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Three Hours to Kill is a "message" Western that manages to ... Read more

Three Hours to Kill is a "message" Western that manages to entertain without preaching. Jim Guthrie (Dana Andrews), unjustly accused of murder, is forced out of town by an angry mob. After several tough years living off the land, Guthrie returns to clear his name. Fearing that Guthrie is out for blood, the townsfolk arrange a "necktie party." The one person who might show some compassion is ex-fiancée Laurie Mastin (Donna Reed), who'd been left pregnant by Guthrie and had married another man on the rebound. But Laurie's brother was the murder victim, so she's just as determined to rid the world of Guthrie as everyone else. With the help of sympathetic Chris Plumber (Dianne Foster), Guthrie traps the real murderer. The mentality of mob rule is exposed for all its ugliness in Three Hours to Kill, ironic in that real-life Hollywood had been governed by mob pressure to enforce the Blacklist during the same period. Minimize

36 Hours (1965) James Garner, Eva Marie SaintDirector: Geor ... Read more

36 Hours (1965) James Garner, Eva Marie SaintDirector: George SeatonCo-stars: Rod Taylor, Werner Peters115 minutes, ColorDVD: Region 1In 1950, Maj. Jefferson Pike (James Garner), an Army intelligence agent who served with distinction in World War II, awakens in a hospital with severe amnesia. He isn't sure where he is, how he got there, or even who the woman at his side is, even though the doctor tells him that her name is Anna (Eva Marie Saint) and that she is his wife. The doctor instructs Pike to recall, in as much detail as possible, what he was doing before the accident that caused his traumatic memory loss. But the doctor isn't a doctor, Anna isn't Pike's wife, it isn't 1950, and he isn't in an American hospital. World War II is still very much in progress, and Pike is being duped in an elaborate scheme prepared by Maj. Walter Gerber (Rod Taylor), a German intelligence agent. Gerber is trying to trick a drugged and suggestible Pike into telling him everything he knows, as the injured soldier lies in a Bavarian military hospital after being taken prisoner. Will Pike be able to see through the cracks in Gerber's facade before he spills the beans that could mean death and defeat for American soldiers? 36 Hours was later remade for TV under the title Breaking Point. TV fans will want to keep an eye peeled for bit parts by James Doohan from Star Trek and John Banner from Hogan's Heroes. Minimize

The Gallant Hours (1960) James Cagney, Dennis WeaverDirecto ... Read more

The Gallant Hours (1960) James Cagney, Dennis WeaverDirector: Robert MontgomeryCo-stars: Ward Costello, Vaughn Taylor, Richard Jaeckel, Les Tremayne115 minutes, Black and WhiteDVD-R: Region ALLThe "mutual admiration society" consisting of actor James Cagney and actor/director Robert Montgomery culminated in the 1960 film The Gallant Hours. Cagney stars as war hero Admiral William F. "Bull" Halsey. On the verge of retirement, Halsey recalls his most fateful wartime experience: his five-week showdown between himself and Japanese Admiral Yamamoto (James T. Goto) in 1942. In command of the American naval forces in the Pacific, Halsey scores a crucial, tide-turning victory at Guadalcanal. In concentrating on the participants rather than the battle itself, The Gallant Hours is a character study of a remarkable American. The a cappella "score" performed by Ken Darby and the King's Men Quartet is a matter of taste. Minimize

Route 66 - The Complete First SeasonStarring: Martin Milner ... Read more

Route 66 - The Complete First SeasonStarring: Martin Milner, George MaharisDVD: Region 1, 8 discsOnly fiction series written & shot all over North America. Two young adventurers in a Corvette explore early 60's social problems and changing mores, looking for the right place to settle down while seeking themselves. Debuting 3 years after "On the Road" transformed modern literature, while such newly available fast cars dominated the new teenage culture, Tod, an Ivy Leaguer, and Buz, an orphan from Hell's Kitchen, cruise the U.S.A. coping with shifting relationships and lifestyles. The FCC's Newton Minow characterized U.S. TV as a "vast wasteland," in 1961, but "Route 66" found important, compelling stories all over. Sterling Silliphant who won an Oscar for writing "In the Heat of the Night," traveled around the U.S. and Canada scouting locales, while writing ¾ of the very dark, literate show's episodes - a feat only Rod Serling matched with The Twilight Zone. Soon, a crew of 50 arrived at the location. Shows were filmed in 40 States. Tod, from a once-wealthy family, inherited only a Corvette when his father died, so he and Buz (suddenly jobless because he worked for Tod's father's company) strike out across North America, especially along the iconic Route 66 from Chicago to L.A. which the Okies traveled. Tod and Buz take local jobs (such as shrimping, shipbuilding, oil rigging) to support their wanderings. The 2 socially conscious knights of the road, encourage, champion, and learn from oppressed and troubled people they encounter. 1962 guest star Ethel Waters was the first African-American woman nominated for an Emmy Award. The CBS show doubled Corvette sales its first season. Tod and Buz's beige Corvette's 2 seats meant "sans souci" and constant movement, so shows were shot in 6 days, in a new city almost every week. The two drifters reject the post-war American Dream of the suburbs, while exploring a disappearing North America with very diverse local culture, not yet dominated by international franchises and cookie-cutter suburbs. The shows' vibrate with the new dreams for a Great Society and the fears of the Cold War. The volatile Buz Murdock was cast quickly, while Martin Milner beat out Robert Redford for the Tod Stiles role. Due to hepatitis, Maharis did not appear in the series' last 1 ½ seasons. The show grew from a pilot on creator Silliphant and Route 66 producer Herbert B. Leonard's "Naked City," also shot on location. Naked City and Route 66 bridged the widely varied anthologies and live plays of the 1950's Golden Age of Television, to the much cheaper, 1 hour dramatic, set-character based series, which continue to rule prime-time. Nelson Riddle's atmospheric Theme from Route 66, and his episode scores factored heavily in the show's allure. The breezy song Route 66, written by Bobby Troup (of the 1970's TV series "Emergency !"), a 1946 Nat King Cole hit, wasn't used for the series. A sequel to Route 66 appeared in 1993, but lasted only 4 episodes. Minimize

Four Hours To Kill (1935) Richard Barthelmess, Joe Morrison ... Read more

Four Hours To Kill (1935) Richard Barthelmess, Joe MorrisonDirector: Mitchell LeisenCo-stars: Gertrude Michael, Helen Mack, Ray Milland, Paul Harvey70 minutes, Black and WhiteDVD-R: Region ALL Adapted from Norman Krasna's Broadway hit A Small Miracle, Four Hours to Kill is a multi-plotted effort that can best be described as "Grand Hotel goes to the theater." Richard Barthelmess stars as Tony, a condemned murderer, who is handcuffed to Detective Taft (Charles Wilson) while en route to the death house. Tony breaks loose and heads for the theater, where the man who squealed on him is attending a play. As the killer prepares to rub out the stoolie, the action cuts away to the romance between a hatcheck boy (Joe Morrison) and his girlfriend (Helen Mack), which is complicated by the clerk's allegedly pregnant former love (Dorothy Tree). Another subplot involves unfaithful wife Gertrude Michael and her lover Ray Milland. All the various plotlines are knitted together in the climax, wherein Tony closes in on his intended victim. Minimize

Stolen Hours (1963) Susan Hayward, Michael CraigDirector: D ... Read more

Stolen Hours (1963) Susan Hayward, Michael CraigDirector: Daniel PetrieCo-stars: Diane Baker, Edward Judd97 minutes, ColorDVD-R: Region ALL Stolen Hours is the 1963 remake of the 1939 Bette Davis vehicle Dark Victory. Susan Hayward plays a rich, neurotic socialite who discovers that she only has a year to live. Acting resentfully at first--especially towards handsome doctor Michael Craig, who withheld this information from her "for her own good"--Hayward eventually adopts a philosophical attitude towards her fate. By the time she begins slipping into "that undiscovered uncountry," Hayward is practically a candidate for sainthood. A plot device not utilized in the original involves Hayward's virtual adoption of a young boy (Robert Bacon), who is neglected by his own mother. Novelist Jessamyn West and playwright Joseph Hayes did their best to "contemporize" the outdated elements of the original Dark Victory, even unto having Susan Hayward learn to dance the Twist! Stolen Hours was filmed in England, affording us lovely Technicolor glimpses of the Cornish coast. Minimize

Five Golden Hours (1960) Ernie Kovacs, Cyd CharisseDirector ... Read more

Five Golden Hours (1960) Ernie Kovacs, Cyd CharisseDirector: Mario ZampiCo-stars: George Sanders, Kay Hammond, Finlay Currie90 minutes, Black and WhiteDVD-R: Region ALLThis Ernie Kovacs cult comedy was the last film directed by Mario Zampi and follows the exploits of Aldo Bondi (Kovacs) who earns his living off wealthy widows. When he consoles the beautiful and impoverished Baroness Sandra (Cyd Charisse), he makes the mistake of falling in love with her. That gets him into a complex con game with three other widows and a huge sum of money, meant to be invested to earn a bundle based on the five-hour time difference between the East coast of the U.S. and Europe. Bondi gets into one tight situation after the next, as his loot is stolen by the Baroness and he needs a way to save his skin. Minimize

Twelve Hours To Kill (1960) Nico Minardos, Barbara EdenDire ... Read more

Twelve Hours To Kill (1960) Nico Minardos, Barbara EdenDirector: Edward L. CahnCo-stars: Grant Richards, Russ Conway, Gavin MacLeod, Ted Knight83 minutes, Black and WhiteDVD-R: Region ALLThis quickly made drama has some future television talent acting in it (Barbara Eden, Gavin MacLeod, Ted Knight). Martin (Nico Minardos) has just witnessed a murder and in order to protect him, the police establish him in relative obscurity in a suburban neighborhood. What Martin does not know is that one of the policemen is not what he seems, and the cop sets up the unsuspecting man as a target to be eliminated. This is another in a long list of dramas directed by Edward L. Cahn in 1960-61. Minimize

Nine Hours To Rama (1963) Horst Bucholz, José FerrerDirecto ... Read more

Nine Hours To Rama (1963) Horst Bucholz, José FerrerDirector: Mark RobsonCo-stars: Valerie Gearon, Don Borisenko, Robert Morley, Diane Baker, Harry Andrews124 minutes, ColorDVD-R: Region ALLThis drama follows the nine hours that came before the assassination of Indian leader Mahatma Gandhi by a Hindu radical. Naturam Godse (Horst Buchholz), a Brahmin who was rejected for service in the British Army and is horrified by the fighting between Moslem and Hindu fanatics, comes to the conclusion that the only solution to the civil unrest is to kill Gandhi (J.S. Casshyap), believing that the leader's philosophy of non-violence has only fanned the flames of unrest. In love with a married woman, Rani Mahta (Valerie Gearon), Godse spends a guilty afternoon with her as he flashes back on his life of violence and mistreatment; he also pays a call to Sheila (Diane Baker), a prostitute. Meanwhile, as civil unrest flares around him, Ghandi goes about his daily rounds, despite warnings from police chief Gopal Das (Jose Ferrer) that his life is in danger. J.S. Casshyap was a 64-year-old teacher and author before being cast as Gandhi in this, his first film role. Minimize

True Heart Susie (1919) Lillian Gish, Robert HarronDirector ... Read more

True Heart Susie (1919) Lillian Gish, Robert HarronDirector: D.W. GriffithCo-stars: Wilbur Higby, Loyola O'Connor, Clarine Seymour, Kate Bruce70 minutes, Black and WhiteDVD-R: Region ALLDedicated to "Plain women and their pitiful hours of waiting for love that never comes," while "men are caught by a net of paint and powder and suggestive clothing," D.W. Griffith's TRUE HEART SUSIE is an exceedingly old-fashioned, but quite appealing, silent romance, featuring one of Lillian Gish's finest performances.Susie (Lillian Gish), a plain girl who lives in a small, rural village, is in love with a local farmboy named William (Robert Harron). He wants to go to college and become a minister, but his father can't afford to send him. One day in town, William meets a wealthy philanthropist who encourages him to go to college and promises to help him pay. Weeks go by and William waits for a letter from the stranger, but none arrives, so Susie sells her beloved cow Daisy to raise the tuition for him, and sends him a letter pretending it's from the philanthropist.William goes off to school, working as a waiter to support himself. Susie patiently waits for William to return, and when he does, he becomes the new town minister. At a church party, William meets a city girl named Bettina (Clarine Seymour), who has just moved to town. Bettina flirts with him and tells her aunt (Kate Bruce) that she's going to marry him because she's broke. Susie tries to compete with Bettina by donning makeup and sewing a new dress, but William is smitten with Bettina and proposes to her. Susie sees Bettina kissing her old friend Sporty Malone (Raymond Cannon), but doesn't tell William, and William and Bettina are married.The marriage quickly disintegrates, as Bettina refuses to cook or keep herself attractive for William. When William is out of town, Sporty comes by with some friends and has a party with Bettina. William returns and catches Bettina dancing with Sporty, but believes her when she denies that they were kissing. Later, Bettina sneaks out of the house and goes dancing with Sporty again, but loses her house key, and gets stuck in a rainstorm. She goes to Susie's house and stays there, then asks Susie to lie to William and say she was there all night. Susie does, but Bettina catches a cold, then develops pneumonia and dies. William, believing that Bettina went out in the rain to get a book from a neighbor for him, vows never to love another woman. Susie refuses to tell William the truth about Bettina, but Susie's aunt (Loyola O'Connor) shows William the tuition receipt from the sale of Susie's cow, and Bettina's friend (Carol Dempster) tells William that Bettina was at a party with Sporty before she got stuck in the rainstorm. William goes to Susie and tells her he has learned the truth and now knows that he has loved her all his life. They embrace and walk away together, hand in hand.TRUE HEART SUSIE, which was released right before, and was overshadowed by, BROKEN BLOSSOMS (1919), is a modest little film that shows Griffith at his most Victorian, but he treats the antediluvian plot with absolute sincerity and simplicity, transcending the primitive melodramatic cliches and creating a kind of elemental emotional truth. Probably no other actress in the world besides Lillian Gish could have pulled off a character as unbelievably sweet and innocent as Susie, able to handle such risible scenes as when she confides her sorrows to her cow Daisy, who's referred to as "Her Sister," in the intertitles. Similarly, the scenes where she kisses William's love letters and dances around the room have a naivete about them that is both sweet and touching.Working in a humble bucolic setting, as opposed to his customary historical epics, Griffith's technique is appropriately modest and unadorned, shooting most scenes in simple two-shots, with very little camera movement. There are a few impressive stylistic flourishes, however, such as when William first marries Bettina Minimize

These Three (1936) Miriam Hopkins, Merle OberonDirector: Wi ... Read more

These Three (1936) Miriam Hopkins, Merle OberonDirector: William WylerCo-stars: Joel McCrea, Catherine Doucet, Bonita Granville, Margaret Hamilton, Walter Brennan93 minutes, Black and WhiteDVD-R: Region ALLLillian Hellman's 1934 Broadway play The Children's Hour was such a hot potato that film producer Samuel Goldwyn was denied Production Code permission to use the play's original title. The reason was the story's lesbian theme, a factor that also blocked The Children's Hour from winning a Pulitzer Prize. In the original story, lifelong friends Martha Dobie and Karen Wright manage an exclusive girl's boarding school. Spoiled rotten student Mary Tilford, angered at being disciplined, fabricates a story that casts a questionable light on the women's friendship. In attempting to defend themselves against the accusations of the little girl's wealthy and powerful aunt, Martha and Karen lose everything in court. By the time the girl has admitted her lie and the aunt has come to apologize, it is too late. After confessing that she has harbored "unnatural" feelings towards Martha, Karen commits suicide. In adapting her play to the screen, Lillian Hellman expertly weeded out all hints of lesbianism, and also eliminated Karen's self-inflicted death ("suicide as a plot solution" was another Production Code no-no). In the revised version, Mary Tilford (played with unbridled venom by Bonita Granville) spreads a rumor that Martha (Miriam Hopkins) has been carrying on an illicit affair with doctor Joseph Cardin (Joel McCrea), the boyfriend of Karen (Merle Oberon). The end result is essentially the same -- the school is destroyed, along with Martha and Karen's reputation -- but Karen manages to survive to fade-out time. In defending the evisceration of her play, Hellman defended herself by noting that her original point was not to force a lesbian subtext down the throats of the audience, but to show how a vicious lie -- any vicious lie -- can have disastrous consequences. While it makes a good story, it is probably not true that, when informed that the leading characters in The Children's Hour were lesbians, producer Goldwyn replied, "Who cares? We'll make them Americans." Minimize

There Goes My Heart (1938) Fredric March, Virginia BruceDir ... Read more

There Goes My Heart (1938) Fredric March, Virginia BruceDirector: Norman Z. McLeodCo-stars: Patsy Kelly, Nancy Carroll83 minutes, Black and WhiteDVD-R: Region ALLBruce is a wealthy heiress, the granddaughter of department store mogul Claude Gillingwater, who keeps a tight rein on her. When Gillingwater goes off to Europe on a business trip, Bruce tells her yacht captain to leave the South of France area and steam for New York right away. The idea of taking this relatively small ship across the Atlantic is big news, and New York newspaper editor Eugene Pallette deploys March, his top man, to be waiting at the dock when Bruce arrives. March and his photographer Arthur Lake get to the pier as the boat is waiting to clear customs and quarantine. Lake meets Bruce, and she spots him as a newsman right away, so she tells him that she is the maid and that her maid, Greta Granstedt, is the heiress. Lake falls for it and Bruce uses the device to get away. When March begins to interview Granstedt, he realizes that hes been fooled. He runs after Bruce and sees just a quick glimpse of her as she escapes. Bruce is one of those very rich people who doesnt ever know how much money she has in the bank or in her pocketbook. (There is always someone else around to fork over cash when she needs it.) Shes enjoying the feeling of being one of the people of the city. Bruce enters a cafeteria, uses her final coins to buy a cup of coffee, and meets Kelly (who was about 35 pounds thinner than she was in her last movie and looked wonderful), a wisecracking department store clerk with a heart of gold. Kelly feels sorry for Bruce (not knowing her real identity). Knowing how it is to be out of money and have no place to live, she invites Bruce to bunk with her and her roommate, Carroll, until she can land a job. Carroll meets Bruce, hates her at first sight, resents the fact that Kelly has brought home a third person to live in the cramped flat, and retaliates by gathering her small wardrobe and other gear and exiting in a huff. Kelly helps Bruce get a job at the large department store owned by Bruces grandfather. Bruce is working in cookwear, Kelly demonstrates weight-reducing equipment, and Carroll sells perfume. When Carrolls beau, Irving Bacon, indicates more than a floorwalkers interest in Bruce, Carroll gets yet more irritated. Meanwhile, March--frustrated by missing Bruce at the docks--decides to write a story about the plight of struggling salesclerks compared with the posh existence of such society damsels as Bruce. He goes to the department store and spots Bruce immediately, then uses Kellys introduction to meet her. Bruce finds March attractive; they go out and have dinner, then go ice skating. (Theres a very funny sequence here as an unbilled acrobatic skater does a drunk routine on the ice.) Carroll discovers Bruces true identity and tells Gillingwater about it. Gillingwaters men go looking for Bruce in the store, but shes at home with Kelly, who tells her that she must leave right away or risk being discovered. Bruce phones March, and he takes her to a shack he keeps as a retreat on a small island near the city. They fall in love while hiding out, causing March to decide against writing the expose on the heiress. Pallette wants the story, but March tears it into little pieces and quits the paper. Pallette and his staff patch and tape the strips of paper together and the story is printed, causing embarrassment to Bruce. Gillingwater, who has been worried sick about Bruces disappearance, contacts Pallette and demands to know where she is. Pallette has a hunch Bruce might be with March at the shack and gives the old man the location. With Lake leading Gillingwater and his aides, they arrive at the island. Bruce has seen the story and is livid. March, carrying a marriage license for them, doesnt know that his story was printed. When he gets there, Bruce tells him off and leaves with Gillingwater, not allowing March a word to explain what must hav Minimize

The Raid (1954) Van Heflin, Anne BancroftDirector: Hugo Fre ... Read more

The Raid (1954) Van Heflin, Anne BancroftDirector: Hugo FregoneseCo-stars: Richard Boone, Lee Marvin, Tommy Rettig, Peter Graves83 minutes, TechnicolorDVD-R: Region ALLHeflin is a Confederate officer who escapes a Northern prison camp with some of his men. They flee to Canada, where they reorganize and plan to strike the Union from the north, hoping to draw forces away from the main fighting. Heflin disguises himself as a Canadian businessman and goes to the sleepy Vermont town of St. Albans to scout it, taking up residence at a boarding house run by widow Bancroft, with whom his relations become something more than formal. When the time comes for his plan to swing into action, Heflin is stymied by the unexpected arrival of a column of Union cavalry. Hotheaded rebel officer Marvin wants to fight them, and his recklessness endangers the whole mission until Heflin shoots him. The raid is delayed 48 hours, then goes off as planned; the bank is robbed, and the town ransacked and set ablaze. Helfin leaves a note for Bancroft, apologizing and telling her that what he did was for the Confederacy. This interesting action film is based on a real incident from 1864. Heflin was at the peak of his popularity, and he contributes a subtle and effective performance here, taking a character that is ostensibly the storys villain and effectively showing his conflicted loyalties and the difficulties of command. A number of other performances are also arresting. Boone scores as a veteran Union soldier who has lost his arm to the war. Marvins rambunctious rebel and Bancrofts kindly landlady are similarly effective. Direction by Fregonese is tight and strong, much aided by the somber camerawork. Minimize

FBI, CIA, and OSS Films on DVD from the National ArchivesWa ... Read more

FBI, CIA, and OSS Films on DVD from the National ArchivesWashington, DC…The National Archives announces the release of “FBI/CIA Films: Declassified,” produced in partnership with Topics Entertainment. Featuring more than 29 hours of historical footage selected by archivists from the National Archives’ vast motion picture holdings, this collection of gripping films takes you inside the minds of some of America’s most notorious criminals and into the files of covert operations and criminal investigations.The 17-DVD set is comprised of seven sections: “Espionage” highlights actual case histories of infamous Soviet spies, the history of the Office of Special Investigations, and the apprehension of a Communist spy ring. 14 films   “Spy Craft” presents an actual training school for Soviet spies, shows how an interrogation team conducts interviews, and highlights the historic “Corona Program,” the nation's first foray into photo-reconnaissance satellites. 7 films   “Survival” features first-person accounts from ex-hostages, as well as an inside look at the FBI Hostage Rescue Team, survival tips, and instructions on how to escape capture. 10 films   “Special Ops” tells the real story of U.S. Special Operation Forces, along with the life of a Navy Seal, a secret U.S. military group in Europe, and the history of military snipers. 7 films   “Crime Busting” describes how the FBI battled against bootleggers and gangsters like John Dillinger, “Baby Face” Nelson, and “Ma” Barker. 15 films   “Investigation” takes you inside FBI training and a crime lab, explores evidence-gathering, and examines the investigation of a bank robbery. 11 films   “OSS/WWII Undercover” discloses how the Danish resisted Nazi occupiers and how secret agents develop and maintain “cover.” 9 films Minimize

Starring Charles Ruggles, Eleanore Whitney, Johnny Downs, K ... Read more

Starring Charles Ruggles, Eleanore Whitney, Johnny Downs, Kenny Baker, Phil Harris, Ben BlueDirected by Lewis SeilerDepartment store owner Elliot Dinwiddy (Charlie Ruggles) never makes a decision without first consulting his astrologer Dr. Wakefield (Andrew Tombes). Problem is, Dinwiddy's dependence upon the stars to dictate his fate has a negative trickle-down effect on his impending marriage to his secretary Myrtle Tweep (Marjorie Gateson) -- and on the romance between store employees Terry Keith (Johnny Downs) and Caroline Wilson (Eleanor Whitley). Most of the plot is forgotten during the climactic floor-show celebrating the 25th anniversary of Dinwiddy's store, with specialties from pantomimist Ben Blue (cast as night watchman Luke) and Jack Benny Show regulars Kenny Baker and Phil Harris. The film's best moment finds store detective Dugan (Romo Vincent) cutting loose with a Charles Laughton impression. The film editor for Turn off the Moon was Edward Dmytryk, who later went on to a prestigious directorial career. Minimize

The Young Swingers (1963) Rod Lauren, Molly BeeDirector: Ma ... Read more

The Young Swingers (1963) Rod Lauren, Molly BeeDirector: Maury DexterCo-stars: Gene McDaniels, Jack Larson71 minutes, Black and WhiteDVD-R: Region ALLThis tuneful romp offers about an hour of good, trashy low-budget fun as it tells the tale of wealthy teens' struggles to keep their favorite hot spot intact after they learn that a real estate dragon-lady has set her avaricious eye upon it with the hopes of building a new high-rise there. Much of the tale centers on the land magnate, Roberta Crawford, and her vivacious teen-age niece, Vicki, who visits the club with her blue-blooded, arrogant beau Roger Kelly. Vicki is in the dark concerning her aunt's machinations until she hears the club's handsome star singer Mel Hudson talking about how he is trying hard to resist Roberta's onslaught of pressure to sell. Vicki falls for Mel right away and immediately decides to help him. Trouble ensues when the club mysteriously burns down and Roberta Crawford is accused of arson. Fortunately, the truth is revealed, someone has a change of heart, and amidst much celebration, a romance blooms. Songs include: "Come to the Party," "Mad, Mad, Mad," "Come A-Runnin'," "Watusi Surfer," "Greenback Dollar," "I Can't Get You out of My Heart," and "You Pass Me By." Minimize

Director: Earl BellamyStars: Neville Brand, James Drury and ... Read more

Director: Earl BellamyStars: Neville Brand, James Drury and Doug McClureTrampas, a cowhand from Medicine Bow, Wyoming, is sent to Mexico to buy a bull for his employer. The ranch foreman warns him to watch out for himself in Laredo, a tough town on the Texas/Mexican border. Despite the warning, in a western version of the Dumas classic, "The Three Musketeers", Trampas manages to get himself engaged to fight three separate Texas Rangers within an hour of his arrival. Unlike D'Artagnan, he has no notion of actually fighting the Rangers: all he wants is out of Laredo. He's on his way out of town when he runs into the three Rangers--who turn out to be partners--on their way to track down a missing train carrying a payroll. The Rangers, learning Trampas is headed in the same direction they are, suggest they all ride together--that way, they can fight him after they have fulfilled their mission. Without much choice, Trampas wryly agrees. When they find the train... Minimize

WW II: War in the PacificDirector: John FordDVD: Region 1, ... Read more

WW II: War in the PacificDirector: John FordDVD: Region 1, 6 discsFifteen heart pounding WWII films, more than six hours of vintage content in one definitive collection. WWII: War in the Pacific contains films on six DVDs selected by specialists at the National Archives. A carrier sails through the Panama Canal in Fighting Lady and in United News, the signing ceremony denoting the surrender of Japan is depicted. The Japanese occupation ends in Solomon Islands. This is the Philippines prepares U.S. soldiers for active duty there. Why We re Here: A Report from General Sultan explains U.S. troop support for China, With the Marines at Tarawa was taken by Marine Corps cameramen and Brought to Action documents the second battle of the Philippine Sea. Appointment in Tokyo spotlights events leading to the surrender of Japan. Surrender in the Pacific documents the aftermath of war, Fury in the Pacific chronicles the invasion of Peleliu Island and The Fleet that Came to Stay shows forces fending off Kamikaze attacks. The U.S. Army, Navy and Marines join forces in The Battle for the Marianas. Action at Anguar is a promotional film for War Bonds and The Battle of Midway is an Academy Award-winning documentary by director John Ford.DVD I The Fighting Lady (1944) - in technicolorUnited News (1945) B&W newsreel about the surrender ceremony aboard the USS Missouri DVD II Solomon Islands (1945) This is the Phillipines (1945) DVD III Why We're Here: A Report from General Sultan (1944) -B&W film about the Indo-China theater With the Marines at Tarawa (1944) Brought to Action (1945) DVD IV Appointment in Tokyo (1945) DVD V Surrender in the Pacific (1945) Fury in the Pacific (1945) The Fleet That Came To Stay (1945) -B&W film about fleets off Okinawa, shows Kamikaze attacks DVD VI The Battle for the Marianas (1945) Action at Anguar (1945) -B&W The Battle of Midway (1942) - color film from 16mm originals, directed by John Ford    Minimize

Blood Money (1933) George Bancroft, Judith AndersonDirector ... Read more

Blood Money (1933) George Bancroft, Judith AndersonDirector: Rowland BrownCo-stars: Frances Dee, Chick Chandler65 minutes, Black and WhiteDVD-R: Region ALLRowland Brown's Blood Money (1933) has lost none of its ability to entertain and startle over the seven decades since its release. The title refers to the business of affable, ambitious bail bondsman (and politically-connected grifter) Bill Bailey (George Bancroft), who, in the course of his work, crosses paths with every kind of offender there is, from first-time defendants to career criminals. Among the latter is Drury Darling (Chick Chandler), the brother of Bailey's paramour, nightclub owner Ruby Darling (Judith Anderson). Bailey is popular enough in the criminal world, over his providing the means for gang members to stay in circulation while awaiting trial, and he knows how to spread the money around to make the wheels of government run more smoothly (and not run over any of the speakeasies, casinos, clip-joints, and other enterprises of the gangs to which he is closest). Then, one day, he meets Elaine Talbert (Frances Dee), a thrill-seeking socialite whose penchant for excitement has ratcheted up from shoplifting in the better stores to fast cars and fast men. Bailey doesn't quite know what to make of her -- she's attractive enough, and drawn to him, but her lust for illicit and dangerous diversions runs counter to the common sense that he applies to his life, every place but where women are concerned. His quasi-legal and extra-legal maneuvering is fun for a while, but what she really wants, as she tells Bailey, is a man who will "take charge" and dominate her, physically and in every other way. Eventually, she tires of the middle-aged Bailey and gravitates toward Drury Darling, whose exploits as a bank robber, willing to fight the law head on, are more in line with some of the excitement that she craves. When Darling is arrested, he depends upon her to pass along the money that Bailey needs to bail him out, and that's when the smoothly operating life that Bailey has arranged for himself grinds to a halt. A cache of worthless bonds, a war within the underworld itself, and an assassination attempt on Bailey are just part of the double-dealing and blood-letting that ensues, climaxing with game of pool involving a booby-trapped eight ball (a variation of a famous sequence from Keaton's Sherlock Jr., later re-used by the Three Stooges in I'll Never Heil Again). And the finale for Elaine Talbert is a sequence that might not even have gotten past the politically-correct censors of the 1980's. Minimize

Suicide Fleet (1931) Bill Boyd, Robert ArmstrongDirector: A ... Read more

Suicide Fleet (1931) Bill Boyd, Robert ArmstrongDirector: Albert S. RogellCo-stars: James Gleason, Ginger Rogers87 minutes, Black and WhiteDVD-R: Region ALLConey island vendors Baltimore Clark (Bill Boyd), Dutch Herman (Robert Armstrong) and Skeets O'Reilly (James Gleason) spend their off-hours (and some of their on-hours) carrying on a friendly rivalry for the affections of pert drugstore counter girl Sally (Ginger Rogers). But when America enters WW1, our three heroes leave Sally behind and join the Navy. Before long, Baltimore, Dutch and Skeets find themselves smack in the middle of an ongoing conflict between the German U-boat fleet and a shadowy "mystery" ship. Naturally, the boys are crewmen on the aforementioned mystery vessel, which is used as a decoy to bring the enemy out into the open. Despite this tense situation, the film spends a goodly amount of time showing the three protagonists cheerfully cheating on Sally with fetching foreign damsels in other ports of call. Minimize

Metropolis (1927) Alfred Abel, Brigitte HelmDirector: Fritz ... Read more

Metropolis (1927) Alfred Abel, Brigitte HelmDirector: Fritz LangCo-stars: Alfred Abel, Gustav Fröhlich148 minutes, Black and WhiteDVD: Region 1The complete Metropolis restored to 148 minutes. Moralistic science fiction at its maddest, Fritz Lang's ambitious silent classic METROPOLIS still has the power to impress us with its inspired art direction and its expressionistic vision.In a great city of the future, downtrodden industrial workers slave at vile, dehumanizing underground jobs while the upper classes enjoy life above sea level. One day, a raucous party attended by the privileged youth of Metropolis is interrupted by a scruffy group of workers' children led by Maria (Brigitte Helm), an advocate of better working conditions. This visit impels Freder Frederson (Gustav Frohlich) to go down and investigate his father's giant factory. When Freder reports the appalling conditions he has found underground to his father, Joh Frederson (Alfred Abel), the older man is unmoved. Freder returns to the factory, where he impulsively spells a worker who has collapsed while performing his brutalizing duties.Frederson visits the home of Rotwang (Rudolf Klein-Rogge), an eccentric and sinister scientist, who shows him a robot he has created to replace human workers. Then the two men go underground to spy on a mass meeting being addressed by Maria, who is preaching her philosophy of peace, patience, and mediation to the workers. In the process, she tells them the Biblical story of the Tower of Babel. Sensing her great influence, Frederson instructs Rotwang to convert his robot into an exact replica of Maria, an android he intends to use for subversive purposes. If Frederson's plan is to work, the real Maria must disappear, so Rotwang kidnaps and hides her in his laboratory.The robot-Maria is ready the next day. After her seductive powers are tested at a reception given for Metropolis's most prominent men, the evil robot is sent underground to preach hatred and violent revolution. "Destroy the machines," she exhorts the workers, and leads them to the city's central power station. There, a foreman (Heinrich George) warns the frenzied mob that if they destroy the powerhouse their own homes will be destroyed; but his words are in vain.The powerhouse explodes and the workers' quarters are flooded, but Freder and Maria, who has escaped from Rotwang's lab, manage to save the lives of the children. Unaware of this, the foreman tells the rioting workers that their sabotage has killed their own children. Berserk with grief and anger, they seize the robot-Maria and tie her to a stake, which they set on fire. As she is burning, they are shocked to see her revert to the form of a metallic robot.Rotwang, fearing that the bloodthirsty mob will see the real Maria and turn on him for deceiving them, abducts her again and carries her onto the roof of a tall cathedral, pursued by Freder. The two men struggle and Rotwang falls to his death.In the cathedral square, Maria attempts to reconcile the industrialist Frederson and his foreman. "There can be no understanding between the hands and the brain," she says, "unless the heart acts as a mediator." After some hesitation, the two men shake hands as Maria and Freder come together in a romantic embrace.METROPOLIS was originally more than two-and-a-half hours long. When it was released in the US, it was shortened by about 40 percent. The deleted material--some of which showed up in a restored version that appeared in the 1980s (replete with a synthesized score by Giorgio Moroder)--contained information that Rotwang had been in love with the deceased wife of Frederson and mother of Freder.Fritz Lang visited America in 1924. While waiting to disembark in New York City, he spotted a street ablaze with neon--an image that became the inspiration for METROPOLIS. Over two years in the making, the film employed 3,700 extras, 1,000 of whom were unemployed men who agreed to have their heads shaved for the Tower of Babel seq Minimize

The Warriors (1955) Errol Flynn, Joanne DruDirector: Henry ... Read more

The Warriors (1955) Errol Flynn, Joanne DruDirector: Henry LevinCo-stars: Peter Finch, Yvonne Furneaux, Michael Hordern, Robert Urquhart85 minutes, TechnicolorDVD-R: Region ALLFlynn's final swashbuckler is a rousing costumer shot in Hertfordshire, England, which doubles as 14th-century France. Hordern is Edward III, whose men have defeated the French in the Hundred Years' War. Hordern comes back to England and allows his son, Flynn, to stay on the continent and keep watch over the Empire's new acquisitions in Aquitaine. The French king is a captive, but his countrymen still don't accept the defeat and have decided to begin a counterattack. Since Hordern returned to England with a great many troops, there is but a skeleton crew in France and the rebels know it. Further, French leader Finch has taken Dru, a British noblewoman, as a hostage. Finch is no great patriot, though, and he wants to take back Aquitaine for selfish reasons. He's a count with a mean disposition and cunning ways. He takes Dru to a castle, where she will be kept until the war is finally over, thinking his plot will cause Flynn to walk right into a trap with his men. Flynn, however, has other ideas. He masquerades as an itinerant knight, joins Finch's army, and gathers information as to the weaknesses of Finch's forces. In the exciting final sequence, Flynn leads his men in a defense of Hordern's castle. (This was the same castle used in IVANHOE--also shot at the Elstree studio in England.) Dru is rescued and Flynn, once again, is at the forefront of a revision of history. The picture looks totally authentic; the dialog is sparse when it should be and never becomes overblown. It's a good example of the genre, although Flynn, at age 46, was becoming a bit wrinkled and grizzled for this type of role. Yvonne Furneaux sings "Bella Marie," and while it's a pleasant air, it has nothing to do with the picture and seems to have been shoehorned in. Minimize

Starring Ralph Byrd, Ramsay Ames, Lyle Talbot, Goerge Offer ... Read more

Starring Ralph Byrd, Ramsay Ames, Lyle Talbot, Goerge Offerman Jr., Robert BarronDirected by Wallace FoxColumbia's 33rd serial (made between "Jack Armstrong" and "The Sea Hound") was based on the character that first appeared in "Action Comics" No. 42, who was a radio singing cowboy who doubled as a crime-fighting, motorcycle-riding crime-fighter with a pre-teen Chinese boy, Stuff, as his answer to Batman's Robin, although Stuff ran a lot or errands that Robin didn't have to do since the Dynamic Duo had Alfred the Butler (both versions) to do those. In the serial version, Stuff became a white, draft-age sidekick played by George Offerman Jr.(and we are still looking for any film made in the 30's and 40's that this actor was billed as the incorrect George Offerman rather than the correct George Offerman Jr), which fit right in with the costume changes that Columbia tagged The Vigilante character with; a snappy-brim fedora and a Montgomery Ward catalog white Gene Autry- style shirt instead of the large flat-brimmed hat and double-button blue shirt he wore in the comic books. The nose-chin covering bandana is about all that survived the comic book to screen transfer. They also changed Greg Sanders, the Vigilante's alter-ego from a radio troubador to a western film actor and miscast Ralph Byrd in the role (they could have held John Hart over from the previous serial who would have fit the role better) as a government agent known as the Vigilante investigating the case of the "100 Tears of Blood", which are rubies sought by a gang led by the unknown (ha!)X-1 and the mysterious Prince Amil Hassan (Robert Barron.) While not the worst of the Katzman-produced serials, the best thing about it remains Ramsay Ames, coming toward or going away from the camera. Minimize

Starring Basil Rathbone, Victor McLaglen, Sigrid Gurie, Rob ... Read more

Starring Basil Rathbone, Victor McLaglen, Sigrid Gurie, Robert Cummings, Leo Carrillo, Billy Gilbert, Irving BaconDirected by John BrahmThough running a mere 75 minutes, Rio has enough plot for ten movies. Basil Rathbone and Sigrid Gurie, previously teamed in The Adventures of Marco Polo, head the cast as crooked French financier Paul Reynard and his wife Irene. Sentenced to a ten-year term in a French penal colony for bank fraud, Paul wonders if his wife will remain faithful to him. At first glance it seems that he has nothing to worry about: Irene and family friend Dirk (Victor McLaglen) head to Rio to arrange for Paul's escape, with Dirk vowing to shield Irene from any and all sexual predators. But once she's landed in the Brazilian capital, Irene falls in love with red- blooded American engineer Bill Gregory (Robert Cummings). Upon emerging from his dank prison cell, Paul realizes that he's lost his wife forever to a better man. Seeking revenge, he prepares to shoot Bill in cold blood, but good old Dirk intervenes, paving the way for a happy ending — for everyone but Paul, that is. Though he plays a thoroughly unsavory character, Basil Rathbone ends up the most sympathetic person in the film, and as such he's the only real reason to sit through the melodramatic convolutions of Rio. Minimize

Pepe (1960) Cantinflas, Dan DaileyDirector: George SidnehyC ... Read more

Pepe (1960) Cantinflas, Dan DaileyDirector: George SidnehyCo-stars: Shirley Jones, Carlos Montalban, Maurice Chevalier, Bing Crosby, Michael Callan, Bobby Darrin, Sammy Davis Jr.158 minutes, ColorDVD-R: Region ALLChanging his name to Cantinflas, Mexican actor Mario Moreno became the most popular performer in all the Spanish-speaking world, his character combining Harry Langdon's gentleness, Charlie Chaplin's feistiness, and Buster Keaton's knockabout physicality. After the enormous success of Mike Todd's AROUND THE WORLD IN 80 DAYS, in which Cantinflas played a key role, Columbia decided to star him in another cameo-packed epic. Here Cantinflas plays Pepe, a Mexican ranch hand whose beloved white stallion is sold to dissolute Hollywood film director Ted Holt (Dan Dailey). Pepe follows Holt and the horse to California, where he persuades Holt to allow him to stay on and tend the steed. Next, Pepe falls in love with Suzie Murphy (Shirley Jones), a waitress who aspires to movie stardom. When Holt needs money for a film, Pepe takes his meager savings to Las Vegas, wins a bundle, and gives it to his boss. Holt names Pepe producer of the picture and gives Suzie the starring role, but soon after they begin shooting, Holt is again low on money and has to sell his horse. Pepe's hurt over the sale is aggravated when he realizes that Suzie loves Holt. Eventually all works out for the best, however, with Pepe reunited with his true love--the horse.Along the way, there are 35 guest appearances, with the likes of Tony Curtis and Janet Leigh, Frank Sinatra, Maurice Chevalier, Jimmy Durante, Bing Crosby, and Jack Lemmon doing various and generally extraneous bits and songs. Even with all of the above, PEPE was a bust at the box office and put an end to the US career of Cantinflas--who, however, continued to be an enormous success with Spanish-speaking audiences. Songs include: "September Song" (Kurt Weill, Maxwell Anderson, sung by Maurice Chevalier), "Mimi" (Richard Rodgers, Lorenz Hart, sung by Chevalier), "Pennies From Heaven" (Johnny Burke, Arthur Johnston, sung by Bing Crosby), "Hooray For Hollywood" (Johnny Mercer, Richard Whiting, new lyrics by Sammy Cahn, sung by Sammy Davis, Jr.), "South of the Border" (Michael Carr, Jimmy Kennedy, sung by Michael Callan), "Let's Fall in Love" (Ted Koehler, Harold Arlen, sung by Callan), "Lovely Day" (Augustin Lara, Maria Teresa Lara, English lyrics by Dory Langdon, sung by Shirley Jones), "Pepe" (Langdon, Hans Wittstatt, sung by Jones). Previn and his wife Langdon wrote such new tunes for the movie as "That's How It Went All Right" (sung by Bobby Darin, Callan, Matt Mattox, and Jones) and the Oscar-nominated "Faraway Part of Town" (sung off-screen by Judy Garland as Jones and Dan Dailey danced). Previn instrumentals included "The Rumble" (danced by Callan, Jones, and Mattox) and "Suzy's Theme" (danced by Cantinflas and Debbie Reynolds). Nominated by the Academy for Best Cinematography, Best Art Direction, Best Sound, Best Score, Best Film Editing, and Best Costume Design Minimize

Wilson (1944) Charles Coburn, Alexander KnoxDirector: Henry ... Read more

Wilson (1944) Charles Coburn, Alexander KnoxDirector: Henry KingCo-stars: Geraldine Fitzgerald, Thomas Mitchell, Cedric Hardwicke, Vincent Price154 minutes, ColorDVD-R: Region ALLProducer Darryl F. Zanuck had high hopes that Wilson would immortalize him in the manner that Gone With the Wind did for David O. Selznick. The notion of bringing the life story of Woodrow Wilson, 28th president of the United States, to the big screen was a labor of love for Zanuck, and accordingly the producer lavished all the technical expertise and production values he had at his disposal. Though Alexander Knox seems a bit too robust and overnourished for Wilson, his is a superb performance, evenly matched by those of Ruth Nelson as Wilson's first wife Ellen, Geraldine Fitzgerald as second wife Edith, Thomas Mitchell as Joseph Tumulty, Sir Cedric Hardwycke as Henry Cabot Lodge, Vincent Price as William Gibbs McAdoo, Sidney Blackmer as Josephus Daniels, and the rest of the film's enormous cast. The story begins in 1912, a time when Wilson is best known as the head of Princeton University and the author of several books on the democratic process. Urged into running for Governor of New Jersey by the local political machine, Wilson soon proves that he is his own man, beholden to no one-and that he is dedicated to the truth at any cost. From the governor's office, Wilson is nominated as the Democratic presidential candidate, an office he wins hands-down over the factionalized Republicans. The sweetness of his victory is soured by the death of his wife Ellen, but Wilson ultimately finds lasting happiness with Edith Galt. When World War I breaks out in Europe, Wilson vows to keep America out of the conflict, despite pressure from such political foes as Henry Cabot Lodge (who is depicted as a thoroughly unsympathetic power broker). After being elected for a second term, however, Wilson finds it impossible to remain neutral, especially in the wake of the Lusitania sinking. Reluctantly, he enters the war in April of 1917. Deeply disturbed by the mounting casualties, Wilson decides that, after the Armistice, he will press for a lasting peace by helping to organize a League of Nations. Unfortunately, the isolationist congress, urged on by Lodge and his ilk, refuses to permit America's entry into the League. His health failing, Wilson nonetheless embarks on a whistle-stop tour, imploring the public to support the League of Nations and Wilson's 12-point peace program. During this campaign, he is felled by a stroke, whereupon Mrs. Wilson begins acting as liason between the president and the rest of the country (the commonly held belief that Edith Galt Wilson virtually ran the nation during this crisis is soft-pedalled by Lamar Trotti's script). All hopes for America's joining the League of Nations are dashed when, in the 1920 election, the Republicans gain control of the White House. The film ends as the ailing but courageous Woodrow Wilson bids farewell to his staff and walks through the White House doors for the final time. Idealistically ignoring the negative elements of the Wilson regime (notably his attitudes toward racial relationships), Wilson is not so much a biography as a paean to the late president. Though too long and overproduced, the film survives as one of Hollywood's sturdiest historical films of the 1940s. However, audiences did not respond to Wilson as Zanuck had hoped; the film was a terrific flop at the box office, so much so that it was for many years forbidden to speak of the project in Zanuck's presence. Still, Wilson garnered several Academy Awards: best original screenplay, best color art direction (Wiard Ihnen), best color cinematography (Leon Shamroy), best sound recording (E. H. Hansen), best film editing (Barbara MdLean) and best color set decoration (Thomas Little). Minimize

Watch It (1993) Peter Gallagher, Suzy AmisDirector: Tom Fly ... Read more

Watch It (1993) Peter Gallagher, Suzy AmisDirector: Tom FlynnCo-stars: John C. McGinley, Tom Sizemore102 minutes, ColorDVD-R: Region ALLPeter Gallagher, who became a patron saint of the yuppies-in-distress sub-genre with SEX, LIES AND VIDEOTAPE, heads a capable cast in this above-average contemplation of modern urban mores, marking a promising debut by writer/director Tom Flynn.Gallagher plays John, whose aimless wandering since leaving college has landed him on the Chicago doorstep of his estranged first cousin Michael (Jon Tenney). Immediately, John is recruited as a pawn in an ongoing game played by Michael and his two roommates, wounded romantic Rick (John C. McGinley, who also co-produced) and goofy sports car mechanic Danny (Tom Sizemore). Called "Watch It," the game consists of the three playing stupid, sometimes elaborate, practical jokes on each other--Michael, for example, crams a confused John into the house refrigerator so that he can spring out and scare Rick.Soon afterward, John meets and is smitten with veterinarian Anne (RICH IN LOVEs Suzy Amis), without knowing that she has just broken up with Michael, a remorseless womanizer. Rick, meanwhile, fears making a commitment to his girlfriend Ellen (THE PLAYERs Cynthia Stevenson), while Danny, the only one of the trio to lack sex appeal, depends on bar pickups for fleeting fulfillment. John is also skittish where commitment is concerned, making his budding relationship with Anne vulnerable when Michael decides to reclaim his former territory. John prepares to relinquish Anne and hit the road again, but changes his mind and puts into motion a "Watch It" prank that results in the permanent separation of Michael and Anne, the temporary separation of Rick and Ellen, and some tense moments for Danny. John then gets a job and sets about trying to win Anne back, but breaks with his cousin over the latters immaturity and callousness. These qualities in Michael, though, are revealed to have resulted from a dysfunctional childhood; we learn that Michael envies John for the stable upbringing he received, and is constantly trying to revenge himself on womankind for having had to grow up with an alcoholic mother.WATCH IT is awash in "mens movement" psychobabble, including a particularly lamentable tendency to excuse men for their swinish behavior by attributing it to their painful childhood experiences. It finally redeems itself, however, by illustrating the need for individual responsibility, exposing the typical "Iron John" excuses for what they are. Rather than stressing the boyish boisterousness of the title game, Flynn makes it clear that it functions as a substitute for real involvment with the outside world, and particularly with women. Ultimately, the "sensitive" discussions in which the men confront their problems come to seem like the same thing, but on a more sophisticated level; its only when John learns that some things about human behavior cant simply be explained away or talked through that he begins to show some promise as a decent human being. Minimize

Sudan (1945) Maria Montez, Jon HallDirector: John RawlinsCo ... Read more

Sudan (1945) Maria Montez, Jon HallDirector: John RawlinsCo-stars: Turhan Bey, Andy Devine, George Zucco76 minutes, TechnicolorDVD-R: Region ALLIt's another one of Montez's patented "sand and sex" movies, with lots of dancing girls, brief costumes, and the ubiquitous desert lurking outside the tent. Montez is the new queen of her land of Khemmis, somewhere near ancient Egypt, because her father has been assassinated. She is determined to discover the perpetrator of the dirty deed, and her unctuous chamberlain, Zucco, suggests that the crime was committed by Bey, leader of a pack of recently escaped slaves. Montez believes Zucco (not yet knowing that it was Zucco himself who actually did the deed) and doffs her royal robes in favor of peasant gear in order to masquerade as a civilian and personally wreak revenge on Bey. She thinks she can trap Bey and take his life, and Zucco is all for it, hoping that she will somehow get killed out there so he can assume the throne. On the off-chance that she might actually survive the rigors of the desert, Zucco takes no chances, hiring Robert Warwick, a slave trader, to kidnap her and dump her body out where the camels roam. Montez, however, is made of stronger stuff and manages to escape her fate with the help of Hall and Devine, two itinerant Egyptian hobo/pickpockets who also steal horses when they can find a willing buyer. Devine and Hall don't know that Montez has the blue blood of royalty pounding in her lovely veins and treat her as they would any woman on the run: with humor and a touch of disdain. Just when it seems they've gotten away, they are recaptured by Warwick and his henchmen. Their deaths are imminent when Bey, at the forefront of his band of slaves, sweeps into the village where the executions are to take place and saves them all, exhibiting lots of derring-do and looking like a Turkish Errol Flynn. (Bey was actually born in Vienna of a Turkish father and Czech mother.) Montez appreciates Bey's intervention but is still convinced that he was the man who slew her beloved father, although she doesn't tell him that. The group returns to the capital city and, once there, Montez reveals her power and has Bey thrown in jail. No sooner is that accomplished than Zucco shows his true colors (yellow on yellow) and marshals his powers to have Montez tossed in the same prison. Hall and Devine have watched Montez and Bey and realize that the two love each other. They manage to break Bey out of jail, then all flee to the mountains, where Bey has been gathering his forces for an eventual assault on Zucco's army. Zucco then uses pain to extract the location of Bey's headquarters from Montez and takes her and his men to the hideout. In a spectacular finish that sees Montez miraculously spared, there are several thousand rocks just waiting to be released on anyone who comes that way; Bey lets the boulders fly and the advancing evil-doers are crushed into fodder.This time, Bey gets the female star and Hall is only used as comedic counterpoint with Devine. Hall had gained some weight and was no longer the svelte leading man he was in ALOMA OF THE SOUTH SEAS, ARABIAN-KNIGHTS, ALI BABA AND THE FORTY THIEVES, and a host of other costume pieces. Dominican-born Montez was only 25 when this was made but her career was already waning. She had weight problems and eventually embarked on a too-strenuous diet and died in her tub from a heart attack at the age of 31. Most of her movies were good examples of well-made B pictures and usually coined money. She ended her career overseas in a series of second-rate French and Italian movies, with her final appearance being in THE PIRATE'S REVENGE (LA VENDETTA DEL CORSARO). Minimize

Patton (1970) George C. Scott, Karl MaldenDirector: Frankli ... Read more

Patton (1970) George C. Scott, Karl MaldenDirector: Franklin J. SchaffnerCo-stars: Stephen Young, Michael Strong, Pat Zurica172 minutes, ColorDVD: Region 1What PATHS OF GLORY attempted to show about the relationships between officers and men of the first World War, PATTON in part attempts to do for the second. Patton, of course, is best remembered as the general who slapped a soldier. But George C. Scott, under the direction of Franklin Schaffner, creates a much more colorful and ambiguous portrait. This WWII spectacle is immense but Scott's virtuoso performance looms larger than any of its battles. His characterization can appeal to both hawks and doves; it can appreciated either as a critique or a paean. He's insensitive to his men's plight on some occasions, gentle as a loving father on others. Patton's eccentricity may very well have been an important ingredient of victory. PATTON is a war movie of unusual depth and a landmark in screen biographies.Beginning with a classic six-minute speech by Patton about the fighting spirit of Americans, the film traces the legendary WWII exploits of "Old Blood and Guts" from his defeat of Rommel's Afrika Korps at El Guettar to the invasion of Sicily, during which he disobeys orders and beats rival Field Marshal Montgomery (Michael Bates) to Messina. We also see his loss of command for slapping a battle-fatigued soldier because he has been hospitalized but has no wounds. Then, after sitting out D-Day as a decoy, Patton is given command of the 3rd Army, winning one mighty battle after another with his armored troops and eventually speeding to the rescue of the encircled 101st Airborne Division at Bastogne, ending Hitler's last great counteroffensive in the Battle of the Bulge. Following the war, Patton is sent into involuntary retirement after his highly vocal criticism of the Soviet Union, and the film ends with his farewell to his faithful staff.Scott won a richly deserved Academy Award (which he refused) for his performance. Sturdy support is provided by Karl Malden as Gen. Omar Bradley, Edward Binns as Maj. Gen. Walter Bedell Smith, John Doucette as Maj. Gen. Lucian K. Truscott, and Bates as Montgomery. Franklin J. Schaffner's direction is majestic particularly in his masterful handling of complex battle scenes; shot in 70-millimeter, Dimension 150, these broad, impersonal spectacles have a macabre beauty that gives the viewer a serene God's-eye-view of modern warfare. Fox hoped to duplicate the success of its black-and-white blockbuster, THE LONGEST DAY, by spending a fortune on this spectacular film, which was shot on location in England, Spain, Morocco, and Greece. Minimize