Killings take place at an old castle in this slow-paced Italian thriller: Could the troubled heiress of the house be to blame? What’s going on is fairly obvious in broad outline, and the details aren’t particularly compelling. Lawrence Tierney has a small role but doesn’t contribute much. Not particularly recommended. Otto thinks you should avoid …
Dangerous Millions (Twentieth Century Fox, 1946)
Heirs of a shipping magnate are summoned to Shanghai with the prospect of splitting the old man’s fortune, but they’ll face some challenges along the way, including being abducted by the magnate’s erstwhile partner, who wants a share himself. Twists keep this one fairly interesting, and Kent Taylor does fine as the lead. Mildly recommended. …
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Flight to Mars (Monogram, 1951)
Pleasing, colorful Monogram entry in the space movie genre sees a small group of Earth people heading to the Red Planet, where they are made welcome indeed — but do their hosts have ulterior motives? Good performances and an unexpected resolution to a romantic subplot make this one worth a look. Mildly recommended. Otto judiciously …
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Deadwood Pass (Monarch / Freuler Film Associates, 1933)
Postal inspector Tom Whitlock (Tom Tyler) goes undercover as an escaped criminal, the Hawk, who has hidden a fortune in stolen bonds, Whitlock hopes to use his position to get in with the bad guys and look for the loot, but matters get complicated when someone who knows the real Hawk arrives. Tyler has charisma, …
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Exile Express (Grand National, 1939)
Spies after a formula that can be used for warfare are after a woman being deported and riding the “exile express,” a cross-country train carrying deportees to the East Coast. Moderately entertaining fare. Mildly recommended. Otto judiciously thinks this movie is OK, but not great. Movie 236 for 2021.
Thor the Conqueror (1983)
This terrible entry in the sword-and-sorcery genre (original title: Thor il conquistatore) has the titular “hero” growing up under the tutelage of a shapeshifting wise man and eventually confronting his parents’ murderer … but the viewer is unlikely to care, as the lead has no appeal, the rest of the characters are awful, and the …
Cowboy Canteen (Columbia, 1944)
A western-oriented entry in the field of morale-boosting all-star musicals set around a servicemen’s canteen, this 1944 Columbia outing has a ranch owner (Charles Starrett) who joins the Army and is assigned to a camp near his home, while a canteen is set up for the soldiers with performing talent and staffing from the area, …
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Hong Kong Nights (1935)
American agents (Tom Keene and Warren Hymer) tackle arms smuggling in the Far East. Reasonable amounts of action and good leads (including Wera Engels as the heroine) make for a fairly entertaining low-budget effort. Mildly recommended. Otto judiciously thinks this movie is OK, but not great. Movie 233 for 2021.
One Mysterious Night (Columbia, 1944)
In a change of pace for the Boston Blackie series, this time around Inspector Farraday (Richard Lane) expressly recruits Blackie (Chester Morris) to help recover the missing Blue Star of the Nile gemstone, which crooks have lifted despite police protection. The usual fun ensues, with the crime-fighting mixed with comedy. Janis Carter has a good …
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The Rider of Death Valley (Universal, 1932)
When crooks murder a man who has discovered a gold mine, rancher Tom Rigby (Tom Mix) steps in to ensure that the man’s young daughter will inherit. The arrival of the girl’s aunt (Lois Wilson) gives the crooks an opportunity to make their play, leading to a desert trek that strands the party — Tom, …
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