In this terrible Irish-Swedish co-production, a young man visiting the Continent after the close of the Napoleonic Wars is drawn to a mysterious woman who is married to a strange man who may be a vampire — or is she? A slow pace, poor camerawork and lighting, and unappealing characters really drag down the movie, …
Milwaukee Road ribbed-side boxcar
The latest addition to my vintage HO rolling stock is this built-up Model Die Casting Roundhouse diecast Milwaukee Road boxcar. I purchased the kit assembled but without trucks mounted, though some Roundhouse sprung trucks were included in the kit box (the kit was originally sold without trucks). I’ve put the car — at least temporarily …
Texas Trouble Shooters (Monogram, 1942)
Alibi drags reluctant Crash and Dusty away from their vacation and to the aid of a young man and woman, joint heirs to a ranch, who are facing crooks out to swindle them (or kill them) to get the property, which has oil on it. Although the boys try their usual undercover approach, they face …
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Mr. Moto Takes a Chance (Twentieth Century Fox, 1938)
Intrigue and adventure in French Indochina, with Mr. Moto (Peter Lorre) working as an archaeologist when the arrival of an American flyer (Rochelle Hudson) and two documentary makers (Robert Kent and Chick Chandler) sets the stage for a confrontation with those plotting armed rebellion. This movie has Moto once again adopting a disguise — and …
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Haunted Gold (WB, 1932)
A young rancher (John Wayne) who has inherited a half-interest in a mine, a girl (Sheila Terry) whose father lost his half-interest to a crook, and a gang led by the man who has that half-interest now all come to a ghost town in response to mysterious letters. Creepy doings follow, including mysterious figures skulking …
The Pointing Finger (1933)
This plodding “thriller” has an indebted cousin plotting the demise of the rightful heir to the family title and fortune, to be engineered via an accident in Africa, but his plans appear destined for failure when, despite assurances from the man hired to do the deed, the heir shows up at home, healthy enough but …
Crossfire in Caracas (1967)
After organized bandits attack a munitions train in Venezuela, the authorities turn to a potential secret agent as the man to get to the bottom of things and keep the bad guys from obtaining weapons and passing them along to rebels. This multinational production — original title: El hombre de Caracas — features a protagonist …
The Broken Gun, by Louis L’Amour
Louis L’Amour pens a contemporary mystery-thriller, albeit still in a western setting, with The Broken Gun, as an author interested in what happened to two brothers who had brought a herd of cattle west and then disappeared finds himself the target of those who know what happened and themselves have something to hide. Though he …
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Secret Weapon
Nine Girls (Columbia, 1944)
When an unpopular member of their sorority is murdered, suspicion falls on the rest of the girls in the chapter, and, confined to a lodge where they had planned a weekend get-together, they begin to suspect each other as well. A decent premise is undermined by too many similar characters: save for the pledges and …