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.
Showing posts with label John Abbott. Show all posts
Showing posts with label John Abbott. Show all posts
Sunday, June 21, 2020
Sunday, May 20, 2018
The Vampire's Ghost (1945)
Starring John Abbott, Charles Gordon, Peggy Stewart, Grant Withers, Emmett Vogan
Directed by Lesley Selander
(actor & director credits courtesy IMDB.com)
Mysterious murders in Africa lead a plantation foreman to recruit the aid of a saloon owner in touch with the underground, failing to realize he's a vampire and responsible for all the murders.
One of a handful of horror films put out by Republic Pictures in the 1940s, and arguably the best of them, the film has atmosphere and style, as well as a charismatic star in John Abbott. Abbott, who brought a cultured voice and a memorable countenance to many film roles, is ideally cast as vampire Webb Fallon, who is given some elegant dialogue, and his often heavy-lidded eyes convey both the weariness of his 400 year existence as well as an unsettling stare when hypnotizing his victims. Vampire lore isn't strictly adhered to in the screenplay, with Fallon doing just fine in sunlight if wearing sunglasses, and although he's not visible in mirrors, his clothes are. The cinematography by Robert Pittack and Bud Thackery makes good use of shadow for heightening the vampire's menace, while keeping Fallon's attacks off screen until his climactic assault on leading lady Stewart. All together, it's a worthy horror picture with an unusual jungle setting, and a lead performance to remember.
Directed by Lesley Selander
(actor & director credits courtesy IMDB.com)
Mysterious murders in Africa lead a plantation foreman to recruit the aid of a saloon owner in touch with the underground, failing to realize he's a vampire and responsible for all the murders.
One of a handful of horror films put out by Republic Pictures in the 1940s, and arguably the best of them, the film has atmosphere and style, as well as a charismatic star in John Abbott. Abbott, who brought a cultured voice and a memorable countenance to many film roles, is ideally cast as vampire Webb Fallon, who is given some elegant dialogue, and his often heavy-lidded eyes convey both the weariness of his 400 year existence as well as an unsettling stare when hypnotizing his victims. Vampire lore isn't strictly adhered to in the screenplay, with Fallon doing just fine in sunlight if wearing sunglasses, and although he's not visible in mirrors, his clothes are. The cinematography by Robert Pittack and Bud Thackery makes good use of shadow for heightening the vampire's menace, while keeping Fallon's attacks off screen until his climactic assault on leading lady Stewart. All together, it's a worthy horror picture with an unusual jungle setting, and a lead performance to remember.
Wednesday, May 11, 2016
The Notorious Lone Wolf (1946)
Starring Gerald Mohr, Janis Carter, Eric Blore, John Abbott, William Davidson
Directed by D. Ross Lederman
(actor & director credits courtesy IMDB.com)
Former jewel thief Michael Lanyard, aka The Lone Wolf, falls under suspicion again when a valuable jewel is stolen from Indian royalty, but has a scheme to find the real culprit.
Per Wikipedia, this was the first Lone Wolf film from Columbia Pictures after a three year absence, and the first to star Mohr, replacing Warren William after a long run on the series, although Blore returns as Lanyard's faithful butler. Although the setup for the mystery is fairly clever, its execution relies on several coincidences and and not all the plot ends are convincingly wrapped up, but it still makes for an amusing romp. Blore, a cinema treasure in his own right, plays very well off of Mohr, and Mohr's smooth delivery makes him a nice fit in William's former shoes.
Directed by D. Ross Lederman
(actor & director credits courtesy IMDB.com)
Former jewel thief Michael Lanyard, aka The Lone Wolf, falls under suspicion again when a valuable jewel is stolen from Indian royalty, but has a scheme to find the real culprit.
Per Wikipedia, this was the first Lone Wolf film from Columbia Pictures after a three year absence, and the first to star Mohr, replacing Warren William after a long run on the series, although Blore returns as Lanyard's faithful butler. Although the setup for the mystery is fairly clever, its execution relies on several coincidences and and not all the plot ends are convincingly wrapped up, but it still makes for an amusing romp. Blore, a cinema treasure in his own right, plays very well off of Mohr, and Mohr's smooth delivery makes him a nice fit in William's former shoes.
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