Reviews

From Universal pictures came this exciting,rousing action-packed western serial featuring a really likable and easy-going Lon Chaney Jr. as the tough hero.

Chaney plays a western lawman who is commissioned by military officials to discover the reasons behind the delay of frontier mails,the destruction of pony-express equipment, and the killings of express riders and stage-men. With his two pals,amiably portrayed by Noah Beery Jr. and Don Terry,Chaney heads to the frontier express company and quickly finds out outlaws disguised as Indian braves are the cause of the trouble. The mystery (made apparent to viewers) is to find out who is behind the destruction and why.

Action fans will not be disappointed as the story unfolds through 15 cliff-hanging chapters with plenty of gun play,fistfights,stampedes,prairie fires,double-dealing,betrayal and everything else one could want in a western serial.

Both Chaney and Beery Jr. seem like natural horsemen and seem very comfortable with their roles. And Noah Beery Sr. has a wonderful role opposite his son. Viewers will also enjoy substantial roles played by longtime veterans Charles Stevens (as the wiley Puma)and veteran heavy Harry Cording.

True,historical officianadoes may balk at the prescence of the pony express still in operation at a later date but, it doesn't detract from the overall enjoyment of the film.

Directors Ford Beebe and John Rawlins film some of their best work here and the musical title themes are worth remembering.

Directed by veteran film-maker Crane Wilbur this rousing prison story is based on actual events that occurred at the Canon City penitentiary in Colorado in 1947.Newcomer Scott Brady is excellent as a convict who,caught up in events, must join in with eleven other escapees.As the fast-paced film-noir unfolds,each event is chronicled by that wonderful narrator Reed Hadley in semi-documentary fashion.A fine cast of character actors round out the cast; Jeff Corey as the ruthless convict leader,Stanley Clements,Robert Bice,and ( against type) Whit Bissell as a nervous killer.Actress Mabel Paige is particularly good as a very brave housewife.This film is another great example of Eagle-Lion pictures during that corporation's short run.

In another of John Barrymore's bizarre characterizations the great actor portrays a club-footed itinerant puppeteer who rescues an abused boy from vile existence,recognizes the lad's incredible of agility and footwork and begins to train the youngster to be a "new" Nijinsky.Years go by,the boy reaches manhood,and Barrymore the impresario of a successful ballet company.But when the ballet dancer begins to have ideas of his own,falls in love with pretty Marian Marsh,Barrymore,consumed with madness and jealousy attempts to manipulate their lives leading to shocking results. This extraordinary film oscillates between intriguing drama and moments of near horror with Barrymore in masterly control of his human puppets. Boris Karloff is the boy's monstrous father and Luis Alberni stands out as the drug-addicted ballet director.Magnificent direction by Michael Curtiz

Occasionally Allied Artists was able to produce a first rate serious film unrelated to their usual formularized output.'The Gangster' is an unconventional crime picture that concentrates on the latter end of a racketeer's career,the effects rather than the causes of his persona,his neighborhood of operations,and the people who have been corrupted by his contact. As the protagonist Barry Sullivan essays a suitably morose,hardened individual driven by desperation to hold onto his rapidly crumbling kingdom.Desperate too are the pathetic bystanders who will be effected if this petty prince of rackets should fall to the machinations of a rival mob.Belita is a fashion socialite whom Sullivan uses but cannot love.Akim Tamiroff is terrific as the owner of a seemingly innocuous ice-cream parlor where Sullivan's influence has set in motion the tragic events that follow.Also well-cast are Joan Lorring as an adoring counter girl,John Ireland as a hooked gambler,Harry Morgan as an amusing soda-jerk,and every film buff's "favorite" New York thug,Sheldon Leonard as the leader of the new mob organization.

After several spectacular jewel thefts an international group of insurance underwriters plan to trap the culprits by following the buyer of the Karenina diamonds.Enter man of mystery,jewel dealer Ricardo Cortez who makes the purchase,leaves Paris on the Orient Express,and is followed by numerous people hoping to get their hands on the gems.The viewer must figure out just who is an actual thief/murderer or those who are on the side of the law in this delightfully fast-paced thriller.A trainload of wonderful Warner Brothers contract players(Mary Astor,Robert H.Barrat,John Wray,Irving Pichel,Dudley Digges,Ferdinand Gottschalk,etc.) and the always terrific direction of Robert Florey keep the suspense right on track.

The writing team of Casey Robinson and Seymour Bennett adapted Ernest Hemingway's "the Short Happy Life of Francis Macomber" into a solid screenplay which enlarged upon the subtle themes of the original. A wealthy couple(Robert Preston,Joan Bennett) arrive in East Africa ostensibly for a safari vacation but it soon becomes apparent that they are ill-matched and resentful of each other's failings.Their safari guide,Gregory Peck,attempting to conduct things professionally,becomes an unwilling spectator to their petty arguments and vicious insults.But as the party trek through the jungle in search of game the true personalities of the warring couple emerge playing havoc with Peck's sympathies and his growing interest in beautiful Bennett.An ironic twist of events await these adventurers as they pursue game more dangerous than they bargained for. An enriching score by Miklos Rozsa,the superb direction by Hungarian director Zoltan Korda,and fine performances by the 3 principals(especially Preston's paranoid tycoon) all serve the viewer with a gripping drama.

One of the very best of the early Charlie Chan films,'The Black Camel' features Warner Oland in his second outing as the Honolulu detective.With actual filming on Hawaiian locations(one of the few that did)the oriental sleuth tries to solve the murder of an unpleasant and very unpopular young actress,sifting through the usual baffling clues,and investigating one of the finest casts of suspects ever assembled for the series:Murray Kinnell,Victor Varconi,Robert Young,Richard Tucker and(fresh from their triumph in 'Dracula')Dwight Frye and Bela Lugosi!Viewers will also enjoy a look at Charlie's domestic life and huge family.In these earlier Chan films much of the basic plotlines followed the stories of Earl Derr Biggers' novels.

In his efforts to find interesting roles to play during his contract days at Warner Brothers Pictures Douglas Fairbanks Jr. chose the part of Fred Blake, the troubled repentant hero of W.Somerset Maugham's novel 'The Narrow Corner'. As adapted by Robert Presnell and directed by Alfred E.Green, the story has young Doug,a former playboy pressured by his wealthy father to escape a manslaughter charge in Australia until the heat is off.The young man is spirited away aboard a disreputable schooner captained by an even less reputable skipper who has been paid to keep him distant from the law and further involvement with troublesome females.But,as fate would have it,after surviving a typhoon,the little ship puts in for repairs at an island paradise peopled by Danish settlers. Through the kindness of the inhabitants and particularly by the innocence of lovely Patricia Ellis and the comraderie of Ralph Bellamy,Fairbanks Jr. begins to mature as a responsible adult.However, tragedy lurks just around the corner.

The essential philosophy and moral of novelist Maugham is retained throughout this wonderful film.In great supporting roles are Arthur Hohl as the coarse,vulgar skipper,Reginald Owen as the girl's eccentric father, and Dudley Digges as the world-weary,opium-addicted physician.The film was remade with plot differences a few years later as 'Isle of Fury' with Humphrey Bogart!

This often-overlooked adventure comedy is really quite fun.The plot,which was evidently written by the star under a different name,has Douglas Fairbanks,on a yachting trip to the south seas with wealthy friends suddenly challenged on a wager to spend a year on a tropical island with nothing to aid him but a hunting knife.That is the plot.Simple and yet enough to launch Fairbanks on a "Robinson Crusoe-like" adventure as he cleverly and in acrobatic fashion hews out a comfortable existence for himself.Does he find a loyal companion?Yes and it is native girl Maria Alba whom he names Saturday.As their romance develops there are typical dangers to be faced; storms,hostile natives etc.Ably directed by longtime silent veteran Edward Sutherland this picture is a delight for Fairbanks fans and adventure buffs.

Combining the elements of a great screwball comedy with a murder mystery,Paramount again cast the great team of Carole Lombard and Fred MacMurray.Carole a down-on-her-luck publicity hungry actress enlists the aid of wise-cracking hefty Alison Skipworth and together they sail aboard a luxury liner en route to America.Lombard pretending to a Swedish princess befriends Fred MacMurray and pal William Frawley and all four form an uneasy alliance.Matters become complicated when Carole is suspected of murdering a blackmailer who knew her in Brooklyn.A pack of zany international detectives attempt to solve the crime in their bumbling fashion while MacMurray tries to find the murderer before he strikes again. This fine little comedy is ably directed William K. Howard with a wonderful supporting cast led by George Barbier(ship captain) suspects Porter Hall,Douglas Dumbrille,and egocentric detectives Sig Rumann,Mischa Auer,and Tetsu Komai.Surefire fun.

Joining the other major studios during the early thirties in producing hardhitting gangster melodramas, Fox rushed their newest contract star into his second film. In Quick Millions Spencer Tracy plays a truckdriver who is just a bit more clever than his comrades and desires the easy life.In short order he sets about organizing the other city truckers and eventually eases out the racketeers until he, himself, becomes the labor boss to be reckoned with. Along the way to success Tracy's character begins to undergo changes and his desires ever grander.Sally Eilers, his faithful girl is shunted aside for the favors of society beauty Marguerite Churchill; fellow racketeers and pals begin to suspect his ability to lead and of course numerous enemies are plotting his downfall.

The action of the film does not rely so much upon shocking rub-outs (the way Little Caesar and Scarface had the same year) but the gradual degeneration of Tracy's morality and relationships. The picture was successful enough to quickly establish Tracy as a strong screen presence and won plaudits for first-time director Rowland Brown. Warner Richmond is great as Tracy's nemesis as are George Raft and Bob Burns(not so lovable in this one). Watch for Ward Bond and Edgar Kennedy.

See this wonderful gem when you can but, remember like so many early Fox films before 1935, it's tough to find.

A great who-done-it mystery film told with the true spirit of author Rex Stout's genius detective Nero Wolfe.Perfect in size,girth,and bellicosity Edward Arnold portrays the heavyset armchair private investigator as fans of the novels would expect.His man of all tasks,Archie Goodwin(played here for laughs),is portrayed by gravel-voiced character favorite Lionel Stander. Adapted from the first Nero Wolfe novel'Fer De Lance',the mystery in the film begins with a strange death at a golf course which was actually murder.It is a very young Rita Hayworth who hires Nero Wolfe to solve the crime before the police prosecute a loved-one for the murder.The story moves quickly with marvelous red-herrings,interesting clues,murder attempts,and plenty of suspects to choose from(Victor Jory,Walter Kingsford,Frank Conroy). All of the elements from the novels are included :the brownstone mansion,the huge library and red-leather chair,the orchid room upstairs,the endless beer supply,and Wolfe's personal chef played by John Qualen.Columbia pictures had a winner here and there were hopes of a series but,because of Edward Arnold's commitments elsewhere he bowed out after this entry.There was one more Nero Wolfe film following the success of this one.It was 'The League of Frightened Men'(1937),and starred Walter Connolly as Wolfe and Stander returning as Archie Goodwin.