Harold Young Movies

In this adventure, shrimp fishermen in Key West search for a sunken treasure. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide

The life and times of a modern miracle worker, Mother Frances Cabrini, are chronicled in this biography that features real film clips of the woman as the Pope canonizes her in Rome. Some of her best miracles are re-created. The film also chronicles her love of the church and her sustaining sense of humor. Among the miracles are a scene where she brings someone back from the dead, and gives a mute singer her voice. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide

Three Caballeros is the first Walt Disney feature to combine animation with live action footage. Originally conceived as World War II propaganda promoting good relations between the United States and Latin America, the film details the adventures of Donald Duck as he meets two Latin birds--Jose Carioca and Panchito,--and the three head down to Rio. The film doesn't have a concrete story, choosing to follow the three animated birds through Latin America, as they sing a number of songs, get into trouble and have a number of very amusing experiences. Filled with achingly funny jokes, good music, and stunning, ground-breaking animation, The Three Caballeros remains extremely entertaining decades after its release. It is one of Disney's unacknowledged classics. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine, All Movie Guide

Universal concluded their shoestring "Ape Woman" trilogy (beginning with Captive Wild Woman and continuing with Jungle Woman) with this passable installment, though without the participation of the sultry Acquanetta. Vicky Lane assays the role of the human-ape creature -- who died at the end of the previous film, but has again become the obsession of a mad scientist (Otto Kruger this time), who uses all the goofy monster-movie technology at his disposal to bring her back to life. Though it holds its own against its predecessors, there is little of interest not already covered by the other two films, and Kruger is the least-effective mad doc (after John Carradine and J. Carroll Naish, respectively) of the bunch. ~ Cavett Binion, All Movie Guide

In this tuneful comedy adventure, a free-spirited fellow with a keen eye for easy money is assigned to sail to a remote island and grab a great fortune in pearls which happen to be guarded by some very fearsome natives who are ruled by a sensuous dancing woman. Later the guards capture the would-be thief and tie him to the stake for an impromptu barbecue. Fortunately, the dancer uses her moves to save his neck and happiness ensues. Songs include: "Pied Pipers from Swingtown" (Jack Brooks, sung by Eddie Quillan, Fuzzy Knight), "Ridin, on the Crest of a Cloud" (Brooks), "Lovely Luana" (Don Raye, Gene DePaul, sung by Nancy Kelly, The Native Girls), "Island of the Moon" (Raye, DePaul), and "Camptown Races" (Stephen Foster, sung by Kelly, William Gargan). ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide

With a title like I Escaped from the Gestapo, it's a wonder that there's any suspense at all in this Monogram programmer. Dean Jagger stars as Lane, an imprisoned counterfeiter who is sprung from jail by a group of sinister-looking gentlemen. It soon develops that Lane is expected to apply his counterfeiting skills on behalf of the Nazis, who hope to destroy America's economy by flooding the market with phony money. But Lane's patriotism outweighs his mercenary instincts, and he turns the tables on the villains. Particularly well cast, I Escaped from the Gestapo features such reliables as John Carradine, Sidney Blackmer and Ian Keith, as well as Mary Brian in one of her handful of "comeback" films. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

One can't deny that Monogram's Spy Train never stops moving; after all, it is set on a speeding train. Richard Travis and Catherine Craig are the not-what-they-seem hero and heroine, who get mixed up with enemy agents, a myserious travel bag, and a time bomb. The Travis-Craig banter is incredibly sexist (he even gets away with gently slapping her face!), which in way is oddly endearing. Naturally, the Nazis are foiled in a spectacular and very final fashion. One question: this being a Monogram picture, why didn't their resident funster Mantan Moreland play the comedy-relief pullman porter, instead of Fred "Snowflake" Toones. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

A nine-year-old Elizabeth Taylor made her film debut in this lively comedy. She plays the spoiled-brat daughter of a pudding manufacturer who has been entered into the town's mayoral race by some of the local businessmen. They have chosen him because they think he is easy to manipulate. As a sales gimmick, the pudding magnate advertises that his product contains the highly nutritious "Vitamin Z." He suddenly begins selling pudding like crazy and soon his political campaign is well-funded. Unfortunately, there is no "Vitamin Z" and when this is discovered, the town fathers try to dump him and show that he is a fake. Undaunted, the pudding maker retaliates by proving that the businessmen are the real crooks and in spite of the scandal, the man gets elected. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide

You cannot keep a good mummy down forever and Kharis is back in this sequel to The Mummy's Hand, which itself was something of a remake of the classic Boris Karloff thriller of 1935, The Mummy. Although assumed to have been killed by Stephen Banning (Dick Foran) in the previous film, Andoheb (George Zucco) has miraculously survived and is now planning a terrible revenge on both Banning and his entire family in Mapleton, MA. With High Priest Mehemet Bey (Turhan Bey) as his faithful companion, Kharis (Lon Chaney Jr.) takes up residence in a Mapleton graveyard where the mysterious Mr. Bey somehow has obtained the job of caretaker. At the first full moon, the mummy is fed enough tanna leaves to break into the Banning residence and kill the now elderly Stephen. To find out what exactly happened, the dead man's son, John (John Hubbard), gets in contact with Babe Hanson (Wallace Ford), one of the members of the original Banning expedition to Egypt. Neither Babe nor John can prevent Kharis from killing Stephen's sister, Jane (Mary Gordon), or from kidnapping John's blonde fiancée, Isobel (Elyse Knox). A posse of upset citizens advances to the graveyard where Mehemet Bey has been promising to literally spend an eternity with Isobel. Interrupted in these romantic pursuits, Bey hands the girl over to Kharis before being shot by John. Carrying a prostrate Isobel, Kharis shuffles back to the Banning estate, which is soon set afire by the mob. Isobel is rescued in the nick of time by John and Kharis perishes in the flames. Or does he? ~ Hans J. Wollstein, All Movie Guide

In this musical comedy, a pregnant disc jockey misses her husband who is fighting overseas. Stressed out by the situation and her job, she decides to take some time off and convinces her twin sister to trade places with her. The switcheroo causes the soldier her husband appointed as her unofficial guardian no end of confusion. Songs include: "Annie Laurie," "Rug Cuttin' Romeo" (sung by Susan Miller), "My Melancholy Baby" (Ernie Burnett, George A. Norton, sung by Frances Langford), "I'm Gonna Swing My Way to Heaven" (Eddie Cherkose, Jacques Press, sung by Langford), "Got Love" (sung by Langford). ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide

Dreaming Out Loud represented the film debut of radio favorites Lum 'N' Abner, aka Chester Lauck and Norris Goff. Proprietors of the Jot-Em-Down Store in Pine Ridge, AR, our heroes are currently preoccupied by their efforts to construct a mobile hospital unit in their community. In time-honored movie-comedy tradition, Lum 'N' Abner also set aside a moment or two to help out young lovers Dr. Kenneth Barnes (Robert Wilcox) and Alice (Frances Langford). More serious in nature than subsequent Lum 'N' Abner movie vehicles, the storyline is partially devoted to the search for the hit-and-run driver who struck down and killed lovable little Emmy Lou (Bobs Watson). Bandleader Phil Harris is allotted a surprisingly tiny amount of screen time, and isn't even afforded the chance to sing. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

The Hero for a Day is elderly night watchman Frank Higgins (Charley Grapewin), still basking in the memories of his long-age college football triumphs. To stir up publicity for a crucial post-season game, his alma mater plucks Higgins out of obscurity and once more showers him in glory. The old man's triumph turns to tragedy when he drops dead during the Big Game, but at least he goes out secure in the knowledge that his protégé Brainy (Dick Foran) has scored the winning touchdown. Critics in 1939 were amused by the inconsistencies during the gridiron sequences (the scenes appeared to have been shot at several different stadiums, then haphazardly patched together in the cutting room) and by the lavish wardrobe sported by "humble" stenographer Sylvia Higgins (Anita Louise). Featured in the cast of Hero for a Day is Richard Lane, who seems to have been in every sports movie ever produced between 1935 and 1945. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Universal's Code of the Streets stars the Little Tough Guys, an offshoot of Warner Bros.' Dead End Kids. This time Frankie Thomas plays Bob Lewis, leader of a gang consisting of Sailor (Harris Berger), Murph (Hally Chester), Monk (Charles Duncan), Trouble (Billy Benedict) and Yap (David Gorcey). The son of disgraced police officer Lt. Lewis (Harry Carey), Bob vows to clear his dad's name, and also to prove that accused murderer Tommy Shay (Paul Fix) is innocent. With the help of Tommy's brother Danny (James McCallion), the kids track down and trap the real culprits, who in addition to their other crimes had been responsible for Lt. Lewis' demotion. The nominal leading lady in Code of the Streets is Juanita Quigley, who during her child star days was billed as Baby Jane. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide