Rita Hayworth and John Wayne |
Wayne with John Smith |
Claudia Cardinale with Wayne |
Rita Hayworth and John Wayne |
Wayne with John Smith |
Claudia Cardinale with Wayne |
Angel Aranda and Barry Sullivan |
Two spaceships, the Argos and the Galleon, led respectively by Mark (Barry Sullivan of Pyro) and his brother, Toby (Alberto Cevenini), respond to a distress signal from an isolated planet. When the Argos lands, the crew members inexplicably begin attacking each other, and the crew of the Galleon, which already landed, are eventually found dead. Regaining control of their minds, Mark, crewmembers Wes (Angel Aranda), Sonya (Norma Bengell), Tiona ((Evi Marandi), and others, are baffled and terrified when some of the dead appear to them, seemingly alive. Something on this planet is a decided enemy of theirs ...
Trapped with the giant alien skeleton |
the crew of the Argos |
Angel Aranda |
Verdict: Very interesting sixties science fiction. ***.
Roy Rogers |
Roy Rogers (Roy Rogers) has been traveling far from home in Cheyenne, Wyoming when he returns after ten years to renew old acquaintances with the likes of surrogate father Gabby Whittaker (Gabby Hayes). his daughter Sally (Sally Payne), and old crush Judy Evans (Gale Storm). He learns that some mysterious rustlers have been causing problems, and he is asked by a Cattlemen's Association to investigate as he won't be seen as a suspicious stranger. Meanwhile Roy meets up with fellow rancher Marian Hardy (Lynne Carver of Everybody Sing), who is keeping secrets, and Gabby's foreman Bob (Bob Nolan), who seems to have a hankering for Judy.
Polite dislike: Gale Storm; Lynne Carver |
Verdict: Okay time-passer with good-looking' Roy. **1/4.
Father Fermoyle (Tom Tryon) faces the KKK |
At his birth it was decided that Stephen Fermoyle (Tom Tryon of The Unholy Wife) would become a priest, and he never questioned it. Seen as being too ambitious by Bishop Glennon (John Huston), Fermoyle is sent to one of the poorest parishes in the nation, where he works with the dying Father Halley (Burgess Meredith). Not certain that he wants -- or ever wanted -- to be a priest, he takes a leave of absence and falls in love with the Austrian woman Annemarie (Romy Schneider) and vice versa, but his faith is reignited and he remains in the priesthood. As he advances at the Vatican due to the patronage of Cardinal Quarenghi (Raf Vallone), he jeopardizes his career by helping a black priest, Father Gillis (Ossie Davis), in Georgia and comes afoul of whip-wielding members of the Ku Klux Klan. Later he goes to Vienna to consult with Cardinal Innitzer (Joseph Meinrad), who has capitulated to the Nazis but is betrayed by them. He manages to escape an attack on Innitzer's quarters and with most of his family present is made a cardinal.
Raf Vallone with Tom Tryon |
Joseph Meinrad with Tryon |
Brothers: Tom Tryon with Bill Hayes |
Whatever its flaws, The Cardinal boasts a beautiful, expressive score by Jerome Moross [The Big Country] and superb cinematography courtesy of Leon Shamroy [The Robe] .
Verdict: I am not remotely Catholic but I enjoyed this movie -- the religiosity never quite becomes overbearing, it is great to look at, and much more interesting than you might imagine, with a great cast. ***.
Diana Dors and Victor Mature |
Patrick Allen with Mature |
Verdict: Absorbing, well-acted British crime thriller. ***.
Giancarlo Giannini in his screen debut |
As a young boy, Christian came across a mirrored room where his father brutalized and murdered women. Now an adult, Christian (Giancarlo Giannini of Black Belly of the Tarantula) returns to his father's beautiful mansion after the man's death with his wife, Helene (Dominique Boschero), estate trustee Paul (Luciano Pigozzi), and Paul's dizzy blond wife, Brigitte (Mara Maryl). Christian has three months before he will come into complete control of his father's assets, but for now Paul is in charge. Christian is terribly afraid that he has inherited his father's malevolent tendencies, or that one or more of the others are conspiring against him. He also is afraid that his father may still be alive ...
Dominique Boschero and Mara Maryl |
Verdict: Any movie that begins with a quote from Sigmund Freud can't be all bad -- or that good! **1/4.
Sharon Farrell and James Garner |
Garner with Hunnicutt |
Paging Rockford |
Kim Novak and Jack Lemmon |
Jack Lemmon and Fred Astaire |
Desi Arnaz, James Mason, Lucille Ball |
Lorenzo or Larry Vega (Desi Arnaz), a chemist working on a new bug killer, is married to Susan (Lucille Ball), who is much influenced by her snobbish cousin, Millie (Natalie Schafer of Female on the Beach), whom Larry can't stand. Larry also feels that he and his wife are drifting apart after several years of marriage. He is hoping to rekindle things by taking her with him on a work-related trip, an idea that doesn't sit well with Susan. Then who should appear in her bedroom one night but James Mason (James Mason), who is actually Susan's guardian angel wearing the face of someone she admires. "James" gives Susan some sage advice, and convinces her to go off on a short trip with Larry so he can test his new insecticide, but things may not go exactly as planned ...
Arnaz and Lucy |
Forever Darling, alas, is not as good as the other film the Desi-Lucy combo did, the very funny The Long, Long Trailer, but it has its moments. What starts out almost as a somewhat sophisticated drawing room comedy turns into an episode of I Love Lucy as the couple have misadventures while camping, with their plastic boat springing a leak and so forth. It was probably decided that that was what the couple's fans wanted, but it makes the flick a bit lopsided. Nothing much really happens with the whole "guardian angel" idea, making the movie -- but for the delightful performances and a few laughs -- almost seem pointless. Still, it's Lucy! The theme song by composer Bronislau Kaper is pleasant, sung by the Ames brothers over the credits and by Desi late in the picture. He also sang the tune on an episode of Lucy. Marilyn Maxwell appears in a move-within-a-movie sequence with Mason.
Verdict: Has a certain degree of charm and amusing performances, but the script -- an old one dusted off for Lucy and Desi -- could have used some work. **3/4.
Bank teller and medical student Monte Hale (Monte Hale) is in the bank when it's robbed, and becomes the chief suspect not only in the robbery but the murder of the bank president. One of the real perpetrators is Jeff Collins (John Alvin of This Side of the Law), who happens to be the brother of Monte's fiancee Julia Collins (Lorna Gray of Daughter of Don Q). In a foolish attempt to protect the woman he loves from the truth, Monte runs off and then encounters a group in a runaway wagon, whom he rescues. These men turn out to be members of the Riders of the Purple Sage singing group (actually the Foy Willing band), who sign him up without even hearing him sing. Hotel and saloon owner Lucky (Paul Hurst) hires the band, and proves generally helpful to Monte and Julia after she is shot during a stage coach robbery perpetrated by the Marlowe gang. After cutting a bullet out of Julia, Monte is forced to do the same thing for Marlowe (William Haade), the head of the gang, who takes a liking to him. For his part, Monte manages to convince Marlowe that he's really on his side. But will Monte be able to pull off this deception? And what will happen when Julia learns the truth about her miserable polecat of a brother?
Monte Hale |
Verdict: Well-turned-out western musical fare with an appealingly gauche Hale in the lead. **3/4.
"I'm SHY:" Carol Burnet as Winifred the Woebegone |
Recently I saw a revival of the old Broadway hit Once Upon a Mattress --which made Carol Burnett (of Eunice) a major star -- at City Center in Manhattan with Sutton Foster in the lead. I remember seeing the TV adaptation of the show when I was a kid and decided to look for it on youtube -- and there it was (along with a 1973 color version also starring Burnett). Now I have to say Sutton Who? Burnett with her comic genius owns this role -- Princess Winifred the Woebegone -- no matter who else plays it in the future. She is marvelous and very funny.
Joseph Bova with Burnett |
Jack Gilford and Elliott Gould |
Verdict: All in all this is delightful with a simply wonderful Burnett. ***1/4.
Carol Burnett sings "Shy" |
Jane White and Ken Berry |
Patricia Owens and Jeffrey Hunter |
NO DOWN PAYMENT (1957). Director: Martin Ritt. Colorized.
David and Jean Martin (Jeffrey Hunter of Brainstorm and Patricia Owens of The Fly) move into a lovely post-war housing community called Sunrise Hill. Their neighbors include Jerry and Isabelle Flagg (Tony Randall and Sheree North); Troy and Leola Boone (Cameron Mitchell of Garden of Evil and Joanne Woodward); and Herman and Betty Kreitzer (Pat Hingle and Barbara Rush). The last couple seem to have the most stable and successful lives and marriage. Jerry cheats on Isabelle and puts on a bluff as a supposedly successful car salesman. Troy hopes to become the chief of police but is brutal to his wife when he is upset. Both men drink too much. When Troy doesn't get the job he wants, he takes out his anger in horrible fashion on poor Jean Martin, who fears what her husband's retaliation might be ...
No Down Payment is an absorbing drama which looks at a variety of situations and marriages and does so with a degree of sensitivity and intelligence -- as well as some fine acting. Although she's playing in her over-familiar "poor dumb Southern waif" mode, Woodward gives one of the best performances, along with the always-underrated Mitchell. Tony Randall is a bit miscast as the sleazy lover boy and doesn't quite pull it off. Sheree North successfully subdues the "sex kitten" aspect of her persona. Robert H. Harris is given a couple of good scenes as Randall's boss. There's a very interesting sub-plot with Kreitzer's store employee, the Japanese-American Iko (Aki Aleong), hoping his boss will help him get a house in Sunrise Hill. At the time he appeared in this film, Hunter had been divorced from co-star Barbara Rush for two years. Cameron Mitchell and Joanne Woodward
Verdict: Notable fifties drama with a fine cast. ***.
George Nader |
George Nader and Frank DeKova |
Dick Haymes and Maureen O'Hara |
Katherine Hilliard (Maureen O'Hara) is a rather plain college professor, dean of the School of Music, who loves classical music and is engaged to fellow professor Ralph Wainwright (Richard Gaines). Traveling to New York by train she is insulted by a trumpeter, Barry Clayton (Harry James), after she tells him she doesn't care for his music. Stung by his criticism and glamorizing herself, Katherine is soon getting wolf whistles from Barry, singer Jimmy Hale (Dick Haymes), and others. But true love never runs smoothly, so it may be a while before "Kitty," as she is called, and Jimmy can get together.
Harry James with O'Hara |
Verdict: Amiable if minor Technicolor musical with some nice tunes. **1/2.
Alexander Davion and Barbara Shelley |
Triangle: Shelley, Davion, Sylvester |
Tommy Cruise |
Esai Morales and Hayley Atwell |
Judy Garland and James Mason |
The Man That Got Away |
Born in a Trunk |
Norman Maine overhears that he's washed up forever |
Garland with Charles Bickford |
Get That Long Face Lost |
Norman accidentally smacks Esther at the Oscar ceremony |