Fine tale of British submariners during the Second World War, with John Mills as the vessel’s commander and a solid cast of crewmen, most notably Eric Portman as the hydrophone operator. The submarine Sea Tiger is sent to sink a new German battleship, but their quarry has escaped into the Baltic Sea, where they pursue, …
Read the full post →“<em>We Dive at Dawn</em> (Gainsborough / Gaumont British, 1943)”
A lethargic and puffy Sonny Tufts may be top-billed, but Victor Jory is really the hero of this space opera, as a manned expedition to the moon encounters lunar Amazons. When most members of the crew fall prey to the aliens’ powers, whether dominated mentally or led on by empty promises, it’s up to second-in-command …
Dean Martin essays the role of espionage agent Matt Helm with tongue firmly planted in cheek, in the first of series of movies loosely based on Donald Hamilton’s ruthless character reworked into distinctly lighter fare. Here, Helm partners with a former flame (Daliah Lavi) and then with an innocent mixed up in the whole affair …
Read the full post →“<em>The Silencers</em> (Columbia, 1966)”
Gene Autry gets plenty of credit in many of the posters, and also at the beginning of the print I watched, as a reflection of his popularity, but this is Ken Maynard’s movie, with Autry only present with a band — and Maynard gets some dubbed singing in as well. Ken and his partner Cactus …
Read the full post →“<em>In Old Santa Fe</em> (Mascot, 1934)”
Early sound musical set in New Orleans, notable for featuring the team of Bert Wheeler and Robert Woolsey in supporting roles, has little interest save as a historical curiosity. Although some of the singing and dancing is good, a hackneyed plot and a stiff leading man weaken the film; Bebe Daniels in the title role …
A battle over a land lease is at the center of this Durango Kid outing, as a conniving crook plots to use a forged lease to keep young Bronc Masters (Robert Scott, aka Mark Roberts), the rightful lessee, from rounding up horses for use by the Army. Luckily Steve Bolton, the agent of the Department …
Read the full post →“<em>Prairie Raiders</em> (Columbia, 1947)”
A young woman investigating the disappearance of her boyfriend, a psychiatrist, ends up at a villa full of strange people who all have stories to tell about the missing man, who had plenty of secrets. An exiled gangster helps the young woman in her investigation, but does he have ulterior motives? This well-made giallo, originally …
The final Range Busters movie with the lineup of John “Dusty” King, David Sharpe, and Max “Alibi” Terhune, and the 20th overall, Haunted Ranch has one of my favorite plot devices — apparent hauntings — but falls rather short of the earlier ghost town movie in the series, Trail of the Silver Spurs. Here, both …
Read the full post →“<em>Haunted Ranch</em> (Monogram, 1943)”
John Bentley is the Honourable Richard Rollison, aka the Toff, an aristocratic adventurer quite similar to the Saint, but who was featured in nearly 60 novels by the prolific John Creasey. Here, a secretary asks the Toff to find her missing boss, and various complications — including murder — ensue. Unfortunately, the movie isn’t particularly …
