Petty car thieves stumble into a kidnapping and decide to try to nab the ransom for themselves. The kidnappers are clever enough to figure out how to track down their “rivals,” however, and the two groups end up headed for a collision. The unraveling of the crimes holds the viewer’s interest while awaiting the inevitable …
Action in Arabia (1944)
George Sanders ably handles the opposition in this story of intrigue in Damascus in the early years of World War II, with Nazi agents seeking to bring the Arab tribes into the war on behalf of the Axis, and a journalist (Sanders), aided by an off-duty American diplomat (Robert Armstrong), seeking to stop them. Complicating …
The Double (1963)
An amnesiac with vague memories of killing someone is brought back to England from Africa, where his arrival sets in motion a chain of unusual events and harrowing crimes. His intrepid nurse eagerly investigates in order to find out the truth, despite discouragement from the private detective she has hired, while her sister draws closer …
Headin’ for the Rio Grande (1936)
Tex (Tex Ritter) and his pal Chili (Syd Saylor) drift down toward the Rio Grande country, apparently cowboys with no particular aim, though Tex has a reason for the trip — to visit and help out his brother (Forrest Taylor), a local lawman facing criticism for failing to put a stop to a cattle herd …
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Tarzak Against the Leopard Men (1964)
An imitation Tarzan known as Tarzak (in the Italian original, titled Tarzak contro gli uomini leopardo) or Zoltak (in the dubbed English version I watched) must rescue surviving members of a scientific expedition who ended up in the hands of a newly warlike tribe of “leopard men” intent on sacrificing them — a situation in …
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Haunted Honeymoon (1986)
Radio star Larry Abbot (Gene Wilder), who is about to marry co-star Vickie Pearle (Gilda Radner), suffers from bouts of anxiety that threaten his career. His uncle (Paul L. Smith) undertakes to cure him during a weekend family reunion in an old dark house. The movie is just silly fun, with Wilder and Radner in …
Stoney (1974)
Incoherent action and a muddled plot fatally weaken this tale of rival groups of gun-runners out to obtain a fortune in gold and jewelry stolen during the Second World War and concealed beneath a swimming pool in the former home of the Japanese commander in charge of Surabaya (hence the original title, Surabaya Conspiracy). Michael …
Cat People (1942)
Engineer Oliver Reed (Kent Smith) meets and marries Irena, a Serbian immigrant (Simone Simon), who is fascinated by the big cats at the zoo and who worries that she herself may be descended from the were-panthers of her homeland. Although Oliver tries to help her, Irena’s beliefs put a strain on their relationship, as does …
Kadin Düsmani (1967)
A masked and gloved killer is stalking women in various areas of Istanbul in this Turkish krimi. Though the subject is sordid enough — and would fit in well with the Italian gialli of the 1970s — this mystery nevertheless delivers a reasonable amount of entertainment. Mildly recommended. Otto judiciously thinks this movie is OK. …
Samson and the 7 Miracles of the World (1961)
It’s muscleman versus the Mongols in this sword-and-sandal movie, originally titled Maciste alla corte del Gran Khan. Gordon Scott is the titular hero, whether known as Samson, Maciste, or (as in another alternate title) Goliath, and he wanders through Asia in his skimpy garb, trying to assist a Chinese prince and princess fend off the …
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