Fanchon Royer Movies

Filmed on the very cheap, Mystic Circle Murder (aka Religious Racketeers) is distinguished by the presence of Mme. Harry Houdini, in a rare movie appearance. The widow of the famed magician introduces the film by warning the viewer to steer clear of phony psychics who promise to communicate with the dear departed. The story proper then gets under way, with fake fakir La Gagge (Robert Fiske) fleecing wealthy widows Ada Barnard (Betty Compson) and Martha Morgan (Helene Le Berthan). Throughout the film, the many gimmicks used to sucker the gullible into believing they've reached the Great Beyond are exposed and explained. Outside of its novelty value, Mystic Circle Murder has very little to offer. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Puritan Pictures seldom turned out a film that looked most expensive than it really was. The studio's Million to One appears to have been made on a budget of eight dollars and a box lunch, but that doesn't lessen its entertainment value one bit. Herman Brix (later known as Bruce Bennett) stars as Johnny Kent, a hot-shot Olympic athlete who lets success go to his head. After a dizzying cycle of wine, women and song, Johnny is no good to anyone, least of all himself. He wises up in time to qualify for a decathlon competition with his arch-rival Hale (Reed Howes). Oldtimers Monte Blue and Kenneth Harlan play key supporting roles, while the ingenue is a pretty but antiseptic newcomer named Joan Burfield. By the time Million to One made it to New York (nearly three years after it was made), Ms. Burfield was billing herself as Joan Fontaine. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Puritan Pictures, a poverty-row operation devoted in the main to Tim McCoy westerns, turned out a few diverting murder mysteries during its short life span. In Death in the Sky, Leon Ames plays a World War I ace whose combat experiences have driven him mad. Convinced that every other aviator on earth poses a personal threat to him, Ames contrives to kill anyone who pilots a plane. Only hero John Carroll and heroine Lona Andre stand in the way of Ames' murder spree. The matching of new footage with stock shots from such earlier air epics as Hell's Angels is not always convincing, but at least the film keeps on the move. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Department store owner Elliot Dinwiddy (Charlie Ruggles) never makes a decision without first consulting his astrologer Dr. Wakefield (Andrew Tombes). Problem is, Dinwiddy's dependence upon the stars to dictate his fate has a negative trickle-down effect on his impending marriage to his secretary Myrtle Tweep (Marjorie Gateson) -- and on the romance between store employees Terry Keith (Johnny Downs) and Caroline Wilson (Eleanor Whitley). Most of the plot is forgotten during the climactic floor-show celebrating the 25th anniversary of Dinwiddy's store, with specialties from pantomimist Ben Blue (cast as night watchman Luke) and Jack Benny Show regulars Kenny Baker and Phil Harris. The film's best moment finds store detective Dugan (Romo Vincent) cutting loose with a Charles Laughton impression. The film editor for Turn off the Moon was Edward Dmytryk, who later went on to a prestigious directorial career. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

An airborne serial killer terrorizes a group of war veterans in this ultra-cheap but fairly engrossing whodunit produced by one of Hollywood's few women executives, Fanchon Royer. Assigned to investigate a series of flight disasters committed by a phantom aircraft bearing only the legend "X," veteran test pilot Jerry Blackwood (John Carroll) learns from Dr. Norris (John Elliott) that the killer in all likelihood is a veteran of the last war suffering from "battle neurosis." Jerry gathers a group of fellow veterans at the plant operated by aircraft manufacturer Henry Goering (Henry Hall), an assembly consisting of Baron Von Guttard (John Peters) of the German Luftwaffe, the French pilot René LaRue (Gaston Glass), the British Captain Saunders (Pat Somerset), and American Douglas Thompson (Wheeler Oakman), late of the famous Lafayette Escadrille. Also present is the mysterious Lieutenant Ives (Reed Howes) and Carl (Leon Kent), Goering's son, who seems to know a great deal about Von Guttard. The German, however, is the first to die during an airborne patrol, closely followed by LaRue. Saunders, meanwhile, seems to come completely unhinged and remains the obvious suspect when Dr. Norris is found murdered. The real "Pilot X," however, is someone completely different, as Jerry and Goering's ward, Helen Gage (Lona Andre), learn the hard way. ~ Hans J. Wollstein, All Movie Guide

Fed up with her doctor husband's ceaseless charity work, Mary Harris (June Clyde) leaves her Midwest "tank town" in favor of Big City excitement in this low-budget drama from Hollywood's sole woman producer at the time, Fanchon Royer. Boarding with her sophisticated friend, Milly (Noel Francis), Mary begins an affair with Sidney Fletcher (Ralf Harolde), the owner of the dress shop where both girls model. Meanwhile, back in Mary's hometown, Ted Harris (George J. Lewis) saves the life of a pillar of society, and, as a reward, is made head of the local hospital. Mary, who believes Fletcher will marry her, demands a divorce from Ted. Fletcher reneges on his promises and instead offers Mary a check for 10,000 dollars, the "usual amount," as he calls it. A struggle ensues, during which the bounder is shot. Realizing that Mary will be charged with first-degree murder if Fletcher dies, Ted volunteers to operate on his former rival, whose life is saved in the nick of time. Reunited with the husband who always loved her, Mary happily returns to her old vocation as his nurse. ~ Hans J. Wollstein, All Movie Guide

A notorious crook and a Parisian ballet dancer get involved with international intrigue in this low-budget action-adventure from Poverty Row company Mayfair Pictures Corp. It is all about an important manifesto that may re-establish President Alarcon as the ruler of the Republic of Luvania. The manifesto ends up in the hands of Boris Krinsky (José Crespo), and, to trap him, dancer Landra (June Collyer) sets up a meeting with the Luvanian conspirators at her castle above Monte Carlo. After quite a bit of derring-do, Krinsky is brought to the castle's torture chamber, where he is whipped by Alba (Lloyd Whitlock), his former captain in the Luvania Foreign Legion, but is rescued in the nick of time by New York gangster Spike Maguire (Wheeler Oakman), an old friend. In love with Landra, Krinsky removes a signature that may incriminate her and hands over the manifesto to the Luvanian delegation. Revenge at Monte Carlo was also released in a Spanish language version, Dos Noche, with Conchita Montenegro replacing June Collier and Antonio Cumellas standing in for Lloyd Whitlock. ~ Hans J. Wollstein, All Movie Guide

Produced by one of Hollywood's few women executives, Fanchon Royer, this inexpensive "Zorro" rip-off features future Cisco Kid Duncan Renaldo as identical twins separated in childhood by an Indian raid. The remaining twin, Kenneth, later graduates from West Point and falls in love with beautiful Dorothy Brandon (Edwina Booth). Traveling in Mexico with her aunt (Dot Farley), the latter is abducted by lecherous bandit Lopez (Manuel Paris). She is rescued in the proverbial nick of time by El Zorro, a notorious masked outlaw who bears a striking resemblance to Kenneth. When Dorothy pays too much attention to El Zorro, a jealous Kenneth trails the outlaw to his remote hacienda. The ranch is attacked by Lopez and during the struggle to save it, Kenneth realizes that El Zorro is his long-lost twin. Together, the brothers defeat Lopez and Dorothy agrees to marry El Zorro/Johnny, who promises to give up banditry in favor of mining. ~ Hans J. Wollstein, All Movie Guide

Two disparate brothers work it out in this drama. Their father, an engineer on the Cannonball Express, considers one son to be good and the other to be bad. He must reassess his judgment when the "good son" gets involved with hold-up men during a crap game. He loses and now must pay substantial IOU's. The desperate young man resorts to stealing from his dad to save his skin. It is the "bad seed" who saves his brother by taking the rap after their father finds out. The truth is revealed when the robbers attempt a heist on the father's train. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide