Starring Carole Lombard, Fred MacMurray, Douglass Dumbrille, Alison Skipworth, George Barbier
Directed by William K. Howard
(actor & director credits courtesy IMDB.com)
While a bandleader tries to get closer to a glamorous Swedish princess aboard a cruise ship, a notorious escaped convict has also snuck aboard, and tries to evade police officials aboard the boat.
Another winning teaming of Lombard and MacMurray highlights this shipboard tale, but the murder mystery plot is what kept me engaged, well-scripted and convincingly presented by cast and crew. Lombard has fun playing the exotic princess, with an accent and manner reminiscent of Garbo, and my friend Dan Day Jr. also pointed out she may have been poking a bit of fun at Marlene Dietrich's portrayals. MacMurray starts out as an irreverent cocky sort, and his early antics make us think this will be a comedy of errors, but the film and the actor quickly move into serious territory once the story's murder occurs. Also joining the duo are Skipworth as Lombard's lady-in-waiting and Fred Mertz as MacMurray's sidekick, plus a quartet of police officials determined to solve the crime but who will need MacMurray's help to bait the trap for the murderer. It's sort of an unusual format for the romantic couple, but I enjoyed the departures from the norm.
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Tuesday, June 30, 2020
Sunday, June 28, 2020
King Dinosaur (1955)
Starring William Bryant, Wanda Curtis, Douglas Henderson, Patti Gallagher
Directed by Bert I. Gordon
(actor & director credits courtesy IMDB.com)
After a new planet drifts into our solar system, a rocket with four scientists aboard is sent to investigate the world, where they discover giant prehistoric creatures.
Bert I. Gordon's first directorial credit, which he also co-wrote and co-produced, starts with what should be a solid premise, a human investigation of a mysterious new planet, but is completely undone by the special effects. There is no "King Dinosaur" in the film, just footage of giant projected lizards, much of which looks to have been cribbed from One Million B.C. I think the film would have been able to stand up better on its own if there'd been some attempt to create more realistic looking dinosaurs, and would have saved any improper handling of the animals. It doesn't help matters that the movie essentially begins with a 20-minute assemblage of stock footage. There's also quite a bit of sexism in the script and particularly in the behavior of actor Douglas Henderson, whom as others have observed before, seems to intentionally manhandle his female co-stars during the latter half of the picture. I like some of the ideas in the script, and to a certain extent the performances overall, but the movie really begins to drag once they begin the parade of lizard footage.
Directed by Bert I. Gordon
(actor & director credits courtesy IMDB.com)
After a new planet drifts into our solar system, a rocket with four scientists aboard is sent to investigate the world, where they discover giant prehistoric creatures.
Bert I. Gordon's first directorial credit, which he also co-wrote and co-produced, starts with what should be a solid premise, a human investigation of a mysterious new planet, but is completely undone by the special effects. There is no "King Dinosaur" in the film, just footage of giant projected lizards, much of which looks to have been cribbed from One Million B.C. I think the film would have been able to stand up better on its own if there'd been some attempt to create more realistic looking dinosaurs, and would have saved any improper handling of the animals. It doesn't help matters that the movie essentially begins with a 20-minute assemblage of stock footage. There's also quite a bit of sexism in the script and particularly in the behavior of actor Douglas Henderson, whom as others have observed before, seems to intentionally manhandle his female co-stars during the latter half of the picture. I like some of the ideas in the script, and to a certain extent the performances overall, but the movie really begins to drag once they begin the parade of lizard footage.
Saturday, June 27, 2020
Earth Vs. The Flying Saucers (1956)
Starring Hugh Marlowe, Joan Taylor, Donald Curtis, Morris Ankrum, John Zaremba
Directed by Fred F. Sears
(actor & director credits courtesy IMDB.com)
A rocket scientist and his new wife are contacted by aliens in a flying saucer, who are ready to conquer the Earth with their fleet of ships.
This is a bit of a rarity in Ray Harryhausen films in that no actual living creatures are animated by the special effects titan, but the flying saucers and their targets of destruction alone. Nevertheless, it's quite a piece of work for Harryhausen, as the film contains some truly iconic scenes of the saucers destroying Washington D.C.'s national monuments, something that had never been done on screen before. The cast is fine too- Marlowe is believable as focused scientist Russell Marvin, and veteran actor Ankrum brings intelligence and gravitas to his role as General John Hanley, who is cruelly used by the aliens. Although uncredited, voice actor extraordinaire Paul Frees provides the clear but somewhat distorted voice of the aliens which is crucial to the unfolding of the story. It's a shame with the creative gifts of Harryhausen that so much military stock footage had to be used in the picture although it's understandable. It still remains a Harryhausen classic, and well worth revisiting often.
Directed by Fred F. Sears
(actor & director credits courtesy IMDB.com)
A rocket scientist and his new wife are contacted by aliens in a flying saucer, who are ready to conquer the Earth with their fleet of ships.
This is a bit of a rarity in Ray Harryhausen films in that no actual living creatures are animated by the special effects titan, but the flying saucers and their targets of destruction alone. Nevertheless, it's quite a piece of work for Harryhausen, as the film contains some truly iconic scenes of the saucers destroying Washington D.C.'s national monuments, something that had never been done on screen before. The cast is fine too- Marlowe is believable as focused scientist Russell Marvin, and veteran actor Ankrum brings intelligence and gravitas to his role as General John Hanley, who is cruelly used by the aliens. Although uncredited, voice actor extraordinaire Paul Frees provides the clear but somewhat distorted voice of the aliens which is crucial to the unfolding of the story. It's a shame with the creative gifts of Harryhausen that so much military stock footage had to be used in the picture although it's understandable. It still remains a Harryhausen classic, and well worth revisiting often.
Thursday, June 25, 2020
Invasion (1965)
Starring Edward Judd, Yoko Tani, Valerie Gearon, Lyndon Brook, Ric Young
Directed by Alan Bridges
(actor & director credits courtesy IMDB.com)
During a late shift at a British hospital, a man struck by a car is brought in whom the doctors soon discover is not human, and learn that there are two other alien beings on the loose.
I really enjoyed this British science fiction picture, which has an intelligent script, builds suspense slowly and admirably, and is well-staged and directed by Bridges. The filmmakers made the decision to cast Asians as the aliens, which is notable in that the same approach was used the next year in the American film, Women Of The Prehistoric Planet. Asian actress Tsai Chin, who played Christopher Lee's daughter in Britain's Fu Manchu films, is a human nurse in the film, who points out the aliens aren't Chinese or Japanese. Judd and Gearon and Brook are fine as the doctors, who aren't perfect and have their flaws, but soon are on a race to save the patients in their hospital from danger that the aliens bring to them. The film scrimps on special effects for the most part, using clever ideas to keep the budget down and still convey the otherworldliness of the visitors, but closes with a very well designed chase sequence.
Directed by Alan Bridges
(actor & director credits courtesy IMDB.com)
During a late shift at a British hospital, a man struck by a car is brought in whom the doctors soon discover is not human, and learn that there are two other alien beings on the loose.
I really enjoyed this British science fiction picture, which has an intelligent script, builds suspense slowly and admirably, and is well-staged and directed by Bridges. The filmmakers made the decision to cast Asians as the aliens, which is notable in that the same approach was used the next year in the American film, Women Of The Prehistoric Planet. Asian actress Tsai Chin, who played Christopher Lee's daughter in Britain's Fu Manchu films, is a human nurse in the film, who points out the aliens aren't Chinese or Japanese. Judd and Gearon and Brook are fine as the doctors, who aren't perfect and have their flaws, but soon are on a race to save the patients in their hospital from danger that the aliens bring to them. The film scrimps on special effects for the most part, using clever ideas to keep the budget down and still convey the otherworldliness of the visitors, but closes with a very well designed chase sequence.
Tuesday, June 23, 2020
Love Before Breakfast (1936)
Starring Carole Lombard, Preston Foster, Cesar Romero, Janet Beecher, Betty Lawford
Directed by Walter Lang
(actor & director credits courtesy IMDB.com)
A wealthy magnate sends a woman's fiancee off to a job in Japan, so he can woo her himself, but she angrily rebuffs his advances, although secretly she begins to fall for him.
I'm sure there was a good deal of effort put into trying to make this film another winning picture for Lombard, but there's several strikes against it. They blacken the beautiful actress's eye in a filmed fight, and even incorporate it into the movie poster, a mistake in my mind. Screenwriter Herbert Fields tries to spin comedy scenes out of Foster's failed but persistent attempts to win her heart, but most of these just didn't work for me, and the only real times I laughed were at clever lines in the script given to the supporting characters. Most of all though I think, they make Lombard's Kay Colby as belligerent as possible whenever Foster's Scott Miller shows up, right up to the final fade-out, and these scenes could have used some softening. Lombard has scenes where she cries at the thought of missing out on Miller, but never has a chance to lower her guard down when she's with him. The character's rage is understandable, but I don't think it's what the audience wanted to see.
Directed by Walter Lang
(actor & director credits courtesy IMDB.com)
A wealthy magnate sends a woman's fiancee off to a job in Japan, so he can woo her himself, but she angrily rebuffs his advances, although secretly she begins to fall for him.
I'm sure there was a good deal of effort put into trying to make this film another winning picture for Lombard, but there's several strikes against it. They blacken the beautiful actress's eye in a filmed fight, and even incorporate it into the movie poster, a mistake in my mind. Screenwriter Herbert Fields tries to spin comedy scenes out of Foster's failed but persistent attempts to win her heart, but most of these just didn't work for me, and the only real times I laughed were at clever lines in the script given to the supporting characters. Most of all though I think, they make Lombard's Kay Colby as belligerent as possible whenever Foster's Scott Miller shows up, right up to the final fade-out, and these scenes could have used some softening. Lombard has scenes where she cries at the thought of missing out on Miller, but never has a chance to lower her guard down when she's with him. The character's rage is understandable, but I don't think it's what the audience wanted to see.
Sunday, June 21, 2020
Adventure Island (1947)
Starring Rory Calhoun, Rhonda Fleming, Paul Kelly, John Abbott, Alan Napier
Directed by Sam Newfield
(actor & director credits courtesy IMDB.com)
Three men whose bad choices have left them stranded and hungry in an exotic port land a second chance aboard a cargo ship, but greed and alcohol send them down another road to ruin.
For the most part this is a routine melodrama aboard a sailing ship, with Kelly as a failed captain whose surrender to his temptations squander his second chance for a decent life. He's joined by Abbott, affecting a cockney accent, whose perpetual drunkeness doesn't help, and Calhoun, who's the straight arrow of the bunch, but won't challenge Kelly due to owing him his life. Fleming is the beauty and part-owner aboard ship who tries to stand up to the men but fails. However, the film improves considerably when they go ashore on an uncharted island where the fine British character actor Alan Napier provides excellent villainy. Using the superstitions of the natives, he has amassed a position of power as their "god" and punishes any crime by sentencing the accused to a deadly snake pit. Unfortunately, most of the island night scenes are badly lit, robbing the more horrific moments of their effectiveness. It's not a bad film, but would have benefitted from spending more of its running time on the island and giving Napier a bigger role.
Directed by Sam Newfield
(actor & director credits courtesy IMDB.com)
Three men whose bad choices have left them stranded and hungry in an exotic port land a second chance aboard a cargo ship, but greed and alcohol send them down another road to ruin.
For the most part this is a routine melodrama aboard a sailing ship, with Kelly as a failed captain whose surrender to his temptations squander his second chance for a decent life. He's joined by Abbott, affecting a cockney accent, whose perpetual drunkeness doesn't help, and Calhoun, who's the straight arrow of the bunch, but won't challenge Kelly due to owing him his life. Fleming is the beauty and part-owner aboard ship who tries to stand up to the men but fails. However, the film improves considerably when they go ashore on an uncharted island where the fine British character actor Alan Napier provides excellent villainy. Using the superstitions of the natives, he has amassed a position of power as their "god" and punishes any crime by sentencing the accused to a deadly snake pit. Unfortunately, most of the island night scenes are badly lit, robbing the more horrific moments of their effectiveness. It's not a bad film, but would have benefitted from spending more of its running time on the island and giving Napier a bigger role.
Saturday, June 20, 2020
El Vampiro (1957)
Starring Abel Salazar, Ariadna Welter, Carmen Montejo, Jose Luis Jimenez, German Robles
Directed by Fernando Mendez
(actor & director credits courtesy IMDB.com)
After being stranded at a train station together, a doctor accompanies a young woman on her journey back to her ancestral home, while a vampire plots to return his ancestor to eternal life.
This vampire tale is Mexican horror at its best, well-directed by Mendez, with good performances from the whole cast, and eerie atmosphere throughout the production. Well-done sets and fog and wind effects really make the setting of a nearly abandoned estate spooky and unnerving, and a haunting music score from Gustavo Cesar Carrion helps escalate the terror. Welter is the perfect virginal victim, and Robles brings nobility but menace to his tuxedoed Count Lavud, wearing one of the first sets of cinematic vampire fangs. Salazar, as the doctor who has to come to Marta's rescue, is not a serious vampire hunter at first but has to engage in fisticuffs and vampire combat later. Montejo is also very good as Welter's aunt and Lavud's vampiress assistant, slinking through the castle in a jet black gown with a long dragging train. Although the special effects are elementary, with the vampires popping into frame and changing into bats through simple film edits, it works for the film and doesn't detract at all from all of Mendez' atmospheric touches.
Directed by Fernando Mendez
(actor & director credits courtesy IMDB.com)
After being stranded at a train station together, a doctor accompanies a young woman on her journey back to her ancestral home, while a vampire plots to return his ancestor to eternal life.
This vampire tale is Mexican horror at its best, well-directed by Mendez, with good performances from the whole cast, and eerie atmosphere throughout the production. Well-done sets and fog and wind effects really make the setting of a nearly abandoned estate spooky and unnerving, and a haunting music score from Gustavo Cesar Carrion helps escalate the terror. Welter is the perfect virginal victim, and Robles brings nobility but menace to his tuxedoed Count Lavud, wearing one of the first sets of cinematic vampire fangs. Salazar, as the doctor who has to come to Marta's rescue, is not a serious vampire hunter at first but has to engage in fisticuffs and vampire combat later. Montejo is also very good as Welter's aunt and Lavud's vampiress assistant, slinking through the castle in a jet black gown with a long dragging train. Although the special effects are elementary, with the vampires popping into frame and changing into bats through simple film edits, it works for the film and doesn't detract at all from all of Mendez' atmospheric touches.
Thursday, June 18, 2020
The Undying Monster (1942)
Starring James Ellison, Heather Angel, John Howard, Bramwell Fletcher, Heather Thatcher
Directed by John Brahm
(actor & director credits courtesy IMDB.com)
After two people are attacked on the grounds of a Scottish manor tied to legends of a supernatural monster, Scotland Yard sends two forensic experts to investigate.
The 20th Century Fox studio was still in its infancy as far as releasing horror films when this offering came along, and so the picture does appear heavily influenced by the horror output of rival Universal Pictures. A period setting, dark and shadowy atmosphere, and the presence of actors from Universal's past classics, including Bramwell Fletcher and Halliwell Hobbes, all contribute to a Universal-like film. The creature makeup even resembles one of Universal's own classic monster designs. However, it is a different film with its own flavor, and seems content to take on the form of a mystery whodunit, downplaying the possibility of a monster's presence until the climax. Ellison is fine as the chief investigator Robert Curtis, and is given an unusual sidekick in Heather Thatcher's brash Christy, who invites herself to a meal before it's been served, and provides much of the film's comic relief. The supporting performances, the film's photography, music score, and art direction are all very good, creating a believable haunted manor, and a compelling mystery.
Directed by John Brahm
(actor & director credits courtesy IMDB.com)
After two people are attacked on the grounds of a Scottish manor tied to legends of a supernatural monster, Scotland Yard sends two forensic experts to investigate.
The 20th Century Fox studio was still in its infancy as far as releasing horror films when this offering came along, and so the picture does appear heavily influenced by the horror output of rival Universal Pictures. A period setting, dark and shadowy atmosphere, and the presence of actors from Universal's past classics, including Bramwell Fletcher and Halliwell Hobbes, all contribute to a Universal-like film. The creature makeup even resembles one of Universal's own classic monster designs. However, it is a different film with its own flavor, and seems content to take on the form of a mystery whodunit, downplaying the possibility of a monster's presence until the climax. Ellison is fine as the chief investigator Robert Curtis, and is given an unusual sidekick in Heather Thatcher's brash Christy, who invites herself to a meal before it's been served, and provides much of the film's comic relief. The supporting performances, the film's photography, music score, and art direction are all very good, creating a believable haunted manor, and a compelling mystery.
Tuesday, June 16, 2020
Hands Across The Table (1935)
Starring Carole Lombard, Fred MacMurray, Ralph Bellamy, Astrid Allwyn, Ruth Donnelly
Directed by Mitchell Leisen
(actor & director credits courtesy IMDB.com)
A manicurist just managing to scrape by pursues one of her wealthy male customers, only to discover he's as penniless as she is.
In my journey through Carole Lombard's films, this one is I think perhaps the best showcase I've yet seen her in, with equal opportunities for the actress to show her comedic and dramatic skills, and she looks beautiful throughout. She's also paired quite well with MacMurray, which makes it easy to see why they would co-star again in other productions. Playing the faux rich man whom her character finds she has to take in, while both pursue richer beaus, MacMurray has several splendid comedic scenes, and his interplay with Lombard is wonderful. A scene in which he and she call his rich fiancee, with Lombard pretending to be an obnoxious operator is comedy gold. It's a smart and well-directed picture, with the two leads at the top of their game.
Directed by Mitchell Leisen
(actor & director credits courtesy IMDB.com)
A manicurist just managing to scrape by pursues one of her wealthy male customers, only to discover he's as penniless as she is.
In my journey through Carole Lombard's films, this one is I think perhaps the best showcase I've yet seen her in, with equal opportunities for the actress to show her comedic and dramatic skills, and she looks beautiful throughout. She's also paired quite well with MacMurray, which makes it easy to see why they would co-star again in other productions. Playing the faux rich man whom her character finds she has to take in, while both pursue richer beaus, MacMurray has several splendid comedic scenes, and his interplay with Lombard is wonderful. A scene in which he and she call his rich fiancee, with Lombard pretending to be an obnoxious operator is comedy gold. It's a smart and well-directed picture, with the two leads at the top of their game.
Sunday, June 14, 2020
The Crime Of Doctor Crespi (1935)
Starring Erich von Stroheim, Harriet Russell, Dwight Frye, Paul Guilfoyle, John Bohn
Directed by John H. Auer
(actor & director credits courtesy IMDB.com)
When the man who stole the woman he loved away suffers a car accident, the chief surgeon for a hospital is urged to save his life in an operation, and he does, but has a plan for vengeance.
A powerhouse performance by von Stroheim really elevates this film into something special. The actor delivers his dialogue in a quiet subdued tone for the most part, but when his character, the esteemed surgeon Dr. Andre Crespi, is angered, he explodes in a temperament well-showcased in tight closeups with almost blank backgrounds, shifting our attention to his expressions. Dwight Frye, known for his roles as sinister assistants in Dracula and Frankenstein, plays Crespi's subordinate, and receives most of the doctor's wrath, putting him in a unique position to challenge Crespi when he suspects his nefarious activities. It's not as showy a role for Frye as others he's had, but he's very good in his own way. I'll have to say though, without giving too much away, that the best scene in the picture is von Stroheim's confrontation with the body of his victim, which firmly establishes the film in horror territory and gives the actor a meaty scene to work with. It's just too bad the filmmakers opted to not utilize a music score to augment the rest of the picture.
Directed by John H. Auer
(actor & director credits courtesy IMDB.com)
When the man who stole the woman he loved away suffers a car accident, the chief surgeon for a hospital is urged to save his life in an operation, and he does, but has a plan for vengeance.
A powerhouse performance by von Stroheim really elevates this film into something special. The actor delivers his dialogue in a quiet subdued tone for the most part, but when his character, the esteemed surgeon Dr. Andre Crespi, is angered, he explodes in a temperament well-showcased in tight closeups with almost blank backgrounds, shifting our attention to his expressions. Dwight Frye, known for his roles as sinister assistants in Dracula and Frankenstein, plays Crespi's subordinate, and receives most of the doctor's wrath, putting him in a unique position to challenge Crespi when he suspects his nefarious activities. It's not as showy a role for Frye as others he's had, but he's very good in his own way. I'll have to say though, without giving too much away, that the best scene in the picture is von Stroheim's confrontation with the body of his victim, which firmly establishes the film in horror territory and gives the actor a meaty scene to work with. It's just too bad the filmmakers opted to not utilize a music score to augment the rest of the picture.
Saturday, June 13, 2020
Timeslip (1955)
Starring Gene Nelson, Faith Domergue, Peter Arne, Joseph Tomelty, Donald Gray
Directed by Ken Hughes
(actor & director credits courtesy IMDB.com)
A magazine reporter and his photographer girlfriend try to solve the mystery of an assault victim's identity, and discover he exactly resembles a nuclear physicist, who is however not missing.
I really enjoyed this science fiction picture from Britain, also known as The Atomic Man, adapted by Charles Eric Maine from his own novel, and starring American leads Nelson and Domergue. They play collaborators and lovers at a science magazine and have some nice interplay together. Nelson plays the familiar type of a journalist scuffling with the police for a big story while his irascible boss wants him to cover a more mundane assignment, but is nevertheless likable. The science fiction content is part of a mystery Nelson has to solve, and is well designed to culminate in a twist you probably won't see coming. Hughes keeps things moving at a swift pace, and the film is well-photographed with a good music score as well.
Directed by Ken Hughes
(actor & director credits courtesy IMDB.com)
A magazine reporter and his photographer girlfriend try to solve the mystery of an assault victim's identity, and discover he exactly resembles a nuclear physicist, who is however not missing.
I really enjoyed this science fiction picture from Britain, also known as The Atomic Man, adapted by Charles Eric Maine from his own novel, and starring American leads Nelson and Domergue. They play collaborators and lovers at a science magazine and have some nice interplay together. Nelson plays the familiar type of a journalist scuffling with the police for a big story while his irascible boss wants him to cover a more mundane assignment, but is nevertheless likable. The science fiction content is part of a mystery Nelson has to solve, and is well designed to culminate in a twist you probably won't see coming. Hughes keeps things moving at a swift pace, and the film is well-photographed with a good music score as well.
Friday, June 12, 2020
Corridor Of Mirrors (1948)
Starring Eric Portman, Edana Romney, Barbara Mullen, Hugh Sinclair, Bruce Belfrage
Directed by Terence Young
(actor & director credits courtesy IMDB.com)
A young woman becomes infatuated with a mysterious man who lives like a lord from centuries ago in a majestic house, but learns that he has definite plans for her.
I concur with a review I read online, that mentioned that although set in the present day, the film uses the past-obsessed character of Paul Mangin and his elaborate mansion to re-create a gothic romance along the lines of past efforts of the type in fiction and film. With splendid art direction and costuming as well as fine photography, it succeeds in this venture. The film's title refers to a corridor within Mangin's house with doors behind each mirror, where a different outfit of the past lies waiting for Romney's Mifanwy, tailored exactly to her measurements, transporting her in a sense back to the time Mangin cherishes. Romney also co-wrote the screenplay, and her performance is the equal of Portman's, as a modern woman who enjoys the experience of a relationship with him, before she discovers the truth behind his obsessions. It's an intriguing film with a haunting tone, although it might not quite have the depth of the classic romances it emulates. The film is also notable for the direction of Young, who would become a director of James Bond films, and for featuring the film debut of horror icon Christopher Lee, who only has one line of dialogue in a brief appearance at the beginning of the picture.
Directed by Terence Young
(actor & director credits courtesy IMDB.com)
A young woman becomes infatuated with a mysterious man who lives like a lord from centuries ago in a majestic house, but learns that he has definite plans for her.
I concur with a review I read online, that mentioned that although set in the present day, the film uses the past-obsessed character of Paul Mangin and his elaborate mansion to re-create a gothic romance along the lines of past efforts of the type in fiction and film. With splendid art direction and costuming as well as fine photography, it succeeds in this venture. The film's title refers to a corridor within Mangin's house with doors behind each mirror, where a different outfit of the past lies waiting for Romney's Mifanwy, tailored exactly to her measurements, transporting her in a sense back to the time Mangin cherishes. Romney also co-wrote the screenplay, and her performance is the equal of Portman's, as a modern woman who enjoys the experience of a relationship with him, before she discovers the truth behind his obsessions. It's an intriguing film with a haunting tone, although it might not quite have the depth of the classic romances it emulates. The film is also notable for the direction of Young, who would become a director of James Bond films, and for featuring the film debut of horror icon Christopher Lee, who only has one line of dialogue in a brief appearance at the beginning of the picture.
Thursday, June 11, 2020
The Living Idol (1957)
Starring Steve Forrest, Liliane Montevecchi, James Robertson Justice, Sara Garcia, Eduardo Noriega
Directed by Albert Lewin
(actor & director credits courtesy IMDB.com)
After an archaeologist in Mexico discovers an idol representing an evil jaguar god, a young native girl becomes terrified by it and is later stricken with a strange illness.
I was pretty disappointed with this film, as it has a number of winning elements, but isn't able to pull them together into a satisfying production. Written and directed by Lewin, who previously helmed the well-received The Picture Of Dorian Gray and Pandora And The Flying Dutchman, the film boasts a good performance from Justice, and wonderful color cinematography by Jack Hildyard, exquisitely capturing the beauty of the Mexican scenery. However, I found Montevecchi inadequate as the central character of Juanita, who is supposed to be somehow possessed by the jaguar god, or dominated by it, but can't seem to reflect that in her performance other than by a general malaise. What's worse is the times in the film when she's supposed to exude happiness, she doesn't even smile or project any kind of emotion. Leading man Steve Forrest doesn't fare much better, unconvincing at being acceptable as her paramour. Whether this is the actors' fault or the director's, I can't say, but it's a crucial failure. The film also seems content to downplay any fantasy or horror themes, other than one effective sequence where Montevecchi is bound and surrounded by circling flaming torches. There are suspenseful moments at the film's climax, where a real living jaguar enters the girl's home, but even these are not executed as well as in other films. I would have preferred to see this production filmed in black and white, with shadow enveloping the characters and the jungle cat for maximum effect, but that was not to be.
Directed by Albert Lewin
(actor & director credits courtesy IMDB.com)
After an archaeologist in Mexico discovers an idol representing an evil jaguar god, a young native girl becomes terrified by it and is later stricken with a strange illness.
I was pretty disappointed with this film, as it has a number of winning elements, but isn't able to pull them together into a satisfying production. Written and directed by Lewin, who previously helmed the well-received The Picture Of Dorian Gray and Pandora And The Flying Dutchman, the film boasts a good performance from Justice, and wonderful color cinematography by Jack Hildyard, exquisitely capturing the beauty of the Mexican scenery. However, I found Montevecchi inadequate as the central character of Juanita, who is supposed to be somehow possessed by the jaguar god, or dominated by it, but can't seem to reflect that in her performance other than by a general malaise. What's worse is the times in the film when she's supposed to exude happiness, she doesn't even smile or project any kind of emotion. Leading man Steve Forrest doesn't fare much better, unconvincing at being acceptable as her paramour. Whether this is the actors' fault or the director's, I can't say, but it's a crucial failure. The film also seems content to downplay any fantasy or horror themes, other than one effective sequence where Montevecchi is bound and surrounded by circling flaming torches. There are suspenseful moments at the film's climax, where a real living jaguar enters the girl's home, but even these are not executed as well as in other films. I would have preferred to see this production filmed in black and white, with shadow enveloping the characters and the jungle cat for maximum effect, but that was not to be.
Tuesday, June 9, 2020
We're Not Dressing (1934)
Starring Bing Crosby, Carole Lombard, George Burns, Gracie Allen, Ethel Merman
Directed by Norman Taurog
(actor & director credits courtesy IMDB.com)
A wealthy heiress is attracted to a singing sailor aboard a ship she owns, but when the ship sinks and they're stranded on an island, he tells her and her entourage they'll have to work along with him.
Famous crooner Bing Crosby headlines this musical from Paramount, and boy is it a musical, with at least 13 songs I counted, and there were at least three performed before I got a semblance of the film's plot. Crosby sings most of them, with Ethel Merman and Leon Errol joining in on a few, while Bing's paired with the lovely but non-singing Carole Lombard. The duo have the typically matched against type romance, with misunderstandings causing cross words between them before we reach the happy ending. The songs are mostly forgettable, but Wikipedia indicates that a few hit the top of the pop charts after the film's release. Merman, who looks great to match her fine singing voice, and Errol also provide most of the comedy in the film, along with radio stars George Burns & Gracie Allen. A lot of the jokes fell flat for me, but there were a few I laughed out loud at, and a routine with Lombard's pet bear racing across the ship deck on roller skates was pretty amusing. Crosby and Lombard have good chemistry together and she plays off him very well during the brief dramatic sequences between musical numbers. Also in the cast is a very young Ray Milland as one of two princes aboard pursing Lombard's hand. I enjoyed the film overall, but thought it could have been tighter and more effective with some better writing and more spaced out tunes.
Directed by Norman Taurog
(actor & director credits courtesy IMDB.com)
A wealthy heiress is attracted to a singing sailor aboard a ship she owns, but when the ship sinks and they're stranded on an island, he tells her and her entourage they'll have to work along with him.
Famous crooner Bing Crosby headlines this musical from Paramount, and boy is it a musical, with at least 13 songs I counted, and there were at least three performed before I got a semblance of the film's plot. Crosby sings most of them, with Ethel Merman and Leon Errol joining in on a few, while Bing's paired with the lovely but non-singing Carole Lombard. The duo have the typically matched against type romance, with misunderstandings causing cross words between them before we reach the happy ending. The songs are mostly forgettable, but Wikipedia indicates that a few hit the top of the pop charts after the film's release. Merman, who looks great to match her fine singing voice, and Errol also provide most of the comedy in the film, along with radio stars George Burns & Gracie Allen. A lot of the jokes fell flat for me, but there were a few I laughed out loud at, and a routine with Lombard's pet bear racing across the ship deck on roller skates was pretty amusing. Crosby and Lombard have good chemistry together and she plays off him very well during the brief dramatic sequences between musical numbers. Also in the cast is a very young Ray Milland as one of two princes aboard pursing Lombard's hand. I enjoyed the film overall, but thought it could have been tighter and more effective with some better writing and more spaced out tunes.
Sunday, June 7, 2020
Dogora (1964)
Starring Yosuke Natsuki, Yoko Fujiyama, Hiroshi Koizumi, Nobuo Nakamura, Robert Dunham
Directed by Ishiro Honda
(actor & director credits courtesy IMDB.com)
While a police detective hunts a gang of diamond thieves, a space creature draws up diamonds and coal from the Earth in large quantities.
Ishiro Honda brings his talents to another kaiju film, but this one is very different, as although the sci-fi content is at the heart of the story, much of the film's focus is on the diamond thieves, the police, and mysterious agent Mark Jackson, and their character interactions. Dogora, whose form changes during the film, and also reproduces itself into many new creatures, is not on screen for very long, and we primarily see the effects of its powers, lifting coal and vehicles and human beings into the air in well-done special effects by Eiji Tsubaraya and his team. However, the most impressive special effect comes when we get to see the fully realized creature with a luminous body and animated tendrils it controls, which is an absolute visual triumph. I enjoyed Yosuke Natsuki's performance as the well-trained detective who still has some failings, and Akiko Wakabayashi, whom my friend Mark Holmes mentioned to me, as the attractive female member of the gang, certainly stands out and is very good in her role. For me, I think this film could have used more of Dogora on screen and suffers a bit for it in comparison to Honda's other monster epics, but the story and characters engaged me nonetheless.
Directed by Ishiro Honda
(actor & director credits courtesy IMDB.com)
While a police detective hunts a gang of diamond thieves, a space creature draws up diamonds and coal from the Earth in large quantities.
Ishiro Honda brings his talents to another kaiju film, but this one is very different, as although the sci-fi content is at the heart of the story, much of the film's focus is on the diamond thieves, the police, and mysterious agent Mark Jackson, and their character interactions. Dogora, whose form changes during the film, and also reproduces itself into many new creatures, is not on screen for very long, and we primarily see the effects of its powers, lifting coal and vehicles and human beings into the air in well-done special effects by Eiji Tsubaraya and his team. However, the most impressive special effect comes when we get to see the fully realized creature with a luminous body and animated tendrils it controls, which is an absolute visual triumph. I enjoyed Yosuke Natsuki's performance as the well-trained detective who still has some failings, and Akiko Wakabayashi, whom my friend Mark Holmes mentioned to me, as the attractive female member of the gang, certainly stands out and is very good in her role. For me, I think this film could have used more of Dogora on screen and suffers a bit for it in comparison to Honda's other monster epics, but the story and characters engaged me nonetheless.
Saturday, June 6, 2020
Kronos (1957)
Starring Jeff Morrow, Barbara Lawrence, John Emery, George O'Hanlon, Morris Ankrum
Directed by Kurt Neumann
(actor & director credits courtesy IMDB.com)
Scientists track an asteroid that plummets into the ocean, but what resurfaces is a gigantic energy-consuming robot that attacks the world's atomic arsenals.
An interesting science fiction film from director Kurt Neumann introduces us to Kronos, a formidable machine that moves via the animation of the ubiquitous 1950's sci-fi effects team of Irving Block, Louis DeWitt, Jack Rabin, Gene Warren, and others. Within the story, the alien intelligence that guided Kronos to Earth also takes control of human Hubbell Eliot, played by John Emery, who gives a fine performance as the man haunted by the evil controlling force within him. Jeff Morrow, Barbara Lawrence, and George O'Hanlon play the scientists working for him who track Kronos' moments and try to devise a plan to stop him. O'Hanlon in particular is a treat- he would later go on to voice George Jetson on The Jetsons, and he sounds just like he does in that popular cartoon. The film's weak points are the great volume of stock footage it uses within its story, and a resolution for Kronos' defeat that seems too easily arrived at. However, fans of Morrow should enjoy his performance, and I also enjoyed Emery and Ankrum, reunited after their appearance in Neumann's Rocketship X-M. Paul Sawtell and Bert Shefter's music score is a fine one, and the picture itself is another enjoyable 1950's sci-fi romp.
Directed by Kurt Neumann
(actor & director credits courtesy IMDB.com)
Scientists track an asteroid that plummets into the ocean, but what resurfaces is a gigantic energy-consuming robot that attacks the world's atomic arsenals.
An interesting science fiction film from director Kurt Neumann introduces us to Kronos, a formidable machine that moves via the animation of the ubiquitous 1950's sci-fi effects team of Irving Block, Louis DeWitt, Jack Rabin, Gene Warren, and others. Within the story, the alien intelligence that guided Kronos to Earth also takes control of human Hubbell Eliot, played by John Emery, who gives a fine performance as the man haunted by the evil controlling force within him. Jeff Morrow, Barbara Lawrence, and George O'Hanlon play the scientists working for him who track Kronos' moments and try to devise a plan to stop him. O'Hanlon in particular is a treat- he would later go on to voice George Jetson on The Jetsons, and he sounds just like he does in that popular cartoon. The film's weak points are the great volume of stock footage it uses within its story, and a resolution for Kronos' defeat that seems too easily arrived at. However, fans of Morrow should enjoy his performance, and I also enjoyed Emery and Ankrum, reunited after their appearance in Neumann's Rocketship X-M. Paul Sawtell and Bert Shefter's music score is a fine one, and the picture itself is another enjoyable 1950's sci-fi romp.
Thursday, June 4, 2020
El Monstruo Resucitado (1953)
Starring Miroslava, Carlos Navarro, Jose Maria Linares-Rivas, Fernando Wagner, Alberto Mariscal
Directed by Chano Urueta
(actor & director credits courtesy IMDB.com)
A brilliant plastic surgeon, tormented by the scorn of others due to his disfigured face, is on the verge of a violent revenge, but a lady reporter hopes to steer him from that dark path.
This early Mexican horror film borrows elements from past pictures, but really has a tale to tell all it's own, primarily showcasing Linares-Rivas as the mad doctor Herrmann Ling, and not the creatures he's experimented on. The actor who appears to us with his face covered in the early going has an impressive makeup that is definitely shocking in the film's reveal, and has lengthy bits of dialogue in a refined but haunted voice that go into painting the story of his psychosis that are well scripted. Miroslava is the catalyst for the story, and plays her part well as a bored reporter urged by her editor to look into Ling's interestingly worded personal ad for female companionship. Urueta and his crew provide worthy dark atmosphere for the tale, from the oddly placed wax figures in the doctor's home, to Victor Herrera's shadowy photography, and Raul Lavista's misterioso music score. I found it to be a very worthwhile film, one that is credited by authors I've read with setting the standard for the Mexican horror movies to follow. The film can be found under many different titles- El Monstruo Resucitado, or The Resurrected Monster, was its original but it's also been called The Monstrous Dr. Crimen, and also simply just Monster, which was the title I found it under.
Directed by Chano Urueta
(actor & director credits courtesy IMDB.com)
A brilliant plastic surgeon, tormented by the scorn of others due to his disfigured face, is on the verge of a violent revenge, but a lady reporter hopes to steer him from that dark path.
This early Mexican horror film borrows elements from past pictures, but really has a tale to tell all it's own, primarily showcasing Linares-Rivas as the mad doctor Herrmann Ling, and not the creatures he's experimented on. The actor who appears to us with his face covered in the early going has an impressive makeup that is definitely shocking in the film's reveal, and has lengthy bits of dialogue in a refined but haunted voice that go into painting the story of his psychosis that are well scripted. Miroslava is the catalyst for the story, and plays her part well as a bored reporter urged by her editor to look into Ling's interestingly worded personal ad for female companionship. Urueta and his crew provide worthy dark atmosphere for the tale, from the oddly placed wax figures in the doctor's home, to Victor Herrera's shadowy photography, and Raul Lavista's misterioso music score. I found it to be a very worthwhile film, one that is credited by authors I've read with setting the standard for the Mexican horror movies to follow. The film can be found under many different titles- El Monstruo Resucitado, or The Resurrected Monster, was its original but it's also been called The Monstrous Dr. Crimen, and also simply just Monster, which was the title I found it under.
Tuesday, June 2, 2020
Man Of The World (1931)
Starring William Powell, Carole Lombard, Wynne Gibson, Lawrence Gray, Guy Kibbee
Directed by Richard Wallace
(actor & director credits courtesy IMDB.com)
An American con man in Paris, who extorts money from tourists to keep their names out of the scandal sheet he publishes, reconsiders his life when he falls for a beautiful young woman.
This romantic drama starring Powell and Lombard was released the year they were married, per Wikipedia, and although their union was a short one, the two have nice chemistry on screen. A sequence in which Powell's character, Michael Trevor, indirectly confesses his love for Lombard's, Mary Kendall, to her by describing it as a novel he's working on is charming and heartfelt. Powell rolls his lines off his tongue with a glibness and confidence that shows why he was such a bankable star, and Lombard shows off her vivacious appeal well. Although the two never have a romantic clinch, their dialogue and rapport with each other is what sells the film, and Trevor's fear of his criminal past spoiling their future together makes the film a very bittersweet tale with an ending you wouldn't expect out of classic Hollywood. It's a quality film that definitely held my interest.
Directed by Richard Wallace
(actor & director credits courtesy IMDB.com)
An American con man in Paris, who extorts money from tourists to keep their names out of the scandal sheet he publishes, reconsiders his life when he falls for a beautiful young woman.
This romantic drama starring Powell and Lombard was released the year they were married, per Wikipedia, and although their union was a short one, the two have nice chemistry on screen. A sequence in which Powell's character, Michael Trevor, indirectly confesses his love for Lombard's, Mary Kendall, to her by describing it as a novel he's working on is charming and heartfelt. Powell rolls his lines off his tongue with a glibness and confidence that shows why he was such a bankable star, and Lombard shows off her vivacious appeal well. Although the two never have a romantic clinch, their dialogue and rapport with each other is what sells the film, and Trevor's fear of his criminal past spoiling their future together makes the film a very bittersweet tale with an ending you wouldn't expect out of classic Hollywood. It's a quality film that definitely held my interest.