Henry Scott Movies

Mickey Rooney guest stars as Charlie Paris, a former standup comedian and Syndicate bookie who has "gone straight" and is running the Yonkers laundromat where Richard Kimble (David Janssen) is presently employed. Unfortunately, some gamblers who knew Charlie back in his mob days have come to town to get even for his testifying against him. Though nervous about this turn of events, Charlie is confident that no matter what happens he can count on the undying devotion of his girlfriend Paula (Nita Talbot)--who at this very moment is planning to double-cross Charlie for a hefty sum. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

While working on a costume for Ritchie's school play, Laura (Mary Tyler Moore) sticks her hands in a pot of permanent black dye. It gets worse: Rob (Dick Van Dyke) calls to tell Laura that they are expected to appear at a banquet to accept an award for Alan Brady. But wait, it gets even worse than that: Rob also sticks his hands into the dye, and he is just as unsuccessful in cleaning it off as Laura. Without tipping off the punch line for this episode, suffice to say that the banquet hosts an interracial audience. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

How did Rob (Dick Van Dyke) end up in jail, charged with gambling and attempted assault? An inquiring mind -- namely, Laura (Mary Tyler Moore) -- wants the whole story. In flashback, Rob recalls his efforts to stave off boredom and loneliness while Laura was out of town. On an impulse, he looked up an old Army buddy, who happened to have a job at a seedy burlesque house...and the rest, as they say, is history. The moral: Rob would have been better off watching Citizen Kane on "The Late Movie." ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Hatari! is Swahili for "danger"--and also the word for action, adventure and broad comedy in this two-fisted Howard Hawks effort. John Wayne stars as the head of a daring Tanganyka-based group which captures wild animals on behalf of the world's zoos. Hardy Kruger, Gérard Blain and Red Buttons are members of Wayne's men-only contingent, all of whom are reduced to jello when the curvaceous Elsa Martinelli enters the scene. In tried and true Howard Hawks fashion, Martinelli quickly becomes "one of the guys," though Wayne apparently can't say two words to her without sparking an argument. The second half of this amazingly long (159 minute) film concerns the care and maintenance of a baby elephant; the barely credible finale is devoted to a comic pachyderm stampede down an urban African street, ending literally at the foot of Martinelli's bed. The other scene worth mentioning involves comedy-relief Red Buttons' efforts to create a fireworks-powered animal trap. Not to be taken seriously for a minute, Hatari is attractively packaged and neatly tied up with a danceable-pranceable theme song by Henry Mancini. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Playwright Philip Yordan stirred up controversy with his 1944 Broadway production Anna Lucasta, the sexy saga of a family of avaricious African-Americans. Such was the notoriety of the play that Columbia Pictures couldn't resist optioning it for a film version. Since this was 1949, Columbia took into consideration both censors and intolerant filmgoers by toning down the play's eroticism and transforming the characters into Polish-Americans. The 1958 Anna Lucasta was filmed in more temperate times, thus the leading characters were once again non-Caucasians. Eartha Kitt stars as waterfront prostitute Anna Lucasta, called back home by her greedy brother-in-law (Frederick O'Neal) to be married off to a moderately wealthy young man (Henry Scott). Anna spoils the brother-in-law's plans by falling in love with the young fellow and seeing to it that no one gets their mitts on his money. A visitor from Anna's past (Sammy Davis Jr.) nearly wrecks the marriage, but Anna is forgiven by her husband and allowed a chance for a new life. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide