The Hired Gun (1957)

A little dull and predictable,  24 December 2020

Ellen Belden (Anne Francis) is set to be hanged for her husband’s murder in Texas.  Ellen’s uncle has one of his ranch hands bust her out of jail and escort across the New Mexico border.  The father of the dead man hires a gunman named Gil McCord (Rory Calhoun) to go into New Mexico and bring Ellen back to face her sentence.  But is Ellen really guilty or is someone else responsible for the murder?

Overall, I’d call this MGM programmer a bit dull.  One of my main issues is that The Hired Gun’s plot offers few, if any, surprises.  Almost everything is predictable after about 15 minutes.  Things like:  Is Ellen guilty?  Who really killed Ellen’s husband?  What will happen with Ellen and McCord?  It doesn’t take a fortune teller to predict the answers to these questions.  

In addition, try as it might, The Hired Gun never has an appropriate Western feel to it.  The sets don’t seem authentic,  the wardrobe looks too modern, and Anne Francis is more Honey West than Old West.   I know budget constraints probably played a role in this, but the lack of a Western feel really took me out of the movie.

I suppose of all the cast, I enjoyed Chuck Connors as Judd Farrow, the ranch hand, as much as anyone.  I felt for the man as time-after-time Ellen rebuffed his advances, yet he kept coming back for more. 

4/10

The Big Steal (1949)

“I’ll tell you what, Chiquita, you believe me, and I’ll believe you.”  24 December 2020

Lt Duke Halliday (Robert Mitchum) is in Mexico trying to catch a man who stole an Army payroll that Halliday’s been wrongly accused of.  Halliday meets Joan Graham (Jane Greer).  She’s after the same con-man as he stole money from her.  Hot on their heels is Capt Vincent Blake (William Bendix).  He’s out to catch Halliday and recover the missing money.  

Good, witty dialogue mixed with plenty of action - that’s what you’ll find in The Big Steal.  It may not be one of those uber-dark noirs, but the light tone works well.  There’s a nice twist at the end that caught me off guard - even though this was a second time viewing for me.  It’s hard to believe that The Big Steal was one of Don Siegel’s first directorial efforts.  He does a fantastic job of keeping things moving and giving the film a nice pace.  But in all honesty, with a veteran, capable cast like that in The Big Steal, I would expect nothing less.  Mitchum and Greer have a nice rapport.  I’ve read the stories about Hughes originally wanting Jane Russell in the female lead but he was afraid Mitchum’s recent marijuana conviction might hurt her career.  I’m glad he made the decision to go with Greer.  MItchum and Greer work together effortlessly.  One thing that bugged me though, and this holds true for many film noirs, is the familiarity characters seem to have with each other on their initial meeting.  I can’t imagine that people in 1949 actually spoke to strangers like that.  Minor quibble, but it always bothers me.  I've never been much of a fan of William Bendix’s brash style, but I quite enjoyed him here.  In general, the acting from the entire cast is first rate throughout.  Finally, the film features some nice shots of the Mexican countryside.  And I appreciate the way the Mexican people are presented.  Too often, a Mexican police officer would be portrayed as either a buffoon or a crook.  Instead, Inspector General Ortega comes across as the smartest person in the whole film.  Highly recommended.

8/10

Horror Island (1941)

“Can somebody tell me why lobsters don’t like beer?”  23 December 2020

Despite being made by Universal in 1941 and carrying a name like Horror Island, this isn’t the horror film most would expect.  Instead, Horror Island is a fun little comedy / mystery with just a few creepy moments thrown in.  The plot goes something like this: A down on his luck boat captain, Bill Martin (Dick Foran), is approached by a one-legged man with a map and a story of hidden treasure on an island Martin owns.  Martin sees this story as an opportunity to make some money.  He sets up a $50 overnight pirate treasure hunt to his island.  Soon he’s got a boatload of paying guests.  But there’s another visitor to the island.  One Martin knows nothing about.  He’s also after the treasure, however, he’s willing to kill for it.

Setting aside the questionable historical accuracy of a 400 year-old gothic castle off the U.S. coast, Horror Island is one fun, entertaining film.  The script is filled with a lot of things that appeal to me in this kind of movie - an old dark castle, secret passages, hidden treasure, and a dungeon.  There are plenty of unusual, creepy spaces and locations for the characters to explore and discover (and get trapped in).  Horror Island may have been a “B” picture, but you wouldn’t know it from looking at it.  Universal made sure these films looked as good as their “A’ releases.  Sets, lighting, and props are first rate.  The direction is good.  Director George Waggner fit a lot into a rather short 60 minute runtime.  As for the acting, the four main players acquit themselves well.  Dick Foran is more than capable of carrying the film on his shoulders.  Peggy Moran (Moran and Foran also worked together on Universal’s The Mummy’s Hand) is a delight as the love interest.  Fuzzy Knight had the hardest job - the comic relief.  I appreciate how funny he was without going overboard.  Finally, I especially enjoyed Leo Carrillo.  His peg-legged sailor is just a fun character that brings a lot to the film.  He had sort of a Karloff vibe to him that worked nicely.  Overall, Horror Island is a worthwhile watch if you’re not overly demanding.  

6/10

The Hardy Boys/Nancy Drew Mysteries “Arson and Old Lace” #2.21 (1978) (TV)

Not sure why I keep coming back,  23 December 2020

Nancy Drew has been missing for six months.  The police have done all they can and have pretty much given up any hope of finding Nancy alive.  Frank and Joe won’t accept this and decide to take a look into Nancy’s case.  Oh, and there’s an arsonist loose in the city.

I'm not sure why I keep coming back to this show.  Nostalgia is a funny thing.  What I keep remembering are the episodes from Season 1 and how much fun I had with them back in the 70s.  Arson and Old Lace, like much of Season 2, isn’t very good.  The whole set-up is utterly ridiculous.  Nancy, a kidnap victim with finally quaffed hair and makeup, looks ridiculous.  The reasoning behind the kidnap is ridiculous.  But the worst, the fact that Frank and Joe are able to put together some good clues based on items that the FBI has gone over with a “fine tooth comb” and found nothing is the nadir of ridiculousness.   

I admit, the arson angle added a bit of unexpected, but welcome, drama to the episode.  Even though I knew the Hardy’s would save the day, the tension added by the fire worked.  However, the notion that the once resourceful Nancy Drew was reduced to damsel-in-distress during these scenes didn’t ring true to the series.

Two interesting names in the supporting cast list - Pernell Roberts and Cathy Rigby.  Roberts would shortly go on to success in Trapper John MD.  He makes way more out of his small role than he should have.  As for Rigby, well, she was a gymnast and never much of an actress.  I’ll be generous and say she does okay here. 

4/10

Godzilla Raids Again (1955)

“We’ve spotted a Godzilla-like object”,  22 December 2020

Godzilla Raids Again almost feels like two different movies put together.  In the first half, Godzilla brings a pal named Angurius to Osaka for some monster fighting action.  In the second half, the Japanese military attempts to trap Godzilla on an island before he can do any further damage.  

The first Godzilla movie is a solemn, cautionary tale.  Bringing back your monster for a battle royale might be fun, but it can’t and doesn’t have the same impart as the first.  The symbolism of Godzilla is not the same.  However, Godzilla Raids Again is fun - probably more fun than the first. Watching Godzilla and Co destroy a city is always worth the price of admission.  And this is where Godzilla Raids Again shines.  We’re treated to the usual quality miniatures you expect from a Toho film.  It’s truly amazing work.  

As much as I enjoyed the first half, I wasn’t a huge fan of Angurius.  First, the design is bad.  I’m not exactly sure what it’s supposed to be.  Second, anytime you put a man in a rubber suit and ask him to go on all fours, it looks silly.  Another issue I had was with the film’s pacing throughout.  The flow of the film really bogs down anytime we switch from monsters to people talking - and they do a lot of talking.  In addition, I could have really done without that musical interlude or the dinner party.   

Even though I didn’t like much of the conversation, there are a few nuggets of entertainment (maybe unintentional) to be had.  Godzilla has just destroyed most of the city you live in.  You’re busy going through smoldering rubble the next morning.  Sounds like an ideal time to stop and make a series of jokes about the dating habits of one of your coworkers.  And what about the tagline I used for this, “We’ve spotted a Godzilla-like object”.  Wonder what that could be?  Good stuff!

5/10

Killdozer (1974) (TV)

“How do you go about killing a machine?”  22 December 2020

An evil spirit takes control of a bulldozer and uses it to terrorize the workers on a mall island.

I’m usually the one praising 70s-era made-for-TV horror movies, but not this one.  I’m going to use a word to describe Killdozer that I normally don’t use - this is one stupid movie.  My problem is that I don’t see any horror in a bulldozer.  First, these aren’t the most nimble, stealthy vehicles.  You should be able to hear or see one coming from across the tiny island.  Yet time-after-time, the bulldozer is able to sneak up on our oblivious heroes.  Second, sure a bulldozer is reasonably fast in comparison to a man (about 10 mph - I looked it up), but not fast enough a man couldn’t outmaneuver one.  In several instances, the characters in Killdozer stand and wait to be slaughtered.  

Not only is Killdozer stupid, but listening to these full-grown, intelligent men recite the dialogue their given . . . well I’m not sure it’s stupid, but they sure sound dumb.  

2/10

The Terror of the Tongs (1961)

Hammer goes to Hong Kong without leaving England,  22 December 2020

After his daughter is murdered, a sea captain seeks revenge against a powerful organized crime group known as the Red Dragon Tong.

The Terror of the Tongs isn’t the kind of film you normally think of when Hammer Films comes to mind.  There is nothing supernatural, there is no gothic atmosphere, and this isn’t a recycled Universal horror film.  What you will find instead is a reasonable dose of that infamous Hammer blood, England standing in for a foreign land (Hong Kong in this case), and Christopher Lee.  So while it may not be typical Hammer, it is still undeniably Hammer.  

Overall, the movie is reasonably entertaining.  The revenge story moves at a good pace with plenty of action.  It’s all helped by a relatively short runtime that works in the movie’s favor.  I'm not sure the story could have sustained another 15 minutes.  The sets, although stage-bound as you’d expect with Hammer, do evoke a different place.  And the acting, if you can get past the yellow-face, is about what you’d expect.  Lee may be the known quantity, but in all honesty, he doesn’t do that much.  The film is held together by Geoffrey Toone’s performance.  He’s quite good as the man on a mission.  

 

6/10

Sitting Target (1972)

“The spirit is weak, Harry.  Flesh even weaker.”  22 December 2020

Harry (Oliver Reed) and partner, Birdy (Ian McShane), bust out of prison.  Harry’s got some money stashed away, but he has more pressing matters to attend to.  He plans on killing his wife who left him while in prison and is now pregnant with another man’s baby.  

I’m amazed.  Until last night, I’d never even heard of Sitting Target.  What a film!  It’s a dark, dirty film filled with bad people.  It’s the kind of movie where none of the characters has much in the way of good qualities and no one comes out whole in the end. While there’s plenty of violence, it’s quick and sporadic.  Occasionally, it catches you off-guard and, at these times, works to perfection.  Throw Oliver Reed into the mix doing his best crazed, unstable, lunatic schtick (man could he play this kind of character) and add in one of my favorite actors of all time, Ian McShane - how have I not seen this?  

If you break Sitting Target into three acts, the first is fantastic.  The prison break is tension filled.  The violence is sparse, but effective.  The second act does drag a bit, but this is where we get a better indication of what Harry is capable of.  Lastly, the third act is sublime.  The twist is amazing and worked on me as well as any I can remember.  And the violence here leads to an incredibly satisfactory conclusion.  

The weakest part of the film has to be Jill St John as Harry’s wife.  I’m sure she was added to the cast as she was coming off Diamonds are Forever and she had a “name” American audiences would recognize.  But, she’s completely miscast.  She looks and acts like she should be in a different movie.  And that accent - what a disaster.  Still, she’s not bad enough to ruin the experience in its entirety.  Well worth seeking out.

 

8/10

Crime Doctor (1943)

A new series to watch, 21 December 2020

After being thrown from a moving vehicle, a mysterious man wakes in the hospital with no memory.  As much as he’d like, the doctor that takes his case can’t help revive his memories.  The man, now known as Robert Ordway (Warner Baxter), decides to help himself and, ten years later, he’s a practicing psychiatrist.  Out of the blue, he meets a couple of men who refer to Ordway as Morgan.  Do these men know anything about Ordway / Morgan’s past?  And what of the $200,000 they claim Morgan stole?  

I’m a huge fan of the 30s and 40s era mystery programmers that all the studios were producing.  Whether it’s Chan, Holmes, the Falcon, or the Saint, there’s an appeal these films have to me.  I’m not sure why I’ve never seen any of the Crime Doctor movies, but I’m glad to have finally corrected that oversight.  Admittedly, I didn’t find this one, the first in the series, as entertaining as I’d hoped, but it was good enough to seek out the others in the series.  

I think my main issue with Crime Doctor is how long it took things to get going.  The first half is a drag.  It’s not until Ordway’s past starts to catch up with him and the mystery heats up that things get interesting.  I’d probably rate the first half a 4/10 and the second half a 6/10.  I’d probably rate the second half even higher if the ending didn’t feel so rushed.  I’d like to have known more about the location of the missing $200,000.

Baxter is fine, if not a bit underwhelming, in the lead role.  He’s joined by a surprisingly strong cast, including Margaret Lindsay, Harold Huber, Don Costello, and Leon Ames (always a favorite of mine).  But the best of the cast had to be John LItel.  He played a fantastic smart, threatening hood.  He had a way about him that made me uncomfortable to watch.  Nice going.

 

5/10

The Avengers “Castle De’ath” #4.5 (1966) (TV)

“Lean on me, Mistress Peel, as much as you like”, 20 December 2020

Steed and Mrs Peel go undercover to investigate some unusual goings on in a Scottish castle.  It seems a colleague was found dead nearby, but the dead body was taller than when the man was alive. 

It’s not that Castle De’ath is a bad episode or anything (I don't remember any truly bad Mrs Peel episodes - we shall see), but it is definitely one of the weaker.  The problem is that it’s just not very interesting.  Steed and Mrs Peel spend too much time apart so there’s no time for their usual witty banter.  The case’s solution is fairly obvious, down to the reason for the mysterious nightly bagpipes.  And I thought spotting the chief baddie was way too easy.  Overall, Castle De’ath is an average 5/10 episode at best.

A few other notes before I finish this:

1. My favorite bit had to be when Steed went “fishing”.  It was classic Steed.

2. I always enjoy seeing Gordon Jackson.  I probably know him best from Upstairs Downstairs.  

3. The doubles used for Mrs Peel were absolutely lousy.  Are they always this bad?  I haven’t noticed.  There’s one scene where Mrs Peel is running in the dark.  Not only does the double have the wrong hair length, it’s the wrong color.  Too funny.

 

5/10

Murder on Monday (1952)

A delightful little film, 19 December 2020

David Preston (Ralph Richardson) arrives home from work on Monday night just as he always does - or so he thinks.  He’s shaken when he learns that it’s really Tuesday night and he cannot account for the last 24 hours.  He’s doubly troubled to learn that a man he didn’t care for was murdered and a witness swears that Preston was the last person seen talking to the man.  Can Preston rediscover the lost day and clear his name?

Overall, Murder on Monday (or Home at Seven) is a delightful little film.  I enjoyed almost every second.  There are two things I can point to that make this film stand out - the acting and the writing.  Richardson is perfect as the man trying to discover what’s happened to him.  You can see the confusion etched across his face.  He’s joined by the lovely Margaret Leighton as his wife, Janet.  I can’t explain how much I enjoyed her performance.  From the fretting over her husband to the joy she expresses when there appears to be some good news, she’s divine.  Together, the pair make the perfect on-screen couple.  The scene where Preston, over tea and toast, tries to tell Janet how to carry on if something should happen to him is a great example of their on-screen chemistry.  They are ably joined by Jack Hawkins, Campbell Singer, and Meriel Forbes in supporting roles.  As for the writing, well, I’ve already used this word, but Anatole de Grumwald’s screenplay is simply delightful.  The story was intriguing and suspenseful enough that it held my attention throughout.  The little pieces of the mystery that point to Preston’s guilt unfold nicely.  And the solution to the mystery wasn’t so far-fetched that I couldn’t buy into it.  It’s a solid piece of writing.  

Not only did he star, but this the sole directing credit from Richardson’s long career.  I'm really shocked because I thought he did a fantastic job.  Murder on Monday could easily feel “stagey”, but Richardson kept things moving at a nice pace.  I never once got that claustrophobic feeling you can get from such a small set.  And the movie looks amazing.  I was so impressed with little things like some of the shots through windows out to the street.  Nice stuff. 

 

8/10

The Black Doll (1938)

Ruined by the comedy, 19 December 2020

When Nelson Rood (C Henry Gordon) finds a black doll on his desk, he knows it can mean only one thing - his death.  Sure enough, later that night, Rood is killed by a knife to the back.  Rood was never the kindest man in the world, so he had his fair share of enemies.  Rood’s daughter’s boyfriend, Nick Halstead (Donald Woods), fancies himself an amateur detective and sets out to investigate.  But Halstead will have to stay out of the way of the local bumbling sheriff if he’s to find a killer.

Based on the IMDb rating (5.9) and all the positive reviews, I know The Black Doll has some fans.  I’m, however, not among them.  While I enjoyed some  of the mystery elements of the story and a character or two, I had a couple of big problems with the film that kept me from enjoying it.  First, as my little intro suggests, boyfriend Halstead does most of the real detective work.  And by that I mean he makes a series of wild guesses generally based on very little real evidence, yet somehow he’s miraculously correct 100% of the time. I like the solutions to my mysteries to be more fact-based.  Second, bumbling Sheriff Renick (Edgar Kennedy) is more than I can take.  He’s just not funny.  His brand of comedy, including a pocket full of pipes he continuously smokes and then breaks, doesn’t appeal to me at all.  Sadly, Kennedy ruined any hope of me finding much entertainment in The Black Doll.  

 

3/10

Appointment in Honduras (1953)

Underwhelming jungle adventure, 19 December 2020

Jim Corbett (Glenn Ford) frees four prisoners to help him navigate the Honduran jungle. He’s looking for a band of rebels he intends to help.  To be successful and stay alive, Corbett and Co face a number of obstacles, including: pumas, piranhas, soldiers, insects, and each other.  

I know it was a mistake to do so, but I was so hoping Appointment in Honduras would be as entertaining as the similarly named Affair in Trinidad - also with Glenn Ford.  I know that film has its detractors, but I always find it so much fun.  Unfortunately, the similarity in names is where the comparison of these films ends.  Overall, I found this one an underwhelming, fairly dull trudge to get through.  Scene after scene of Corbett hitting the jungle growth with a machete or yelling at the other members of his party got old pretty quickly.  It didn’t take long for me to stop caring about which characters were killed and which survived.  The final gun battle wasn’t as entertaining as it should have been.  The way it was filmed, it was difficult to determine character positioning in relation to each other.  Very substandard directing and editing as far as I’m concerned.  Finally on my list of complaints, there’s Ann Sheridan.  Annoyed doesn’t begin to describe my feelings toward her and her character.  I know she was meant to play the Rita Hayworth role (same red hair and all) opposite Glenn Ford that had been so successful before (see the previously mentioned Affair in Trinidad for example), but she’s a poor imitation.

One interesting thing for me at least was the presence of a very young Jack Elam.  He doesn’t do much, but it was pretty cool all the same.

 

4/10

Treasure Hunt (1952)

I hate to use the word “dated”, but it fits here, 18 December 2020

Instead of coming up with my own, I’m just going to rely in part on the plot summary from IMDb:  “Short of money, the owners of Ballyroden Hall must attempt to run it as a guest house, but not everyone is happy about the plan.”  In fact, some members of the household actively attempt to sabotage the effort to raise money as the first paying guests arrive.

I don’t know what I was expecting from Treasure Hunt, but this wasn’t it.  I really hate to use this term when describing a film, but Treasure Hunt is horribly “dated”.  Maybe this kind of comedy worked in the UK in 1952, but it doesn’t do much for me – and I’m a fan of older movies.  Most of the supposed humor comes from the eccentric nature of Ballyroden’s inhabitants  In the case of Treasure Hunt, however, eccentricity is taken too far and becomes uber-annoying.  I admit that I found Aunt Anna Rose, as played by Martita Hunt, mildly amusing from time-to-time, but it was near enough to make up for the rest of the casts’ antics.  I was at least hoping the titular Treasure Hunt might provide some entertainment.  However, it doesn’t occur until there are only 4 or so minutes left in the film.  Overall, not a very enjoyable experience. 

 

3/10

The Bravados (1958)

An extremely well-made, entertaining film, 17 December 2020

After his wife is raped and killed, rancher Jim Douglas (Gregory Peck) sets out to get revenge.  He tracks four men for six months, only to find them locked in a small jail waiting to be hanged for other crimes.  But when they escape, Douglas is determined to see justice done.  But at what price?  And does Douglas have the right to be judge, jury, and executioner? 

If you look at my movie history, you’ll quickly see that I’m not much of a fan of Hollywood-style Westerns.  I may have to rethink that stance after watching The Bravados.  I thoroughly enjoyed this film.  From the revenge angle to the unexpected brutality to the religious questions raised to the twist at the end, Philip Yordan’s screenplay is fantastic.  I don’t know when I’ve enjoyed a story more.  In addition, Henry King’s direction is on-point.  The film has a nice pace to it.  And King does a masterful job of building-up the moral dilemma faced by Douglas.  Well done.  Special mention must go to cinematographer Leon Shamroy.  The Bravados looks stunning.  Almost every frame is a work of art. 

The acting in The Bravados is incredible.  I was so impressed and moved with Gregory Peck’s amazingly layered performance.  It might be the best acting I’ve ever seen from him.  That final scene where he realizes what’s going on – brilliant.  The actors playing the four hoodlums are almost as good.  Stephen Boyd, Albert Salmi, Lee Van Cleef, and Henry Silva are all fantastic.  I was especially impressed with Silva as his character has a bit more depth than the others.  Next, there’s Joan Collins.  While her appearance here is really just a plot convenience and her acting isn’t on par with some of the others, I still enjoyed seeing her.  But who am I kidding - I always love watching Joan Collins.  The weakest performance had to come from Andrew Duggan as the priest.  In all honesty, though, he really isn’t as bad as he is miscast. 

Finally, I’ve read some of the problems other people have with the film.  I agree, there are logical inconsistencies for sure – like the way Joan Collins’ character is able to reach Douglas’ ranch in an afternoon, while it seems to take him several days to make the trip.  Then there’s that TARDIS-like church – unpretentious on the outside, but absolutely huge on the inside.  And there’s also my usual problem with Westerns from this era – everything and everyone is too clean and too freshly pressed.  But really, who cares when a film is this good, entertaining, and thought provoking.

 

9/10

Killer Fish (1979)

Pretty much what you’d expect from an Italian/French/Brazilian co-production with piranhas, 16 December 2020

A band of thieves hide a fortune in stolen jewels at the bottom of a lake.  Before the jewels can be retrieved, however, piranha are released into the water, setting the stage for much blood-letting and other carnage. 

