Bob Williams Movies

In 1946, a banker named Andy Dufresne (Tim Robbins) is convicted of a double murder, even though he stubbornly proclaims his innocence. He's sentenced to a life term at the Shawshank State Prison in Maine, where another lifer, Ellis "Red" Redding (Morgan Freeman), picks him as the new recruit most likely to crack under the pressure. The ugly realities of prison life are quickly introduced to Andy: a corrupt warden (Bob Gunton), sadistic guards led by Capt. Byron Hadley (Clancy Brown), and inmates who are little better than animals, willing to use rape or beatings to insure their dominance. But Andy does not crack: he has the hope of the truly innocent, which (together with his smarts) allow him to prevail behind bars. He uses his banking skills to win favor with the warden and the guards, doing the books for Norton's illegal business schemes and keeping an eye on the investments of most of the prison staff. In exchange, he is able to improve the prison library and bring some dignity and respect back to many of the inmates, including Red. Based on a story by Stephen King, The Shawshank Redemption was the directorial debut of screenwriter Frank Darabont. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide

Three stalwarts of straight-to-cable productions -- Tia Carrere, C. Thomas Howell, and Adam Baldwin -- team up for this erotic thriller set in an appropriately exotic Mexican resort. ~ Michael Hastings, All Movie Guide

In this spooky horror outing aimed at teen audiences, the innocent new girl in town tries to become friends with a rough but cool crowd. They are all pretty mean, especially the young woman who is mad that the girl stole her boyfriend, and they decide that the girl must survive an ordeal before they let her join their gang. They send her to a funeral home to spend the night by herself. Unfortunately, none of them realize that it is inhabited by a murderous ghost just waiting to suck the life out of all of them. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide

Lensed in Republic's widescreen Naturama process, this modest little western would seem to be better suited to a standard-ratio screen. After a four-year absence, Johnny Shattuck (Ben Cooper) returns home to find that ex-rustler Dean Cannary (Jim Davis) has his eyes on the Shattuck family farm. To force Johnny off the property, Cannary has fenced off a formerly accessible water hole. Unable to best Cannary through legal means, Johnny reluctant prepares for a one-on-one showdown. Top billing in Duel at Apache Wells is bestowed upon Anna Maria Alberghetti, making her first dramatic, nonsinging film appearance. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

The tendency is to scoff at Macao as just another example of Josef von Sternberg's late-career exercises in exoticism; true, it has its problems, including a weak plot and a slightly hasty pace, but it is still an extraordinary film for its time and its personnel. The real sparkplug for the movie is Jane Russell as out-of-work singer Julie Benson, who inadvertently gets the plot rolling when she ends up in a cabin with a lout who won't take no for an answer. Her plight, and a flying shoe, brings in laconic, slightly mysterious traveler Nick Cochran (Robert Mitchum), who seems to have something to hide and manages to get his wallet (including passport) lifted by the opportunistic Julie. Crossing paths with them is Lawrence Trumble (William Bendix), a good-natured lunkhead salesman coming to Macao for the gambling. And gambling, among other less legal activities, is what local hood Halloran (Brad Dexter) is all about. He's just hot enough in international crime circles to attract the authorities, who can't touch him in Macao; he's already had one New York detective killed and expects another to arrive, and he's keeping an eye on any suspicious, unfamiliar Westerners arriving, which leads him to Julie, Cochran, and Trumble. Halloran has other, obvious plans for Julie, especially when obliging corrupt police chief Thomas Gomez points her to a singing job at his club, much to the distress of his one-time girlfriend (Gloria Grahame); he dismisses Trumble as a lovable clown. But Nick has cop written all over him and is hiding something. All of the pieces fit together neatly in the end, and everyone is keeping at least one secret that will surprise viewers.

What makes Macao truly special are the performances, beginning with Jane Russell, who, with the possible exception of Gentlemen Prefer Blondes, was never better. Her ample physical assets are on display as usual, but she also never gave a sharper, more naturalistic or purely sensual acting performance. Russell had clearly found her talent and her center with this film. Whether she's shooting a suspicious glance at larcenous police chief Thomas Gomez, singing a sultry torch song in a seductive white strapless outfit, or striding forward in an exquisite dolly-out shot, she commands every scene in which she appears. And it's not just her imposing physique that does it, but a boldness of nuance; Russell had learned a lot since The Outlaw. Brad Dexter, the odd man out in The Magnificent Seven, makes an excellent villain, like a more pathological version of Steve Cochran. Meanwhile, Robert Mitchum, in his portrayal of a neurotic, perhaps shell-shocked veteran, shows a vulnerable side that seldom came out so convincingly or touchingly in his RKO movies; and even William Bendix found a new wrinkle to his screen persona as the seemingly larcenous commercial traveler. The audience will be beguiled and surprised throughout this movie -- an underrated noir classic -- and not just by the stories that unravel. The last line and wrap shot create an amazingly lusty, censor-challenging denouement for an early '50s film. ~ Bruce Eder, All Movie Guide

Breaking from the Republic tradition, cowboy star Monte Hale does not play a character named Monte Hale in The Old Frontier. Instead, Hale is cast as town marshal Barney Regan. It is Barney's formidable task to round up a gang of bank robbers and expose the "Mr. Big" behind all the robberies. Some novelty value is provided by comical sidekick Paul Hurst, here cast as a seafaring man named Skipper Horton, who insists upon imposing his nautical vernacular on every frontiersman he meets. The villainy is in the capable (if unwashed) hands of Tristam Coffin and William Haade. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Rod Cameron and Wayne Morris star as Civil War officers who become federal agents. The duo is sent west to investigate a series of stage hijackings. The criminals tend to bypass gold and valuables, and are seemingly interested only in the weapons carried on these coaches. It turns out that the hijackers are secret secessionists, hoping to achieve victory for the Southern cause. Stage to Tucson manages to pack a passel of thrills into its 82 minutes, compensating for the film's paucity of plot. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Monte Hale stars in the Republic oater Pioneer Marshal. This time, Hale is cast as Ted Post, a Texas marshal who's on the trail of embezzler Larry Forester (Myron Healey). His search takes him to a remote frontier town that serves as an outlaw hideaway. All previous lawmen have been disposed of by town boss Bruce Burnett (Damian O'Flynn), who demands a hefty price for his services. By travelling incognito, Post manages to escape detection by Burnett -- at least for five reels. Pioneer Marshal is capped by one of the most fascinating variations on the traditional hero-villain shootout ever conceived for a "B" western. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Ranger of Cherokee Strip stars Republic horse-opera hero Monte Hale. This time, Steve Howard (Hale) comes to the aid of Joe Bearclaws (Douglas Kennedy), a patriotic Cherokee tribesman who tries to halt the exploitation of his people by unscrupulous cattlemen. The villains manage to frame Joe for murder, but the Indian escapes from jail. Assigned to track down Joe and return him to prison, Howard instead champions the Cherokee's cause and endeavors to bring the true culprits to justice. Roy Barcroft does his usual scowling-badman bit, while George Meeker turns in an interesting portrayal as a ham actor who figures prominently in the murder plot. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Allan Lane goes in search of his dead friend's brother in this fast-paced Western from Republic Pictures. Instead of finding his brother Tim as he had been promised, Fletcher Roberts (Bruce Edwards) is confronted by Jason Fox (Rory Mallinson), a criminal who needs Fletcher's horses to equip a gang of army deserters. After killing Fletcher, Fox escapes into Cemetery Ridge, an outlaw haven across the border. Claiming to be a fugitive from the law, "Rocky" Lane (Allan Lane), a border patrol officer and Fletcher's friend, crosses over into the Cemetery Ridge where he hooks up with Nugget Clark (Eddy Waller), the lawless town's pharmacist and only law-abiding citizen. Managing to infiltrate the murderer's gang, Rocky locates Fletcher's brother Tim (William Henry), who idolizes Fox. When learning about his brother's death, Tim changes his mind, however, and helps Rocky and Nugget track down not only Fox but also the town's crooked sheriff (George H. Lloyd). ~ Hans J. Wollstein, All Movie Guide

Desperadoes of Dodge City is set guess where, and stars the muscular Allan "Rocky" Lane. When a group of homesteaders are plagued by a series of bloody outlaw raids, Lane tries to help out with the assistance of the U.S. Cavalry. Unfortunately, Lane's military orders are stolen by the villain, leaving Our Hero with no proof as to his identity or mission. He spends the next four reels tracking down the bad guys, retrieving the valuable documents, and clearing his name. Billed second in Desperadoes of Dodge City is Lane's "wonder horse" Blackjack, thereby relegating leading lady Mildred Coles to fourth place in the cast list, just under comic sidekick Eddy Waller. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Republic cowboy star Allan "Rocky" Lane shares above-the-title billing with his stallion Black Jack in The Bold Frontiersman. Lane and his faithful mount come to the aid of a group of farmers who are attempting to raise enough cash to build a dam. Evil Roy Barcroft steals the money, but the law can't prove a thing until Lane swings into action. It's positively amazing how much production polish director Philip Ford was able to pack into his seven-day shooting schedule. Offsetting Allan Lane's dour demeanor in Bold Frontiersman is the slyly tongue-in-cheek screenplay by Bob Williams. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Back to his standard Rocky Lane characterization after a brief series of "Red Ryder" westerns, Allan Lane stars in Republic's Bandits of Dark Canyon. In this outing, Lane takes it upon himself to clear ex-convict Ed Archer (Bob Steele) of a trumped-up murder charge. Making things easier is the fact that the "dead" man is actually very much alive, the better to help one of Archer's false friends stage a big gold heist. It's no surprise that Roy Barcroft plays one of the villains: it is a bit surprising to see John Hamilton, best known to fans of the Superman TV series as editor Perry White, participating in the skullduggery. Featured in the cast is veteran western actor Francis Ford, the father of director Philip Ford. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide