THE SECRET FURY

Claudette Colbert and Robert Ryan

THE SECRET FURY (1950). Director: Mel Ferrer. Colorized version.

Ellen Ewing (no relation to J. R. Ewing) is about to marry architect David McLean (Robert Ryan), when a strange man (Willard Parker) interrupts the ceremony and insists that he was present when Ellen married another man -- she is about to commit bigamy! Ellen insists that she never heard of her "husband," Lucian Randall (Dave Barbour). Although Ellen's Aunt Clara (Jane Cowl) seems to fear that her niece might have had a nervous breakdown, David has a more supportive attitude and sets off with his fiancee to find Randall and get to the bottom of this mystery. The couple get more than they bargained for when a murder is committed and Ellen is accused. Is she the victim of a far-reaching conspiracy, or is Ellen truly unhinged? 

Robert Ryan questions Vivian Vance

Although there are some holes in the plot -- the whole logistics of the murder, for instance -- The Secret Fury proceeds at a fairly swift pace and maintains suspense for its entire length. You'll find yourself being suspicious of virtually everyone in the picture. The acting can't be faulted. Although Ryan has the less showy role of the two stars, he never reveals too much nor too little about David. Colbert is excellent, particularly in a courtroom sequence when she has a positive meltdown (and gives Doris Day of Midnight Lace a run for her money!) Paul Kelly is wonderful as a former flame of Ellen's, although it is highly unlikely that he would be the prosecutor on the case. Philip Ober is given one of his all-time best roles as Ellen's defense attorney and friend, and his then-wife Vivian Vance makes an impression as a maid who swears that she met Ellen and her husband, the aforementioned Randall, before. (The following year Vance wound up as Ethel on I Love Lucy.) Jane Cowl is also excellent as the aunt who hardly seems like she's that much on her niece's side. Percy Helton, Paul Picerni and Elisabeth Risdon also make an impression in smaller roles. This is one of ten or so films directed by actor Mel Ferrer; his work on this is efficient enough if hardly Hitchcock level. Jose Ferrer (no relation to Mel) has a small role in the film as a wedding guest. 

Verdict: Very suspenseful thriller with some excellent performances. ***. 

ZERO HOUR

Linda Darnell and Dana Andrews in the cockpit

ZERO HOUR (1957). Director: Hall Bartlett. Colorized version.  

Ted Stryker (Dana Andrews) hasn't had an easy time of it since leaving the service, feeling that he made a major mistake on a mission that left his men dead. Now his wife, Ellen (Linda Darnell), wants to take off with their little boy, but Ted manages to get on their plane before it departs. Suddenly people begin succumbing to food poisoning -- something in the fish -- including the pilot and co-pilot, both of whom collapse. Dr. Baird (Geoffrey Toone of The Terror of the Tongs) warns that everyone, including the Stryker's son, could die if they don't get to a hospital soon, but they have to go to another airport hours away because of fog. Meanwhile Ted, with instructions from an old, not terribly friendly colleague Capt. Treleaven (Sterling Hayden) on the ground, tries to fly and land the plane despite his not having flown in ten years, and never having flown an airliner! What could go wrong? 

Sterling Hayden takes charge!

Arthur Hailey of Airport fame was one of the co-writers of this tense if minor melodrama that is also a borderline disaster flick. Andrews is terrific as Ted, who has to confront his demons at the worst possible time, and he gets fine support from Darnell, Toone, Peggy King [Abbott and Costello Meet the Mummy] as a stewardess, Jerry Paris [The Glass Wall] as her boyfriend, and especially Hayden as the take-charge and direct Treleaven, barking orders at Ted and everyone else with great authority. It's just that Zero Hour is not as good nor as thrilling as other airplane disaster flicks. Just the year before Doris Day, of all people, had to land an airliner following instructions on the radio in Julie. One distinct plot problem with the picture is that everyone succumbs to food poisoning much too quickly, and the doctor couldn't possible know they were, supposedly, going to die without doing tests. 

Verdict: Whatever you do, don't eat the fish! **3/4. 

SPLIT SECOND

Alexis Smith, Paul Kelly, Stephen McNally 

SPLIT SECOND (1953). Director: Dick Powell. Colorized version. 

Sam Hurley (Stephen McNally) has broken out of prison with his buddies, Bart (Paul Kelly) and Dummy (Frank DeKova), and are hoping to retrieve some loot from an armored car robbery. Hurley commandeers a car driven by Ashton (Robert Paige) and his lover, Kay (Alexis Smith), and when that runs out of gas, takes over a vehicle driven by reporter Larry (Keith Andes) and hitchhiker Dottie (Jan Sterling). Sam takes the whole group to a ghost town in the desert, even though everyone knows that the following morning an atom bomb being tested will go off and decimate the place! Before they can get out of there, Hurley calls Kay's estranged husband, Dr. Garven (Richard Egan), and tells him to fly down and take a bullet out of Bart or else Kay will die. 

Richard Egan comforts Alexis Smith

Now right there you can see the problem. Even if Garven is still in love with the wife who is divorcing him, it seems ridiculous and unreasonable for him to take so much time getting to Bart instead of telling the police exactly where he is! Surely the cops would have a better chance of rescuing Kay and the others than Garven! Split Second  may be fast-paced, but it's not so fast that the audience won't be scratching their heads over this ludicrous plot hole. Garven has hours during which he can contact the authorities. Frankly, things get a little tiresome in that ghost town before things heat up for the climax. Another weird scene is when Ashton practically seems to be begging Sam to shoot him, and Bart's sudden character reversal is senseless as well, even though it's made clear early on that Bart is not the mad killer type like his friend Hurley..

Stephen McNally

Stephen McNally gives another sharp and dynamic performance as Sam, always convincing whether he's snarling at his captors, shouting orders, or romancing the ladies, one of whom goes along with his addressals for her own protection. The other performances are all good as well, with Smith having the showiest role. The climax is terrific, although the writers seem not to have considered the possible effects of radiation poisoning. Dick Powell directed this and generally keeps things moving, although Hitchcock had nothing to worry about. 

Verdict: Interesting idea that doesn't quite work. **1/2. 

MAN AFRAID

George Nader

MAN AFRAID (1957). Director: Harry Keller.

A man sneaks into a child's bedroom window and runs into the boy's mother, hitting her in the face and temporarily blinding her. When her husband, minister David Collins (George Nader), comes to her rescue he winds up inadvertently killing the intruder. Although not charged with any crime, Collins learns that the dead man's father, Carl Simmons (Eduard Franz), is following his little boy, Michael (Tim Hovey), around town in a threatening manner. Collins' wife, Lisa (Phyllis Thaxter), feels helpless because her eyes are bandaged. As Simmons becomes more and more bold, going so far as to invade Collins' very home, the minister tries to get Lt Marlin (Harold J. Stone) to take some kind of preventative action. But will it all come too late?

Nader with feisty Mabel Albertson

Man Afraid is a solid suspense film with very good performances. Nader has always been under-rated because of his participation in such films as Robot Monster, but he's fine in this, as are Thaxter and little Tim Hovey, an appealing and talented child actor. Reta Shaw offers a little spice as a nurse hired to look after Lisa, and Mabel Albertson certainly makes her mark as Simmons' tippling and fairly obnoxious landlady. Stone also makes the policeman more obnoxious than he needs to be. Tom Nolan is also notable as Michael's friend, "Skunky," who is neglected by his father (Judson Pratt), an aggressive newsman. He tells the sympathetic Collins that his father claims he makes too much noise "but when I'm dead they'll wish I was able to make any kind of noise." Franz is effective in a near-silent role.

Nader with Phyllis Thaxter

Man Afraid is well-photographed in CinemaScope by Russell Metty, and has a very good score by Henry Mancini. Keller's direction is adroit, and the climax is tense and exciting. One odd sequence concerns a boxing match between little boys in an actual arena, a match that Michael participates in! Considering that the "burglar" entered the Collins' house when the couple was home, and immediately snuck into the boy's bedroom, one has to wonder exactly what the man was after, but this aspect goes unexplored. Harry Keller also directed Nader in The Female Animal and The Unguarded Moment. 

Verdict: Absorbing suspense film with good performances and a satisfying conclusion. ***. 

THE MAD DOCTOR

Basil Rathbone and Ellen Drew

THE MAD DOCTOR (1940). Director: Tim Whelan.

The wife of Dr. Sebastian (Basil Rathbone) dies of pneumonia but her death seems suspicious to her personal physician Dr. Downer (Ralph Morgan). Nevertheless Sebastian and his good right hand Maurice (Martin Kosleck of House of Horrors) settle the will and quickly leave for New York City. In Manhattan Sebastian sets up practice as a prominent psychiatrist and moves in on his latest victim, a wealthy neurotic named Linda (Ellen Drew of The Crooked Way) who has tried to throw herself off of a roof. As the not so good doctor and Maurice cheerily plan what they'll do with the loot once Sebastian marries -- and murders -- Linda, her former boyfriend, reporter Gil Sawyer (John Howard of The Invisible Woman), is checking the background of Sebastian, and crosses paths with the suspicious Dr. Downer. Meanwhile Maurice is not thrilled that Sebastian claims to be truly falling in love with Linda ... 

John Howard and Ellen Drew

The Mad Doctor is more of a suspense-thriller than an out and out horror film, although it is macabre and occasionally chilling. An interesting aspect of the film is the relationship between the two villains, as Maurice seems to be much more than a mere servant. Apparently Sebastian saved Maurice's life at one point and is beholden to him. Maurice sprays cologne on himself with an atomizer, which may have been the film's dated way of suggesting he is queer. In any case, Rathbone offers a superb performance -- no one can display withering contempt as well as Rathbone. The under-rated Kosleck is also excellent. Morgan is quite good as well, but Drew and Howard are simply not in the same league. 

Companions in crime: Rathbone; Kosleck

There are flavorful supporting performances from Barbara Jo Allen (appearing as "Vera Vague") as Linda's sister and Hugh O'Connell as her brother-in-law, although he tries too hard to be inappropriately comical. Billy Benedict and Kitty Kelly are fine in smaller roles and Douglas Kennedy has a bit as a hotel clerk. At one point Linda inexplicably asks to meet a certain person at the 79th Street subway, the only point of which is to apparently set up a chilling subway murder sequence. The picture could have used much more music during certain suspenseful sequences. The screenplay is rather dismissive of the benefits of psychiatry, going to far as to suggest that all shrinks are charlatans. 

Verdict: An outstanding Rathbone performance is the chief joy of this entertaining suspense film. ***. 

POSTHUMOUS

POSTHUMOUS. 

My latest thriller, for people who love movies, celebrities, psychos, and suspense fiction, is entitled POSTHUMOUS. Below is a description. It's available in hardcover, trade paperback, and inexpensive kindle editions on amazon.

"Anna Corrigan, the daughter of the late movie star and entertainer Mavis Edwards, has spent years trying to deal with the emotional fall out from the decades she spent with her often difficult and neurotic mother. Anna attends her sister Estelle's singing showcase at a tiny supper club uptown, where she encounters some of her mother's "friends" from the past. These include a crooked business manager named Louie Mayhew; her old co-star Jerry Giddings, who has fallen on hard times; her bitchy rival Marjorie Easterbrook; choreographer “Busy” Borroway, an unrepentant child molester who numbered Mavis Edwards among his victims; and George Kelker, a director who refused to hire Mavis Edwards for an important production many years before. George is only the first of these individuals to be horribly murdered by a crazed female intruder who, Kelker's wife insists, looks just like Mavis Edwards! There had always been nutty stories in the tabloids about Mavis Edwards being alive and hidden in a sanitarium and with all these reports of a crazy lady who resembles her beginning to surface, Anna wonders if it could possibly be true. But as the murders continue and Anna finds her life unraveling, she learns that the truth is far more terrible than she could ever even imagine."

"POSTHUMOUS is a movie lover's thriller, dissecting one impossible star's neurotic behavior and the effect it has even years later on her children."

Is "Mavis Edwards" meant to be Bette Davis, Joan Crawford, Judy Garland, or someone else? Read the book to find out!  

ONE OF MY WIVES IS MISSING

James Franciscus and Jack Klugman

ONE OF MY WIVES IS MISSING  (1976 telefilm). Director: Glenn Jordan.

Daniel Corban (James Franciscus) is on his honeymoon in a small town when he tells Inspector Levine (Jack Klugman) that his wife walked out after a minor argument and hasn't been seen since. The laid-back Levine tries to be sympathetic but doesn't think there's much to worry about, especially when Mrs. Corban (Elizabeth Ashley) walks in and announces that she's back. The only problem is that Corban insists that he has never seen this woman before and that she is not Elizabeth Corban! Although Corban thinks of every way he can to convince the inspector that he's telling the truth, his "wife" counters his every move, and the situation truly begins to look desperate ... 

Elizabeth Ashley

Three good lead performances are at the heart of One of My Wives, a twisty tale that has been told before and afterwards. Anne Baxter was the harried honeymooner in Chase a Crooked Shadow (1958), then Janet Leigh in Honeymoon with a Stranger (1969). In 1986 came yet another telefilm, Vanishing Act, which starred Elliot Gould as the honeymooning husband. These were all official or uncredited versions of Robert Thomas' stage play "Trap for a Single Man." Like other versions, One of My Wives is suspenseful and intriguing, bolstered by Klugman's pleasant cop, Ashley's increasingly sinister and witchy portrayal, and Franciscus' credibly mounting fear, confusion and alarm. There is also good work from Joel Fabiani as a priest, Milton Selzer as a grocer, and the ever-lovable Ruth McDevitt as a neighbor. 

Verdict: Good version of this oft-told tale. ***. 

23 PACES TO BAKER STREET

Van Johnson as the disheartened playwright

23 PACES TO BAKER STREET (1956). Director: Henry Hathaway.

Phillip Hannon (Van Johnson) is a playwright who has temporarily relocated to London where the British production of his latest show is a hit. Phillip lost his eyesight in an unspecified accident a few years before and remains bitter and unsatisfied with life. His former fiancee, Jean (Vera Miles of Tarzan's Hidden Jungle), comes to see him -- it was not her idea to end the engagement -- but he still seems determined to keep distance between them. He has a likable butler named Bob (Cecil Parker of The Ladykillers) who looks after him. One evening Phillip overhears a conversation between two people -- a man named Evans and a woman named Murch who wears a distinctive perfume -- and realizes there is a strong possibility she is being forced into some kind of criminal mischief. With the help of Jean and Bob, Phillip goes about trying to find this Miss Murch so he can help her and prevent the possible child kidnapping or other skulduggery that might take place. But while he's looking for Murch, Evans is looking for him ...

Johnson with Vera Miles

23 Paces to Baker Street comes off like a combination of Rear Window and The Man Who Knew Too Much, although it lacks the Master's touch, Henry Hathaway not being in the same league as Hitchcock. In spite of that, 23 Paces is a memorable suspense-thriller, with a nifty scene when Phillip is caught on a crumbling roof in a diabolical trap, and an exciting climax when he squares off with the mastermind in his apartment. The performances can not be faulted: Johnson is square-on in his portrayal of the disheartened and embittered blind man who finally allows love in the door, Vera Miles is warm and sympathetic as the woman who adores him, Parker makes a likable helpmate, and Estelle Winwood is winning as a barkeep who also tries to help Phillip in his quest. There are also notable turns from Patricia Laffan as a nurse and Martin Benson [The Cosmic Monsters] as a man who runs an agency for same, among others.

Cinematography by Milton R.. Krasner

The movie greatly benefits from an evocative score by Leigh Harline and impressive CinemaScope photography by Milton R. Krasner; his sweeping shots of London are especially beautiful.  This was hardly the first depiction of a bitter blind man, nor is Phillip the first blind "detective." Edward Arnold played a blind private eye (much more accepting of his impairment) in two films. Years later James Franciscus starred as a blind insurance investigator on the TV series Longstreet, which lasted one season. An Italian giallo film named The Crimes of the Black Cat has a lot of plot similarities to 23 Paces, also featuring a blind man who overhears a plot in a bar, a rooftop trap, and the like. 23 Paces is far superior to Wait Until Dark, which had a blind heroine in a tough spot at the climax.

Verdict: Highly watchable suspense film with some excellent performances. ***. 

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. ***.