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Reviews
It Happened on Fifth Avenue (1947)
The secret is out. My favorite Christmas movie is now becoming a legend like "It's a Wonderful Life"
Yes, I dare to compare this wonderful, obscure little movie to It's A Wonderful Life!They came out a year a part and both were initially lost in obscurity. A Wonder Life was made at a big time studio (RKO), with a hallmark cast and a director that had several Oscars to his name already. It arose from the RKO vaults in the early 70's and has been shown every Christmas since then. This film actually fell out of copyright in 1976 and then as public domain, was picked up by Republic and put out on VHS about the time that Ted Turner bought the RKO Film Library from General Tire. It Happened on 5th Avenue was made a year (1947)later by a poverty row studio, Monogram (Allied Artists) with a shoe string budget and a venerable director by the name of Roy Del Ruth, from the silent screen days and actors that for the most part ( besides Victor Moore and Charles Ruggles and Ann Harding) had just started acting within a 5-6 year period. The plot was far from ingenious and the storyline was almost comical. What came out was a film that tugged at your heart strings with emotion and sentiment.It has my vote for the all time favorite Christmas film. I am lucky enough to have an original 16mm film copy and a VHS tape of the film. There were few negatives struck of the film for cost reasons so not many positives are in circulation today. I got mine from a TV studio film package I purchased in the early 70's from a Tampa Florida TV station. The copyright was never renewed as in It's a Wonderful Life so any prints out there are public domain. I would love to put out a DVD and let a new generation enjoy this little gem as much as mine has. Remember the line, A man without friends is the most serious form of poverty. That line was a great quote in the film and stands truer today than ever.
Saboteur (1942)
A Saboteur By any Other Name is A Terrorist!
This movie is a masterpiece of brilliant acting and timely patriotic sense of pride in America. The Nazi Saboteurs of the 40's are replaced by the Middle East Terrorists of today. The intent is the same, to terrorize, disrupt lives, destroy property, and kill Americans! We see a wrongly accused Barry (Bob Cummings) on the lamm, trying to uncover the real Nazi terrorists plot, meeting the beautiful Pat (Priscilla Lane) and together, they travel to New York chasing the devious and evil saboteur Fry, played expertly by Norman Lloyd. Along the way, they encounter the also very sinister Otto Kruger playing the leader of the Nazi saboteur ring but disguised as a distinguished model citizen, where Barry seeking saboteur Fry, takes him into his confidence, only to handed over to the local law enforcement. He escapes, meets a kindly blind gentleman and his niece, enter Priscilla Lane. From there, Barry and Pat travel to Soda City Cal., run into the West coast saboteur gang heading East. They trail ends up in the mansion of a unlikely New York Socialite. The going gets tough when the bad guys kidnap Pat from Barry and he goes after her with reckless abandon. The movie climax is the famous Statue of Liberty scene which is excerpted in many compilations. This is a true, blue patriotic flag-waving performance at it's best and what is wrong with that! See this movie if you don't see another Hitchcock film. You will be swept up in the patriotic furore and the love interest between Cummings and Lane will make you wish they had been paired in other movies. She is the beautiful, ideal girl next door, often underrated, her talent shows through in this film. See it and Go Bless America!
Charlie Chan at Treasure Island (1939)
The Best of the Sidney Toller Charlie Chan Movies Period!
The movie starts out with Charlie and #2 Son on an ill fated plane trip to San Francisco and the mysterious death of a writer on board. This all leads to several twists in the sub-plot and the entrance of mind reader, the mysterious Dr. Zodiac and his fake spirt world trappings. It is a very good flick and if you enjoyed Warner Oland's Chan, Sidney Toller lives up to his acting especially in this film. The Treasure Island refers to the '39 Worlds Fair exhibit and is part of the plot and includes some very interesting, period photography The ending is very dramatic and I won't spoil it but you "will" like this movie so watch for it, only on Fox Movie Network or TCM, as it is not on VHS.
Hold That Ghost (1941)
Absolutely the best A&C flick of all times!
Having seen "Hold That Ghost" so many times that I can't remember, the affection I hold for this film since early childhood is undescribable. From the starting shots in the Chez Glamor to the last shot with Costello getting caught "stuffing his pockets with the opening nite receipts", it is a laugh a minute. Yes, the "moving candle gag is old, but the movie still plays well today. I would have loved to meet the boys out in Hollywood, but when Lou died, I was still in high school. I do remember reading about it but his passing didn't really affect me until years later when Bud died in 1974. This is when it sank in the we had lost the "best comedy pair of the 20th century". I remember the Saturday afternoon matinee's and standing in line for the double features an paying my 14 cents for the best time a boy of 10 could have. At that time the films were all Realart Releases, but it seemed as if they were new productions. When A&C meet Frankenstein, That was the first new film I saw A&C in (1949). If you haven't seen Hold That Ghost, do you self a favor and rent or better yet buy the VHS video for the graphics on the box. There great too!
Dust Be My Destiny (1939)
A Great Little Picture w/ The Great John Garfield at his best!
Poor Joe Bell, the typical anti-establishment loser stereotype role that John Garfield made famous. With the beautiful Priscilla Lane as he girl and the fabuous Warner contract players including the great Allan Hale Sr, the film although predictable, is still a classic of the torn, raw emotions of young love and fighting for vindication against being wrongfully accused of a crime he didn't commit. I have always liked Garfield, especially during the 1948 Senate whitchunt for communists. Garfield wouldn't talk and was blacklisted. This same attitude personified his conviction for the roles he played in most of his films except Humerques. The film contains a haunting melody that is sung on a phonograph record " Dust Be My Destiny" It really sets the theme for the emmotions of both Garfield and Lane that if they can't get a break in their life they might as well be dead! The melody for the tune plays throughout the picture and is aranged and directed by the great Max Steiner. The next time it plays on TCM, do yourself a favor and watch it with a friend!!
The Man Who Wouldn't Die (1942)
THE BEST MICHAEL SHAYNE PICTURE OF THE SERIES, PERIOD!
What a great old film. I am lucky enough to have found over the years a mint 16mm sound print an a very good vhs copy (Captain Bejoiu). The story starts out with a very mysterious burial scene on a cold windy nite. There is the "Old Forboding Mansion" and the usual cast of 20th Century stock players including Paul Harvey who is great as Dudly Wolfe. But as usual, Lloyd Nolan steals the show as Shayne with his whimsical irish humor and dapper acting. Marge Reynolds is great as his wife? With the reoccuring thunder storm as a backdrop and the "undead" body with glowing eyes trying to kill any and everyone in the house, it makes for a spine-tingling murder mystery that is as good as most of the sad new ones w/o the sex and overdone violence. 1942 appears to be one of the best years for movies in Hollywood. So many great features with outstanding character actors of the time. LeRoy Mason is great as the "undead" killer who stocks the remaining frightened guests and family at the Wolfe Mansion. If it shows up on Fox Movie Channel, do yourself a favor and watch it!
Bill Kennedy at the Movies (1956)
The greatest character actor the ever emceed a TV movie show
To say that I liked the Bill Kennedy at the Movies shows is an understatement. I watched from 1960 thru 1983 from station CKLW Channel 9 thru WJBK Channel 50. I watched all of the films he was in back thru 1937 and even have a copy of "The Peoples Choice" which was the only starring role he ever had. In the Movie, Bill runs for Mayor and the Machine tries to get him elected but he proves to be more popular that the political machine ever thought. I also have copies of 2 of his best Rebublic serials about the Canadian Royal Mounted Police and the Bad Guys. One of the best parts of the show beside the movies was when he would have his friends on for an indepth interview. His favorite bit part with a superstar was "Now Voyger" w/ Bette Davis. He once had Brace Beemer the original radio Lone Ranger and Clay Moore the TV Lone Ranger at thge same time back in the late 70's. What a show to see my radio and screen heros at the same time. Besides Clayton Moore, he was pals with Gene Autry , Roy Rogers, Roy Barcroff, Alan "Rocky" Lane and other Republic horse opera stars of the 40's and 50's. He once had Bobby Blake (Little Beaver) on and Bobby badmouthed Alan Lane. Bill took offence right away and got into an argument with Blake. They went to a commercial and when they returned, Blake had left the studio. Bill was an old-fashion "good guy". He left the show in eary 1980 and came back in Palm Beach Florida as a remote for a while. This didn't last long as he was diagnoised with throat cancer and emphasemia. He passed away in eary 1997 and there were many tributs shown on the Detroit and Winsor Ontario TV stations. He was a real local hero to all of his fans and really lived up to his one and only starring feature as "THE PEOPLES CHOICE"!!!
The Mystery of the 13th Guest (1943)
What a great movie. Monogram at it's best!!
The Mystery of the 13th Guest is a not a typical example of the 40's Monogram pictures productions. This one outshines most of the typical "B" trappings they produced in the early 40's. 13th Guest made the most out of the typical wartime budget's and dimly lighted set versions that Monogram made famous. The female lead, Helen Parrish made it special because she was very uder-rated to say the least. She carries the film and adds some really good action to an otherwise typical haunted house movie. She reprises the Ginger Rogers role of 1932 and adds flare and style to the character. Dick Purcel is great as the wisecracking reporter. He died soon after the film was released and it was ashame as they really sparked together. I have not seen the film on tv since the late 40's and won't either. Most of the Monograms features were struck on celuloid so they aren't around anymore. My print is on Kodak safty film so it will never die!
The Good Humor Man (1950)
A great movie that deserves to be shown to the "New Generation!
Jack Carson at his best and Lola Albright thrown in for the femm fatel. I saw the movie in 1950 with my Dad. I was 8 at the time and remembered it well. I purchased a mint 16mm original 25 years ago, but have since sold it. I have never seen it on tv once nor do I have a VHS copy! What a shame when TCM and AMC could easily have it and show it on ocasion. Even Showtime dug up the old Boston Blackie Movies w/ Chester Morris, so I know this film exists in someones vault. Until then, we old film buffs will have to sit thru the same old fims on tv!