Robert Stevenson Movies
One of England's best and most successful action directors of the '30s, Robert Stevenson became a filmmaker whose work was seen by tens of millions of filmgoers well into the late '60s His name was seldom noticed, however, as the director of such Walt Disney hits as Mary Poppins, Son of Flubber, Bedknobs and Broomsticks, Old Yeller, The Absent-Minded Professor, and The Love Bug. The son of a businessman, Stevenson was a science student at Cambridge, and was led to film through his graduate work in psychology. He began directing movies in 1932, and soon proved himself equally adept in all genres and subject material, capable of deriving bracing tension and excitement from material as diverse as historical drama, African adventure epics, and contemporary thrillers -- among his most notable movies in those categories, respectively, are Tudor Rose, King Solomon's Mines (the 1937 version with Paul Robeson), and Non-Stop New York. Like Alfred Hitchcock, he was signed by David O. Selznick in 1939 and brought to America, but unlike Hitchcock, Stevenson never made a movie for Selznick during the 10 years he was under contract to him. He joined the Disney organization in 1957, and became their top filmmaking hand in live-action films, directing at least a half-dozen Disney classics and another half-dozen confirmed hits over the next 20 years. ~ Bruce Eder, All Movie Guide
Robert Stevenson, Walt Disney Productions' house director, cobbled together his 19th family film for the organization with this slapstick sequel to the Disney comedy The Shaggy Dog (produced 17 years after the fact). Dean Jones plays Wilby Daniels, a lawyer running against the villainous John Slade (Keenan Wynn) for district attorney. His campaign is cast into doubt when he comes upon an ancient ring that transforms him into a fat sheepdog. But the campaign progresses on a level playing field when the unscrupulous Slade finds himself also turned into a canine -- a disgruntled bulldog. Another sequel, The Return of the Shaggy Dog, followed. ~ Paul Brenner, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Dean Jones, Tim Conway, (more)
The scene is a distant Arctic research station, where a UFO has crashed. The investigating scientists discover that the circular craft has melted its way into the ice, which has frozen up again. While attempting to recover the ship, Captain Patrick Hendry (Kenneth Tobey) accidentally explodes the vessel, but the pilot -- at least, what seems to be the pilot -- remains frozen in a block of ice. The body is taken to base headquarters, where it is inadvertently thawed out by an electric blanket. The alien attacks the soldier guarding him and escapes into the snowy wastes. An attack dog rips off the alien's arm, whereupon Dr. Carrington (Robert Cornthwaite) discerns that "The Thing" (played by future Gunsmoke star James Arness!) is not animal but a member of the carrot family, subsisting on blood. While the misguided Carrington attempts to spawn baby "Things" with the severed arm, the parent creature wreaks murderous havoc all over the base. Female scientist Nikki (Margaret Sheridan) suggests that the best way to destroy a vegetable is to cook it. Over the protests of Carrington, who wants to reason with the "visitor" (a very foolhardy notion, as it turns out), the soldiers devise a devious method for stopping The Thing once and for all. This oversimplification of The Thing does not do full justice to the overall mood and tension of the piece, nor does it convey the lifelike "business as usual" approach taken by the residents of the military base in dealing with something beyond their understanding. A superior blend of science fiction, horror, naturalistic dialogue, and flesh-and-blood characterizations, The Thing is a model of its kind. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Margaret Sheridan, Kenneth Tobey, (more)
- 1938
In this comedy, an impoverished bumbler becomes a waiter at a fancy party and finds himself mistaken for one of the wealthy guests by another drunken guest. Soon he is mingling with the elite and meets a beautiful girl. He decides to make the illusion real and after the party goes to his banker and blackmails him into hiring him. Soon he is promoted to a higher position until he is transferred the Paris branch where he begins living a happy, financially secure existence with the beautiful girl in his arms. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Jack Hulbert, Gina Malo, (more)
- 1960
Anne Francis and Christopher Dark guest star as armored-car bandits Doreen Maney and Sheik Humphries in this thinly disguised retelling of the "Bonnie and Clyde" legend. Designed by the newspapers as "The Lovebirds", Doreen and Sheik have masterminded four major heists, the last of which netted the gate receipts from Yankee Stadium. This time, however, blood has been spilled, and Elliot Ness (Robert Stack) is determined to avenge the deaths of the four armored guards mowed down by the Lovebirds' gang. Managing to capture Doreen, Ness hopes that she will reveal Sheik's whereabouts while being extradited to New York, but Doreen says nothing, confident that her boyfriend will help her escape--little imagining that she is being double-crossed not only by Sheik, but also by her own kid sister Maybelle (played by a pre-Mister Ed Connie Hines). ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1938
In this taut drama, a wealthy financier is tried for the murder of his brother-in-law after the damning corpse is found floating in his garden pond. He is eventually acquitted. Upon his return home, he is angered to find his lawyer has become romantically involved with his wife. An argument ensues, during which the financier confesses his guilt and then makes a fatal leap from a balcony. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Clive Brook, Jane Baxter, (more)
- 1934
The Battle is the English-language version of the French La Bataille; both versions starred Charles Boyer in one of his oddest screen roles. Adapted from a novel by Claude Farrere, the film casts Boyer as Marquis Yorisaka, a patriot Japanese nobleman in charge of a vast naval fleet. He strikes up a friendship with British navy officer Fergan (John Loder), in hopes of harvesting new information concerning maritime maneuvers. Yorisaka even goes so far as to push his own wife Marquise (Merle Oberon) into a romantic liaison with Fergan, even though this cruel deed will bring him disgrace as a Japanese gentleman. Even after emerging victorious from a naval battle, Yorisaka grimly realizes he's betrayed his own people through his disgraceful treatment of Marquise, leaving him with no other option but an honorable suicide. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Charles Boyer, Merle Oberon, (more)
- 1948
The relatively relaxed movie censorship in the postwar years enabled Columbia to produce To the Ends of the Earth, a film which dealt with the previously taboo subject of drug smuggling. T-man Dick Powell is sent to several foreign locales to track down an Opium ring. The villains are subversives (Red? Fascist?) who plan to take over the world by hooking everyone on the "hard stuff." The film is chock full of mysterious European and Oriental types like Vladimir Sokoloff, Ludwig Donath and Fritz Leiber; even leading lady Signe Hasso speaks with an accent, which in 1948 was enough to immediately put her under suspicion. Lending credence to this sprawling adventure yarn is the presence of several actual treasury agents in bit parts, including commissioner Harry J. Anslinger. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Dick Powell, Signe Hasso, (more)
- 1938
Owd Bob is a remake of the silent film of the same name, which in turn was based on a story by Alfred Olivant. Dominating the storyline is crusty Scottish farmer McAdam (Will Fyffe), who carries on several simultaneous feuds with his neighbors. McAdam is particularly antagonistic towards young David Moore (John Loder), newly arrived from Derbyshire. It's bad enough that Moore is sweet on McAdam's pretty daughter Jeannie (Margaret Lockwood); but when Moore enters his sheep dog Owd Bob in an annual contest that has always been won by McAdam's prize pooch Black Wull, it's too much to bear. An unexpected tragedy softens McAdam to the extent that he finally accepts Moore as a worthy son-in-law. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Will Fyffe, John Loder, (more)
This Victorian-era drama is based upon the classic novel by Thomas Hughes. It follows the exploits of a young boy forced to attend a rowdy boarding school. There he finds himself surrounded by budding punks and hoods. It is rough at first, but eventually he learns to make friends and handle himself well in the tough environment. The film is also titled Adventures at Rugby. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Cedric Hardwicke, Freddie Bartholomew, (more)
- 1942
Fugitive Nazis threaten to take over the Wyoming range in this Three Mesqueteers outing, which also warns about the danger of blithely assuming that every German-American is a fifth columnist. Which is exactly what rancher Clem Parker (Hal Price) does when learning that a couple of escaped Axis war criminals may be heading towards the local valley. Clem immediately presupposes that German expatriate Dr. Heinrich Steiner (Edward Van Sloan) and his lovely daughter Laura (Anna Marie Stewart) still pledge allegiance to the Vaterland although the good doctor has dedicated his work to helping the Allied course. In the end, it takes the Mesqueteers -- Tucson Smith (Bob Steele), Stony Brooke (Tom Tyler) and Lullaby Joslin (Jimmie Dodd) -- to settle matters once and for all. ~ Hans J. Wollstein, All Movie Guide
- 1950
Joseph Cotten stars in Walk Softly, Stranger as Chris Hale, a fugitive criminal who decides to hide out in a small Midwestern town. Here, Hale makes the acquaintance of Elaine Corelli (Alida Valli), who has had a grudge against the world since being crippled in a skiing accident. While endeavoring to help Elaine come out of her shell, Hale falls in love with her, and vows to mend his own ways. Though not released until 1950, Walk Softly, Stranger was filmed in 1948, a year before Joseph Cotten and Alida Valli were teamed in the more celebrated The Third Man. Future talk-show host Jack Paar appears in a fascinating supporting role as a suburban hubby. Walk Softly, Stranger was the last co-production between RKO and David O. Selznick's Vanguard Films. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Joseph Cotten, Spring Byington, (more)
- 1950
Faith Domergue, the latest of Howard Hughes' protegees, made her film debut in 1950's Where Danger Lives. Domergue plays Margo Lannington the wife of Frederick Lannington (Claude Rains), an elderly millionaire possessed of a sadistic streak. Robert Mitchum co-stars as Jeff Cameron, a poor soul who falls in love with Margo without knowing that she's married. During a violent confrontation with the jealous Frederick, Cameron knocks the older man out and stumbles out of the room. Upon his return, he discovers that Frederick is dead. Margo had smothered her husband during Cameron's absence, but she insists that Cameron is the killer. The desperate lovers flee to Mexico, where Cameron at long last discovers that his travelling companion is more than a little unhinged. Masterfully directed by John Farrow, Where Danger Lives might have been one of the classic "film noirs," were it not for the acting deficiencies of Faith Domergue, who flounders in a role that Jane Greer could have played blindfolded. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Robert Mitchum, Faith Domergue, (more)
- 1936
In this comedy, a blustery sailor loves to tell whoppers about his abilities and adventures. All the wind leaves his sails when he is asked to show off those talents. The trouble begins when a wealthy yachtsman hires him to take charge of his boat. Unbeknownst to the sailor, the boat is slated to be sabotaged so the owner can collect the insurance. Fortunately, the sailor proves his mettle and saves the day. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Will Hay, Moore Marriott, (more)
- 1939
In this gentle comedy, an aristocratic English fellow is not happy to be betrothed to a brewery heiress. One day he goes to a circus and ends up with a lively human cannonball in his life. He immediately falls for the daring young performer and they end up eloping and going to Paris to live out the rest of their lives. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Griffith Jones, Anna Lee, (more)
