Alex Nicol Movies
On stage from the age of 19, American actor Alex Nicol toiled away in supporting roles for nearly a decade, his Actors Studio training often serving him well in helping him make something out of nothing. Nicol enjoyed a good run in the 1949 Broadway smash South Pacific, albeit in a role consisting of no more than four lines. Things perked up when he made his first film, The Sleeping City, in 1950, after which Nicol concentrated upon movie parts calling for shifty villainy. He worked in both Hollywood and England, with time out for TV assignments, including an oddly delineated role as a grown-up Mamma's boy on the 1962 Twilight Zone episode "Young Man's Fancy." Nicol had accrued enough capital in the late '50s to begin directing as well as starring in films. Some of his projects were tawdry little items like The Screaming Skull (1958), but at least one Nicol-directed film, And Then There Were Three (1962), proved that a singular talent had been wasted in Hollywood. And Then There Were Three, a no-budget war film, scored on its grittiness and spontaneity; unfortunately the film was not given a general release, and began circulating only when sold to television in 1965. Alex Nicol added to his directing credits by helming a few network TV series in the '60s, often through the auspices of Universal, his home studio as an actor in the '50s. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi- 1978
- R
In this Spanish language film, an ex-con tries to make up for lost time. ~ Sandra Brennan, Rovi
This laughable Korean rip-off of King Kong was released the same year as Dino De Laurentis's trumpeted remake to sponge up some free hype from that film's massive publicity machine (in some areas it was retitled The New King Kong). Despite the fact that the poorly-handled big-studio film was considered by many to be a pointless exercise, this movie makes De Laurentis' fiasco seem positively inspired by comparison (although the producers of this film might merit some slack -- they didn't have $20 million to blow). The vaguely familiar story involves a captured 36-foot ape who escapes his offshore prison to rampage through the streets of Seoul, where he falls in love with an American actress (Joanna Kerns) who is shooting a movie there. Jam-packed with laughs, both intentional (the big brute gives Korean defense forces the finger) and unintentional (look for the "Tonka" logo on the trucks he hurls through the air), this might have found a home among fans of truly awful cinema thanks to an effective use of 3-D, but TV and video versions are missing this clunker's sole bonus. Released under several alternate titles, the most appropriate being Attack of the Giant Horny Gorilla! ~ Cavett Binion, Rovi
- Starring:
- Rod Arrants, Joanna Kerns, (more)
- 1975
It's still the same old story...but what a story. This umpteenth filmization of the classic Mark Twain novel stars Ron Howard as Huck and Donny Most as Tom Sawyer. After faking his own murder to escape his brutish Pap (played by Howard's real-life father Rance), Huck and fugitive slave Jim (Antonio Fargas) fashion a raft and head off down the Mississippi. The darker elements and sociological commentary of the Twain original are carefully excised from this version, the better to allow more time for the antics of those "royal" rapscallions, the King (Jack Elam) and the Duke (Merle Haggard). Mark Twain himself makes a guest appearance, in the person of Royal Dano. Filmed along the Sacramento River in California (a frequent movie "stand-in" for the Mississippi), Huckleberry Finn was first broadcast March 25, 1975. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
- 1975
- PG
In this grim and gory thriller, a young woman testifies against a murderous cult in court and finds herself threatened by a vengeful hood-wearing killer. ~ Sandra Brennan, Rovi
- 1973
- PG
A scientist (Michael Greene) discovers a plot whereby one of his co-workers (Stanley Adams) has been cloning the minds of geniuses in a nefarious attempt to control the world. With the help of a clone-chaser (Gregory Sierra), the scientist has a slim chance of saving the planet. ~ John Bush, Rovi
- 1971
A pair of youthful criminal wannabes, Chill and Bryan, concoct a "game" whereby they will kidnap a young boy and hold him for ransom. But the game turns deadly when the victim is hidden in a cave that is threatening to collapse upon him at any minute! In the original TV Guide synopsis, much was made of the fact that the young villains in this episode were portrayed by a pair of "overnight" movie stars: Richard Thomas, who'd been seen in Red Sky at Morning (and was still a year away from The Waltons, and Bryan Houser, one of the principal players in Summer of '42. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
- 1971
- R
In this low-budget drama, an aspiring rocker makes bad choices in his desperate bid for stardom. His first mistake is to agree to dump his loyal lover and embark upon a tawdry affair with a music publisher's wife. ~ Sandra Brennan, Rovi
- 1970
- PG
Set in a small Wisconsin town (even though it was actually filmed in Canada), this is the story of a young man living in the 60s. He has his own rock band, of course, and is against the war, of course. Despite some good performances, notably by Alex Nicol, the remainder of the movie is somewhat hackneyed and cliched...standard teenage angst, rebel without a cause...trying to deal with the chaotic social situation of the sixties. ~ Tana Hobart, Rovi
- Starring:
- Don Scardino, Alex Nicol, (more)
- 1970
- R
Shelley Winters, who once played the spoofish "Ma Parker" on Batman, brings the same larger-than-life approach to her portrayal of real-life Ma Barker in Bloody Mama. Presiding over her outlaw gang, consisting mainly of her goonish sons, Ma goes on a Depression-era rampage of bank robbery, murder and kidnapping. Obviously filmed in a hurry-watch as the Barker mob drives past modern shopping centers-- Bloody Mama strives for an entertaingly sleazy aura, especially when dealing with the incestuous subtext of Ma's relationship with her boys. And look who plays the Barker brood: Clint Kimbrough, Robert Walden and Robert De Niro! Bloody Mama was scripted by Robert Thom, whose previous collaboration with producer Roger Corman was the cult classic Wild in the Streets (former 1950s ingenue Diane Varsi appears in both films). ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
- Starring:
- Shelley Winters, Pat Hingle, (more)
- 1965
In this western, a gambler wins a big Mexican ranch and decides to herd all of the cattle upon it into Texas. The crook enlists the aide of a few Mexicans, but they don't realize he plans to cheat them. En route, the cattle drivers are ambushed by banditos. They survive, but during the course of the struggle, the cattle hands learn the truth and ensure that justice gets served. ~ Sandra Brennan, Rovi
- Starring:
- Alex Nicol, Dick Bentley, (more)
- 1964
This intriguing spaghetti western was co-directed by Jose Luis Borau and Mario Caiano. The story concerns a group of corrupt Tombstone officials who extort protection money from the town's citizens. When the sheriff attempts to interfere, they hire a hitman named Moody (Robert Hundar) to murder him then install a puppet sheriff in his place. Unfortunately for the villains, they choose the town drunk, Brandy (Alex Nicol), who sobers up enough to take the job seriously. With the aid of an ex-bandit (Antonio Casas) and the people of Tombstone, Sheriff Brandy takes down not only Moody, but the thuggish town bosses as well. Margaret Grayson, Jorge Rigaud, and Giuseppe Addobbati co-star, and prolific composer Riz Ortolani provided the soundtrack. ~ Robert Firsching, Rovi
- 1964
In Volume 24 of a collection culled from the 1963-1965 science fiction anthology television series, the researchers on a military base on the Moon find a living organism. ~ Jason Ankeny, Rovi
- 1963
A group of starving Roman artists provides the focus of this episodic drama that tells the often tragic story of each of them. One commits suicide after learning that his only patron is his homosexual lover. Another, a female singer, is a nymphomaniac. A third member gives up art in favor of marrying a German woman who is two decades older than he. As the original group begins to diminish, it is replenished by new, more idealistic young artists. ~ Sandra Brennan, Rovi
- 1962
A little talkative but otherwise up to par, this western by director Michael Carreras in cooperation with a Madrid studio, is set in the Mexican valley of Sonora not that far south of the state of Arizona. The time is just after the American Civil War, and a former Confederate officer, Mike Summers (Don Taylor) has taken refuge in a small town in the valley. He has married and is hoping to live in peace the rest of his life. Instead, he and his wife and the rest of the town are suffering the depredations of a brutal gunman, Danny Pose (Alex Nicol), and his gang of outlaws. Summers holds off picking up a gun because of his personal vow of non-violence. But the situation deteriorates and a new ally comes into the picture, Steve Fallon (Richard Basehart), a wandering gunslinger who may not be able to handle the bad guys alone. ~ Eleanor Mannikka, Rovi
- Starring:
- Richard Basehart, Don Taylor, (more)
- 1962
According to this Richard Matheson-scripted Twilight Zone episode, there is such a thing as too much nostalgia. While visiting his childhood home with his new wife Virginia (Phyllis Thaxter), Alex Walker (Alex Nicol) begins exulting over the artifiacts of his youth -- toys, books, clothes, and the like. What Virginia doesn't know until it's too late is that Alex has fallen under the spell of his late mother (Helen Brown), who intends to reclaim her "little boy" at any cost. The ending is hardly satisfactory, but this cannot be blamed on Matheson, who had an entirely different (and infinitely more suitable) denoument in mind. "Young Man's Fancy" was originally telecast May 11, 1962. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
- Starring:
- Phyllis Thaxter, Alex Nicol, (more)
- 1962
The "WHO" in A Matter of Who isn't a "who" but a "what". The word is an anagram for the World Health Organization, a curious subject for a British comedy--especially one which utilizes a communicable disease as a plot device! WHO operatives Terry-Thomas and Alex Nicol trace the outbreak of a smallpox epidemic to ruthless oil millionaire Guy Deghy. Offsetting the (literal) unhealthiness of the plotline is Terry-Thomas' romance with Sonja Ziemann, the widow of a smallpox victim. A Matter of WHO was picked up for U.S. distribution by MGM. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
- Starring:
- Sonja Ziemann, Alex Nicol, (more)
- 1961
The only film directed by sometime actor and producer William Alland, Look in Any Window is an uninspired melodrama that relied on the star power of teen heartthrob Paul Anka to attract the younger set when it was released in 1961. Anka plays Craig Fowler, a disturbed kid whose main pleasure and pursuit in life is donning a mask and peeking into windows in his neighborhood. Craig's missing pistons are attributed to his dysfunctional family; his mother (Ruth Roman) favors the bottle over him, and his parents' marriage has gone down the tubes. As a host of unsavory characters wanders in and out of his life, it is obvious that Craig has a few reasons for being slightly wacko. ~ Eleanor Mannikka, Rovi
- Starring:
- Paul Anka, Ruth Roman, (more)
- 1961
In this WW II drama, six soldiers end up separated from their units behind enemy lines in Italy. As they make their way back to safety, they pick up a wandering fellow. The man is a Nazi spy assigned to assassinate an important resistance leader. Soon the soldiers begin to suffer mysterious, fatal mishaps. Still they continue on until the remaining four and their conniving companion make it to the underground camp. There the Nazi captures the leader. Fortunately, the remaining soldiers stop him and he ends up running back towards the German lines. Unfortunately, his compatriots mistake him for the enemy and shoot him. ~ Sandra Brennan, Rovi
- Starring:
- Alex Nicol, Frank Latimore, (more)
- 1960
In this war drama, a band of Italian soldiers, elated to hear that the war is finally over, promptly desert and head for home. Only two soldiers remain loyal to the army and they promptly begin heading back to the main forces. En route they are enticed by partisan soldiers who want the two to join them. Later they are joined by more soldiers. One of them is arrested by the Fascists for concealing an American paratrooper. When the two finally return, the Germans force them to work on a road gang. They are attacked by partisans, and one of the soldiers escapes. His partner is shot so the soldier joins the rebels. ~ Sandra Brennan, Rovi
- Starring:
- Alberto Sordi, Martin Balsam, (more)
- 1960
Under Ten Flags is a fact-based British maritime epic set during World War II. Allied ships are being victimized by a German surface raider, which sails under friendly flags until moving in for the kill. Since so many nationalities were involved in making this film (both before and behind the cameras), it is difficult at times to determine whose side one is supposed to be on. On screen, the Germans seem the cleverest and most resourceful of all the combatants; at times, one hopes that they'll get away with their high-seas perfidy--especially since the captain is played by charismatic American actor Van Heflin. Under Ten Flags has a minimum of war action, but this didn't prevent an enterprising home-movie firm from excerpting nine minutes' worth of highlights for an 8-millimeter version--which did better business than the original 92 minute feature! ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
- Starring:
- Van Heflin, Charles Laughton, (more)
- 1960
Once branded himself by the House Un-American Activities Committee, award-winning director Martin Ritt focuses on the cruel branding of five women in this standard wartime drama. Some of his better-known films (The Spy Who Came In from the Cold, Norma Rae) also deal with the question of social and ethical choices in the face of pressure. In this story, the savagery of the Yugoslav partisans as they fight off Nazi occupation forces is also vented on five women accused of Nazi sympathies because of their sexual association with one German officer. The women (played by Silvana Mangano, Vera Miles, Barbara Bel Geddes, Jeanne Moreau, and Carla Gravina) have their heads shaved in order to brand them as traitors. What the partisans did to the German officer (Steve Forrest) in revenge for sleeping with these women was much worse. Intermittently shocking, the film with its excess cruelty and hatreds stands as a good indictment against war and its causes. ~ Eleanor Mannikka, Rovi
- Starring:
- Silvana Mangano, Vera Miles, (more)
- 1958
Gangster Eddie Slovak (Alex Nicol) is worried that his cowardice during the Korean War will be exposed by his old army buddy Pete (Don Keefer). To prevent this, Eddie offers Pete a huge sum of money to keep his mouth shut. But the gangster overplays his hand when he falls in love with Pete's wife Louise (Nita Talbot). Figuring into the outcome of the story is an elaborate murder scheme involving another woman, named Fay (Carmen Mathews). ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
For reasons best known to local TV programmers, the modest shocker The Screaming Skull was telecast on what seemed to be a daily basis in the 1960s. The hero-villain is Eric (played by John Hudson, who later billed himself as William Hudson), the husband of neurotic millionairess Jenni Peggy Webber. By strategically placing miniature skulls all over the house, Eric hopes to drive Jenni into madness so that he can take control of her fortune. The police suspect that Mickey the gardener Alex Nicol, who also directed the film) is the man behind the campaign of terror, but the truth finally surfaces in the last reel, wherein Eric gets what's coming to him-and more besides. Perhaps it's worth noting that the 10-minute abdridgement of Screaming Skull, made available to the 8-mm home movie market in the 1970s, is just as entertaining as the full-length feature. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
- Starring:
- John Hudson, Peggy Webber, (more)
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