Angela Lansbury) & Film Editing

The Man From Cairo (1953) - 81 mins

Starring George Raft, Gianna Maria Canale, Massimo Serato & Irene Papas

Directed by Ray Enright

Mike Canelli (George Raft), the man from Cairo, nosing around Algiers with mystery surrounding the people he meets and the things he does and has done to him, all deriving from the war-time theft of $100,000,000 in gold which lies somewhere in the adjacent desert. People representing many nationalities and reasons are also seeking the gold. It boils down to a battle between Canelli and the badie aboard a speeding train. Raft again to the fore.

The Man From Colorado (1948) - 100 mins

Starring Glenn Ford, William Holden, Ellen Drew, Ray Collins, Edgar Buchanan & Jerome Cortland

Directed by Henry Levin

Two friends, Col. Owen Devereaux & Capt. Del Stewart (Glenn Ford, William Holden) return home after their discharge from the army after the Civil War. However, one of them has had deep-rooted psychological damage due to his experiences during the war, and as his behaviour becomes more erratic - and violent - his friend desperately tries to find a way to help him. When Owen is appointed the "hanging" judge of a Colorado town, Del signs on as his deputy. But the final break between the two onetime friends comes when Del casts his lot with a group of disgruntled miners whom Owen has disenfranchised.

Man From Del Rio (1956) - 82 mins

Starring Anthony Quinn, Katy Jurado, Peter Witney, Douglas Fowley & John Larch

Directed by Harry Horner

Mexican gunfighter Dave Robles (Anthony Quinn) outdraws the town's outlaw-turned-sheriff and is invited to fill the dead man's shoes. But the new sheriff’s stature in the town doesn't bring automatic respectability and Robles is shunned by the town's leading citizens. His popularity with its less-savoury element, particularly saloonkeeper Ed Bannister (Peter Witney) wanes dramatically, too, as he starts to take his job seriously. It is his love for the decent, caring Estella (Katy Jurado) that keeps Dave in town, but can she convince him to lay down his gun and start a new life?

Man From God’s Country (1958) - 72 mins

Starring George Montgomery, Randy Stuart, Gregg Barton, Kim Charney, House Peters Jr. & Susan Cummings

Directed by Paul Landres

“Trigger happy” sheriff Dan Beattie (George Montgomery) is asked to step down by the townsfolk who want to have a quieter, safer town. So Dan reluctantly moves further west to rejoin his old war buddy Curt Warren (House Peters Jr.) in the town of Sundown. At first Dan is mistaken for a railroad agent by Beau Santee, a Sundown businessman who wants to keep the railroad away from his town. Then he discovers that Curt works for Santee and is nearly killed by one of Santee's henchman. Santee considers Dan trouble, even after learning Dan's true identity, and plots to get rid of him. With the help of Curt's son Stony (Kim Charney), Dan tries to get Curt to take a stand on the right side of the law.

Excellent Cinemascope & Technicolor print!

The complete series (all 26 episodes, including the 1^st one which co-starred fellow Hollywood heavyweight Fred MacMurray) can be found in the TV Series section of this website

The Man From Hong Kong (1975) - 111 mins

Starring Yu Wang, George Lazenby, Hugh Keays-Byrne, Roger Ward & Grant Page

Directed by Brian Trenchard-Smith

Inspector Fang Sing Leng (Jimmy Wang Yu) is an undercover detective from Hong Kong who is sent to Australia to crack open the operation of Sydney mob boss Jack Wilton (George “Bond, James, Bond” Lazenby). Fang puts his skills as a hang glider pilot and martial arts master to work as he sets up Wilton for an explosive confrontation.

A great of action / adventure piece from producer/director/writer Trenchard-Smith - sporting fabulous cinematography of Sydney, Hong Kong & Uluru (called Ayres Rock at the time), this films has everything - even a hit song: "Sky High" by Jigsaw, which became a hit!

The Man From Laramie (1955) - 104 mins

Starring James Stewart, Arthur Kennedy, Donald Crisp, Cathy O'Donnell & Alex Nicol

Directed by Anthony Mann

Will Lockhart (James Stewart) is obsessed with finding the man who sold automatic rifles to the Apaches, resulting in the death of his brother. Will enters the town of Coronado, NM, ruled by the blind and aging patriarch Alec Waggoman (Donald Crisp). Unaware that he is trespassing on Waggoman's land, he finds himself accosted by Alec's sociopathic son, Dave (Alex Nicol), who brutally beats Will and is ready to kill him. But Will is rescued at the last minute by Waggoman's adopted son, Vic Hansbro (Arthur Kennedy). Will finds that Waggoman has become increasingly concerned over who will inherit his vast empire.

A brilliant psychological Western reminiscent of Shakespeare's King Lear.

Perfect Technicolor Wide-Screen Print! - Fabulous

James Stewart & Anthony Mann: their 5 westerns together from 1950 to 1955, rewrote the cowboy story for the big screen - their's were tough, psychological though lyric masterpieces of western cinema - beautifully photographed and expertly written stories with intriguing characters and realistic action - a blueprint for westerns of the 50s (and embraced by Budd Boetticher & Randolph Scott in their excellent collaborations in the late 1950s - see the Randolph Scott section of this website)

This, The Man From Laramie (1955) was the fifth and last of this quintet of Stewart / Mann westerns - preceded by Winchester '73 (1950), Bend of the River (1952), The Naked Spur (1954) & The Far Country (1954) - each is available from this (the INDIVIDUAL MOVIE TITLES) section of the website.

All 5 westerns in the series can also be obtained in an nice boxed set from within the Classic Movie Combinations section of this website

The Man From Planet X (1951) - 70 mins

Starring Robert Clarke, Margaret Field, Raymond Bond, William Schallert, Roy Engel & David Ormont

Directed by Edgar G. Ulmer

A New York City newspaper reporter, John Lawrence (Robert Clarke) flies to a remote island off Scotland, on the invitation from scientist and long-time friend, Professor Elliot (Raymond Bond) to cover the news of the approach of a previously-unknown planet (called Planet X) which has entered the solar system and is travelling close to Earth. A spaceship from Planet X soon lands and reveals a strange little man who has come to make contact with friendly Earthlings. But evil scientist Dr. Mears (William Schallert) wants to exploit the spaceman's highly developed intellect for his own selfish ends and his nastiness turns the alien against the other Earthlings, enslaving their minds and transforming them into zombies.

This atmospheric sci-fi film is an early collaboration between legendary sci-fi director Edgar G. Ulmer and star Robert Clarke. They were to combine again almost a decade later for Beyond the Time Barrier (1960) - which is also available from this website

Man From Tangier (1957) - 66 mins

Starring Robert Hutton, Lisa Gastoni, Martin Benson, Derek Sydney & Jack Allen

Directed by Lance Comfort

International criminal Armstrong (Emerton Court) flees post-war Tangier with priceless forgery plates. In response, Voss (Martin Benson), who wants the plates for his own nefarious plans sends pretty Michele (Lisa Gastoni) after him. Arriving in London, Armstrong accidentally swaps coats in a barber's shop with film actor Chuck Collins (Robert Hutton). Through an address in his new coat's pocket, Collins meets up with Michele. Meanwhile Voss' partner, Heinrich (Leonard Sachs) suspects a double-cross and when Armstrong is thrown out of his hotel window, the police become involved

Released in the US as Thunder Over Tangier (1957)

Nice role for popular US actor, Robert Hutton - he starred in a couple of British made films - the other being The Sicilians (1963) which is also available from this website.

The Man From The Alamo (1953) - 77 mins

Starring Glenn Ford, Julie Adams, Chill Wills, Hugh O'Brian, Victor Jory & Neville Brand

Directed by Budd Boetticher

During the siege at the Alamo, John Stroud (Glenn Ford) is chosen by lot to leave the fort and warn the families of the mission's defenders of the impending arrival of General Santa Ana. But when everyone around him is wiped out by the Mexicans, Stroud has no proof that he was ordered to leave his post, and is therefore branded a coward. He spends the rest of the film performing acts of conspicuous bravery in order to clear his name - and also tracks down the real villain, Jess Wade (Victor Jory), who robbed the Alamo victims of their possessions after the smoke had cleared.

A few years before Budd Boetticher & Randolph Scott combined for their incredible series of "adult" westerns, Boetticher directed the compelling cowboy yarn, The Man From The Alamo (1953), in what is now seen to be a template for his later and more widely appreciated outings. Note that all 7 Budd Boetticher & Randolph Scott westerns are available from the Randolph Scott section of this website.

Manhandled (1949) - 97 mins

Starring Sterling Hayden, Dorothy Lamour, Dan Duryea, Irene Hervey, Phillip Reed & Alan Napier

Directed by Lewis R. Foster

Small-time hoodlum Karl Benson (Dan Duryea) uses and abuses several innocent people in his efforts to get ahead. Among Benson's victims is Merl Kramer (Dorothy Lamour), who doesn't find out about her boyfriend's perfidy until it's almost too late. Sterling Hayden co-stars as insurance investigator Joe Cooper, who likewise exploits poor Merl, albeit for a good cause: Cooper is on the trail of some missing jewels.

Produced by Paramount's Pine-Thomas unit, Manhandled is a no-nonsense film noir with a well-chosen cast whose level of tension never lets up, not even in its final scenes.

Sterling Hayden films which are available from this website are:

Manhattan Melodrama (1934) - 93 mins

Starring Clark Gable, William Powell, Myrna Loy, Leo Carrillo, Nat Pendleton & George Sidney

Directed by W.S. Van Dyke

The story begins in 1904, when the excursion steamer "General Slocum" blows up and burns in the East River. Two young boys are orphaned by the disaster. They are adopted by a kindly Jewish businessman who has lost his own children. Years later, when he is killed during a anarchist rally, the boys are separated once more. They grow up to be straight-arrow attorney Jim Wade (William Powell) and big-time gambler Blackie Gallagher (Clark Gable). Though the two men still like and respect one another, they are now on opposite sides of the legal fence. The professional rivalry becomes personal when Jim marries Blackie's ex-mistress Eleanor (Myrna Loy).

Fabulous - Oscar Winner for Best Screenplay.

Yes, this is the film for which John Dillinger found his final curtain: he was a big fan of Myrna Loy, so he snuck into a cinema to watch this film - the police were waiting for him when he came out!

The story of John Dillinger as told on film (and including the above final scene) can be found in two movies which available from this website: Dillinger (1945) & Dillinger (1973)

Man Hunt (1941) - 105 mins

Starring Walter Pigeon, Joan Bennett, George Sanders, John Carradine & Roddy McDowell

Directed by Fritz Lang

A hunter finds himself in a world of danger when he pursues a new and dangerous quarry,Adolph Hitler, in this WWII thriller. Capt. Thorndike (Walter Pidgeon) is an expert big-game hunter from England who, while vacationing in Bavaria, happens upon Hitler's Berchtesgaden estate; he has his rifle in tow, and he quickly realizes that it would be surprisingly easy to assassinate the fascist leader. After catching Hitler in the crosshairs of his rifle, Thorndike is about to load and fire when he is ambushed by Maj. Quive-Smith (George Sanders), a Gestapo leader assigned to guard the Führer. By the time Thorndike returns to London, the hunter has become the hunted, with Gestapo agents combing the streets of London looking for the would-be assassin. Thorndike finds an unlikely ally in Jerry (Joan Bennett), a seamstress and sometimes streetwalker who takes him in and helps him hide from the German forces closing in around him.

Man Hunt was directed by Fritz Lang, the great German director who fled to Paris in 1933 rather than accept a commission from Joseph Goebbels to make Nazi propaganda films.

A taut thriller adapted from Geoffrey Household's equally tense novel "Rogue Male."

Man Hunt (1941) was remade as Rogue Male (1976) starring Peter O'Toole - also available from this website.

Both films are available in interesting combinations from within the Classic Movie Combinations section of this website: British Espionage Combination & Man Hunt / Rogue Male Combination.

Geoffrey Household also wrote the excellent Rough Shoot - filmed as Rough Shoot (1953) aka Shoot First (1953) - which is available from this website (under the former title).

The Man in Grey (1943) - 116 mins

Starring James Mason, Margaret Lockwood, Phyllis Calvert & Stewart Granger

Directed by Leslie Arliss

At an estate auction in WWII England, two strangers meet and muse about their families' history and possible connections. Flashbacks reveal the story of the sweet, rich, and beautiful Clarissa Richmond and her friendship with bitter, impoverished Hesther Snow. Their fates are intertwined even as their paths diverge. Clarissa marries the handsome but cruel Marquis of Rohan while Hesther becomes an actress. Eventually, the two women meet again and Clarissa brings the scheming Hester into her household. As Clarissa searches for true love, Hesther plots to take away everything that belongs to her.

First in a great trilogy of James Mason noirs - followed by The Seventh Veil (1945) & Odd Man Out (1947)

All 3 films are available from this website

Man in the Attic (1953) - 82 mins

Starring Jack Palance, Constance Smith, Byron Palmer, Frances Bavier & Rhys Williams

Directed by Hugo Fregonese

Jack Palance plays a mild, secretive pathologist who rents an attic apartment in the heart of London. Palance falls in love with dancer Constance Smith, daughter of the landlady, but she doesn't seem interested. Meanwhile, several unsolved murders of women have been committed on the fogbound London streets and all of the victims are showgirls.

A remake of Mary Belloc Lowndes suspense story The Lodger (1944) which is also available from this website

The Man in the Iron Mask (1939) - 112 mins

Starring Louis Hayward, Joan Bennett, Warren William, Joseph Schildkraut, Alan Hale, Miles Mander & Bert Roach

Directed by James Whale

The title character (Philippe of Gascony) is the rightful King of France, who has been imprisoned by his pretender-to-the-throne twin brother (both roles are played by Louis Hayward). Warren William plays musketeer D'Artagnan, who rallies his now aged swashbuckling companions Porthos (Alan Hale), Athos (Bert Roach) and Aramis (Miles Mander), to rescue the real King, whom they have raised from infancy.

Fabulous adventure!

Directed by the maestro, James Whale

The Man in the Iron Mask is independent producer Edward Small's 1939 edition of the Alexandre Dumas classic.

Small had previously produced The Count of Monte Cristo (another Dumas tale) in 1934, as well as its 1940 sequel The Son of Monte Cristo and followed up with 1941's The Corsican Brothers from another Dumas work - all four are available from this website.

Legendary director James Whale helmed some memorable films in his brief career:

Man in the Moon (1960) - 98 mins

Starring Kenneth More, Shirley Anne Field, Michael Hordern, Charles Gray & John Glyn-Jones

Directed by Basil Dearden

William Blood (Kenneth More) is an unsuccessful guinea pig for a medical group interested in researching the common cold. When fired, he is offered a job by the nearby National Atomic Research Centre, because it appears that he is immune to worry, disease and even the common cold. The scientists there are looking for a man to send up to be the first man on the moon - and they think they have found him in William - until the impossible happens at the Australian based rocket test site at Woomera...

A great little comedy (and well remembered by Trev)

Kenneth More is a treat!

The Man in the Net (1959) - 94 mins

Starring Alan Ladd, Carolyn Jones, Diane Brewster, John Lipton & Charles McGraw

Directed by Michael Curtiz

John Hamilton has retreated to the New England countryside to pursue a potential career as an artist, but his wife Linda wants to go back to New York. She is observed as being both drunk and a little strange, while John is clearly the anchor in the relationship. When Linda disappears, John is immediately suspected of doing away with his troublesome wife, and so a net of suspicion and circumstantial evidence closes in ever-tightening circles around him.

An intriguing story with a strong performance from Alan Ladd in one of his last film roles

Nicely upgraded wide-screen print! (gratis upgrades available to previous customers of this title)

Man in the Saddle (1951) - 87 mins

Starring Randolph Scott, Joan Leslie, Ellen Drew, Alexander Knox & John Russell

Directed by André De Toth

A rancher is forced to stand by as his girl friend is lured away by a wealthy neighboring rancher. When the neighbor is killed, Scott is accused of the murder, and must clear himself. After a blood-spattered fistfight with a gunslinger and several gun battles, Scott consoles himself with schoolteacher Ellen Drew. Based on a novel by Ernest Haycox, Man in the Saddle was the first of the lucrative collaborations between star Randolph Scott and producer Harry Joe Brown.