I admit that the 6/10 rating I’ve given Killer Fish is probably overstating things for most people, but I always have so much fun watching it that I can’t possibly rate it any lower.  A lot of it is good in that cheesy sort of way, but for whatever reason, I find Killer Fish entertaining.  I think what I like most is the sheer absurdity of it all - especially the final fight for survival.  The escape raft idea is simply jaw-dropping in its level of ridiculousness.  Some really good stuff in the final few scenes! 

Another big plus for me was the direction.  Veteran genre director Antonio Margheriti keeps things moving at a nice pace. In my opinion, this thing could have gotten boring real quick had it not been for Margheriti.

Last, the acting – what a mixed bag.  I really enjoy watching Karen Black, Maris Berenson, and, especially, James Franciscus.  Franciscus seemed to be having as much fun making Killer Fish as I do watching it.  As for Lee Majors, “wooden” doesn’t begin to describe his performance.  And then there’s Margaux Hemingway.  “Disaster” just scratches the surface of what I think about her in this film.  Finally, I’ve seen this film twice now, but just realized, as I was scrolling through the credits on IMDb, that former Houston Oiler quarterback Dan Pastorini is in the film.  I haven’t thought about him in years.

 

6/10

The Avengers “Death at Bargain Prices” #4.4 (1966) (TV)

“And Mr Massey, your carnation is crooked.  Kindly adjust it.”  15 December 2020

When a colleague is found murdered, the only clue is a sales receipt from a nearby department store.  Mrs Peel goes undercover and finds things aren’t as they should be.  It seems that none of the staff has the slightest clue on how to run a retail establishment.  What are they up to?

Death at Bargain Prices is another fun episode that gives Steed and Mrs Peel plenty of opportunity to do what they do best – investigate an unusual case and engage in (often innuendo-filled) banter.  As for the investigation, the case here is relatively interesting.  On the first time through the episode, I honestly had no idea what the baddies were up to with lots of mysterious goings on in the middle of the night.  The end is a bit contrived, but aren’t most episodes of The Avengers.  And the department store provides for a number of unusual situations and settings.  I loved the scene where the bad guys hold a secret rendezvous amongst the bamboo in the camping section. 

 As for the banter, Death at Bargain Prices includes one of my favorite bits of dialogue from any episode.  Steed:  “I asked the chief predator where to find you and he said, ‘Our Mrs Peel is in ladies underwear.’  I rattled up the stairs three at a time.”  Good stuff.

The episode also benefits from having a strong supporting cast, including: Andre Morell, Allen Cuthbertson, and John Carter. 

 

7/10

Escape in the Fog (1945)

The ESP angle isn’t the most unbelievable facet of this movie, 14 December 2020

A woman, Eileen Carr (Nina Foch), has a nightmare where she witnesses a man being beaten on a bridge.  She wakes from her sleep to find the man, whom she’s never met, in her room.  Is her dream a premonition of things to come?

While there were bits and pieces of Escape in the Fog that I enjoyed, overall the film just didn’t work for me.  My main issues with the film center on two things – actor William Wright and his character Barry Malcolm.  Wright was too bland for my liking.  At no time while watching the movie did he come across to me as the hero / leading man type.  The fact that this guy could get a woman to run off with him to San Francisco after knowing each other for a few hours was more unbelievable than the movie’s ESP hokum.  As for Barry Malcolm, I don’t think I’ve ever seen a more stupid, careless secret agent in a film.  For example, Malcolm too easily trusts this woman he’s just met with top secret government information.  How does he know she’s not a foreign agent?  Another example, he receives some important information on a slip of paper.   Does he destroy the paper after reading it?  No.  Of course the baddies get hold of it and know exactly what he’s up to.  Just two examples, but you get the idea.  Some of the other characters do some pretty dumb stuff, but Malcolm’s idiocy really took me out of the movie.

Finally, what’s with that dime store badge Malcolm carried?  All he had to do was flash that cheap looking thing and anyone in authority immediately did what he asked.  I’m not sure why the bad guys wanted the papers he was carrying – why not go after that all powerful badge?

 

4/10

Fourteen Hours (1951)

“I don’t mind losing you, but I don’t want a whole daisy chain of cops sailing out that window.”  14 December 2020

A normal beat cop, Officer Charles Dunnigan (Paul Douglas), is tasked with talking a would-be jumper off a ledge fifteen floors above the New York streets. 

Overall, Fourteen Hours is an entertaining film with plenty of drama and tension.  There are a couple of things that made the movie stand out to me.  First, I was incredibly impressed with the way the film was put together by director Henry Hathaway.  Fourteen Hours featured far more action than I expected from a film set on a 2’X4’ ledge.  All of the comings and goings in the hotel room attached to the ledge and everything going on on the street below help keep things interesting and moving.  It’s an amazing amount of activity for a little piece of concrete.  And I was equally impressed with some of the camera work.  There were moments filmed from the ledge looking down to the street below that made me feel as if I were there.  My vertigo actually kicked in.    

Second, the acting is superb.  Paul Douglas, in particular, is excellent.  He’s so believable trying to talk the man off the ledge, all the while conveying the fact that he has no idea what he’s doing.  And you can see the real care in his voice and face as each new idea is brought forward.  Really strong piece of acting.  The rest of the cast is just as good, including: Richard Basehart as the confused man on the ledge and Agnes Moorehead as the overwrought mother.  I also enjoyed spotting a few uncredited faces in the cast, like Russell Hicks, Harvey Lembeck, and Ossie Davis (especially proud of myself for this one).   

Fourteen Hours is also known for being Grace Kelly’s first film role.  She’s fine and all, but her storyline could have been cut without harming the film at all.  That extra five minutes weren’t really necessary.  I won’t say the same about the subplot featuring Jeffery Hunter and Debra Paget.  Their “cute” little story made for a nice contrast to the drama on the ledge.

 

7/10

The Miami Story (1954)

A really strong cast, 11 December 2020

A group of Miami’s civic leaders and police bring a gangster out of “retirement” to help take down the city’s crime syndicate. 

Overall, I found The Miami Story very enjoyable.  Sure, there are issues with the plot that require a gigantic leap in logic, but if you’re willing to look past these issues (and I looked past most – not all, but most), it’s a fairly rewarding and entertaining experience.  The film is more graphic than most I’ve seen from the era, with a woman being badly beaten-up, more blood than I expected, and a more explicit inference of prostitution.  For 1954, this is about as far as you could go in the depiction of the sleaze and nastiness resulting from crime.  The acting is  particularly noteworthy.  Barry Sullivan (rock solid and believable in the lead), Luther Adler (the perfect baddie), and Adele Jergens (as the tough-as-nails “dame”) are all outstanding.  But I was happiest to see Beverly Garland’s fantastic performance.  I’ve always been a fan regardless of the dreck she sometimes appeared in.  The Miami Story also benefits from solid direction.  Fred Sears’ pacing is perfect.  From the opening shootout to the final chase, The Miami Story rarely lets up.  And, the film looks fantastic.  I especially enjoyed the shots of Miami from the 50s – how things have changed!  It’s all nicely done.

Finally, I’ve often seen The Miami Story listed as a film noir.  I’d argue that’s not exactly accurate.  I could cite a number of reasons, but the main one is the film’s ending.  You don’t get that in a typical noir.

6/10

Spiker (1985)

Who was this made for?  10 December 2020

Not that it matters, but here goes - two beach volleyball players are invited to tryouts for the U.S. men’s Olympic team.  One makes it, one doesn’t, and the team qualifies for the Olympics – end of movie.

Spiker is the purest form of garbage (and not the entertaining kind of garbage) from beginning to end that I’ve seen in a long time.  As I’ve said countless times, I watch and rate movies based on entertainment value.  With Spiker, there’s not an ounce of entertainment to be had in the entire ridiculously long 104 minute runtime.  The endless volleyball practices, the stock volleyball footage, the inane conversations, people eating, and the predictable nature of most everything that happens – 104 minutes of this crap.  Who cares? 

And what was that whole cloak and dagger bit in the middle of the movie about getting some sort of secret documents out of Poland (I think I have that right)?  It leads nowhere and adds nothing other than an extra 10-15 minutes to the 104 minute runtime. 

Not that I wanted another minute (have I mentioned the 104 minute runtime), but I couldn’t believe Spiker ended just as the team qualified for the Olympics.  You’d have thought going for a gold medal would be the big payoff. 

I haven’t mentioned the acting (bad), the directing (dull), the plot (pointless), or any other technical aspects (horrendous) of Spiker.  It’s not worth the effort. 

In the end, I’m left with a number of questions – Why was this made?  Who was this made for?  Did anyone involved think they were making a “good” movie?  Did anyone expect to make a return on their investment?  Why was Michael Parks in this mess of a film? 

1/10 

Dark Alibi (1946)

“Skeletons in closets always speak loudest to police.”  10 December 2020

Charlie Chan agrees to help a man who has been wrongly convicted of murder during a bank robbery.  Even though his fingerprints were found at the scene of the crime, he swears he’s never been in that particular bank.  In nine days, he faces a date with the executioner if Chan can’t prove his innocence. 

I’ve never been much of a fan of the Monogram Chan films.  In general, I find them too short on plot and too long on comedy.  And that’s the case with Dark Alibi.  The film runs about 61 minutes in length.  I didn’t pull out a stopwatch or anything, but I’d wager that no more than 20 minutes is spent on plot development.  One of my favorite bits in most Chan films are the suspect interrogations.  Here, Chan runs through all of them at breakneck speed.  So our one chance to get to know something . . . anything about the characters is gone.  Instead, we’re treated to multiple scenes of Benson Fong and Mantan Moreland creeping around in the dark or talking about nothing.  Admittedly, the scenes with Moreland and partner Ben Carter doing their vaudeville comedy bit are truly amazing and the film’s highlight, but after the third such scene (when Chan embarrassingly joins in), I realized that this too was just padding.  Overall, it’s just a weak, rushed story that offers little of what I enjoy about watching a Chan film.

Dark Alibi does feature a few familiar faces in the supporting cast – John Eldredge, Russell Hicks, and Milton Parsons.  At first glance, none of these names may mean much, but any fan of older movies will have undoubtedly seen their work.  Unfortunately, in the case of Parsons, he’s criminally underutilized here much to the movie’s detriment. 

 

4/10

Exposed (1947)

Unremarkable,  9 December 2020

Female PI Belinda Prentice is hired by a rich businessman to check up on his son who has been withdrawing unexplained sums of money.  But before she can get started, her employer is found murdered.  

I suppose the most remarkable thing about Exposed is how totally unremarkable the whole thing is.  There’s really not much to talk about.  The mystery is never properly fleshed out and there is no last minute surprise during the denouement - things typical of a good mystery.  And for a film with a short 59 minute runtime, it sure does drag.  I suppose the most exciting thing that happens is a prolonged fistfight, but it ends up lasting so long it feels like padding.  I admit I did enjoy the first 10 or so minutes.  The set-up had promise.  But once the body is discovered, it’s all downhill from there.

The beautiful Adele Mara plays Belinda Prentice.  She’s okay in the role, but never  seems natural in her delivery.  I suppose I should see more of her work before I pass judgement.  Co-stars include Mark Roberts and Robert Armstrong.  

3/10

Riffraff (1947)

A nice surprise,  9 December 2020

It seems that everyone in Panama has their eyes out for a missing map worth a fortune and P.I./con-man/fixer Dan Hammer (Pat O’Brien) is at the center of everything.  Caught between the police, hoodlums, and gorgeous dame, Hammer’s got his work cut out for him.  But like everyone else, he has no idea where to find the map - even though it’s hidden in plain sight.

What a nice surprise!  Going in, I had no idea what to expect from Riffraff (or Riff-Raff or Riff Raff or however you want to spell it), but it’s truly a wonderful little film.  It’s got a lot going for it. Frist, the cinematography is fantastic.  Riffraff looks way better than its modest budget would suggest.  Second, the acting is very strong.  Overall, I’m not much of a Pat O’Brien fan, but here, he does a nice job.  Anne Jefferys is more than his equal as the blonde love interest.  Walter Slezak makes for the perfect heavy.  And Percy Kilbride (of Ma and Pa Kettle fame) shines as the comic relief.  Third, the direction is spot on.  Director Ted Tetzlaff does a remarkable job with the film’s nifty pacing.  There are very few dull moments to slow things down.  And that opening - wow!  It must have been a gamble to film the first 10 or so minutes in silence, but it paid off.  Finally, the writing is first rate.  Riffraff has all that cool, fast-talking dialogue I’ve come to love in a film noir. 

7/10

Happy Death Day 2U (2019)

“On the bright side, you’ll come back.  I died eleven times.”  8 December 2020

As with the first film, Happy Death Day 2U centers on college student Tree Gelbman (Jessica Rothe) living the same day over and over again, facing her own death over and over again.  But there’s a twist - this time, Tree also finds herself in an alternate universe.

There’s just something about these two movies that I love.  Granted, Happy Death Day 2U isn’t quite as good as the first, but I think the main reason is that it lacks a lot of the surprise factor of the first.  But, there’s still plenty here to enjoy.  First, Rothe and co-star Israel Broussard make for a fantastic screen pairing.  It’s hard not to root for them.  Second, I like the way that 2U takes what were secondary characters with only a scene or two and fleshes them out.  Take Ryan Phan for example.  Blink and you’ll miss him in the original.  Here, actor Phi Vu gets a chance to shine.  Third, while most of the horror elements are gone, they’re replaced by more comedy and plenty of sci-fi mumbo-jumbo.  The bit with the science professor and the “blind” student had me in tears.  Finally, there are plenty of twists and turns in the plot to keep things fresh.  The big reveal from the first isn’t the same as in 2U.  And the plot twist involving Tree and her parents - well, I won’t spoil it, but it was nicely handled. 

As I said in commenting on Happy Death Day, I know I”m in the wrong demographic of this film.  But Happy Death Day 2U works on me nonetheless.  A fun movie with an interesting script and an engaging cast equals a winner with me.  

Finally, I would strongly recommend watching these two movies back-to-back.  If you’ve seen the first, do yourself a favor and rewatch it before watching 2U.  

7/10