THE NEW INTERNS

Dean Jones and Stefanie Powers

THE NEW INTERNS (1964).  Director: John Rich. Colorized. 

This sequel to The Interns has Alec (Michael Callan of Mysterious Island) returning to New North Hospital to complete his internship. Phil (George Furth) tries to hide his wife, Madeline (Ellie Wood Walker), in the dorm, which is presided over by the no-nonsense Mrs. Hitchcock (Lee Patrick). The marriage of Dr. Worship (Dean Jones) hits a snag when his wife, Gloria (Stefanie Powers), learns that he can't have children. Nurse Laura (Barbara Eden) fears that Alec will never be able to settle down, and Dr. Parelli (George Segal) gets involved with a social worker, Nancy (Inger Stevens), whose life turns into a tragedy after she is gang-raped. Meanwhile Dr. Riccio (Telly Savalas) becomes the new administrator and wants to batten down the fiscal hatches. 

George Segal and Inger Stevens

The New Interns is a fast-paced, slick, well-acted comedy-drama that puts the emphasis much more on romance than it does on medicine, although babies are born, worried people die, and there are the very occasional discussions on medical business and hospital policies. George Segal is "introduced" in this film although he had already appeared in The Young Doctors and other films and TV shows. Others in the cast include Greg Morris (Mission: Impossible), Alan Reed Jr., Dawn Wells, Michael Fox, and James Mathers, the brother of Jerry ("the Beaver") Mathers, as young Freddie. Michael Vandever is quite vivid as the miserable rapist, "Beep." The sub-plot with Jones and Powers is resolved in a nicely sentimental and touching fashion. 

Verdict: Enjoyable "doctor" picture. ***.  

THE BRASS BOTTLE

The genie goes flying!

THE BRASS BOTTLE (1964). Director: Harry Keller.

Harold Ventimore (Tony Randall of No Down Payment) is an architect hoping to get some choice assignments from his boss, Mr. Beever (Philip Ober). He is engaged to Sylvia (Barbara Eden of The Yellow Canary), whose father Anthony (Edward Andrews) heartily disapproves of him, thinking he's a complete kook. This opinion is not revised when Harold acquires a large bottle that turns out to hold an ancient genie, Fakrash (Burl Ives), who in gratitude for being freed after thousands of years wants to do anything and everything he can for Harold. Unfortunately, Fakrash' notions are quite a bit dated and even dangerous ... Eventually Harold tries to convince everyone that Frakrash is exactly who he says it is, but it may be more difficult than he imagines. 

Burl Ives with Kamala Devi

The Brass Bottle is an absolutely delightful comedy fantasy with a wonderful performance from Burl Ives as the genie. Perhaps hoping to ground the story a bit more Randell underplays and probably isn't as amusing as he could have been, but this approach works fine. Eden is lovely, as is Kamala Devi, who plays a rather independent female genie named Tezra. Andrews, Ober, and Ann Doran as Eden's mother are all swell, as are Parley Baer as a potential client for Harold, and Richard Erdman and Kathie Browne as a couple who are Harold's unconventional buddies. At one point Fakrash reduces some authorities to tiny stature and has them desperately clinging to a pencil in a pitcher of water! Not much later Eden played a genie herself in I Dream of Jeannie. Harry Keller also directed several melodramas starring George Nader such as The Female Animal. 

Verdict: Charming, with a very satisfying conclusion! ***1/2. 

CIRCUS WORLD

Rita Hayworth and John Wayne

CIRCUS WORLD (1964). Director: Henry Hathaway. 

Matt Masters (John Wayne) decides to pack up his tents and take his circus on a European tour. His associate and buddy Cap (Lloyd Nolan) suspects that Matt's real reason for going is to find Lily (Rita Hayworth), who ran off fourteen years ago and hasn't been seen since. Lily left behind a daughter, Toni (Claudia Cardinale), who was taken in by Matt, who has become her surrogate father. Matt is a bit disturbed by Toni's feelings for Steve (John Smith), who hopes to become Matt's partner and Toni's husband. But just as the troupe arrives in Paris, there's a disaster when their ship capsizes. 

Wayne with John Smith

Circus World may not be a great movie, but it's quite colorful and entertaining. Hayworth and Wayne, two very different kinds of actors, actually play quite well together, with Hayworth being handled the more difficult role and running with it. Cardinale of the whiskey voice also acquits herself nicely, although one could argue that she's more decorative than anything else. John Smith makes a decidedly positive impression as Steve, but he did much more work on television shows such as Laramie. Lloyd Nolan arguably comes off the best in his peppery and engaging performance as Cap. Richard Conte is also good in an underwritten role as Hayworth's former brother-in-law, a clown. Miles Malleson and Katherine Kath are also notable in smaller roles.

Claudia Cardinale with Wayne

Despite some terrific circus and animal acts involving horses, highwire acts, lions and tigers, the most outstanding sequence is when the boat capsizes at the dock in France. This scene is remarkably well-handled and wakes up anyone who might have been sleeping beforehand. An elaborate sequence when a tent catches fire is also notable, if not quite as impressive. Dimtri Tiomkin's theme song is pretty awful. Other major circus movies include Trapeze, Jumbo, The Big Circus, Carnival Story, and The Greatest Show on Earth, not to mention numerous films of varying genres that use the circus as a backdrop. 

Verdict: Even when Hayworth is down and out and deglamorized she is still beautiful. ***. 

ONCE UPON A MATTRESS (1964)

"I'm SHY:" Carol Burnet as Winifred the Woebegone

ONCE UPON A MATTRESS (1964 television presentation from the Broadway show.)  Directed by Joe Layton and Dave Geisel. Music by Mary Rodgers. Lyrics by Marshall Barer. 

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

Burnett is backed up by a very talented cast. As the queen, Jane White is bitchy perfection. (White was actually African-American, the daughter of the founder of the NAACP, and it's wonderful that the TV network didn't insist on hiring someone Caucasian to replace her.) Also transferred from the Broadway production was Joseph Bova as Prince Dauntless the Drab. I'm not certain if the others were on Broadway, but they consist of Shani Wallis as Lady Larken, Bill Hayes in fine voice as the Minstrel, Jack Gilford [A Funny Thing Happened On the Way to the Forum] as the mostly silent king, Jack Fletcher as the wizard, and Elliott Gould [Stolen: One Husband]  -- yes the man can sing and dance, too -- as the court jester. 

Jack Gilford and Elliott Gould

The only real quibble I have is that this version drops three of the best songs, two love duets for the minstrel and Lady Larken, and the show-stopping "Happily Ever After" number. Fortunately we've got Hayes and Wallis singing "Normandy," Burnett exuberantly performing the knock-out number "Shy," the queen planning Winifred's defeat in "Sensitivity," and Gould doing a splendid turn with "Soft Shoes." There is also a brief duet for the prince and Winifred that is not on the cast album and which I found on an additional youtube clip. Another change from Broadway is that the young lovers are secretly married in this, whereas in the stage show they are not -- and Larken is pregnant. That's a no-no for TV in the sixties!

Verdict: All in all this is delightful with a simply wonderful Burnett. ***1/4.

BLIND CORNER

Alexander Davion and Barbara Shelley

BLIND CORNER (aka Man in the Dark/1964). Director: Lance Comfort.  

Although he's been totally blind for a number of years, Paul (William Sylvester of The Unholy Four) has a successful career as a composer of popular songs and commercial jingles; he also hopes to complete a concerto. His wife, Anne (Barbara Shelley of The Gorgon), a former actress who wanted security, has grown tired of looking after Paul and leaves that to his secretary, Joan (Elizabeth Shepherd of Damian: Omen 2), who happens to be in love with him. Anne has taken up with a starving artist named Ricky (Alexander Davion of Paranoiac), who has no problems sleeping with Paul's wife, but draws the line at murder. Or does he? Anne needs money which she can get from her late husband's estate, but if Ricky won't help her ... Then Paul's manager, Mike (Mark Eden), whom Anne can't stand, tells Paul that her saw her having a romantic dinner with Ricky. 

Triangle: Shelley, Davion, Sylvester

Blind Corner is a minor but absorbing British suspense story that is well-acted by all, although it could be argued that lead Sylvester seems a little too in control when his world is falling apart; still he is good, and the picture works well even if it might come off like a television episode. There's an effective climax and a very good twist that took me by surprise. Singer Ronnie Carroll plays himself and gets to warble a couple of tunes. Neither Shelley nor Davion are photographed that flatteringly, although both are certainly attractive individuals. 

Verdict: Worthwhile British suspenser with good performances. ***. 

THE CANDIDATE (1964)

Ted Knight as the candidate

THE CANDIDATE (1964), Director: Robert Angus. 

Frank Carlton (Ted Knight) is running for the senate but he has some concerns over the morality of his new campaign manager, Buddy Barker (Ernesto Macias using the name Eric Mason), who is a Hugh Hefner-type with many girlfriends. As Buddy makes a former hotel employee, Christine Ashley (Mamie Van Doren), his secretary-assistant and starts a relationship with her, Frank starts falling for Angela (June Wilkinson), a formerly kept woman who finds herself without a "sponsor." An added complication is that one of Buddy's one-night-stands, Mona (Rachel Romen), turns up pregnant and in tears even as Buddy tries to convince Frank that he's making a big mistake with Angela. 

Mamie Van Doren and Ernesto Macias

The Candidate is an oddball if compelling movie with an interesting cast. Although playing the title character, Ted Knight is really in a supporting part, but acquits himself nicely, especially in a bedroom sequence with Wilkinson. Macias, who was more often billed as Eric Mason, is excellent as Buddy, a man who on occasion tries to do the right thing even if his instincts are telling him to do otherwise. Rachel Romen has several strong scenes as Mona, Wilkinson is good, but Van Doren proves once again that she isn't really much of an actress and just can't get out of sex kitten mode. Steve Karmen, who once had an act with Bobby Darin and wrote a book about him, contributed a fine score with jazzy interludes and romantic and poignant passages. "Buddy Barker" was probably based on Washington D.C.-based pimp Bobby Baker. 

Verdict: Enough good acting and interesting sequences in this to keep you watching. **1/2. 

A DISTANT TRUMPET

Suzanne Pleshette and Troy Donahue

A DISTANT TRUMPET (1964). Director: Raoul Walsh.

"Burning while Rome fiddles?"

Lt. Matt Hazard (Troy Donahue) is sent from the graduating class at West Point to Fort Delivery in Arizona. Doing things by the book, he whips the soldiers into shape -- to their dissatisfaction. When a merchant, Seely Jones (Claude Akins), offering booze and women to the troops, shows up, Hazard contrives to get rid of him. Although he has a fiancee, Laura (Diane McBain), back east -- who eventually appears -- Hazard is romantically drawn to Kitty (Suzanne Pleshette), who is married to Captain Mainwaring (William Reynolds). In addition to a love triangle and resentful soldiers, Hazard has to deal with Indian troubles in the person of Chief War Eagle (uncredited) -- and the U.S. Army itself, which may go back on its promises to Native Americans.

When Ladies Meet: Pleshette with McBain

A Distant Trumpet, the last film for director Raoul Walsh, was excoriated by critics when it was released, and star Troy Donahue along with it. In truth, the picture, although certainly not a forgotten classic, is not terrible and neither is Donahue. Although still a bit stiff in quieter scenes, Donahue plays the lieutenant in an authoritative fashion and has a commanding presence. The two ladies give good performances if only on a soap opera level; McBain is stronger than expected, and Pleshette not as good as one might have hoped. (She was married to Donahue for a grand total of nine months!) All of the leads are a bit too contemporary in style. William Reynolds is good as Mainwaring but he disappears too quickly.

Donahue with James Gregory

Others in the cast are more memorable: Although a trifle too pompous at times, James Gregory scores as General Quaint, who goes to bat for Hazard when he confronts the Secretary of War (Kent Smith) over the treatment of the Indians. Claude Akins is flavorful as the ever-scheming Jones. Larry Ward is effective as the undisciplined Sgt. Krogur, as is Bobby Bare as the alleged deserter Crenshaw. Lane Bradford makes an impression as the nasty Indian-hating Major Miller, who gets a sock in the jaw from Hazard for his trouble. 

Hazard at West Point

A Distant Trumpet can be classified as one of those movies that is good enough that you wish it had been better. Walsh turns in an adept directorial job that keeps things moving and Max Steiner's score, especially the martial theme, is excellent, embellishing every sequence. William H. Clothier contributed the sweeping Panavision cinematography. But A Distant Trumpet is still unsatisfying, probably due to the weaknesses of the script, some unlikable characters (although Hazard is a bit redeemed at the end), and the lack of a dramatic climax. 

Verdict: Reasonably entertaining Western that looks good and has some interesting sequences. **3/4. 

THE CHALK GARDEN

Deborah Kerr and Hayley Mills

THE CHALK GARDEN (1964). Director: Ronald Neame. 

Miss Madrigal (Deborah Kerr) is the latest in a long line of governesses for young and incorrigible Laurel (Hayley Mills), whose mother went off with her new husband and left her in the care of her own mother, Mrs. St. Maugham (Edith Evans). Laurel, who hates her mother, Olivia (Elizabeth Sellars), for abandoning her, is determined to find out what if any secrets Miss Madrigal may have, and one of them is a doozy. Meanwhile the governess and Mrs. St. M disagree on who should raise Laurel, her mother or her grandmother. Madrigal believes she belongs with Olivia, while her employer vehemently denies this. Then Mrs. St. M's old friend, "Puppy," the retired Judge McWhirrey (Felix Aylmer) shows up, and eventually remembers where he has seen Miss Madrigal before ... 

John Mills with Kerr

The Chalk Garden is based on a play by Enid Bagnold, and in truth it is very stagey and often unconvincing. There were a great many changes made from theater to film. Deborah Kerr never quite seems to get a handle on her character (although in this she may not necessarily be blamed); Hayley Mills is fine but for one or two occurrences of over-acting; Edith Evans is on the money; and Sellars and Aylmer are perfectly solid. So too is John Mills, who plays the sympathetic butler. There is perhaps too much left unsaid in this version, and characters come to conclusions that seem without foundation.

Verdict: This Ross Hunter production has some merit but ultimately doesn't quite cut it. **3/4.

MURDER AHOY

Rutherford and real-life husband Stringer Davis

MURDER AHOY (1964). Director: George Pollock.

When one of the board members of a trust that helps to rehabilitate young offenders is blatantly poisoned, Miss Marple (Margaret Rutherford) decides to do her own investigation. With the help of her friend Mr. Stringer (Stringer Davis, married to Rutherford in real life), Miss Marple, wearing Naval uniform, goes into action, confining much of her investigation to the ship where these miscreants are trained. Captain Rhumstone (Lionel Jeffries of First Men in the Moon) isn't at all thrilled by this development, especially when he is forced to give his cabin to the snooping old lady. Other officers, staff -- and suspects -- include Dr. Crump (Nicholas Parsons); Bishop Faulkner (Miles Malleson of The Thief of Bagdad); Lt. Compton (Francis Matthews); matron Alice Fanbraid (Joan Benham); and others. When there are more deaths aboard ship, Marple knows her suspicions are correct, and she also uncovers the reasons behind the killings, but not before a fencing duel with the perpetrator. 

Charles Tingwell with Rutherford

Murder Ahoy was the last of the four Marple films which Rutherford did, and the only one that was not loosely based on a novel by Agatha Christie. Therefore this film is tailored for the attributes of Rutherford's version of the character, which wasn't that much like Christie's version. The film is suspenseful and amusing. As usual Charles Tingwell is on hand as Chief Inspector Craddock, who is exasperated not only to find that Miss Marple is on the job against his wishes, but is better at solving the crime than he is. 

Verdict: More fun with Miss Marple. ***.

LADY IN A CAGE

Trapped but determined: Olivia de Havilland

LADY IN A CAGE (1964). Director: Walter Grauman.

Cornelia Hilyard (Olivia de Havilland of Not as a Stranger) is a determined lady who has apparently been rather stifling towards her probably gay son, Malcolm (William Swan).  Malcolm goes off for a few days, leaving a letter basically telling his "darling" to let him live his own life, while Cornelia -- who has broken a hip -- gets trapped in her home elevator when there is a power failure. Her attempts to draw attention with an alarm system fail, and in short order she is "visited" by everyone from a wino (Jeff Corey of Bright Leaf) and a sluttish friend of his named Sade (Ann Sothern of A Letter to Three Wives) to three young mentally-defective "troglodytes" -- Randall (James Caan), Essie (Rafael Campos) and Elaine (Jennifer Billinsley) -- all of whom are looking for booty. Then Randall gets the idea that the wino, Sade, and Cornelia should all be done away with ...

Billingsley, Caan and Campos

Lady in a Cage is a decidedly repellent film on many levels, but it is also well-directed and well-made, and has many effective and suspenseful moments. The acting is a little more problematic, with virtually everyone seeming stagy and obvious at times as if they thought they were in a play. In spite of this, de Havilland is generally good, and Corey and Sothern are mostly on-target as well. Caan and Billingsley, who were "introduced" in this film (both had previous TV credits), are less impressive, as is Campos as the decidedly weird Essie, as probably none of them had a clue as to what their characters were all about. William Swan, who is fine, mostly had television credits.

Slattern and wino: Sothern and Corey

This pre-Stonewall film tries to suggest that this dominant mother figure "turned" her son into a homosexual, a dated notion to be certain. Arguing that Malcolm is not gay, Cornelia mentions all of his "charming women friends," to which Essie -- who may have sexual identity issues himself -- responds "'women' friends he met in public shower rooms!" When this film played on television years ago, that line, among others, was excised, as was the shot of a certain individual's head after being crushed under the wheels of a motor car.

Verdict: Whatever you think of the movie it gets points for being unpredictable. ***. 

'CHARLOTTE" REVISITED

"Hush ... Hush, Sweet Charlotte"

HUSH...HUSH, SWEET CHARLOTTE (1964). Director: Robert Aldrich.

NOTE: My original review read as follows: 

"She's not really crazy. She just acts that way because people expect it of her."

This film seems to get better with the passage of time. Originally this was meant to be a follow up to What Ever Happened to Baby Jane? re-teaming Bette Davis with Joan Crawford (who would have been great in the picture and should have completed it) but Crawford quit the production and Olivia de Havilland stepped in -- with happy results. As others have noted, watching sweet "Miss Melanie" of Gone With the Wind doing the things that de Havilland does as Miriam gives it all an added kick.

Olivia De Havilland and Joseph Cotten

Charlotte Hollis (Bette Davis) lives alone in a forlorn mansion that is about to be torn down to make way for a bridge. She calls on the only family she has left -- cousin Miriam Deering (de Havilland) -- to come and help her, but Miriam has other things on her mind. For most of her life Charlotte has been the chief suspect in the mutilation murder of her lover, John Mayhew (Bruce Dern), a supposedly sensitive soul who wrote a love song to Charlotte (the title tune) and put it in a music box. Charlotte is haunted by her lost love and by her feeling that it was her father (Victor Buono in a bravura turn) who killed him.

Bette Davis as Charlotte

Hush...Hush, Sweet Charlotte takes a cast of golden age stars and character actors and places them in a classy production with a sop to the teen audience via the graphic, well-executed (pun intended) murder scene that almost opens the picture, and which is actually bloodier than the Psycho murder of 1960 (we never do learn what became of the poor man's head and hand, which were apparently carried off by the murderer). This alone predisposed many 1964 critics to dismiss the film out of hand, although the rest of the film is entirely tasteful. Not only tasteful, but extremely well done. Aldrich's direction and handling of the suspense scenes is far superior to his work on Baby Jane. Joseph Biroc's cinematography is consistently outstanding and the production values first-rate -- this is one good-looking movie. (Frank) DeVol's musical score is extremely effective. One could argue that Baby Jane had a kind of cheapjack feel to it, but that is definitely not true of Charlotte. The screenplay by Henry Farrell and Lukas Heller, while it may at one point borrow a plot gambit from Diabolique, is suspenseful and full of great dialogue. Most scenes, such as a murder on a staircase and the bitter arguments between the neurotic principals, are handled with great dramatic flair.

Olivia de Havilland

And then there's the acting. Davis gives one of her finest latter-day performances, getting across the pathos of the character as well as her mania. (Her pantomime at the end as she reads a letter with tremendously important information in it is marvelous.) As Miriam, Olivia de Havilland is on target from her entrance until the final moments. Witness her wonderful delivery of her rejoinder to Dr. Bayliss. "You were always free with your compliments. It was your ... intentions... that were a little vague." As the charming if reptilian Bayliss Joseph Cotten offers another dead-on characterization. Agnes Moorehead almost walks off with the picture as the unfortunate housekeeper Velma. Mary Astor, Cecil Kellaway, and others offer highly superior supporting performances.

Hush...Hush deserves to be recognized as a certified classic.

Verdict: Fascinating! ****.

2020 UPDATE: Oddly, although the plot line isn't as original as in Baby Jane, Hush ... Hush is, I believe, the better picture, even if I might take one half star away from my verdict. Although she is very good, there is no way Davis would ever have received an Oscar nomination for this film as she did for Baby Jane -- her scene on the staircase when she supposedly descends into gibbering madness is more comical than anything else. It doesn't make much sense that Charlotte would stay in town where everyone thought she was a cleaver-wielding lunatic just to cover up for her father (who she thinks is the real murderer) -- she could have gone anywhere and everyone would have still thought "she done it." Then we have the question of the murder itself. It takes a great deal of strength to cut off a man's hand with a meat cleaver with just one blow, not to mention a head with a few whacks. How could anyone think Charlotte could have done it, let alone the real killer, maniacal strength notwithstanding? (And why on earth did the killer walk off with the head and hand?) Also the two villains of the story had to count on an awful lot happening, on Charlotte falling in with their plans, for things to work out as they do. On close inspection the whole Gaslight plot seems highly suspect. But these are quibbles -- as the movie is extremely entertaining if you just suspend disbelief. A scene with a corpse falling sideways and threatening to reveal itself to a reporter at the door of the mansion is terrific!

Verdict: Diabolical story of resentment and revenge --- lots of classy if ghoulish fun. ***1/2.  

KING AND COUNTRY

Tom Courtenay and Dirk Bogarde

KING AND COUNTRY (1964). Director: Joseph Losey.

During WW1, British private James Hemp (Tom Courtenay of 45 Years) has been accused of desertion despite the fact that he volunteered for service, and has been in the war for longer than some of his accusers. The somewhat stern Captain Hargreaves (Dick Bogarde) is assigned to defend Hemp in a makeshift court, and develops sympathy for the man in spite of himself. In his opinion, Hemp simply walked away to get away from the noise and have some privacy, but was not really attempting to desert. But will the court see it Hargreaves' way, or is the young man doomed?

Tom Courtenay

King and Country is an absorbing and affecting military drama that presents the story simply and clearly and doesn't beg the viewer for compassion that most will undoubtedly feel in any case. The film has more of the atmosphere of WW2 than WW1, although the acting can not be faulted. There is a little too much time spent on some of the soldiers' attempts to rout or kill some rats, and if this is meant to be symbolic, it doesn't work. While many feel this film takes a back seat to the similarly-themed Paths of Glory -- there are similarities to Billy Budd as well --  King and Country is still a good picture on its own terms. James Villiers, Leo McKern, Barry Justice, Vivian Matalon, and Barry Foster, among others, also give notable performances. Joseph Losey also directed Dirk Bogarde in The Sleeping Tiger.

Verdict: Sad and sobering, eventually infuriating, look at victims of war; the very definition of grim. ***. 

SEX AND THE SINGLE GIRL

Tony Curtis and Natalie Wood

SEX AND THE SINGLE GIRL (1964). Director: Richard Quine.

Bob Weston (Tony Curtis), who writes for a sleazy expose mag called Stop, has just come out with a story on psychologist Helen Brown (Natalie Wood). Dr. Brown wrote a bestseller entitled "Sex and the Single Girl," but the article claims she is a virgin with limited experience. Weston wants to dig up more dirt on Brown, so he poses as his next door neighbor, hosiery salesman Frank (Henry Fonda), whose wife, Sylvia (Lauren Bacall), is almost pathologically jealous, and pretends to be Helen's patient. When Bob and Helen start falling in love, it causes complications for everyone.

Lauren Bacall

When someone got the bright idea of turning Helen Gurley Brown's bestseller into a movie, they should have tried for something more sophisticated than this dumb "sex comedy" that has hardly any laughs. Even the basic premise of a man getting close to a woman who hates him by pretending to be someone else is nothing new. A sequence when not only Bacall but two other women show up at Brown's office claiming to be Sylvia should at least have been fun, but it's as clunky as everything else in the movie. The picture develops a slight degree of momentum toward the end, but it all winds up in a race to the airport with everyone chasing everybody else in their cars or taxis -- a bit with Bacall and a cab driver is kind of muffed -- and an attempt to emulate the kind of zaniness you used to find in Frank Tashlin movies never really comes off. The whole sequence goes on too long in any case.