Man in the Shadow (1957) - 80 mins

Starring Jeff Chandler, Orson Welles, Colleen Miller, Ben Alexander, Barbara Lawrence & James Gleason

Directed by Jack Arnold

Ben Sadler (Jeff Chandler) as the newly appointed lawman in a corrupt south-western town. A Mexican laborer has been murdered - a crime which powerful land baron Virgil Renchier (Orson Welles) wants the sheriff to ignore. Ben bucks Renchier’s wishes and investigates the killing, with the trail of evidence leading inexorably to … you guessed it!

Interested noir with Chandler doing well alongside the skilful Welles.

On the set of this film, producer Albert Zugsmith and actor Orson Welles agreed to collaborate on the Welles-directed masterpiece Touch of Evil (1958) - which is also available from this website

The Man in the Sky (1957) - 87 mins

Starring Jack Hawkins, Elizabeth Sellars, Jeremy Bodkin, Gerard Lohan, Walter Fitzgerald & John Stratton

Directed by Charles Crichton

At the Conway Aero-Manufacturing Company of Wolverhampton, test pilot John Mitchell is asked to take the company's new rocket-propulsion transport plane up for tests, fully loaded and carrying two important passengers - Ministry Official Crabtree (Donald Pleasance) and buyer's representative Ashmore (Eddie Byrne). Mitchell learns from his boss, Reg Conway (Walter Fitzgerald), that if Ashmore does not recommend the plane, the Conway Aero will be out of business and Mitchell out of a job - it appears that firm's entire capital is tied up in the plane and its not even insured … John is bold but cautious test pilot and he wants to keep his job, but this airplane prototype is accident-prone to say the least!

Released in the US as Decision Against Time (1957)

Inspired in part by David Lean's The Sound Barrier (1952) - which is also available from this website

Man in the Vault (1956) - 73 mins

Starring William Campbell, Karen Sharpe, Anita Ekberg, Berry Kroeger & Paul Fix

Directed by Andrew V. McLaglen

Frank Gruber's novel The Lock and the Key was adapted for the big screen by Burt Kennedy as The Man in the Vault. William Campbell stars as a locksmith who is forced to work for a gang of thieves. The bad guys want Campbell to make duplicates of the keys to a safety deposit box containing nearly a quarter of a million dollars. Complicating matters is his involvement with mercenary sweetheart Karen Sharpe and gang moll Anita Ekberg. The film benefits from its on-location photography in and around Beverly Hills. Man in the Vault was produced by John Wayne's Batjac company, and directed by one of the Duke's favorite coworkers, Andrew V. McLaglen (son of frequent Wayne costar Victor McLaglen).

Burt Kennedy became quite famous as the screenplay writer of a number of Randolph Scott / Budd Boetticher westerns - all of which are available from this website.

The Man in the White Suit (1951) - 85 mins

Starring Alec Guinness, Cecil Parker, joan Greenwood, Michael Gough, Ernest Thesiger

Directed by Alexander Mackendrick

In the British manufacturing country of Northern England, factory owner Michael Corland (Michael Gough) is showing competitor Alan Bimley (Cecil Parker) around his plant, hoping to borrow some money and marry off his daughter Daphne (Joan Greenwood). They come upon a curious contraption that turns out to be an experiment by employee (& amateur scientist) Sidney Stratton (Alec Guinness). Being a lower class worker, Sidney is summarily fired from his job, but ends up working at Bimley's factory, where he is befriended by militant worker Bertha (Vida Hope). Daphne spots Sidney at the factory and he explains to her the results of his invention - a material that is indestructible and impervious to dirt. Bimley discovers the project and throws Sidney out. But Daphne, impressed by Sidney’s experiments, funds Sidney, installing him in his own laboratory. After a few false starts, Sidney develops a pure white material that can't be dirtied or ruined. But it seems Sidney's invention is too brilliant and effective; if a material is marketed that will last forever, textile mills will go out of business and workers will lose their jobs. Suddenly, poor, luckless Sidney has both management and labor banding together to combat his new invention.

Alec Guinness has one of his finest comic roles in this Ealing satirical comedy - director Alexander Mackendrick also wrote the screenplay

Guinness and Mackendrick (as director) were to combine again a few years later for The Ladykillers (1955)

Man of the Forest (1933) - 62 mins

Starring Randolph Scott, Verna Hillie, Harry Carey, Noah Beery, Barton MacLane, Buster Crabbe & Guinn ‘Big Boy’ Williams

Directed by Henry Hathaway

Clint Beasley (Noah Beery), who is after land owned by wealthy rancher Jim Gaynor (Harry Carey), plans to kidnap his daughter, Alice (Verna Hillie). Two-fisted frontiersman Brett Dale (Randolph Scott) gets wind of a plot and kidnaps her himself. When Gayner arrives to retrieve his daughter, Beasley kills him and makes the Sheriff arrest Dale for the murder

Based on a Zane Grey story, Man of the Forest was re-released as Challenge of the Frontier (1933)

Nicely restored B&W print - superior to commercial release

Man of the West (1958) - 100 mins

Starring Gary Cooper, Julie London, Lee J. Cobb, Arthur O’Connell, Jack Lord & John Dehner

Directed by Anthony Mann

The seemingly naive Link Jones (Gary Cooper) leaves his family to take a train to Fort Worth. Also on the train is saloon singer Billie Ellis (Julie London), who is compelled by con man Sam Beasley (Arthur O'Connell) to cheat Link out of his money. But the con comes to naught when the nefarious Dock Tobin (Lee J. Cobb) and his gang rob the train. Link takes Billie and Beasley to Tobin's cabin, where it is revealed the mild-mannered Link is Tobin's nephew and a former member of his cutthroat gang. Dock Tobin draws up a plan to rob a bank which the outlaws find agreeable, but they're reluctant to have Link rejoin their group. Soon it becomes apparent why they feel this way …

Anthony Mann's final foray into the western genre is a disturbing examination of man's baser instincts, rising in intensity to the level of Shakespearean tragedy (esp King Lear).

Coop: forever the great adventurer (& cowboy) - these Gary Cooper titles are available from this website:

Man on a String (1960) - 92 mins

Starring Ernest Borgnine, Kerwin Mathews, Colleen Dewhurst, Alexander Scourby & Glenn Corbett

Directed by André De Toth

An exciting spy drama by Andre De Toth, Man on a String is based on an autobiography by counterspy Boris Morros, here given the name of Boris Mitrov and played by Ernest Borgnine. Mitrov was born in Russia but had been a citizen of the U.S. for some time when he joins up with a Russian spy network. He is caught out by the CIA, and they offer him a deal: go to the USSR and spy for our side, or else.

The scenes shot in Moscow and Berlin add convincing realism to the action.

The Man on the Eiffel Tower (1949) - 95 mins

Starring Charles Laughton, Franchot Tone, Burgess Meredith, Robert Hutton, Jean Wallace & Patricia Roc

Directed by Burgess Meredith

In this excellent film version of Georges Simenon's A Battle of Nerves, the analytical Inspector Maigret (Charles Laughton) faces off against the wily murderer, Radek (Franchot Tone), a psychotic with delusions of grandeur who has been seduced into killing the wealthy aunt of slatternly Edna Wallace (Jean Wallace). Maigret suspects Radek, but without solid proof he must suffer the taunting and baiting of the beyond-the-law killer.

Guess where the final scene plays out?

Laughton and Tone "squaring-up" against one another - marvellous!

Also worth a look is Richard Harris' rendition of Maigret in Maigret (1988) which is also available from this section of the website (see above)

Quality Note: Originally filmed with the Anscocolor process - a film stock that does deteriorate over time. However I've had some success with restoration of this print - the results are still variable (because the original also varies through the tones) but I think improved

Man on a Flying Trapeze (1935) - 66 mins

Starring W. C. Fields, Mary Brian, Kathleen Howard, Grady Sutton & Lucien Littlefield

Directed by Clyde Bruckman & W. C. Fields

Ambrose Wolfinger (W.C. Fields) is the henpecked husband to end all henpecked husbands. A widower, Ambrose married a second time only to provide a mother for his pretty daughter Hope (Mary Brian). What he got was an overbearing harpy of a wife Leona (Kathleen Howard), a fussy and imperious mother-in-law Cordelia (Vera Lewis) and a shiftless brother-in-law. Ambrose plans to attend a much-awaited wrestling match, but can't get the day off of work. He lies for the first time in his life, telling his boss that his mother-in-law has died. En route to the wrestling meet, Ambrose suffers one mishap after another, from a string of traffic tickets to an encounter with a runaway tire. He gets to the match just in time to miss the whole thing, and ends up bruised and battered on the sidewalk. Meanwhile, his home is being deluged with flowers, offered in sympathy for his "dead" mother-in-law who is very much alive but not amused. When his boss discovers the deception, he fires Ambrose. The poor man returns home to face the cold stares of his wife's family. They goad and harass him until he can stand no more: when brother-in-law insults his daughter, Ambrose punches him out (a scene that always results in audience cheers) and tells everyone else where to go.

Fabulous!

W. C. Fields - he of the snide drawl snarling contempt for dogs, children and women… His hilarious films available from this website:

International House (1933), Tillie and Gus (1933), Man on a Flying Trapeze (1935), You Can't Cheat an Honest Man (1939) & The Bank Dick (1940)

Manpower (1941) - 102 mins

Starring Edward G. Robinson, Marlene Dietrich, George Raft, Alan Hale, Eve Arden & Frank McHugh

Directed by Raoul Walsh

What a cast! - A stormy atmosphere sets the mood for this story of competition, lust and love. Edward G. Robinson and George Raft work on a road crew for the power company. When they aren't trying to repair downed lines, they are vying for the attention of Marlene Dietrich. Robinson and Raft at their best with a strong supporting cast.

The Man They Could Not Hang (1939) - 64 mins

Starring Boris Karlof, Lorna Gray, Robert Wilcox, Roger Pryor, Don Beddoe & Ann Doran

Directed by Nick Grinde

Dr. Henryk Savaard is a brilliant heart expert who has created a pump that will allow him to place a patient in a state of death so that vital organs can be replaced with few problems. His first experiment on a human quickly goes awry when his nurse Betty sends for the police. The experiment is interrupted leaving the young man dead and Savaard in jail. He is sentenced to hang, but unleashes a bitter diatribe against his executioners promising to avenge his death. After his hanging, Savaard's assistant, Stoddard hooks up the corpse to the heart pump and resurrects his boss. Several months pass and a local reporter discovers that six of the jurors in the case have mysteriously committed suicide - all by hanging.

Karloff in another "mad doctor" role for Columbia

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Man-Trap (1961) - 93 mins

Starring Jeffrey Hunter, David Janssen, Stella Stevens, Elaine Devry, Virginia Gregg & Perry Lopez

Directed by Edmond O’Brien

Matt Jameson (Jeffrey Hunter) is an easy-going fellow whose old marine buddy, Vince Biskay (David Janssen) talks him into a dangerous venture: Matt joins Vince in a plot to hijack nearly four million dollars from the Mob. Also in the mix as this tough film plays out is Matt’s alcoholic, promiscuous young wife Nina (Stella Stevens).

Legendary actor Edmond O’Brien in the directors chair! - his only other appearance “at the helm” was in Shield For Murder (1954) which is also available from this website

The Man Who Came to Dinner (1942) - 112 mins

Starring Bette Davis, Ann Sheridan, Monty Woolley, Richard Travis & Jimmy Durante

Directed by William Keighley

While on a lecture tour in Ohio, Sheridan Whiteside (Monty Woolley) slips on the ice outside his hosts' home; until his broken leg heals, the hosts, Mr & Mrs Ernest Stanley (Grant Mitchell & Billie Burke) are forced to put up with the imperious Whiteside. This means enduring an unending stream of Whiteside's whims, caprices and vitriolic bon mots, as well as his long-distance phone calls, eccentric guests and a variety of critters, ranging from penguins to octopi. Whiteside insists upon stage-managing the lives of everyone around him. He is particularly keen on discouraging a romance between his faithful secretary Maggie Cutler (Bette Davis) and local newspaper editor Bert Jefferson (Richard Travis).

The George S. Kaufman/Moss Hart Broadway hit The Man Who Came to Dinner was inspired by the authors' mutual friend, waspish critic/author Alexander Woollcott.

The script, by the Epstein brothers, manages to retain most of the play's best lines and situations, even while expanding Bette Davis' role to justify her star status.

Very Funny!

The Man Who Fell To Earth (1976) - 139 mins

Starring David Bowie, Rip Torn, Candy Clark, Buck Henry, Bernie Casey & Rick Riccardo

Directed by Nicolas Roeg

In this deeply allegorical sci-fi drama, Thomas Jerome Newton (David Bowie) is an alien from a planet that is dying for lack of water, and he has been sent to earth to find a way to ship some of the earth's plentiful supply to his home planet. He arrives with a human-looking disguise and his knowledge of unusual technologies. Using this knowledge, he takes out patents on "his" inventions, aided by patent lawyer Oliver Farnsworth (Buck Henry). He skilfully parlays the money from these inventions and becomes a financial/industrial tycoon. These inventions, and others like them, along with his political and financial power, should make possible the transfer of water to his planet. But instead of pressing forward with plans to save his home planet, he becomes enamoured of Earth's custos and of his strange, passive relationship with his elevator-operator girlfriend, Mary Lou (Candy Clark). Meanwhile, his phenomenal rise from anonymity to power, and his eccentric behaviour, spark the government's interest. Chemistry professor Nathan Bryce (Rip Torn) also comes calling, fascinated by the alien's history. As gin and despair slowly cripple him, he becomes consumed by memories of life on his doomed planet.

Based on a novel by Walter Tevis, The Man Who Fell to Earth achieved cult film status for David Bowie's performance as Thomas Jerome Newton, aka "Mr. Sussex," and the imagery of director Nicholas Roeg, a former cinematographer.

Beautiful uncut print!

The Man Who Haunted Himself (1970) - 89 mins

Starring Roger Moore, Hildegarde Neil, Alastair Mackenzie, Kevork Malikyan, Anton Rogers & Freddie Jones

Directed by Basil Dearden

Roger Moore stars as wealthy business executive Harold Pelham, who becomes involved in a terrible car accident. While recovering from his injuries, his alter ego is unleashed and begins to live Pelham's life where he left off. When Pelham returns to his home and his job, he discovers his alter ego has not only undermined his business, but began an affair with a minor acquaintance and revitalized his previously unexciting sex life with his wife.

A neat and perplexing psychological thriller, adapted from the episode of the Alfred Hitchcock Presents TV series: The Case of Mr. Pelham starring Tom Ewell (in the Roger Moore role) and which was directed by Alfred Hitchcock - its from Season One of the TV series and is available from the TV Series section of this website.

Roger Moore made only two films after finishing The Saint TV series and before his first Bond feature Live and Let Die (1973): Crossplot (1969) & The Man Who Haunted Himself (1970) - both of which are available from this website.

Roger Moore made some interesting films in and around his James Bond tour of duty: Crossplot (1969), The Man Who Haunted Himself (1970), Gold (1974), Shout at the Devil (1976), Sherlock Holmes in New York (1976), The Wild Geese (1978), ffolkes (1979) & The Naked Face (1984) - all of which are available from this website

The Man Who Knew Too Much (1934) - 75 mins

Starring Leslie Banks, Edna Best, Peter Lorre, Frank Vosper & Hugh Wakefield

Directed by Alfred Hitchcock

While vacationing in Switzerland, Britons Leslie Banks and Edna Best befriend jovial Frenchman Pierre Fresnay. Not long afterward, Fresnay is murdered. He whispers a secret in Banks' ear before expiring. This is witnessed by several sinister foreign agents, who kidnap Banks' daughter Nova Pilbeam to keep him from revealing what he knows: That a diplomat will be assassinated during a concert at London's Albert Hall. Unable to turn to the police, Banks desperately attempts to rescue his child himself, still hoping to prevent the assassination.

