Harold Buchman Movies
American screenwriter Harold Buchman paid his early dues at Columbia, turning out such better-than-usual "B"s as The Case of the Missing Men (1935) and The Devil is Driving (1937). At 20th Century-Fox from 1940 to 1946, Buchman worked on a number of worthwhile programmers, including The Perfect Snob (1941) and Gentleman at Heart (1946). His timely Broadway stage farce Snafu ran into censorship problems when it was adapted for the screen in 1945--at least until he was able to persuade the Hays office that the title was an acronym for "Situation Normal, All Fouled Up". In 1951, Sidney Buchman was blacklisted from Hollywood after appearing as an "unfriendly" witness before the HUAC; he would not receive another screen credit until 1970's The Landlord. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide- 1936
Tailor-made for the talents of fast-talking James Dunn, Come Closer, Folks stars Dunn as sidewalk pitchman Jim Keene. Our hero manages to wangle a "legitimate" job as a small-town department-store sales clerk, instantly falling in love with boss's daughter Peggy Woods (Marian Marsh). When the store is threatened with bankruptcy, Jim enlists the aid of his fellow street hucksters to drum up business with their patented hard-sell methods, a strategy that gets him promoted to assistant manager. Eventually he runs afoul of the law, but Jim manages to smooth-talk the jury into letting him off the hook. Come Closer, Folks is another of those Columbia "B"-pictures which showed up incessantly on TV in the 1950s and 1960s then suddenly vanished when audiences demanded "newer" pictures. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- James Dunn, Marian Marsh, (more)
- 1936
Amateur detective Peter Cornish (William Gargan) and dimwitted police inspector Killian (Paul Hurst) combine forces to track down a blackmailer. Cornish's interest in the case is more than professional: among those being blackmailed is pretty heiress Joan Rankin (Florence Rice). The case takes on a whole new coloring when the extortionist is murdered, and Joan falls under suspicion. On the other hand, the guilty party could be Nelson the butler (Wyrley Birch), who was being indirectly victimized by the dead man. For the most part, Blackmailer is played for laughs, presumably to keep the Hays Office from complaining that the picture was too morbid. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- William Gargan, Florence Rice, (more)
Back in 1936 it was assumed that, once perfected, television would be a two-way device, enabling viewers to transmit as well as receive. In Trapped by Television, such a device is developed by inventor Fred Dennis (Lyle Talbot), who needs financial backing to complete his experiments. He is financed by crooked businessman Curtis (Thurston Hall), who has his own evil plans for television. A gang of crooks get into the act by attempting to steal Dennis' invention, intending to auction it off to the highest bidder. Wielding a futuristic television camera, heroine Bobby Blake (Mary Astor) manages to foil the crooks, while Dennis moves in to finish the job. Long unavailable for TV showings, Trapped by Television is currently and happily available on the home-video market. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Mary Astor, Lyle Talbot, (more)
- 1936
In this drama, an honest gambler tries to go straight. Although the gambling house he runs is illegal, the man insists that all house games be on the up-and-up. Trouble ensues when his wife demands he shut down the house to protect the good name of their newborn baby. He gives in and sells the house. Unfortunately he is soon conned out of his cash by an investment swindler. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Ann Sothern, Bruce Cabot, (more)
- 1935
The title character in this Columbia quickie is an elusive jewel thief who doesn't like to be photographed. Erstwhile journalist Roger Pryor didn't know that when he snapped a photo of the thief as he sped away from the scene of his latest heist. Thing of it is, Pryor's picture isn't all that clear-but the thief, who isn't above murder, is unaware of this. Pryor's toothsome leading lady in Case of the Missing Man is Joan Perry, later the wife of Columbia chieftain Harry Cohn. Chucklesome comic relief is provided by the reliable Tom Dugan as a street photographer. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Roger Pryor, Joan Perry, (more)