Tony Curtis

Sex and the Single Girl might have worked if Carol Burnett had played Brown instead of Natalie Wood. She and Curtis give it the old college try, but they can do little to make any of the lines -- some of which are actually funny -- come alive. Henry Fonda is out of his element and even Bacall is mostly mediocre. Others in the cast include Mel Ferrer as a psychiatrist who is interested in Helen, Fran Jeffries as an amorous friend of Bob's, and Leslie Parrish as Bob's secretary. Two veterans who add a bit to the limited fun are Edward Everett Horton as Bob's boss and Otto Kruger as one of Helen's associates, and Larry Storch shows up as a motorcycle cop driven crazy by all the goings-on. There's an inside joke about Some Like It Hot but the references to Jack Lemmon are repeated once too often. The pic tries to come up with some interesting backdrops -- a dock where Bob threatens suicide, the ape cages in the zoo -- but ultimately the movie is just deadly. Fran Jeffries, who sings and dances in the movie, had previously been married to Dick Haymes, and then married Richard Quine, the film's director, the year after this was released. The marriage only lasted four years.

Verdict: And it's nearly two hours long as well! *1/2. 

THE CURSE OF THE LIVING CORPSE

Robert Milli, Candace Hilligoss, and Hugh Franklin 

THE CURSE OF THE LIVING CORPSE (1964). Produced, written and directed by Del Tenney.

In New England in 1892, old Mr. Sinclair passes away and his family learns that his will has strange provisions, mostly having to do with his terror of being buried alive. If these provisions aren't carried out, there will be dire consequences, with family members dying according to their greatest fears. Oddly, the first person to die is the maid, Letty (Linda Donovan), who is beheaded. You would think knowing that someone is running around cutting the heads off of the staff would be enough to make everyone move out of the old house, but no, these people almost act as if it's, like, no big problem. Then there are more murders, with one person being dragged behind a horse, another burned to death in her bedroom, and so on ... Is old Mr. Sinclair really dead or not?

Helen Waren and Roy Scheider

The Curse of the Living Corpse has an interesting cast, many of whom came from the theater. Robert Milli, who gets right into the 19th century tone of the piece as vain Bruce Sinclair, worked with Richard Burton in Hamlet around the same time.  Roy Scheider [Sorcerer] is acceptable as drunken Philip Sinclair, and later gained fame when he starred in Jaws, although one wouldn't have imagined he was necessarily destined for great things. Margot Hartman, who plays Philip's wife, Vivian, and is quite good, was married to the writer and director of the film, Del Tenney. One of the best performances in the film is given by Helen Waren, who plays the widow Abigail in very convincing fashion. Hugh Franklin is notable as family lawyer Benson, as is Jane Bruce as the cook and housekeeper. George Cotton makes an amusing Constable Winters, and Candace Hilligoss pops in from her more famous feature, Carnival of Souls, to make a modest contribution in a supporting role.

Roy Scheider in a dramatic moment

The Curse of the Living Corpse doesn't suffer from any great logic, but it it is enthusiastically presented and Tenney directs some of the sequences with a small degree of flair. The picture has atmosphere as well, and with all its scenes of a cloaked figure sneaking about reminds one of silent flicks like The Cat and the Canary or later films such as The Bat.  One suspects that no one took the film very seriously, but it manages to be modestly entertaining in spite of it. This was released on a double-bill with Tenney's rock horror "classic," The Horror of Party Beach.

Verdict: Watch out for that head on a platter! **1/2. 

THE SAINT

Roger Moore

THE SAINT (1964). British television series based on the character created by Leslie Charteris.

Literary creation The Saint -- a slightly shady adventurer who generally was on the side of the angels -- first appeared in a series of films in the forties and fifties, and then became the star of this sixties British series that ran for six years and over 100 episodes. Roger Moore played Simon Templar, famously known as "the Saint," and played him well, with that certain charming insouciance that was also a hallmark in Louis Hayward's theatrical portrayal in such films as The Saint in New York. Moore himself became famous with this series, which was also a hit on American television, and it was undoubtedly for this reason that he was later chosen to play James Bond in 007's more cartoonish adventures. The Saint was first produced in black and white then switched to color episodes for the later seasons. Each episode was an hour long including commercials. Simon would address the audience right before the credits rolled. The character of Inspector Teal was perfectly friendly to Simon in the first couple of seasons, then became the more (over) familiar unpleasant adversary of the movies.

Based on the many episodes I've watched, The Saint was a good but not great series with some memorable episodes. The first episode, "The Talented Husband" about a Bluebeard, was not an auspicious debut, seeming slow and padded. The subsequent episode, "The Latin Touch," with Alexander Knox as an ambassador whose daughter is kidnapped in Rome, was more on the mark. In the clever and suspenseful "Double Take," a Greek millionaire nearly has Simon stumped when he hires a perfect double for his own strange purposes. Board members are killed off one by one in "Scales of Justice," with Jean Marsh as a frightened secretary. The harrowing "Man Who Could Not Die" has Simon attempting to stop a murder that is to take place in deep, isolated caverns. In "Starring the Saint" -- which guest stars Alexander Davion [Paranoiac] and Jackie Collins, Joan's author-sister -- a producer of a movie about Simon's exploits is murdered. Rival female race car drivers really hate each other in "The Fast Women," while an unknown enemy wants ultimate revenge on Simon in "The Time to Die." The exciting "Old Treasure Story" has Simon and a shady group searching for Blackbeard's booty on one of the Virgin Islands.

"The House on Dragon's Rock"

Occasionally a Saint adventure would be a little more far-out than usual. "The Convenient Monster" takes place at Loch Ness and concerns a creature that may or may not be real (although the real thing does show up at the very end). "The House on Dragon's Rock" concerns a mad scientist who for inexplicable reasons wants to breed a new species of giant ants, one of whom almost has Simon for lunch. While one could easily imagine that this was a rip-off of the 1954 monster movie Them, this episode was actually based on a 1937 short story (ghosted for Charteris) entitled "The Man Who Loved Ants." In any case the episode, which takes place in Wales, is suitably creepy, as is the ugly giant ant that is let out at night to, presumably, get the lay of the land. I remember watching this decades ago with my parents and my mother, who had a bit of a crush on Moore but thought he was too pretty,  groaning, "Oh, I didn't know they did stories like this." Frankly, I always thought Moore, while basically masculine, was kind of asexual.

Verdict: Some good mysteries and adventure in this series, although it's not quite on the level of a true classic. **1/2. 

THE MASQUE OF THE RED DEATH (1964)

Jane Asher and Vincent Price

THE MASQUE OF THE RED DEATH (1964). Produced and directed by Roger Corman.

When the loathsome and cruel Prince Prospero (Vincent Price) realizes that the plague of the Red Death is beginning to ravage the countryside, he holes up in his castle with his wealthy sycophants and holds a masked ball. Unwilling participants include Francesca (Jane Asher), her father (Nigel Green) and her beloved, Gino (David Weston of Becket), all of whom are toyed with by the devil-worshiping  Prospero even as the prince tries to mold the pious and faithful Francesca into a wanton more suitable for his needs. This does not sit well with Juliana (Hazel Court of Premature Burial), Prospero's lover, who decides to become a bride of Satan instead and pays the ultimate price. In a sub-plot, the dwarf Hop Toad (Skip Martin) gets a diabolical vengeance on Alfredo (Patrick Magee), who dared to strike Esmeralda (Verina Greenlaw), the lovely little dancer and friend of Hop Toad's. When the masked ball begins, Prospero discovers that he has a very unwelcome guest in his midst ...

Verina Greenlaw and Skip Martin 

The Masque of the Red Death is based on two Edgar Allan Poe short stories, the title story and "Hop-Frog." Enough time has gone by since its release to reassess the film and see its true strengths and weaknesses. No, it is not a masterpiece: the screenplay is hokey and pretentious at times; the falcon attack on Hazel Court sort of falls flat; and a tiresome dream sequence for Court's character stops the film dead in its tracks. Still, it is a wonderfully colorful picture, photographed by Nicolas Roeg and with Daniel Haller as production designer (both men later became directors), and the performances across the board are excellent, with even Price's florid, epicene approach working for the character. David Lee's [The Very Edge] score is effective enough but seems derivative.

Verdict: Doesn't quite hold up as well as expected, but still an entertaining picture. ***,

THE OUTRAGE

Paul Newman

THE OUTRAGE (1964). Director: Martin Ritt.

In the late 19th century in the southwest, three men take refuge from a rain storm at a train depot: A priest (William Shatner), a prospector (Howard Da Silva) and a con man (Edward G. Robinson), with the first two telling the third the conflicting stories they heard at a murder trial. The trial centers on the notorious bandit Carrasco (Paul Newman), who is accused of raping a southern woman (Claire Bloom) and murdering her wealthy husband (Laurence Harvey). The bandit, the wife, the dead man (via an Indian medium) and then the prospector all tell their stories, but trying to figure out which is the correct one will drive you crazy. The Outrage is an interesting remake of the much more famous Japanese film Rashomon, and while it's generally a good picture (it helps if you're unfamiliar with the original), it's also a mixed bag. On the plus side is a charismatic and quite adept performance from Paul Newman, who's much better in what is essentially a character part than you might expect. Newman is on top of things in every scene. The next best performance is from Edward G. Robinson, whose expert acting skills are on marvelous display in his winning performance as the not very likable con artist. Although Claire Bloom [Three Into Two Won't Go] could be accused of being a little stagy and overly theatrical at times, she's playing many different interpretations of the same person and playing them well, with near-perfect line readings. Howard Da Silva scores as the prospector, and Laurence Harvey is fine in an underwritten part in which he is tied up and gagged for most of the running time. Shatner tends to overact a bit as he did as Captain Kirk -- he always seems to think he's doing Shakespeare -- but he's effective enough in the part.  James Wong Howe's cinematography is typically outstanding. While Alex North's score has some lovely things in it, it also seems inappropriate at times given the subject matter, but then again, The Outrage has several sequences that border on black comedy (which in of itself is inappropriate). Still, whatever its flaws, The Outrage is absorbing, good to look at, and features several excellent performances. Whether it has the kind of attitude towards rape that you might find today on, say, Law and Order:Special Victims Unit, is debatable. Martin Ritt directed Paul Newman in Hud the previous year.

NOTE: Apparently I had already reviewed this film on Great Old Movies eight years ago.  I liked it a little better this time around, and think it might even have more emotional impact than the original.

Verdict: Newman gives a striking performance in an unusual role for him. ***. 

THE LONG HAIR OF DEATH

George Ardisson and Barbara Steele

THE LONG HAIR OF DEATH (1964). Director: Anthony Dawson (Antonio Margheriti).

Near the end of the fifteenth century, Adele Karnstein is burned as a witch. She was accused of a murder actually committed by the Baron Kurt Humboldt (George Ardisson), who also murdered her older daughter when she confronted him. Some years later Kurt forces the "witch's" other daughter, Lisabeth (Halina Zalewska), to marry him, moving her into his castle. Then along comes a mysterious woman named Mary (Barbara Steele), who bears a striking resemblance to the dead sister, and with whom Kurt becomes obsessed. Becoming her lover, Kurt then importunes Mary to help him get rid of Lisabeth so they can be together forever. But Kurt may not be aware that there may be other deadly plots going on as well ... The Long Hair of Death is an interesting if imperfect film that comes off like a stretched-out episode of, say, Thriller, but it does make good use of medieval settings, tombs, secret passages, and the like, and there are certainly some effective sequences. Although this version has the actors speaking Italian (with sub-titles), most of the international cast are dubbed, meaning we don't get to hear Barbara Steele's great voice. The lead actors give more than adequate performances, and the rest of the cast includes such Italian horror staples as Laura Nucci [The Bloodstained Shadow] as the housekeeper Grumalda, Umberto Raho as Father Yon Klage, and Giuliano Raffaelli as Kurt's father, Count Humboldt. Steele and Raho were also in The Ghost.

Verdict: Low key but fairly absorbing Italian horror film. **1/2. 

THE BLACK TORMENT

Heather Sears and John Turner

THE BLACK TORMENT (1964). Director: Robert Hartford-Davis.

Sir Richard Fordyke (John Turner) returns to his ancestral manor in Olde England and brings with him his new bride, Elizabeth (Heather Sears of The Phantom of the Opera). Right away things seem odd, with his tenants, other villagers, and even his staff behaving peculiarly towards him. His major domo, Seymour (Peter Arne of Tarzan and the Lost Safari), tells him that a woman was raped and murdered and cried out his name before she expired, and he has been -- impossibly -- sighted in the village on other occasions, supposedly pursued by the ghost of his first wife, who plunged from a window. Before long Richard begins doubting his own sanity or wonders if some demonic doppelganger is at work ... Although the denouement is fairly predictable, The Black Torment still manages to work up considerable suspense over this situation, and the pic is greatly bolstered by some excellent performances. I first noticed John Turner when he had a small role as a fisherman in one of my favorite monster movies, The Giant Behemoth, but he clearly shows in this that he was meant for greater things, and judging by his talent, should be much better known today. He is outstanding and completely convincing as Sir Richard no matter what the script throws at him during the films' twists and turns. Under Robert Hartford-Davis' adroit direction, Black Torment has some creepy and startling sequences, and is handsomely produced in the full-out Gothic manner. When it's over and all revelations revealed, you may scratch your head when you realize the sheer impossibility of some of the aspects of the story, but Black Torment is still an entertaining horror flick, one which, -- incredibly -- I had never heard of and discovered on Kanopy.  Interesting score by Robert Richards. Hartford-Davis also directed the zesty Corruption.

Verdict: Compelling lead performance and attractive settings lift this above the average. ***. 

PYRO

Barry Sullivan and Martha Hyer

PYRO (aka Feuge aka Pyro ... The Thing Without a Face/1964). Director: Julio Coli.

"I won't rest until you and all of your family are dead ... my breath on your back will be like a cold wind from Hell." -- Vance.

Vance Pierson (Barry Sullivan of Suspense) travels to Spain with his wife, Verna (Sherry Moreland of Fury of the Congo) and their daughter so he can work on a special project with his associate, Julio (Fernando Hilbeck). Unfortunately, Vance meets up with Laura Blanco (Martha Hyer) when he goes to see a house -- resulting in a very strange and awkward sequence -- and the two begin an affair. Vance admits that he'd marry Laura if only he didn't already have a family. Supposedly wracked with guilt -- although with the cool, disaffected Sullivan it's hard to tell -- Vance breaks off the affair, but Laura is not the type to take no for an answer, leading to more than one tragedy ... Pyro is misnamed, because while there are fires and arxonists aplenty in the movie, there are no genuine pyromaniacs. Pyro has an interesting plot so it holds the attention, but it's not that well-produced or directed, sometimes has the appearance of a travelogue, has a too-weird musical score, and never becomes the fascinating nail-biter it might have been with a master director at the helm and a much better script. As well, certain aspects of the story line defy credibility. Sullivan and Hyer are both competent -- Sullivan is at times better than that -- but Hyer lacks the real acting chops to make her portrayal anything more than another vicious kitten as she was in Picture Mommy Dead. A Spanish film, this was picked up for US release by American International, but it was not a success.

Verdict: This had real possibilities ... **1/2.