An absolutely perfect B&W print!

The first film version of The Man Who Knew Too Much proved to be the international "breakthrough" film for British director Alfred Hitchcock, transforming him from merely a talented domestic filmmaker to a worldwide household name. The film's now-famous set-pieces include the "Siege of Sidney Street" re-creation and the climactic clash of cymbals at Albert Hall, followed by the crucial scream of Edna Best. German film star Peter Lorre made his English-speaking debut in The Man Who Knew Too Much, (though he was still monolingual in 1934 and had to learn his lines phonetically).

The Man Who Knew Too Much was remade in 1956 - again by Hitchcock, this time utilizing Technicolor and Vistavision (and James Stewart & Doris Day) - its also available from this website (see below)

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The Man Who Knew Too Much (1956) - 120 mins

Starring James Stewart, Doris Day, Brenda de Banzie, Bernard Miles & Alan Mowbray

Directed by Alfred Hitchcock

US husband and wife tourists Dr. Benjamin McKenna & Josephine (James Stewart & Doris Day) are witness to the street killing of a Frenchman (Daniel Gelin) they've recently befriended. Before breathing his last, the murder victim whispers a secret to Benjamin: that a political assassination will occur during a concert at London's Albert Hall. But Ben is unable to tell the police his son, Hank has been kidnapped by foreign agents to insure the Doctor’s silence.

Fabulous score by Bernard Herrmann (who appears on-camera, typecast as a symphony conductor). Wonderful Technicolor cinematography (using Vistavision lenses) by Robert Burks, beautifully captures the exotic locales of Switzerland and French Morocco.

Oscar Winner for Best Song - sung by Doris Day - it was to become her signature song: “Que Sea, Sera”

The debate still rages as to whether Alfred Hitchcock's 1956 remake of The Man Who Knew Too Much is superior to his own original 1934 version (which introduced Peter Lorre to English speaking audiences)

The Man Who Knew Too Much (1934) - a perfect B&W print - is also available from this website (see above)

The Man Who Never Was (1956) - 103 mins

Starring Clifton Webb, Gloria Grahame, Robert Flemyng, Josephine Griffin, Stephen Boyd & Laurence Naismith

Directed by Ronald Neame

Based on a book by the man who conceived of and helped execute this true war-time adventure, Ewen Montagu, this is the true story of how Great Britain fooled the Germans in WWII into believing that they were going to attack Greece instead of Sicily.

Operation Mincemeat involved the acquisition and dressing up of a human cadaver as a "Major William Martin, R.M." and putting it into the sea near Huelva, Spain. Attached to the corpse was a brief case containing fake letters falsely stating that the Allied attack would be against Sardinia and Greece rather than Sicily, the actual point of invasion. When the body was found, the (neutral) Spanish Intelligence Service passed copies of the papers to the German Intelligence Service which passed them on to their High Command. When the Germans send the Irish spy Patrick O'Reilly (Stephen Boyd) to England to check out the identity of the corpse and to make sure that Martin is an intelligence officer, thereby assuring their use of the false invasion plans, things take some suspenseful turns.

During filming, Ewen Montagu has a cameo role, that of an Air-Vice Marshall who has doubts over the feasibility of the proposed plan. It was described as a "surreal" moment when the real Montagu addresses his fictional persona, played by Clifton Webb!

(The ruse was so successful that the Germans still believed that Sardinia and Greece were the intended objectives, weeks after the landings in Sicily had begun)

An exciting (&true) story which is well acted, told and filmed (in Technicolor & Cinemascope).

The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance (1962) - 123 mins

Starring John Wayne, James Stewart, Vera Miles, Lee Marvin & Edmond O’Brien

Directed by John Ford

Its 1910 and influential U.S. senator Ransom Stoddard (James Stewart) and his wife Hallie (Vera Miles) return to the dusty little frontier town where they met and married 25 years earlier. They have come back to attend the funeral of impoverished "nobody" Tom Doniphon (John Wayne). When a reporter asks why, Stoddard relates a film-long flashback. He recalls how, as a greenhorn lawyer, he had run afoul of notorious gunman Liberty Valance (Lee Marvin), who worked for a powerful cartel which had the territory in its clutches. Time and again, "pilgrim" Stoddard had his hide saved by the much-feared but essentially decent Doniphon. It wasn't that Doniphon was particularly fond of Stoddard; it was simply that Hallie was in love with Stoddard, and Doniphon was in love with Hallie and would do anything to assure her happiness, even if it meant giving her up to a greenhorn. When Liberty Valance challenged Stoddard to a showdown, everyone in town was certain that the greenhorn didn't stand a chance. Still, when the smoke cleared, Stoddard was still standing, and Liberty Valance lay dead. On the strength of his reputation as the man who shot Valance, Stoddard was railroaded into a political career, in the hope that he'd rid the territory of corruption. Stoddard balked at the notion of winning an election simply because he killed a man - until Doniphon, in strictest confidence, told Stoddard the truth: It was Doniphon, not Stoddard, who shot down Valance. Stoddard was about to reveal this to the world, but Doniphon told him not to. It was far more important in Doniphon's eyes that a decent, honest man like Stoddard become a major political figure; Stoddard represented the "new" civilized West, while Doniphon knew that he and the West he represented were already anachronisms. Thus Stoddard went on to a spectacular political career, bringing extensive reforms to the state, while Doniphon faded ...

His story finished, the aged Stoddard asks the reporter if he plans to print the truth. The reporter responds by tearing up his notes. "This is the West, sir, " the reporter explains quietly. "When the legend becomes fact, print the legend."

Dismissed as just another cowboy opus at the time of its release, The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance has since taken its proper place as one of the great Western classics.

Oscar Nominated for Best B&W Costume Design

John Ford & John Wayne (& James Stewart & Lee Marvin) - what a combination!

John Wayne: Duke - one of the most recognizable persons on the planet -a true mega-star in film. You'll find the following John Wayne movies in this INDIVIDUAL MOVIE TITLES section of this website:

The Man Who Watched Trains Go By (1952) - 82 mins

Starring Claude Rains, Marius Goring, Märta Torén, Ferdy Mayne, Herbert Lom & Anouk Aimée

Directed by Harold French

Claude Rains stars as Kees Popinga, chief clerk for a Dutch trading company. Scrupulously honest, Popinga goes off the deep end when he discovers that his employer has been cooking the books to support a mistress. Upon learning that his boss intends to abscond from Brussels to Paris with company funds, Popinga prevents this from happening by stealing the money himself. Ultimately, he becomes entangled with the very woman (Märta Torén) who'd caused his boss' downfall. Claude Rains again to the fore in a wonderfully controlled performance.

A Georges Simenon novel was the source for this Anglo-American film which was released in the USA as The Paris Express.

Fabulous Color Print!

The Man With The Golden Arm (1955) - 119 mins

Starring Frank Sinatra, Eleanor Parker, Kim Novak, Darren McGavin & Arnold Stang.

Directed by Otto Preminger

This powerful drama, which broached the subject of drug addiction in a stark and realistic manner, may be mild by today's standards, but was a groundbreaking and edgy film in its day. The legendary Frank Sinatra plays addict, Frankie Machine, with Eleanor Parker playing his disabled wife. Based on the novel by Nelson Algren.

Academy Award nominations for Best Actor, Best Score, Best Art Direction - Set Decoration

Man with the Gun (1955) - 83 mins

Starring Robert Mitchum, Jan Sterling, Karen Sharpe, Henry Hull & Emile Meyer

Directed by Richard Wilson

Notorious gunslinger and “town tamer” Clint Tollinger (Robert Mitchum) comes to Sheridan City looking for his estranged wife. He finds her running the local girls at the saloon. He also finds an entire town and ageing Marshal Lee Sims (Henry Hull) afraid of a landowner they never see but who rules through his rowdy sidekicks.

Tollinger is hired by a group of concerned citizens to restore law and order but before long, however, its Tollinger who holds the community in a grip of terror, behaving like a Law Unto Himself.

But is Tollinger actually the villain he appears to be?

A well-paced B&W western with a neat plot twist rounds out an excellent viewing experience

The Man With X-Ray Eyes (1963) - see X: The Man With X-Ray Eyes (1963) in the S-Z section

Mara Maru (1952) - 98 mins

Starring Errol Flynn, Ruth Roman, Raymond Burr, Paul Picerni & Richard Webb

Directed by Gordon Douglas

Flynn plays deep-sea diver Gregory Mason, who is hired to locate a sunken PT boat bearing a diamond-encrusted religious icon. Mason's employer on this mission is the disreputable Brock Benedict (Raymond Burr), a firm believer in the old buccaneer credo that "dead men tell no tales." Aware that he's expendable once he finds the treasure, Mason stalls as long as he can, hoping that Benedict and his crooked flunkies will end up wiping out one another. He also intends to claim the treasure for himself, rather than turn it over to the proper authorities. Ruth Roman co-stars as Stella Callahan, the widow of Mason's former partner, who wants nothing more than for Mason to return the gem-studded cross to its rightful owners (well, maybe she wants Mason, too).

Excellent Errol Flynn adventure from Warner Bros with a good score from Max Steiner.

An excellent quality print

March or Die (1977) - 107 mins

Starring Gene Hackman, Terence Hill, Catherine Deneuve, Max von Sydow, Ian Holm & Jack O’Halloran

Directed by Dick Richards

Major William Sherman Foster (Gene Hackman) is a soldier who has been kicked out of West Point but has managed to obtain command of a group of French Foreign Legionnaires after the end of World War I. His troops have been ordered to accompany an archaeological expedition travelling to Morocco headed by Francois Marneau (Max von Sydow). Foster's motley band includes on-the-lam cat burglar Marco Segrain (Terence Hill), ex-guardsman from the deposed Russian monarchy Ivan (Jack O'Halloran), adventure-seeking aristocrat Fred Hastings (Paul Sherman), and an alluring beauty named Simone Picard (Catherine Deneuve). As the band makes their way to Morocco, they cross paths with the fervid and bloodthirsty Arab leader El Krim (Ian Holm), who vows to unite his people to expel foreigners from their land.

Good adventure film!

Margin for Error (1943) - 74 mins

Starring Joan Bennett, Milton Berle, Otto Preminger. Carl Esmond & Howard Freeman

Directed by Otto Preminger

Clare Booth Luce's stage play Margin for Error was transferred to the screen in 1943 with Milton Berle starring as Moe Finkelstein, a Jewish Brooklyn policeman assigned to guard Nazi consul Karl Baumer (Otto Preminger) in pre-WW II New York. Baumer is not only an anti-Semitic brute, but he's also a crook, siphoning off German consulate funds for his own use. His perfidy is well known by his wife Sophie (Joan Bennett), who married Baumer only to save her family from a concentration camp, and by Baumer's assistant Baron von Alvenstor (Carl Esmond). Thus, when Baumer is found dead of poison, stabbing and gunshot wounds, Sophie and the Baron are immediately suspected of murder. But Finkelstein comes to the rescue by piecing together the clues and coming up with a bizarre, but credible, solution to the crime.

Having previously directed himself as Karl Baumer in the Broadway version of Margin for Error, Otto Preminger felt qualified to do the same in the film version.

Check out Milton Berle's other two comedies from the same era in the Classic Movie Combinations section of this website

Marine Raiders (1944) - 90 mins

Starring Pat O'Brien, Robert Ryan, Ruth Hussey, Frank McHugh & Barton MacLane

Directed by Harold D. Schuster

Two Marine officers and their company go on leave when the Army takes over during the Guadalcanal invasion. Their leave is spent in Australia where one of the officers falls in love with a woman. His pal, afraid that there will be no turning back for his buddy, receives orders that send them both back to the US to train recruits. Naturally, his friend is quite upset by this sudden turn and refuses to talk to his pal until a subsequent mission gives them the chance to stop briefly in Australia.

"The jungle battle scenes in the opening of this film incorporate an atmosphere one usually finds in film noir. The portrayal of Guadalcanal and the related background music tend in this direction, which was not found in many of the war movies of 1944. Special credit should be given to the director of lighting, especially relative to the deep three-dimensional effect created with the interplay of light and dark"

Quite a good role for Robert Ryan (notably his first "lead" role although the dependable Pat O'Brien is rated at the top of the credits)

Mark of the Vampire (1935) - 60 mins

Starring Lionel Barrymore, Elizabeth Allan, Bela Lugosi, Lionel Atwill & Donald Meek

Directed by Tod Browning

The sudden appearance of ghostly vampires in a remote European community is seemingly tied in with an old, unsolved murder case. Police inspector Neumann (Lionel Atwill) and occult expert Prof. Zelen (Lionel Barrymore) investigate, with the full cooperation of leading citizen Baron Otto Montay (Jean Hersholt). It looks as though the vampires - Count Mora (Bela Lugosi) and his daughter Luna (Carroll Borland) - will continue to hold the community in thrall.

Go Tod - another creepy masterpiece!

The Mark of Zorro (1940) - 93 mins

Starring Tyrone Power, Linda Darnell, Basil Rathbone, Gale Sondergaard & Eugene Pallette

Directed by Rouben Mamoulian

Around 1820 the son of a California nobleman comes home from Spain to find his native land under a villainous dictatorship. On the one hand he plays the useless fop, while on the other he is the masked avenger Zorro.

A most famous story with Tyrone Power, the best Zorro, duelling Basil Rathbone - fabulous!

Remade in 1974 (for television & in color) with Frank Langella in the Tyrone Power role - The Mark of Zorro (1974) is also available from this website (see below)

Tyrone Power: that fabulous adventurer … great Tyrone Power movies available from this website are:

The Mark of Zorro (1974) - 78 mins

Starring Frank Langella, Ricardo Montalban, Gilbert Roland, Robert Middleton, Anne Archer & Yvonne De Carlo

Directed by Don McDougall

Don Diego (Frank Langella) is the supposedly foppish Spanish California nobleman who decides to fight for the people's rights in the guise of Zorro. Captain Esteban (Ricardo Montalban) is the evil oppressor whom Zorro must eventually best with his sword. Don Alejandro Vega (Gilbert Roland) is Zorro's father, and he is also Don Diego’s teacher especially when it comes to swashbuckling (the then 69 year old Roland is astonishingly athletic).

Made for television, The Mark of Zorro is a (color) remake of the 1940 Tyrone Power theatrical film. Alfred Newman's pulsating score from the original is cleverly redeployed in this remake.

Whilst Frank Langella is no Tyrone Power, he’s still pretty darn good!

The Mark of Zorro (1940) is also available from this website (see above)

Marlowe (1969) - 96 mins

Starring James Garner, Gayle Hunnicutt, Carroll O'Connor, Rita Moreno, Sharon Farrell & William Daniles

Directed by Paul Bogart

Based on Chandler's The Little Sister, Marlowe involves the detective's efforts to locate the missing brother of Orfamay Quest. He follows the clues to two men who deny any knowledge of the brother's existence. Since both men soon find themselves on the wrong end of an ice pick, Marlowe deduces that there's more to this caper than a mere missing-person case. The plot thickens as more characters are added (in true Chandler fashion) to the intrigues, including Gayle Hunnicutt, Hunnicutt's gangster boyfriend H.M. Wynant and stripper Rita Moreno. A pre-stardom Bruce Lee shows up as a karate-happy thug who lays waste to Marlowe's office shortly before suffering a spectacular demise.

Vintage Garner in a solid sleuth story with sophisticated plot twists!

Note that this film is part of the Philip Marlowe "at the Movies" Combination which can be found in the Classic Movie Combinations section of this website

The Mask of Dimitrios (1944) - 95 mins

Starring Sydney Greenstreet, Zachary Scott, Faye Emerson & Peter Lorre

Directed by Jean Negulesco

A mystery writer named Leyden is intrigued by the tale of notorious criminal Dimitrios Makropolous, whose body was found washed up on the shore in Istanbul. He decides to follow the career of Dimitrios around Europe, to learn more about the man. The more he learns about this man, the more fascinated he becomes, and he smells a great story. Dimitrios is a con man, a thief, a blackmailer, and a spy for hire, and his victims tell their stories in a series of flashbacks. One of these is a nightclub owner, who owns a nightclub in Sofia; another is a police detective; another a spy. Finally, Cornelius meets Mr. Peters who has some startling information and a plan!

Great and intriguing story with Greenstreet and Lorre to the fore.

Other films to feature the Greenstreet / Lorre combination were The Maltese Falcon (1941), Casablanca (1942), Background to Danger (1943), Passage to Marseille (1944), The Conspirators (1944), Three Strangers (1946 & The Verdict (1946) - all of which are available from this website.

The Mask of Fu Manchu (1932) - 68 mins

Starring Boris Karloff, Lewis Stone, Karen Morley, Charles Starrett & Myrna Loy

Directed by Charles Brabin

Sir Nayland Smith (Lewis Stone) of the British Secret Service recruits Sir Lionel Barton (Lawrence Grant) to lead an expedition with Prof. Von Berg (Jean Hersholt) and McLeod (David Torrence) to the Gobi Desert, to find the tomb of Genghis Khan and retrieve the scimitar and golden mask held within. To Barton, these are mere archeological trophies, but Smith has learned that Dr. Fu Manchu (Boris Karloff) also has his designs on them; and if he gets hold of these artifacts, he will use them to cause a rising in the East, and foment a war for the destruction of the white race. Fabulous adventure with Boris Karloff well cast as Fu - based on Sax Rohmer's fiction about the personification of the "yellow peril."

Fabulous adventure ….

Mask of the Avenger (1951) - 83 mins

Starring John Derek, Anthony Quinn, Jody Lawrence, Arnold Moss & Eugene Iglesias

Directed by Phil Karlson

John Derek stars as Capt. Renatu Dimorna, the son of an Italian aristocrat, who vows revenge after his father is murdered during the European political upheaval of 1848. To this end, Dimorna becomes a dashing Robin Hood type, swashbuckling his way throughout Italy. His principal rival is a traitorous military leader (Anthony Quinn), who is also Dimorna's rival for the affections of a beautiful woman (Jody Lawrance).

Fabulous escapism - John Derek bouncing off a similar role in the previous years Rogues of Sherwood Forest (1950) - which is available from the section of the website

Mask of the Dragon (1951) - 56 mins

Starring Richard Travis, Sheila Ryan, Sid Melton, Michael Whalen & Lyle Talbot

Directed by Sam Newfield

Lt. Dan Oliver, an American soldier in Korea, agrees to deliver a jade dragon statuette to a curio shop in Los Angeles. Soon after his arrival, he is murdered. Phil Ramsey (Richard Travis) and Ginny O'Donnell (Sheila Ryan) trace the murder to the shop of Professor Kim Ho. Ramsey receives a package mailed to him by Oliver from Honolulu that contains the jade dragon, and takes it to the curio shop to force a showdown with Kim Ho.

Nice nourish adventure!

The Masks of Death (1984) - 72 mins

Starring Peter Cushing, John Mills, Anne Baxter, Ray Milland, Anton Diffring & Gordon Jackson

Directed by Roy Ward Baker

Sherlock Holmes is now in retirement, content to play his violin and look after his bees. But he is dragged back into action by a series of baffling East End murders. Each one of the victims has been discovered with an expression of stark, raw fear frozen on his or her face. At the same time as Holmes takes this case, Graf Udo Von Felseck (Anton Diffring) gives him another case: find a young and missing prince to prevent war between Germany and England. With faithful Dr. Watson (John Mills) at his right hand, Holmes puts the pieces together on both counts.

co-star in this stylish bouquet to the Baker Street Irregulars of the world.

A quarter century after The Hound of the Baskervilles (1959), Peter Cushing makes a wonderful return to the role of Sherlock Holmes in this made-for-television movie which features a strong supporting cast of Best Actor Oscar winners Ray Milland & Anne Baxter

Sherlock Holmes films available from within this (INDIVIDUAL MOVIE TITLES) section are The Hound of the Baskervilles (1939), The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes (1939), Sherlock Holmes and the Voice of Terror (1942), Sherlock Holmes and the Secret Weapon (1942), Sherlock Holmes in Washington (1943), Terror by Night (1946) The Hound of the Baskervilles (1959), A Study in Terror (1965), The Masks of Death (1984), The Private Life of Sherlock Holmes (1970), The Seven-Per-Cent Solution (1976), Sherlock Holmes in New York (1976), Murder By Decree (1979) & The Hound of the Baskervilles (1983)

The Masque of the Red Death (1964) - 89 mins

Starring Vincent Price, Hazel Court, Jane Asher, David Weston, Nigel Green & Patrick Magee

Directed by Roger Corman

During a devastating 12th-century plague called "The Red Death," the decadent, devil-worshipping Prince Prospero (Vincent Price) holds court over a bizarre masked ball. Already established as a sadistic torturer, Prospero insists that his "guests" indulge in numerous depraved games, most of them ending with someone's death. Only two innocents are permitted to escape intact, but they go through the torments of the Damned to do so.

Cinematography by Nicholas Roeg - based on two Edgar Allen Poe stories.

He also lead the cast in some nice sci-fi films: The Fly (1958), Return of the Fly (1959), Master of the World (1961), The Last Man on Earth (1964) & War-Gods of the Deep (1965)

Not forgetting his only western as star: The Baron of Arizona (1950) - his favorite film.

All of the above are available from this website.

Massacre (1956) - 76 mins

Starring Dane Clark, James Craig, Martha Roth, Miguel Torruco & Jaime Fernández

Directed by Louis King

Ramón (Dane Clark) is a mounted Mexican Federales police officer who is sent out to find a group of gun smugglers. Time is of the essence, since the villains are selling guns to the marauding Yaqui Indian tribes who are preying on innocent farmers. The Yaquis in turn are also particularly after the gunrunners' leader, Ezparza (James Craig) who sold them bad medicine resulting in blindness for many of their children.

Ramón is able to destroy the stolen weapons and capture the smugglers, but the Yaquis manage to surround the officer and his prisoners.

Can the cops and crooks work together to survive the onslaught of the tribesmen and not be part of an outcome implicit in the title of the film?

This well paced and interesting western was filmed in Mexico by Robert L. Lippert in wide-screen Ansocolor - and it presents quite nicely here!

The Master of Ballantrae (1953) - 90 mins

Starring Errol Flynn, Roger Livesey, Anthony Steel, Beatrice Campbell, Yvonne Furneaux & Felix Aylmer

Directed by William Keighley

Errol Flynn buckled his last swash in The Master of Ballantrae, playing out the final film of his Warner Brothers contract in this high seas adventure, liberally adapted from the Robert Louis Stevenson yarn. Flynn plays Jamie Durrisdeer, a Scottish heir, who fights for freedom against the British. When the rebels are defeated, Jamie must flee to the West Indies with Col. Francis Burke (Roger Livesey), an Irish soldier of fortune, in order to escape capture. After battling pirates, Jamie puts together a small fortune and returns to Scotland to marry his true love, Lady Alison (Beatrice Campbell). But Jamie's hopes are dashed when he finds that Lady Alison, thinking that Jamie was dead, is now engaged to his brother Henry (Anthony Steel), who may have betrayed Jamie to the English.

Fabulous color production with Errol still going strong!

Master of the World (1961) - 102 mins

Directed by Vincent Price, Charles Bronson, Henry Hull, Mary Webster & David Frankham

Directed by William Witney

Its 1868 and an ominous warning of impending doom is delivered in a disembodied but resonant voice from a huge mountain just outside Morgantown, Pennsylvania. Hoping to find the source of the warning, the members of the Weldon Balloon Society, headed by munitions manufacturer Prudent (Henry Hull), send a motorized balloon to investigate. Also aboard Prudent's balloon is his daughter Dorothy (Mary Webster), her fiance Phillip (David Frankham), and taciturn pilot John Strock (Charles Bronson). Before long, the little party is captured by the brilliant but unbalanced Robur (Vincent Price), captain of the gigantic, state-of-the-art airship "Albatross." Robur explains that he is a man of peace, and that he is using his huge airship to wipe out all warfare by obliterating every weapon of mass destruction on earth.

Master of the World was adapted by Richard Matheson from two Jules Verne novels, Robur le Conquerant (1896) and its sequel, Maitre du Monde (1904).

He also lead the cast in some nice sci-fi films: The Fly (1958), Return of the Fly (1959), Master of the World (1961), The Last Man on Earth (1964) & War-Gods of the Deep (1965)

Not forgetting his only western as star: The Baron of Arizona (1950) - his favorite film.

All of the above are available from this website.

Masterson of Kansas (1954) - 73 mins

Starring George Montgomery, Nancy Gates, James Griffith, Jean Willes & William Henry

Directed William Castle

William Bartley ‘Bart’ Masterson (George Montgomery), Wyatt Earp (Bruce Cowling) and Doc Holliday (James Griffith) come together to protect an impending land exchange between honest rancher Merrick (John Maxwell) and peace-seeking Indian chief Yellow Hawk (Jay Silverheels) against the crooked chicanery of land baron Clay Bennett (David Bruce).

Long before he devoted his life to moody horror epics, director William Castle turned out a series of compact westerns for Columbia - one of the best of the batch was Masterson of Kansas, boosted by a most interesting characterization of Doc Holliday as a borderline psychotic with a death wish.

Excellent Technicolor print!

The complete series (all 26 episodes, including the 1^st one which co-starred fellow Hollywood heavyweight Fred MacMurray) can be found in the TV Series section of this website

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A Matter of Life and Death (1946) - 104 mins

Starring David Niven, Kim Hunter, Robert Coote, Kathleen Byron, Richard Attenborough & Marius Goring

Directed by Michael Powell & Emeric Pressburger

Peter Carter (David Niven) is a WWII RAF pilot who is forced to bail out of his crippled plane without a parachute. He wakes up to find he has landed on Earth utterly unharmed...which wasn't supposed to happen according to the rules of Heaven. A celestial court argues over whether or not to claim Carter's life or to let him survive to wed his American sweetheart June (Kim Hunter). During an operation, in which Carter hovers between life and death, he dreams that his spirit is on trial, with God (Abraham Sofaer) as judge and Carter's recently deceased best friend Dr Reeves (Roger Livesey) as defense counsel.

Also known as Stairway to Heaven (1946), it’s a remarkable British fantasy film that became the surprise hit of 1946. Among the curious but effective artistic choices was the decision to film the earthbound scenes in Technicolor and the Heaven sequences in B&W. The film was a product of the adventuresome team known as "The Archers": Michael Powell & Emeric Pressburger

The McConnell Story (1955) - 106 mins

Starring Alan Ladd, June Allyson, James Whitmore, Frank Faylen, Robert Ellis & Willis Bouchey

Directed by Gordon Douglas

Alan Ladd plays real-life air force hero Captain Joseph McConnell Jr. in this inspirational biopic, with June Allyson as McConnell's anxious, waiting-nervously-at-home wife. Assigned to the medical corps during WWII, McConnell takes private flying lessons so that he'll qualify for pilot duty. After serving with distinction in the war, McConnell becomes a pioneer in the testing of jet aircraft.

The real Captain Joseph McConnell died only a few weeks before filming started on The McConnell Story

McQ (1974) - 111 mins

Starring John Wayne, Eddie Albert, Diana Muldaur, Colleen Dewhurst, Clu Gulager & David Huddleston

Directed by John Sturges

Veteran detective, McQ (John Wayne) turns in his badge when he's officially denied the opportunity of clearing the name of his late best friend, who has been posthumously accused of drug pushing. Investigating on his own, McQ becomes romantically involved with his friend's widow, Lois (Diana Muldaur), who unbeknownst to him is up to her neck in police corruption.

First of two 70s-urban detective films made by The Duke - the other being Brannigan (1975)

John Wayne: Duke - one of the most recognizable persons on the planet -a true mega-star in film. You'll find the following John Wayne movies in this INDIVIDUAL MOVIE TITLES section of this website:

Meet Boston Blackie (1941) - 60 mins

Starring Chester Morris, Rochelle Hudson, Richard Lane, Charles Wagenhelm & Constance Worth

Directed by Robert Florey

Ex-con turned sleuth Boston Blackie (Chester Morris) finds a corpse in his cabin during an ocean cruise home from Europe. He is naturally the prime suspect and so must investigate to clear his name. He finds himself tracking down spies who are hiding out at Coney Island

Excellent first Boston Blackie film based on a character (Horatio Black) portrayed in a series of novels by Jack Boyle. Other Boston Blackie films in this (INDIVDUAL MOVIE TITLES) section of the website are Confessions of Boston Blackie (1941), Boston Blackie Goes Hollywood (1942) & One Mysterious Night (1944)

Please Note that this film is also part of the Boston Blackie Movie Series DVD set which can be found in the Movie Series section of this website

Meet John Doe (1941) - 122 mins

Starring Gary Cooper, Barbara Stanwyck, Edward Arnold, Walter Brennan, Spring Byington & James Gleason

Directed by Frank Capra

When reporter Ann Mitchell (Barbara Stanwyck) is fired as part of a downsizing move, she ends her last column with an imaginary letter written by "John Doe." Angered at the ill treatment of America's little people, the fabricated Doe announces that he's going to jump off City Hall on Christmas Eve. When the phony letter goes to press, it causes a public sensation. Seeking to secure her job, Mitchell talks her managing editor Henry Connell (James Gleason) into playing up the John Doe letter for all it's worth; but to ward off accusations from rival papers that the letter was bogus, they decide to hire someone to pose as John Doe: a ballplayer-turned-hobo, Long John Willoughby (Gary Cooper), who'll do anything for three square meals and a place to sleep. "John Doe" and his traveling companion The Colonel (Walter Brennan) are ensconced in a luxury hotel while Mitchell continues churning out chunks of John Doe philosophy. When newspaper publisher D.B. Norton (Edward Arnold), a fascist sympathiser with presidential aspirations, decides to use Doe as his ticket to the White House, he puts Doe on the radio to deliver inspirational speeches to the masses, ghost-written by Mitchell, who, it is implied, has become the publisher's mistress. The central message of the Doe speeches is "Love Thy Neighbor," though, conceived in cynicism, the speeches strike so responsive a chord with the public that John Doe clubs pop up all over the country. Believing he is working for the good of America, Cooper agrees to front the National John Doe Movement - until he discovers that Norton plans to exploit Doe in order to create a third political party and impose a virtual dictatorship on the country.

Oscar Nomination for Best Writing

Excellent Print! - much superior to commercial releases

Coop: forever the great adventurer (& cowboy) - these Gary Cooper titles are available from this website:

Meet Mr Callaghan (1954) - 88 mins

Starring Derrick De Marney, Harriette Johns, Peter Neil, Adrienne Corri & Delphi Lawrence

Directed by Charles Saunders

Cynthia Meraulton (Harriette Johns) hires PI Slim Callaghan (Derrick De Marney) when her Uncle changes his will in her favour ... she says. When Slim finds out, her much hated Uncle is already dead, he switches his suspicions from the three former beneficiaries to Cynthia herself …

A neat, entertaining and witty British movie which presents, one: Slim Callaghan, a fictional British private detective in the American "hard boiled" mode - he was the central character in several popular Peter Cheyney novels. Derrick De Marney’s laconic and downbeat style fits the character perfectly - in many ways, Callaghan provides a perfect comparison to similar American-style gumshoes from the 40's and 50's

Meet Nero Wolfe (1936) - 73 mins

Starring Edward Arnold, Lionel Stander, Dennie Moore, Victor Jory, Nan Bryant & Joan Perry

Directed by Herbert J. Biberman

Rex Stout's overweight, under-exercised detective Nero Wolfe was first brought to the screen in 1936 in the portly person of Edward Arnold. As brusque and short-tempered as ever, Wolfe tackles the case of a college professor who met his doom while playing golf, a tragedy followed by the seemingly unrelated death of a young mechanic. Dispatched to do Wolfe's leg work is his acerbic aide Archie Goodwin (Lionel Stander), who manages to discover that both deaths were tied in with a new weapon which silently shoots poisoned needles.

Well directed by Broadway veteran Herbert Biberman - a must for the fans

Followed by The League of Frightened Men (1937) - the second of two (only) Nero Wolfes on the Big Screen - in which Lionel Stander returns Archie but Walter Connolly replaces Edward Arnold as Wolfe - its also available from this website (see above)

Meet Sexton Blake (1945) - 80 mins

Starring David Farrar, Manning Whiley, Dennis Arundell, John Varley & Gordon McLeod

Directed by John Harlow

A bizarre and intriguing murder: late one night along the London waterfront, a man is desperately tugging at the hand of another man - a corpse. There clearly is something very important about the dead man's hand, as the living man goes so far as to take out a saw and start removing it. Soon after achieving his prize, he falls from a bridge to his own death. The body is hauled aboard a passing ship, and when they search the body they discover the grisly severed hand. Enter Sexton Blake (David Farrar ) who is soon on the scene, using his keen powers of detection to determine that the hand belonged to a photographer from another country. Blake retires to his rooms, but it's not long before a new client appears at his door. By coincidence, this man - an arms manufacturer - wants Blake to investigate the death of a friend, who just happens to have been a foreign photographer. Blake and his assistant Tinker (John Varley) delve into the case, which leads them to a mysterious villain named Slant-Eyes (Ferde Mayne) and an espionage plot involving a new alloy for use in airplanes that is of enormous value to both sides in the war.

Sexton Blake was created in 1893 as a way of cashing in on the immense popularity of Sherlock Holmes - a fictional detective who appeared in many British comic strips and novels throughout the 20th century.

David Farrar is excellent in the title role - he (along with writer/director John Harlow) returned for another outing as the famous sleuth with The Echo Murders (1945), which is also available from this website

Interestingly David Farrar had played a “heavy” in a pre-war Sexton Blake film: Sexton Blake and the Hooded Terror (1938) - which is also available from this website

Men in War (1957) - 102 mins

Starring Robert Ryan, Aldo ray, Robert Keith, Phillip Pine, Nehemiah Persoff & Vic Morrow

Directed by Anthony Mann

Anthony Mann, best known for hard-boiled crime films, directed this unflinching look at the realities of war set against the backdrop of the Korean conflict. Lt. Mark Benson (Robert Ryan) is the leader of a platoon that has just been given orders to advance to Hill 465, where they are to join awaiting troops and advance on the territory. While Benson and his men are weary, they have little choice but to comply. Needing a transport for their weapons, Benson and his men commandeer a truck, only to discover that it's not empty - Sgt. "Montana" Williamette (Aldo Ray) has been ordered to escort a colonel (Robert Keith) suffering from extreme battle fatigue to a field hospital for examination and treatment. While Benson's loyalty is to his troops and his mission, Montana refuses to turn over the truck; the colonel is one of the only men he's been able to rely on during his stretch in the Army, and he is determined to stand by him in his time of need. Either way, the men find themselves frequently confronted by danger, and their numbers are decimated when they're ambushed by enemy troops. The supporting cast includes Vic Morrow, who five years later would confront the dark side of war on a weekly basis as star of the TV series Combat.

The Men of Sherwood Forest (1954) - 77 mins

Starring Don Taylor, Reginald Beckwith, Eileen Moore, David King-Wood & Douglas Wilmer

Directed Val Guest

Robin Hood (Don Taylor) and his loyal gang, including Little John and Friar Tuck (Reginald Beckwith), learn that the one true king of England - Richard Lionheart - will soon return home after being in prisoner in Germany. Accomplices of his brother Prince John intend to assassinate King Richard on his way home and put the blame on Robin Hood and his “merry men”

A nice color Robin Hood feature helmed by Val Guest - who is perhaps better known as the director of cult UK sci-fi films: The Quatermass Xperiment (1955), Quatermass 2 (1957), The Abominable Snowman (1957) & The Day the Earth Caught Fire (1961) - all of which are available from this website

Hammer Productions followed up The Men of Sherwood Forest (1954) with Sword of Sherwood Forest (1960) - also available from this website

Merrill's Marauders (1962) - 98 mins

Starring Jeff Chandler, Ty Hardin, Peter Brown, Andrew Duggan, Will Hutchins & Claude Akins

Directed by Samuel Fuller

Jeff Chandler stars as Brig. Gen. Frank D. Merrill, commanding a regiment in Burma during World War II. Surrounded on all sides by the Japanese, Merrill's Marauders nonetheless accomplish their objective - only to be ordered into another mission with barely a chance to breathe. Again and again this happens, and again and again the Marauders remain fiercely loyal to the dauntless Merrill.

A jaw-dropping cast of Warner Brothers TV stars fills the acting roster here: Ty "Bronco" Lane, Peter "Lawman" Brown, Will "Sugarfoot" Hutchins & Andrew "Bourbon Street Beat" Duggan

Adapted by director Samuel Fuller and producer Milton Sperling from a novel by Charlton Ogburn Jr.,

Merrill's Marauders is Jeff Chandler's last film before his untimely death in The Philippines from blood poisoning after an operation for a slipped disc.

Merrily We Live (1938) - 95 mins

Starring Constance Bennett, Brian Aherne, Alan Mowbray, Billie Burke & Patsy Kelly

Directed by Norman Z. McLeod

Dizzy society matron Emily Kilbourne has a habit of hiring ex-cons and hobos as servants. Her latest find is a handsome "tramp" who shows up at her doorstep and soon ends up in a chauffeur's uniform. E. Wade Rawlins is this gentleman vagabond and whilst his down-to-earth attitude jars against the high-toned phoniness of Burke's wealthy household, he soon manages to "humanized" everyone around him. He also falls in love with Burke's daughter Constance Bennett, the snootiest member of the family.

A Fabulous comedy with Alan Mowbray a stand-out!

Oscar Nominated for Best Supporting Actress (Billie Burke), Art Direction, Cinematography, Music & Sound Recording

Michael Shayne: Private Detective (1940) - 77 mins

Starring Lloyd Nolan, Marjorie Weaver, Joan Valerie, Walter Abel & Elizabeth Patterson

Directed by Eugene Forde

Gumshoe Mike Shayne (Lloyd Nolan) is hired by millionaire Benny Gordon (Douglass Dumbrille) to keep his daughter, Marsha (Joan Valerie) away from gambling and gamblers. But before long Mike becomes involved in the murder of a racetrack tout.

Excellent first Michael Shayne film based on characters portrayed in a popular series of novels by Brett Halliday. Other Mike Shayne films in this (INDIVDUAL MOVIE TITLES) section of the website are Dressed to Kill (1941) & Blue, White and Perfect (1942)

Please Note that this film is also part of the Michael Shayne Movie Series DVD set which can be found in the Movie Series section of this website

Midnight Court (1937) - 63 mins

Starring Ann Dvorak, John Litel, Carlyle Moore Jr., Joseph Crehan & William B. Davidson

Directed by Frank McDonald

Victor Shanley (John Litel) had once been New York City's most-acclaimed crime-fighting, crusading District Attorney and the scourge of the underworld. But the workaholic demands of the job led him to drinking and alcoholism. Dismissed from office in disgrace and divorced by his wife, Carol (Ann Dvorak), Shanley soon finds himself a useless drunk. But when hired by gangster Al Kruger (William B. Davidson), Shanley is soon back on top, made rich in the process and relishing the revenge he has taken on the law-and-order faction, he thought had done him an injustice. In the process, Shanley befriends a young engineer, Bob Terrell (Carlyle Moore Jr.), who has inadvertently gotten mixed up with Kruger's mob - he gets Bob a job with an aircraft-factory in Tennessee. But Kruger, fearful that Bob might have knowledge that will incriminate him, sends his henchman "Slim" Jacobs (Stanley Fields) to silence the young man. Shanley must now make a choice.

Midnight Court was co-scripted by Don Ryan, a Los Angeles reporter specializing in the night-court beat.

Midnight Lace (1960) - 110 mins

Starring Doris Day, Rex Harrison, John Gavin, Myrna Loy, Roddy McDowall & Herbert Marshall

Directed by David Miller

Kit Preston (Doris Day), an American married to wealthy London businessman Tony Preston (Rex Harrison) becomes the terrified victim of a mysterious stalker, who she hears but can never see. She is threatened by the eerie, high-pitched voice as she walks in the thick London fog. She then begins receiving repeated threatening telephone calls. The now totally panicked Kit is nearly killed when someone pushes her in front of a bus. Unfortunately for Kit, no one but she hears the voice or the telephone calls and neither Tony, Kit's visiting Aunt Bea (Myra Loy), or Scotland Yard take any of these incidents seriously. The only one who seems to believe Kit is Brian Younger (John Gavin), a construction foreman, but Kit is not convinced that she can trust him. The tension builds to a thrilling climax as Kit flees for her life on a scaffolding outside her apartment building.

High quality thriller … great cast!

Oscar Nominated for Best Costumes (Color)

Midnight Taxi (1937) - 73 mins

Starring Brian Donlevy, Francis Drake, Alan Dinehart, Sig Ruman, Gilbert Roland & Harold Huber

Directed by Eugene Forde

Chick Gardner is a federal agent who poses as a New York cab driver. His plan is to use his cover to expose a gang of counterfeiters, who've been using taxis as their means of distribution. Befriending a cabbie who's in the employ of the crooks, Chick is able to join the gang, though several gang-members remain suspicious of his motives. Before Gardner is able to break the back of the operation, he is forced to extricate his sweetheart Gilda Lee (Frances Drake) from a very perilous predicament.

Brain Donlevy is great in this exciting film.

Millions Like Us (1943) - 103 mins

Starring Patricia Roc, Gordon Jackson, Anne Crawford, Basil Radford, Naunton Wayne & Eric portman

Directed by Sidney Gilliat & Frank Launder

An honest dramatization of the British "home front" during World War II. Patricia Roc plays a worker in a defense plant who lives in an all-female rooming house. Shy and sheltered, Roc loses some of her inhibitions when she falls in love with an airman (Gordon Jackson). After they marry, he is killed in battle. Roc's coworkers and friends rally round her, giving her the strength to persevere. Millions Like Us attempts to show the temporary breakdown of the British class structure during the war, with everyone- highborn to low-pitching in, working together, and bolstering one another's morale. That the old social system would inevitably resume after the war wasn't important to British movie fans, who lined up in droves to see Millions Like Us. A nice touch is the appearance by Basil Radford & Naunton Wayne as “Charters & Caldicott”

Ministry of Fear (1944) - 85 mins

Starring Ray Milland, Marjorie, Reynolds, Carl Esmond, Dan Duryea, Hillary Brooke & Alan Napier

Directed by Fritz Lang

Stephen Neale is released into WWII England after two years in an asylum, but it doesn't seem so sane outside either. On his way back to London to rejoin civilization, he stumbles across a murderous spy ring and doesn't quite know who to turn to for help.

An atmospheric thriller with a fine cast and classic touches from director Lang.

The Miracle of Morgan’s Creek (1944) - 98 mins

Starring Eddie Bracken, Betty Hutton, Diana Lynn, William Demarest & Porter Hall

Directed by Preston Sturges

Trudy Kockenlocker (Betty Hutton) is a man-crazy single girl whose favorite pastime involves entertaining every visiting GI in town. One morning after a particularly wild night, Trudy labors under the apprehension that last eve, she'd married a soldier named Ratzkywatzky or something. Evidently something had happened that night, for soon Trudy discovers that she's pregnant. She hides this information from her bombastic policeman father Edmund (William Demarest), and her on-again, off-again boyfriend, the hapless bank clerk Norval Jones (Eddie Bracken). But soon he gets tapped to be the father of the unborn child. He takes the assumed name Ratzkywatzky and poses as a GI. Unfortunately, this only leads to further complications. Disasters pile up thick and fast, and before long Norval is facing arrest on a variety of charges. Then the miracle of the title occurs.

This vintage Preston Sturges farce plays fast and loose with the censorial restrictions of mid-1940s Hollywood - in the end, though a classic! - a wild, once-controversial comedy which was also Oscar nominated for Best Screenplay

Mirage (1965) - 108 mins

Starring Gregory Peck, Diane Baker, Walter Matthau, Kevin McCarthy, Jack Weston & Leif Erickson

Directed by Edward Dmytryk

A dazed man, David Stillwell (Gregory Peck), wanders down the stairs of a New York skyscraper during a power blackout, only vaguely aware of who he is, where he's been, and why he has this nagging feeling that danger lurks all about him. Stillwell does know that many of the people in the building are acquainted with him - and that he is somehow linked with the death of wealthy philanthropist Charles Calvin (Walter Abel), who has fallen 27 floors to his death (a special effect that was remarkable for its time). From this point onward, everyone Stillwell meets is connected with Calvin's death, or is in some way threatening Stillwell's well-being. When he seeks the help of Dr. Pepper-imbibing private eye Ted Caselle (Walter Matthau), he is told that "you don't want to remember" - shortly before Caselle is murdered by persons unknown. Only the enigmatic Sheila (Diane Baker) evinces any real sympathy, and she too is part of the conspiracy aimed at silencing and/or neutralizing the dumbfounded Stillwell.

Mirage has far too many twists of plot to go into here, but everything is satisfactorily explained.

A great amnesia picture, Trev well remembers his first viewing of this marvellous Hitchcockian thriller

The Misfits (1961) - 124 mins

Starring Clark Gable, Montgomery Clift, Marilyn Munroe, Eli Wallach, Kevin McCarthy & Thelma Ritter

Directed by John Huston

The final film of stars Clark Gable and Marilyn Monroe is an elegy for the death of the Old West from writer Arthur Miller and director John Huston. Gable stars as Gay Langland, an aging hand traveling the byways and working at rodeos with his two comrades, Guido (Eli Wallach) and young Perce Howland (Montgomery Clift). The three men come up with a plan to corral some misfit mustangs and sell them for dog food, but Gay's new girlfriend Roslyn Taber (Marilyn Monroe), a high-minded ex-stripper who has just divorced her husband Ray (Kevin McCarthy) in Reno, is appalled by the plan. Although both Guido and Perce are also in love with Roslyn, she stands by Gay, sure that in the end he will do the right thing, even as he and his pals begin their planned roundup.

Great action / adventure with Gable in super form - the final scene of the film are filled with such poignancy (given what was to happen to Gable & Munroe) that one can appreciate why Huston elected to not use a "The End" card … the black sky gives way to blackness and the film stops!

Missile to the Moon (1958) - 78 mins

Starring Richard Travis, Cathy Downs, K. T. Stevens, Tommy Cook, Nina Bara & Gary Clarke

Directed by Richard E. Cunha

Two escaped convicts are caught hiding in a rocket by scientist Dirk Green, who forces them to pilot the ship to the moon. Dirk, who's secretly a moon being, wants to return home. Meanwhile Dirk's partner Steve Dayton and his fiancé June (Richard Travis & Cathy Downs) stowaway on the ship by accident.

Cult sci-fi extraordinaire!

Excellent print - much better than commercial releases

Mission Over Korea (1953) - 85 mins

Starring John Hodiak, John Derek, Audrey Totter, Maureen O’Sullivan, Harvey Lembeck & Richard Erdman

Directed by Fred F. Sears

In this Korean War drama, a strong-willed, stubborn novice pilot becomes obsessed with avenging the death of his brother who died during an aerial skirmish with the deadly Chinese "volunteer" pilots.

Excellent Korea War film!

Mission to Moscow (1943) - 123 mins

Starring Walter Huston, Ann Harding, Oskar Homolka, George Tobias, Gene Lockhart & Eleanor Parker

Directed by Michael Curtiz

Requested by President Roosevelt to make a film supportive of America's Russian allies, Warner Bros. turned to the memoirs of Ambassador Joseph H. Davies, who spent several years prior to WWII in the Soviet Union.

Sent to Moscow by FDR as a means of finding out if Russia is a potentially trustworthy ally in case of war, Davies and his family are given the royal treatment by the Commissars, who display the social, technological, agricultural and artistic advances made under the Stalin regime.

The film is preceded by a 6-minute prologue delivered by the real Joseph Davies.

Top-rank entertainment, superbly and excitingly assembled in the manner typical of Warners and director Michael Curtiz and a tour-de-force for Walter Huston (who is fabulous)!

Oscar Nomination for Best B&W Art Direction

Like The North Star (1943) and Days of Glory (1944) - both of which are available from this website - Mission to Moscow presents the courage and resourcefulness of the Soviet Union during WW2 - long before the Russians became the stock villains in Hollywood films!

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The Mississippi Gambler (1953) - 99 mins

Starring Tyrone Power, Piper Laurie, Julie Adams, John McIntire, Paul Cavanagh & Ron Randell

Directed by Rudolph Maté

Mark Fallon (Tyrone Power), along with partner Kansas John Polly (John McIntire), tries to introduce honest gambling on the riverboats. Initial success makes enemies of the crooked gamblers and Angelique ‘Leia’ Dureau (Piper Laurie), whose necklace he won. Later in New Orleans, Mark befriends Angelique's father, Edmond (Paul Cavanagh) but she still despises him as his gambling career brings him wealth.

Mark attempts to woo Angelique, but she chooses to marry wealthy George Elwood (Ron Randell) - meanwhile Mark finds himself being is wooed by Ann Conant (Julie Adams). The climax finds Mark in a card table showdown with Angelique’s ill-tempered brother Laurent (John Baer)

Oscar Nominated for Best Sound Recording

Excellent Technicolor print!

Tyrone Power: that fabulous adventurer … great Tyrone Power movies available from this website are:

Miss Robin Hood (1952) - 76 mins

Starring Margaret Rutherford, Richard Hearne, James Robertson Justice, Dora Bryan & Sid James

Directed by John Guillermin

Henry Wrigley (Richard Hearne) is the humble writer at a large newspaper who creates The Adventures of Miss Robin Hood comic-strip. Designed for kids, it depicts a modern day young woman as a Robin Hood character who robs from the rich and is always aided by teenage school girls.

When the new owner of the newspaper decides to drop the Miss Robin Hood strip, the writer storms out of his job. All seems bleak for the poor chap until Miss Honey (Margaret Rutherford) appears on the scene - she’s an eccentric elderly lady who runs a home for orphaned kids on Hampstead Heath. Having read how Miss Robin Hood can crack open safes, Miss Honey is convinced that Henry can help her retrieve a secret family recipe used in "Honeycup", a scotch based drink with an extra special ingredient that causes a sensational feeling of wellbeing. Wrigley unwittingly agrees and manages to steal the recipe & special ingredient from the safe of “The Macallister” (James Robertson Justice). Now Wrigley & Miss Honey finds themselves caught up in an exciting game of cat and mouse with The Macallister, Scotland Yard and the Newspaper Editor.

Excellent comedy with Margaret Rutherford in top form!

Mister Buddwing (1966) - 100 mins

Starring James Garner, Jean Simmons, Suzanne Pleshette, Katherine Ross, Angela Lansbury & George Voskovec

Directed by Delbert Mann

A well-dressed man wakes up on a bench in New York's Central Park, with no idea of who he is, or how he got there. All he can find in his pockets are a train schedule, a couple of drug capsules, and a piece of paper with a phone number on it. On his right hand: a ring with a cracked stone; engraved on the inside of the band is the inscription, "From G.V." Armed with these meager clues, the man, adopting the name "Buddwing" (inspired by a passing Budweiser beer truck and a plane flying overhead), sets out to learn his true identity. Along the way, he encounters a variety of people, including three different women who each reminds him in some way of someone named "Grace".

Another intriguing "amnesia" film with parallels to Mirage (1965) which is also available from this website (above)

Nominated for Oscars in Art Direction & Costume Design

Mister Roberts (1955) - 123 mins

Starring Henry Fonda, James Cagney, William Powell, Jack Lemmon, Betsy Palmer, Ward Bond & Philip Carey

Directed by John Ford , Mervyn LeRoy & Joshua Logan

It’s the last few months of WWII and Lt. Doug Roberts (Henry Fonda) as the chief cargo officer of the merchant supply ship "Reluctant”, is itching for combat duty. But the Reluctant's surly, despotic Captain Morton (James Cagney), anxious to use Roberts to expedite his own promotion, refuses to sign any of Roberts' transfer requests. Helping to brighten Mister Roberts' humdrum existence are his best friends, Ensign Frank Pulver (Jack Lemmon) and the ship's philosophical doctor (William Powell, in his final film appearance).

Henry Fonda returned to films after an eight-year absence in this masterful adaptation of the actor's Broadway hit Mister Roberts. Joshua Logan wrote and partially directed by the film. Halfway through shooting, legendary director John Ford was replaced, ostensibly because of illness, by Mervyn LeRoy.

Oscar Winner for Best Supporting Actor (Jack Lemmon).

Academy Award nominations for Best Picture & Best Sound

Deluxe Wide-Screen Technicolor Print (unlike commercial releases which are Pan & Scan 4:3)

Joshua Logan later wrote and directed (this time on his own) the sequel, Ensign Pulver (1964) - which is also available from this website

The Mob (1951) - 87 mins

Starring Broderick Crawford, Betty Buehler, Richard Kiley, Otto Hulett, Matt Crowley, Neville Brand & Ernest Borgnine

Directed by Robert Parrish

Broderick Crawford plays Johnny Damico, a detective who suddenly finds himself up to his neck in trouble and his career on the line. Going home in the rain one night, he finds himself just a few feet from a shooting on a dark street, where the gunman claims to be a detective from another precinct, flashing a real badge and then slipping away. Damico discovers that the victim of the shooting was a witness who was to have appeared before a grand jury investigating waterfront crime, and that the same man who shot him also murdered the chief investigator on the case just a few hours earlier (which is where the badge came from). Damico could lose his job, but instead he's given the chance to redeem himself - he's sent undercover and given a new identity as New Orleans tough-guy Tim Flynn, who insinuates himself onto the New York waterfront when he arrives on ship. He manages to hook up with union thug Joe Castro (Ernest Borgnine) and his strong-arm man Gunner (Neville Brand), who try to frame him for a murder that also gets a potential stoolie out of the way and that hooks Damico up with crooked police sergeant Bennion. After following one blind alley involving a federal agent (Richard Kiley) working as a longshoreman, Damico manages to get an intro to Blackie Clegg (Matt Crowley), the man working behind Castro, Gunner who's as cool and slippery as they come and as sadistic as he is vengeful.

Excellent B&W print of a classic 50s noir!

Broderick Crawford had some wonderful starring roles in nourish dramas: All the King's Men (1949), The Mob (1951), Scandal Sheet (1952), Down Three Dark Streets (1954) & New York Confidential (1955) - all of which are also available from this website.

He then moved on to TV playing Chief Dan Mathews in Highway Patrol - a fabulous realistic series which is available from the TV Series section of this website

Modesty Blaise (1966) - 119 mins

Starring Monica Vitti, Terence Stamp, Dirk Bogarde, Harry Andrews, Michael Craig & Alexander Knox

Directed by Joseph Losey

Great Britain is giving 50 million pounds worth of diamonds to a Middle East sheik in return for oil concessions. There are rumours of a plot by arch-criminal Gabriel (Dirk Bogarde) to steal the diamonds, so the Secret Service Chief Sir Gerald Tarrant (Harry Andrews) seeks the help of sexy spy Modesty Blaise (Monica Vitti), who brings along her faithful sidekick Willie Garvin (Terence Stamp)

The popular British comic strip series served as inspiration for this light-hearted espionage adventure which is directed by the legendary Joseph Losey who is better know for his gritty realism - evidenced by: The Lawless (1950), The Prowler (1951), The Big Night (1951), The Criminal (1960), King & Country (1964) & Figures in a Landscape (1970) which are also available from this website

Mogambo (1953) - 115 mins

Starring Clark Gable, Ava Gardner, Grace Kelly Donald Sinden & Laurence Naismith

Directed by John Ford

This 1953 Clark Gable film Mogambo is a remake of Gable's 1932 seriocomic adventure Red Dust. Where the earlier film was lensed on the MGM backlot, Mogambo was shot on location in Africa by director John Ford. Gable is safari leader Victor Marswell, who plays "host" to stranded Eloise Y. Kelly (Ava Gardner, in her Academy Award nominated role). Anthropologist Donald Nordley (Donald Sinden) hires Victor to lead him into the deepest, darkest jungle. Along for the ride is Donald's wife, Linda (Grace Kelly), outwardly cool as a cucumber but secretly harboring a lust for Victor. Scorned, Kelly tries to kill Victor, but true-blue Eloise takes the blame for the shooting. Reportedly, Grace Kelly carried on an off-camera romance with Clark Gable, which ended when the differences in their ages proved insurmountable. Even so, it is the easy rapport between Gable and Ava Gardner which steals the show in Mogambo.

Grace Kelly was also Oscar nominated for Best Supporting Actress in this fabulous big budget color adventure.

Originally made more two decades earlier as Red Dust (1932), with again Clark Gable in the lead, but with Jean Harlow and Mary Astor in the Ava Gardner and Grace Kelly roles, respectively. Red Dust (1932) is also available from this website

The Mole People (1956) - 80 mins

Starring John Agar, Cynthia Patrick, Hugh Beaumont, Alan Napier & Nestor Paiva

Directed by Virgil W. Vogel

A party of archaeologists discovers the remnants of a mutant 5 000 year old Sumerian civilization living beneath a glacier atop a mountain in Mesopotamia. This race of albinos are afraid of light of any kind and keep mutant humanoid mole men as their slaves. Expedition leader Dr. Roger Bentley (John Agar) and Dr. Jud Bellamin (Hugh Beaumont) realize that they must do something despite the fact that they are interfering with an entire civilation.

Neat Universal sci-fi

Money, Women and Guns (1958) - 80 mins

Starring Jock Mahoney, Kim Hunter, Tim Hovey, Gene Evans, Tom Drake, Lon Chaney Jr. & William Campbell

Directed by Richard Bartlett

An old prospector makes a large gold discovery but is ambushed by three masked men. In the ensuing fire-fight he but manages to kill two of his attackers before being mortally wounded himself. Before dying he manages to scribble out a will and it eventually makes its way into the hands of celebrated detective ‘Silver’ Ward Hogan (Jock Mahoney), who is hired to track down the four legitimate heirs and to try to find the third murderer

Gorgeous widescreen Technicolor print - third of a trio of Universal westerns starring legendary cowboy (& stuntman) “Jocko” Mahoney - preceded by Joe Dakota (1957) & The Last of the Fast Guns (1958) which are also available from this (INDIVIDUAL MOVIE TITLES) section of the website.

Further these 3 films are available in a special 3 DVD set from within the Classic Movie Combinations section of this website under the heading “Jocko” … on the Big Screen ...

Monkey Business (1952) - 97 mins

Starring Cary Grant, Ginger Rogers, Charles Coburn, Marilyn Munroe, & Hugh Marlowe

Directed by Howard Hawks

Dr. Barnaby Fulton (Cary Grant) is an absent-minded chemist seeking a "fountain of youth" formula that will revitalize middle-agers both mentally and physically. Though Barnaby’s own laboratory experiments yield little fruit, a lab monkey, let loose from its cage, mixes a few random chemicals and comes up with just the formula Barnaby is looking for. This mixture is inadvertently dumped in the lab's water supply; the fun begins when staid, uptight Barnaby drinks some of the "bitter" water, then begins behaving like a teenager. A harmless afternoon on the town with luscious secretary Miss Lois Laurel (Marilyn Monroe) rouses the ire of wife Edwina (Ginger Rogers), but her behavior is even more infantile when she falls under the spell of the youth formula.

Great comedy with some great one-liners

The Monolith Monsters (1957) - 77 mins

Starring Grant Williams, Lola Albright, Les Tremayne, Trevor Bardette & Phil Harvey

Directed by John Sherwood

A strange black meteor crashes near the town of San Angelo and litters the countryside with fragments. When a storm exposes these fragments to water, they grow into skyscraper-sized monoliths which then topple and shatter into thousands of pieces that grow into monoliths themselves and repeat the process. Any humans in the way are crushed or turned into human statues. The citizens of San Angelo desperately try to save themselves and the world from the spreading doom

Screenplay by Norman Jolley who wrote the legendary sci-fi TV series “Space Patrol” (which is available from the TV Series section of this website)

Monster on Campus (1958) - 77 mins

Starring Arthur Franz, Joanna Moore, Judson Pratt, Nancy Walters & Troy Donahue

Directed by Jack Arnold

Professor Donald Blake (Arthur Franz) must deal with the cataclysmic consequences that ensue when a transmogrifying dragonfly bites a prehistoric fish from Madagascar. Soon after the bite, the strange fish becomes gigantic and develops the ability to cause those in contact to regress to their primal forms. When it bites a dog, the dog becomes a wolf. When some fish slime ends up in the professor's pipe, he becomes infected and turns into a rampaging Neanderthal, terrorising the college campus.

The Monster That Challenged the World (1957) - 83 mins

Starring Tim Holt, Audrey Dalton, Hans Conried, Harlan Warde, Max Showalter & Mimi Gibson

Directed by Arnold Laven

An underwater earthquake in the Salton Sea releases prehistoric and radioactive giant molluscs. They then start to kill people by feeding on their bones. Navy officers and scientists from the nearby remote naval base investigate and try and stop them, but the molluscs escape into the nearby canal and start to threaten the world. Meanwhile, an unhatched egg is brought to the naval base for examination - however it hatches after a little girl raises the temperature of the water tank in which it has been kept releasing another monster!

The Monster That Challenged the World is the misleadingly title for one of the more well-regarded second-echelon horror films of the 1950s. And it stars Tim Holt the renown cowboy who appeared in so many of those exciting RKO westerns (which are available from within the "B" westerns section of this website)

Montana (1950) - 76 mins

Starring Errol Flynn, Alexis Smith, S. Z. Sakali, Douglas Kennedy & James Brown

Directed by Ray Enright

Australian sheep-man Morgan Lane comes to Montana looking for government-owned grazing land, and encamps his sheep at the boundary line set up by the cattle barons to keep the sheep from eating the good grass. He goes to town, posing as a merchant, explains his Australian accent, and learns that Maria Singleton, owner of a large ranch, and Rodney Ackroyd, another ranch owner and Miss Singleton's fiancée, are the leaders of the cattlemen against the sheep-men. Romance tugs at Morgan and Miss Singleton but the cattle vs sheep feud keeps them apart.

Montana scores best during the scenes between stars Errol Flynn and Alexis Smith; they were good friends in real life, so much so that Flynn served as best man at Smith's wedding to actor Craig Stevens.

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Montana Belle (1952) - 82 mins

Starring Jane Russell, George Brent, Scott Brady, Forrest Tucker & Andy Devine

Directed by Allan Dwan

Notorious western outlaw Belle Starr (Jane Russell), after being saved by the Dalton Gang from the hangman's noose, falls in love with Bob Dalton (Scott Brady). But gang-member Mac (Forrest Tucker) & gambler Tom Bradfield (George Brent) are also keen on Belle and it makes for some challenging moments, especially since Tom has been enlisted in a bankers' scheme to trap the Daltons. Belle demonstrates her prowess with guns, horses, and as a surprisingly racy saloon entertainer, whilst Tom offers her the best chance to escape Dalton’s clutches.

Originally filmed at Republic in 1948, Montana Belle was purchased by producer Howard R. Hughes, who'd loaned the services of the film's star, Jane Russell. After laying on the shelf for three years, Montana Belle was finally released by Hughes' RKO Radio Pictures in October of 1952.

Very nice Trucolor Print! (& no logos)

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The Monte Carlo Story (1957) - 96 mins

Starring Marlene Dietrich, Vittorio De Sica, Arthur O’Connell, Jane Rose, Mischa Auer & Truman Smith

Directed by Samuel A. Taylor

Maria de Crevecoeur (Marlene Dietrich) and Count Dino della Fiaba (Vittorio De Sica) are two compulsive gamblers who meet in Monte Carlo. Though both are down on their luck, they dress affluently and that is what attracts them to each other. Romantic sparks fly until they learn the truth about each other. This leads Maria to begin an affair with rich American widower, Homer Hinkley (Arthur O’Connell). Homer’s teenage daughter, Jane (Natalie Trundy) falls for Dino but he feels himself too old for her and rejects her. Eventually Maria and Homer decide to marry, but before the wedding takes place, Dino has a major winning streak.

Gorgeous widescreen Technicolor print! - shot on location

Monte Walsh (1970) - 106 mins

Starring Lee Marvin, Jeanne Moreau, Jack Palance, Mitch Ryan & Jim Davis

Directed by William A. Fraker

Monte Walsh (Lee Marvin ) and his pal Chet Rollins (Jack Palance) are two over the hill cowboys seeking work in the town of Harmony, Arizona in the final days of the Old West. They take a job at the ranch of Cal Brennan (Jim Davis) and meet an old friend Shorty (Mitch Ryan). Monte goes off to visit old flame Martine (Jean Moreau), a saloon girl suffering from tuberculosis. The ranch closes and Chet marries Mary Eagle (Allyn Ann McLerie), a widow who owns a profitable hardware store. He tries to talk Monte in to giving up his cowboy life and settling down. He asks Martine to marry him, but she declines and cites her deteriorating health as the reason for her refusal. Monte goes on a drinking binge and rides a wild horse through town. He is indignant when a rodeo owner offers him a job.

Compelling western with Lee Marvin’s portrayal a cornerstone!

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The Moonlighter (1953) - 77 mins

Starring Barbara Stanwyck, Fred MacMurray, Ward Bond, William Ching, John Deakes & Jack Elam

Directed by Roy Rowland

Disreputable wanderer Wes Anderson (Fred MacMurray) has been thrown in a frontier town calaboose, accused of being a "moonlighter" - ie.a cowpuncher who herds cattle by day and steals them by night. When Anderson escapes from jail, another man is falsely accused of Wes' crimes and is promptly lynched. Driven by guilt and revenge, Wes is determined to punish those responsible for the hanging, and to pay for a decent funeral for the innocent victim. In doing this, however, Wes turns from moonlighting to bank robbing, and it is up to his erstwhile sweetheart, Rela (Barbara Stanwyck) to bring him to justice.

An interesting re-teaming of Double Indemnity (1944) stars Fred MacMurray & Barbara Stanwyck is this interesting western drama. They again appear together in There’s Always Tomorrow (1956)

Double Indemnity (1944) & There’s Always Tomorrow (1956) are also available from this website

Moonrise (1948) - 90 mins

Starring Dane Clark, Gail Russell, Ethel Barrymore, Allyn Joslyn & Harry Morgan

Directed by Frank Borzage

Danny Hawkins has been tortured his entire life because he is the son of a killer who was hung. In a state of insanity Danny kills Jerry Sykes. When the body is discovered Danny flees from his true love Gilly Johnson and the law but is able to reach salvation by coming to grips with his identity and by turning himself in to the police.

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Moontide (1942) - 94 mins

Starring Ida Lupino, Jean Gabin, Thomas Mitchell, Claude Rains, Jerome Cowan & Ralph Byrd

Directed by Archie Mayo

Bobo (Jean Gabin) is sailor who goes on a bender, passes out for a long time and awakens to find himself charged with murder. Unfortunately, the tough old salt cannot remember anything he did while he was drunk and so goes to his ailing friend, Tiny (Thomas Mitchell) who promptly begins blackmailing the sailor into taking care of him. Bobo does so, but cannot escape the guilt associated with his alleged crime. One day he saves Anna (Ida Lupino), a distraught waitress, from killing herself. They fall in love and this softens him. Soon afterward, the waitress learns that the sailor's friend is the real killer. Tragedy ensues, but eventually justice prevails and love blossoms.

Oscar Nomination for Best B&W Cinematography

The More the Merrier (1943) - 104 mins

Starring Jean Arthur, Joel McCrea, Charles Coburn, Richard Gaines & Bruce Bennett

Directed by George Stevens

During WWII, there was an acute housing shortage in Washington DC and elderly Benjamin Dingle (Charles Coburn) is obliged to share a tiny DC apartment with pretty Connie Milligan (Jean Arthur) and handsome Joe Carter Joel McCrea). After several of misunderstandings, the trio becomes accustomed to their curious living arrangement. Joe takes a platonic liking to Connie, but she's engaged to stuffy bureaucrat Charles J. Pendergast (Richard Gaines). Sizing up the situation, foxy Benjamin contrives to bring Connie and Joe together, in spite of themselves. Things get dicey when Joe endeavors to complete a top-secret mission for the Air Force, which leads to all sorts of comic complications and misguided remonstrations.

Oscar Winner for Best Supporting Actor (Charles Coburn)

Also Oscar Nominations for Best Picture, Best Actress (Jean Arthur), Best Director & Best Screenplay

The More the Merrier was remade in 1966 as Walk Don't Run (starring Cary Grant, Samantha Eggar & Jim Hutton and which dealt with the romantic complications inherent in the housing shortage in Tokyo during the 1964 Olympic Games)

Walk Don’t Run (1966) is also available from this website

Morocco (1930) - 92 mins

Starring Marlene Dietrich, Gary Cooper, Adolphe Menjou, Ullrich Haupt & Eve Southern

Directed by Josef von Sternberg

Gary Cooper joins the Foreign Legion to "forget what went before."

At a smoky cabaret in Morocco, Légionnaire Tom Brown meets café entertainer Mademoiselle Amy Jolly, a woman with a very checkered past. Initially she toys with Brown, as both have been bruised by their past lives, but the two edge cautiously into a no-strings relationship while being pursued by others. Eventually she falls hopelessly in love with him, much to the behest of wealthy Monsieur La Bessiere. But Tom must leave on a perilous mission.

Marlene Dietrich making her American film debut in a story often referred to as The Légionnaire and the Lady.

Oscar Nominations for Best Actress, Director, Cinematography & Art Direction

Coop: forever the great adventurer (& cowboy) - these Gary Cooper titles are available from this website:

The Mortal Storm (1940) - 100 mins

Starring Margaret Sullavan, James Stewart, Robert Young, Frank Morgan, Robert Stack & Bonita Granville

Directed by Frank Borzage

The Nazi Party's rise to power has disastrous consequences for a German family: Victor Roth is a college professor teaching in Germany in 1933 who leads a peaceful and contented life with his wife Emelie, son Rudi, Freya and stepsons Otto and Erich. However, Adolph Hitler's emergence as Germany's ruler has an unexpected impact on their lives. Fritz and his friend Martin both vie for Freya's hand in marriage, but anti-Nazi activist Martin is forced to flee to Austria, while Freya is disturbed by Fritz's membership in a pro-fascist group. Victor repudiates Hitler's theories about Aryan superiority in class, and he not only loses his teaching position, but he is sentenced to a concentration camp. And while Emelie and Rudi join Freya as she tries to escape to Martin's new home in Austria, they find themselves hunted by Otto and Erich, now members of the Hitler Youth.

The Mortal Storm was perhaps the most explicitly anti-Nazi film made in Hollywood prior to America's entry into WWII, and it resulted in all of MGM's product being banned in Germany.

Mosquito Squadron (1969) - 90 mins

Starring David McCallum, Suzanne Neve, Charles Gray, David Buck, David Dundas & Dinsdale Landen

Directed by Boris Sagal

Quint Munroe (David McCallum) loses his oldest friend, Squadron Leader David Scott (David Buck), on a mission to destroy a group of German V-1 launchers. Quint was like a brother to Scott, and must break the news to his wife Beth (Suzanne Neve), with whom Quint had once been involved. In the months that follow, Quint and Beth slowly rekindle their romance - meanwhile, the German V-weapon program continues to advance, and they are getting ready to unveil the V-3. Quint is given the task of destroying the V-weapon plant at Charlon, a mission made possible by a new "bouncing bomb" called the "highball," invented by Dr. Barnes Wallis (of "Dambusters" fame). Just before the mission is to be undertaken, however, the Germans drop a film showing prisoners, including a still-alive Scott, being moved to Charlon. Now the Mosquito crews will be killing their own colleagues and friends, and Quint must carry out his orders, which include hiding the fact that Scott is alive from Beth. The secret gets out to the squadron pilots, however, and a rebellion starts brewing in their ranks. Try as he might to find a way to save the lives of the prisoners, there seems to be no way for Munroe to avoid killing British pilots with British bombs.

Excellent Technicolor wide-screen entertainment

The Most Dangerous Game (1932) - 63 mins

Starring Joel McCrea, Fay Wray, Leslie Banks, Robert Armstrong & Noble Johnson

Directed by Irving Pichel & Ernest B. Schoedsack

The first of many official and unofficial screen versions of Richard Connell's The Most Dangerous Game cast Leslie Banks as the loony Russian count Zaroff, a renowned big-game hunter who tires of stalking animals and begins hunting down the human beings: "most dangerous game". Luring unwary victims to his remote island, Zaroff wines and dines them, gives them a few hours' head start to run into the jungle, then hunts them down with rifle and bow and arrow. As his grisly trophy room demonstrates, Zaroff hasn't missed yet. Shipwreck survivors Joel McCrea and Fay Wray are Zaroff's latest quarry.

From the same production team as King Kong, this a fabulous (and very well made) adventure story - remade in color as Run For the Sun (1956) which is also available from this website

Both films are excellent prints - much superior than those commercially available

Motor Patrol (1950) - 67 mins

Starring Don Castle, Jane Nigh, Bill Henry, Gwen O'Connor, Onslow Stevens, Reed Hadley, Richard Travis & Sid Melton

Directed by Sam Newfield

A story of the motorcycle cops of the traffic division of the Los Angeles Police Department. Ken Foster, a trainee, is engaged to the sister, Jean Collins, of motorcycle policeman Larry Collins, who is taking part in the investigation of a hit-and-run killing the police believe was a deliberate murder. Sighting a stolen car used in the killing, Larry pursues it and is killed by the driver. Ken is taken from the training academy and given the assignment of impersonating a known auto-thief, now in police custody, in the hopes he will be accepted by the hot-car ring working the city.

Nice tight action story.

The Mountain (1956) - 105 mins

Starring Spencer Tracy, Robert Wagner, Claire Trevor, William Demarest, Richard Arlen & E. G. Marshall

Directed by Edward Dmytryk

Spencer Tracy plays veteran mountain guide Zachary Wheeler, who is coaxed out of retirement when a passenger plane crashes on high mountain. He decides it isn't worth risking his life to recover the bodies of the passengers, but hot-headed younger brother Chris (Robert Wagner), hoping to claim the victims' valuables, talks Zachary into accompanying him to the mountaintop. After their treacherous upward journey, the brothers discover that one of the passengers, a Hindu girl (Anna Kashfi), is still alive. Zachary wants to bring her back to safety, but the greedy Chris would rather abandon her and make off with the valuables.

An excellent character study enhanced by superb location photography and chilling aerial "fear of falling" scenes - Spencer Tracy (nominated here for a BAFTA) is fabulous as the weary climber pressed into service to help out his reprehensible brother (Robert Wagner who has never been better).

Perfect color print!

Trev well remembers his first viewing of this superb mountaineering film … the snow bridges, the fear of falling … an excellent adventure!

The Mouse on the Moon (1963) - 83 mins

Starring Margaret Rutherford (as Grand Duchess Gloriana XIII), Ron Moody, Bernard Cribbins, David Kossof, Terry Thomas & Roddy McMillan

Directed by Richard Lester

The Prime Minister of the Duchy of Grand Fenwick (Ron Moody) is in a bind because he has no money to renovate his castle and there is a serious problem with his small country's main export, wine. The stuff tends to explode. So the Prime Minister asks the U.S. for aid to develop space research, knowing full well they are not going to give him money to remodel his castle. Once the U.S. grants a cool million to the country, Russia adds in a used rocket, and things start popping. Like it or not, the Duchy is suddenly involved in space research and contributing to the madness is the discovery that its unique wine makes good rocket fuel!

Leonard Patrick O'Connor Wibberley (1915 –1983) was a prolific and versatile Irish-American author, who is best known for his satiric novels about an imaginary country, Grand Fenwick, particularly The Mouse That Roared

The novels led to two riotous British comedies The Mouse That Roared (1959) and its sequel The Mouse on the Moon (1963).

The Mouse on the Moon (1963) boats Richard Lester as director; he was later to helm the critically acclaimed Beatles hit A Hard Day's Night (1964) and Superman II (1978). This time out there is no Peter Sellers (star of The Mouse That Roared), however his "daughter" Grand Duchess Gloriana XIII is played with great aplomb by Margaret Rutherford who at the time was in the middle of her successful 4 film Miss Marple movie series (which is also available from this website). The only actor to reappear is David Kossof who is Professor Alfred Kokintz in both films. The character Benter is in both films being played by Leo McKern in the first and then Roddy McMillan in the second.

The prequel The Mouse That Roared (1959) is also available from this website (see below)

Also there is a nice "British Comedy" 4 film set within the Classic Movie Combinations section of this website.

It comprises: Whisky Galore! (1949), Rockets Galore! (1957), The Mouse That Roared (1959) & The Mouse on the Moon (1963)

The Mouse That Roared (1959) - 85 mins

Starring Peter Sellers (as Grand Duchess Gloriana XII / Prime Minister Count Rupert Mountjoy / Tully Bascombe) Jean Seberg, William Hartnell, David Kossof & Leo McKern

Directed by Jack Arnold

The world's smallest nation, the Duchy of Grand Fenwick, which lies on the Swiss-French border, is quietly and prosperously ruled by the Grand Duchess Gloriana XII with the assistance of the Hereditary Prime Minister, Count Rupert of Mountjoy, the Hereditary Field Marshall and Grand Constable, Tully Bascombe and the Leader of the Loyal Opposition, David Bentner. Disaster strikes, however, when the Duchy's only export, its wine, Pinot Grand Fenwick, is undercut in the United States by a Californian copy, Pinot Grand Enwick. Faced with bankruptcy, and having had no reply to its protests, the Duchy decides to declare war on the United States, Mountjoy having reasoned that it will certainly lose and will then be magnificently rehabilitated by the generous, victorious Americans.

The novels led to two riotous British comedies The Mouse That Roared (1959) and its sequel The Mouse on the Moon (1963).

The first film is distinguished by the ingenuous playing of Peter Sellers who "assails" three roles: the Grand Duchess Gloriana XII, the Hereditary Prime Minister, Count Rupert of Mountjoy and the Hereditary Field Marshall and Grand Constable, Tully Bascombe. Well directed by Jack Arnold, it’s an extremely funny film and its success led to a sequel 4 years later: The Mouse on the Moon (1963) - which is also available from this website (see above)

Also there is a nice "British Comedy" 4 film set within the Classic Movie Combinations section of this website.

It comprises: Whisky Galore! (1949), Rockets Galore! (1957), The Mouse That Roared (1959) & The Mouse on the Moon (1963)

Mr. & Mrs. Smith (1941) - 95 mins

Starring Carole Lombard, Robert Montgomery, Gene Raymond, Jack Carson, Philip Merivale & Lucile Watson

Directed Alfred Hitchcock

In Alfred Hitchcock's rare foray into comedy (courtesy of a wittily risque script by Norman Krasna), Mr. Smith (Robert Montgomery) makes the mistake of telling Mrs. Smith (Carole Lombard) that if he had it to do all over again, he might not have married her. Shortly thereafter, Mr. Smith discovers that his marriage is invalid. Rather than say goodbye, the newly aroused Mr. Smith attempts to entice Mrs. Smith into the bedroom, thrilled at the prospect of an "illicit" romance. But Mrs. Smith has also been apprised that her marriage is no more - and, remembering Mr. Smith's "second thoughts", she kicks him out of the house. This comedy of misunderstanding rolls merrily along from this point onward, accommodating an uproarious scene at a fancy restaurant, a near-liaison between Mrs. Smith and new beau Jeff (Gene Raymond) on the World's Fair parachute jump, and a farcical denouement at a ski lodge, with Mrs. Smith's conjugally crossed skis symbolizing the carnal pleasures ahead for both Mr. and Mrs. Smith.

A Hitchcock comedy? - yes! And it works!

Mr. Arkadin (1955) - 105 mins

Starring Orson Welles, Akim Tamiroff, Gregoire Aslan, Patricia Medina, Michael Redgrave & Peter Van Eyck

Directed by Orson Welles

Guy Van Stratten, American smuggler, leaves an Italian prison term with one asset, a dying man's words about wealthy, mysterious Gregory Arkadin. Guy finds it most pleasant to investigate Arkadin though his lovely daughter Raina, her father's idol. To get rid of Guy, Arkadin claims amnesia about his own life prior to 1927, sending Guy off to investigate Arkadin's unknown past. Guy's quest spans many countries and eccentric characters who contribute clues. But the real purpose of Guy's mission proves deadly; can Guy himself survive it?

This is considered to be Welles' combining Citizen Kane with The Third Man - but does it come off?

Note the length of this print (105 mins) - it’s the "comprehensive" version which has been assembled by Welles' scholars and which supposedly most typifies the "cut" of the film which Welles would have performed at the time, had he been permitted.

Mr. Belvedere Goes to College (1949) - 83 mins

Starring Clifton Webb, Shirley Temple, Tom Drake, Alan Young & Kathleen Hughes

Directed by Elliott Nugent

Mr. Belvedere (Clifton Webb) discovers that he is ineligible for an honorary award because he never attended college. So he enrols as a freshman in a major university, becoming the target for "hazing" from obnoxious upper classman Avery Brubaker (Alan Young). The middle-aged Belvedere rapidly builds himself into The Big Man on Campus, which complicates his intention of remaining incognito while attending college. Journalism major Ellen Baker (Shirley Temple) likewise threatens to blow Belvedere's cover by writing an article about him for a major magazine. Before earning his college degree (four years' worth of study in six months!), Belvedere plays Cupid for Ellen and her estranged boyfriend Bill Chase (Tom Drake).

The second of three ‘Mr. Belvedere’ films. Clifton Webb (in the role of a lifetime and the one which ultimately defined his career) made so vivid an impression as Mr. Belvedere in Sitting Pretty (1949) that he repeated the role in two sequels: Mr. Belvedere Goes to College (1949) & Mr. Belvedere Rings the Bell (1951) - all three are available from this website.

Mr. Belvedere Rings the Bell (1951) - 87 mins

Starring Clifton Webb, Joanne Dru, Hugh Marlowe, Zero Mostel & William H. Lynn

Directed by Henry Koster

Sharp-tongued “expert” Mr. Belvedere (Clifton Webb) halts a lecture tour on “How to Stay Young” to prove his theory at a dilapidated old people's home - and bring some happiness into the lives of the residents there. To gain entry into the establishment, the virile, fifty-something Belvedere claims to be 77 years old. The rest of the inmates are invigorated by the presence of so youthful a "septuagenarian," and before long everyone has taken a new lease on life. Belvedere also finds time to smooth the romantic path for Reverend Watson (Hugh Marlowe) and his fiancée Miss Tripp (Joanne Dru). When Mr. Belvedere's subterfuge is found out, the residents are momentarily dismayed, until they realize all the good their visitor has done.

The third of three ‘Mr. Belvedere’ films. Clifton Webb (in the role of a lifetime and the one which ultimately defined his career) made so vivid an impression as Mr. Belvedere in Sitting Pretty (1949) that he repeated the role in two sequels: Mr. Belvedere Goes to College (1949) & Mr. Belvedere Rings the Bell (1951) - all three are available from this website.

Mr. Blandings Builds His Dream House (1948) - 94 mins

Starring Cary Grant, Myrna Loy. Melvyn Douglas, Reginald Denny & Sharyn Moffett

Directed by H.C. Potter

Fed up with crowded big-city living, advertising executive (Mr.) Jim Blandings (Cary Grant) decides to seek out a big, roomy house in the country. Armed with more enthusiasm than common sense, Blandings causes many a headache for his lawyer/business manager Bill Cole (Melvyn Douglas), who tries to keep the costs within a reasonable amount. Alas, Blandings barges ahead on his own, first purchasing an estate on the verge of collapse, then opting to build his dream house from scratch. An unpleasant legal squabble over the fact that Blandings purchased his new property without checking with the prior owners throws even more good money after bad. The construction of the new Blandings digs is slowed down to a walk by doors and windows that don't fit, plumbing that fails to function, doorknobs that break upon contact with human flesh, temperamental workmen, and various and sundry other homeowners' nightmares. Attempting to keep a level head throughout the proceedings is Mrs. Muriel Blandings (Myrna Loy), though even she herself is guilty of pretensions and excess …

Great comedy which, at times, runs a little close to the bone (when one thinks back to one’s own experiences in home-building)

Mr. District Attorney (1941) - 69 mins

Starring Dennis O'Keefe, Florence Rice, Peter Lorre, Stanley Ridges & Charles Arnt

Directed by William Morgan

Republic's Mr. District Attorney sees Dennis O'Keefe stars as P. Cadwallader Jones, an assistant DA straight out of Harvard who has made a mess of his first case. He sets out to redeem himself by trying to reveal that one of his boss' aides is in league with master criminal Mr. Hyde (Peter Lorre).

There were two separate 1940s film series inspired by Philips H. Lord's radio weekly Mr. District Attorney; the second by Paramount's Pine-Thomas unit, is below.

Mr. District Attorney (1947) - 82 mins

Starring Dennis O'Keefe, Adolphe Menjou, Marguerite Chapman, Michael O'Shea & George Coulouris

Directed by Robert B. Sinclair

Adolphe Menjou plays the title role, DA Craig Warren, though top billing is bestowed upon Dennis O'Keefe as Warren's assistant Steve Bennett. Resenting his boss' constructive criticism and presumed interference, Bennett goes astray, ultimately getting mixed up with trouble-prone Marcia Manning (Marguerite Chapman). Warren quickly realizes that Marcia is a no-good, but Bennett refuses to listen. Eventually, two men meet their deaths at Marcia's manicured hands, and it looks as though Bennett will be third on her list.

Nicely turned noir

Mr. Lucky (1943) - 100 mins

Starring Cary Grant, Laraine Day, Charles Bickford, Gladys Cooper & Alan Carney

Directed by H.C. Potter

Mr. Lucky finds Cary Grant atypically cast as a shifty, out-for-number-one gambler. Having dodged the draft by adopting the identity of a dead man, Grant sets his sights on purchasing a fancy gambling ship. To raise the necessary funds, he pretends to be working hand in glove with the American War Relief society. Once he meets Laraine Day, however, Grant begins to change his tune - or does he?

An excellent script that switches and turns - keeping the viewer off-balance throughout

A big box office success!

Mrs. Mike (1949) - 100 mins

Starring Dick Powell, Evelyn Keyes, J. M. Kerrigan, Angela Clarke & Will Wright

Directed by Louis King

When Boston-bred Kathy O'Fallon marries Canadian Mountie Sgt. Mike Flannagan, she is immediately nicknamed "Mrs. Mike" by her new friends and neighbors. Unprepared for the hardships of life in the Great White North, Mrs. Mike nonetheless perseveres through minor inconveniences and major tragedies.

A great "outdoors" picture!

Based on a true story, Mrs. Mike was adapted from the best-selling novel by Benedict & Nancy Freedman.

Note that this film is part of the Dick Powell "Drama" Combination which can be found in the Classic Movie Combinations section of this website

The Mummy (1932) - 73 mins

Starring Boris Karloff, Zita Johann, David Manners, Arthur Byron & Edward Van Sloan

Directed by Karl Freund

In 1921 a team of British archaeologists led by Sir Joseph Whemple (Arthur Byron) uncovers the 3700 year old mummy of Im-ho-tep. When one young archaeologist opens the scroll of Thoth, he goes delirious and the Mummy comes to life. 10 years later Sir Joseph returns with his son Frank (David Manners). Unknown to them, the Mummy now exists as the mysterious Egyptian, Ardath Bay (Boris Karloff), who helps the expedition uncover the tomb of his ancient love, Princess Anck-es-en-Amon. He then uses his mystic powers mesmerize the reincarnation of his lost love in the form of Helen Grosvenor (Zita Johann). When Sir Joseph interferes he mysteriously dies. Frank, with the help of Dr. Muller (Edward Van Sloan), then attempts to discover the key to Ardath Bay's powers and get Helen back.

The Mummy represented Boris Karloff's second horror starring role after his "overnight" success in Frankenstein (1931). Its essentially a love story, poetically related by ace cinematographer and first-time director Karl Freund. Jack Pierce's justly celebrated makeup skills offers us two Karloffs: the wizened Egyptologist and the flaking, rotting mummy, who though only seen for a few seconds remains in the memory long after the film's final image has faded.

The Mummy (1932) was followed by four sequels, though not commencing until almost decade later with The Mummy's Hand (1940). Then followed The Mummy's Tomb (1942), The Mummy's Ghost (1944) & The Mummy's Curse (1942). All 5 films were produced by Universal films with each containing the requisite thrills, well wrapped in their trademark "atmosphere". Abbott and Costello Meet the Mummy (1955) saw Universal yet again return to the popular story, still brimming with scary bits, and helped along by the uproarious comedy of Bud Abbott & Lou Costello.

England's legendary "Horror House" Hammer productions turned their great skills to the story in 1959 (see below)

Also worth a look: The Mummy Movie Series consisting of all 6 Universal "The Mummy" productions along with the Hammer production of 1959. It can be found in the Movie Series section of this website.

The Mummy (1959) - 88 mins

Starring Peter Cushing, Christopher Lee, Yvonne Furneaux, Raymond Huntley, George Pastell & Felix Aylmer

Directed by Terence Fisher

In 1895, a team of archaeologists uncover the tomb of Princess Ananka, an Egyptian high priestess. They are warned not to disturb the tomb but in doing so, inadvertently bring to life the mummy of Kharis (Christopher Lee), the high priest who loved the Princess. While in the tomb alone, something happens to frighten the leader of the expedition, Stephen Banning (Felix Aylmer). Three years later an Egyptian, Mehemet Bey, transports the mummy to England to seek revenge against those who desecrated the Princess' tomb. It is left to Stephen Banning's son John (Peter Cushing) to unravel the mystery and to protect his wife Isobel, who bears a striking resemblance to the Princess.

This British "Hammer Horror" production of The Mummy is often cited as being as good as the Karloff original. Peter Cushing gives a terrific performance and Christopher Lee makes a menacing Mummy, even more powerful and threatening than Universal's all those years before (see above).

Fans of "Hammer Horror with Peter Cushing & Christopher Lee" might like to check out The Curse of Frankenstein (1957) & Horror of Dracula (1958) elsewhere in this INDIVIDUAL MOVIE TITLES section of this website.

Also worth a look: The Mummy Movie Series consisting of all 6 Universal "The Mummy" productions along with this Hammer production of 1959. It can be found in the Movie Series section of this website.

Murder Ahoy (1964) - 93 mins

Starring Margaret Rutherford, Lionel Jeffries, Charles ‘Bud’ Tingwell, William Mervyn & Stringer Davis

Directed by George Pollock

A boat that has been purchased by a trusteeship to serve as a home for wayward kids. One of the trustees, Cecil Ffolly-Hardwicke (Henry Longhurst), dies while attending a meeting held aboard the boat. The police write the death off as "natural causes," but another trustee, Miss Marple (Margaret Rutherford), suspects otherwise. Doing a little sleuthing on her own, she discovers that outwardly respectable Captain Sydney De Courcy Rhumstone (Lionel Jeffries) is using the boat as a "training school" for aspiring criminals. This would seem to explain why Hardwicke was murdered, but Rhumstone is much too obvious a suspect - as Miss Marple discovers nearly too late.

The last of Margaret Rutherford's "Miss Marple" films, "Murder Ahoy" is the only one of the series not based on an Agatha Christie original.

Preceded by Murder She Said (1961), Murder at the Gallop (1963) & Murder Most Foul (1964) - all of which are available here from this section of the website (see below).

All 4 films are also available in a specially packaged 4 DVD “Margaret Rutherford Miss Marple” boxed set from within the Movie Series section of this website.

Murder at the Gallop (1963) - 81 mins

Starring Margaret Rutherford, Robert Morley, Flora Robson, Charles ‘Bud’ Tingwell & Stringer Davis

Directed by George Pollock

An old village recluse is found dead and everyone except Miss Marple (Margaret Rutherford) believes he had a heart attack. She is suspicious because four members of the dead man's family stand to benefit from his death, especially when a highly valuable painting is added into the kitty. As she follows her instincts and logic, a few more murders eliminate the same number of suspects, and Miss Marple is compelled to lend haste to her investigation before someone else turns up dead.

Based on the 1953 Hercule Poirot novel After the Funeral by Agatha Christie

Preceded by Murder She Said (1961) and followed by Murder Most Foul (1964) & Murder Ahoy (1964) - all of which are available here from this section of the website (see below & above).

All 4 films are also available in a specially packaged 4 DVD “Margaret Rutherford Miss Marple” boxed set from within the Movie Series section of this website.

Murder By Decree (1979) - 124 mins

Starring Christopher Plummer, James Mason, David Hemmings, Susan Clark, Anthony Quayle, John Gielgud, Frank Findlay & Donald Sutherland

Directed by Bob Clark

The murders by the infamous British criminal, Jack the Ripper, catch the attention of Sherlock Holmes (Christopher Plummer), but he does not receive the expected call from Scotland Yard because he is being purposefully excluded from the investigation. Instead, Robert Lees (Donald Sutherland), a psychic who volunteered information to the police about the murders, provides the Great Detective with the necessary incitement to action. As the murders proceed, it becomes clear to all concerned that it is more important to stop them than to announce their solution, and Holmes enters the fray with the help of his trusty aide, Dr. Watson (James Mason).

Yep -its Sherlock Holmes vs. Jack the Ripper! - with Inspector Lestrade being played by Frank Findlay - a role he had previously played in 1965's A Study in Terror which is another Holmes vs. Ripper story

Murder, He Says (1945) - 91 mins

Starring Fred MacMurray, Helen Walker, Marjorie Main, Jean Heather, Porter Hall & Peter Whitney

Directed by George Marshall

Though it comes on much too strong at times, Murder, He Says fully justifies its present "cult" status. Professional pollster Pete Marshall (Fred MacMurray) gets more than he bargained for when he heads to hillbilly country to investigate the disappearances of several of his colleagues. Poor Pete stumbles across the Fleagle family, who have a quaint habit of murdering anyone they consider to be a nuisance. Whip-wielding Mamie (Marjorie Main), her deceptively meek husband Mr. Johnson (Porter Hall) and her hulking, lamebrained twin sons (both played by Peter Whitney) are searching for $70,000 hidden by Bonnie Parker-like desperado Bonnie Fleagle, and they don't intend to be disturbed by any outsiders like Pete. Having previously poisoned their troublesome grandma (Mabel Paige) with a curious substance that causes its victims to glow in the dark, Mamie and her brood try to dispatch Pete in the same manner, leading to an uproarious slapstick setpiece involving an elaborate "Lazy Susan" table. Complicating matters is the arrival of two different women (Helen Walker, Barbara Pepper) claiming to be the long-lost Bonnie Fleagle. Jean Heather costars as Elany Fleegle, the only sympathetic (but no less crack-brained) member of the killer brood.

Its comedy content aside, Murder, He Says would be memorable for its eye-popping split-screen photography, thoroughly convincing the audience that Peter Whitney is indeed two different people.

Fabulous comedy mystery! - Fred was to meet up again with "hayseed" Marjorie Main a few years later in The Egg & I (1947) which is also available from this website