Helena Carter Movies
American actress Helena Carter, born Helen Rickerts, worked as a model before making her film debut in 1947. She went on to play a variety of leading ladies in B-movies throughout the late '40s and '50s. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide- 1953
Flying in the face of Hollywood tradition, this cinemadaptation of James Fennimore Cooper's The Pathfinder features genuine Native Americans in several principal "Indian" roles. Set during the French-Indian wars of the 18th century, the film stars George Montgomery as The Pathfinder, an Indian scout in the employ of the British. The Pathfinder is sent to a French encampment to do a little secret-agent work, accompanied by Welcome Alison (Helena Carter), an English lass posing as a Frenchwoman. Their identities revealed, Pathfinder and Welcome are imprisoned and slated for execution -- and for a long, long while, it looks as though the Great Lakes region will be claimed by the French. Co-starring in The Pathfinder are Jay "Tonto" Silverheels as Chingachgook, Rodd Redwing as hostile Mingo chief Arrowhead, and Chief Yowlachie as Eagle Feather. Adhering to the usual Hollywood casting process, however, the role of Indian maiden Lokawa is essayed by Anglo-Latino actress Elena Verdugo. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- George Montgomery, Helena Carter, (more)
Originating during the science-fiction/Red-Scare boom of the '50s, Invaders From Mars is an entertaining little picture that holds up reasonably well. David MacLean (Jimmy Hunt) is a 12-year-old astronomy buff who is stunned to see a flying saucer landing in the sand pit beyond his backyard. His father, George (Leif Erickson), ventures out to look the next morning and mysteriously disappears. David's mother, Mary (Hillary Brooke), worriedly calls police, but they are quickly swallowed up by the sand in the backyard. Later, George and the two cops return, but their personalities are markedly different having been taken over by the Martians. As David tries to find help, everyone around him comes under the frightening zombie-like spell. He finally encounters two believers in Dr. Blake (Helena Carter) and Dr. Kelston (Arthur Franz). Discovering David's shocking story to be true, the doctors call in the military setting up a confrontation that escalates when David and Dr. Blake are taken captive within the Martian craft. The soldiers race to save the pair from the green menace leading to an explosive finale that involves bullets, grenades, TNT, and a spectacular alien ray gun that can melt stone. ~ Patrick Legare, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Helena Carter, Arthur Franz, (more)
- 1952
During the Civil War, Colonel Kern Shafter (played by Ray Milland) and Captain Edward Garnett (played by Hugh Marlowe) become embroiled in a conflict, the cause of which is somewhat cloudy. As a result, Shafter leaves the Eastern Cavlary and moves West, where he is able to re-enlist. Ten years later, Shafter is reassigned to an outpost in the Dakota Territory -- one that is commanded by his old nemesis Garnett. Garnett takes advantage of his authority to assign Shafter to the most dangerous missions, clearly hoping that he will not return from one of them. Things are not made any easier by the fact that both men fall in love with the same woman (played by Helena Carter). The situation comes to a climax during the Battle of Little Big Horn, when both men attempt to put an end to their personal war as hundreds of others are slaughtered around them. Victorious, Shafter manages to survive the massacre and return to claim the woman he loves. ~ Craig Butler, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Ray Milland, Helena Carter, (more)
- 1952
This Sam Katzman costume quickie stars Sterling Hayden as 17th-century privateer Kit Gerardo, and (inevitably in a buccaneer meller of this sort) Rhonda Fleming as a gorgeous female pirate named Rouge. When Rouge's vessel is besieged by the minions of evil Caribbean governor Luis del Toro (John Sutton), Gerardo comes to her rescue. As the film unfolds, it turns out that practically no one is who they seem to be--especially the mysterious Rouge. Producer Katzman cannily fleshes out the film with miles of stock footage from earlier pirate epics. Apparently contemptuous of his role, Sterling Hayden delivers an uncharacteristically awful performance, but Rhonda Fleming makes the whole enterprise worthwhile. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Rhonda Fleming, Sterling Hayden, (more)
- 1951
Fort Worth stars Randolph Scott as gunfighter-turned-newspaperman Ned Britt. Setting up shop in the eponymous Texas town, Britt tries to expose the crooked machinations of cattle baron Gabe Clevinger (Ray Teal). This brings him into conflict with his old friend Blair Lunsfold (David Brian), who has cast his lot with Clevinger. Further complicating matters is Lunsford's fiancee Flora Talbot (Phyllis Thaxter), who falls in love with Britt. As tensions threaten to erupt into all-out bloodshed--especially when Clevinger deploys brute force to prevent the arrival of the railroad--Ned Britt is forced to rethink his newfound philosophy that the pen is mightier than the sword. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Randolph Scott, David Brian, (more)
Based on a novel by Horace McCoy (They Shoot Horses, Don't They), Kiss Tomorrow Goodbye offers James Cagney at his nastiest. The star plays career criminal Ralph Cotter, who gets things started by violently busting out of jail, then murdering his partner in crime. Seeking out female companionship, he "courts" his ex-partner's sister Holiday (Barbara Payton) by beating her black and blue. After committing a robbery, he is approached by two crooked cops who want a piece of the action. Blackmailing the cops, Cotter gains control of the situation. Is there any way to stop this fascinating creep? Filmgoers in Ohio never found out, because Kiss Tomorrow Goodbye was banned in that state as "a sordid, sadistic presentation of brutality and an extreme presentation of crime with explicit steps in commission." Supporting Cagney are Luther Adler as his equally crooked lawyer, Ward Bond and Barton MacLane as the dishonest cops, and Cagney's brother William (who produced the film) as Ralph Cotter's brother. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- James Cagney, Barbara Payton, (more)
- 1950
South Sea Sinner is a remake of 1940's Seven Sinners, with Shelley Winters in the Marlene Dietrich role and MacDonald Carey as the John Wayne counterpart. Winters plays cabaret singer Coral, who manages to spark a riot wherever she goes. Carey co-stars as Jake Davis, who has been wandering aimlessly throughout the South Seas ever since he was framed on a gun-smuggling charge. These two volatile personalities become embroiled in the crooked schemes concocted by all-around villain Cognac (Luther Adler). Featured in the cast are Frank Lovejoy as Jake's best friend, and Helena Carter as the "right" girl for Our Hero. But the film's main attraction for modern audiences is the one and only Liberace, making his film debut as Coral's sardonic accompanist. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- MacDonald Carey, Shelley Winters, (more)
- 1950
Double Crossbones is an unusually elaborate comedy vehicle for Donald O'Connor. Set in the Carolinas in the 18th century, the film casts O'Connor as Davy Crandall, a bumbling shopkeeper's apprentice. Davy's boss (Hayden Rourke) is in cahoots with the corrupt colonial governor (John Emery), who in turn deals directly with the pirates who sail in and out of port with impunity. Unfairly accused of piracy, Davy finds refuge on a buccaneer's boat. Through circumstances better seen than described, our hapless hero gains the reputation of being the boldest pirate on the Seven Seas. The stellar supporting cast includes Helena Carter as the heroine, Will Geer as O'Connor's aide-de-camp, and Hope Emerson, Alan Napier and Robert Barrat, cast respectively as notorious pirates Anne Bonney, Capt. Kidd and Henry Morgan. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Donald O'Connor, Helena Carter, (more)
- 1949
In this lively adventure, a daring Irish leader tires to keep Napoleon from invading Ireland. The hero, in every way a swashbuckler, journeys to his recently inherited castle where he saves a fair lassie the Viceroy's daughter, from highwaymen. He then gets involved in many exciting and hair-raising exploits as he saves his beloved Erin from an evil conspiracy precipitated by the Viceroy's assistant who is secretly in league with Napoleon. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Douglas Fairbanks, Jr., Helena Carter, (more)
- 1948
Yvonne DeCarlo dons 19th century "adventuress" garb once more in River Lady. This time she's a 19th century gambling queen, in charge of a profitable Mississippi riverboat casino. DeCarlo falls in love with logger Rod Cameron; when he won't succumb to her charms, she tries to buy his affections by setting up a logging empire. DeCarlo's partner Dan Duryea is also fascinated with her, but he's his usual slimy self and hasn't got a chance of either winning the girl or surviving to the fade-out. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Yvonne De Carlo, Dan Duryea, (more)
- 1947
Adapted from a novel by Rachel Field, Time Out of Mind is a slow-moving costume drama enlivened by its stars. Servant girl Kate Ferald (Phyllis Calvert, in her first Hollywood film) falls in love with Christopher Fortune (Robert Hutton), the scion of a wealthy New England sailing family. Chistopher is likewise smitten by Kate, but the class structure of the 19th century precludes their marriage. Aware that their union is not to be, Kate renounces Christopher and encourages him to wed someone from his own social class. As the years go by, Kate is the mute witness to Christopher's frustration and unhappiness, culminating in a fatal bout with alcohol. Standing out in the huge cast are Ella Raines as Christopher's "sensible" sister Rissa and Eddie Albert as the obligatory best friend/severest critic Jake Bullard. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Phyllis Calvert, Robert Hutton, (more)
- 1947
George Raft once again plays the outcast of society who comes through in the end in Intrigue. Dishonorably discharged from the Army Air Corps, Brad Dunham (Raft) disconsolately decides to try his luck with Shanghai's postwar black market. Teaming with the treacherous Tamara Baranoff (June Havoc), Dunham prospers in his newly-found illicit profession, much to the dismay of his best friend, reporter Mark Andrews (Tom Tully). When Tamara has the troublesome Andrews murdered, Dunham realizes the folly of his behavior and works overtime to squash the black market for good and all. Meanwhile, social worker Linda Parker (Helena Carter), who realizes that Dunham's a good guy underneath and hopes against hope that he'll eventually realize it. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- George Raft, June Havoc, (more)
- 1947
Deanna Durbin stars in the musical shaggy dog story Something in the Wind. When the wealthy uncle of the Read family dies, he leaves instructions in his will to bequeath a set amount of money to his mistress, one Mary Collins. The family assumes it to be a pretty young female radio personality called Mary Collins (and played by Deanna Durbin), when it is, in fact, her aunt of the same name (Jean Adair). Thus, when the young scion of the Read family, Donald (John Dall), tries to buy "Mary" off, he picks the wrong Mary -- and Durbin rebuffs him. Donald and brother Charlie (Donald O'Connor) then resort to kidnapping Mary from the radio station, but Mary turns the tables by demanding a million dollars as a settlement. Meanwhile, Charlie pines for Donald's fiancée, Clarissa Prentice (Helena Carter), while young Mary and Donald argue constantly and start to fall in love with one another. Amid these soapy events, Durbin finds time to sing five pop songs, as well as the Miserere aria from Verdi's Il Trovatore, on which she duets with Jan Peerce. Durbin's pop numbers include: "The Turntable Song," "You Wanna Keep Your Baby Lookin' Right," and "Happy Go Lucky and Free." ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Deanna Durbin, Donald O'Connor, (more)
