Lilyan Chauvin Movies

Wounded in the French-Algerian war, Sgt. Andre Doniere (Jacques Bergerac) heads back to France in the company of his friend Marcel (Marcel Dalio), who lost a leg saving Andre's life. Although Doniere's return is eagerly awaited by his adoring fiancée, Sybil (Lilyan Chauvin), he is consumed by guilt over the fact that, during his hospital stay, he has fallen in love with another woman named Therese (Susan Kohner). It falls to Marcel to "rescue" his comrade for a second time. This is one of the few Hitchcock episodes without a humorous epilogue -- and for good reason. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

This third film version of the lachrymose Fannie Hurst novel Back Street stars Susan Hayward as Rae Smith the role previously essayed by Irene Dunne (in 1932) and Margaret Sullavan (in 1941). In both earlier films, Rae Smith sacrifices 28 years of her life to her married lover, who can never get a divorce and who compels Rae to squirrel herself away in a shabby back-street apartment. In contrast, Susan Hayward's Rae Smith is a fiercely independent fashion designer, whose fidelity to the very married John Gavin doesn't retard her livelihood in the least. Vera Miles makes a meal of her supporting role as Gavin's shrewish, alcoholic wife. Though cinematographer Stanley Cortez does his utmost, he can't completely hide the fact that Hayward is at least ten years older than her costars, making her seem more of a doting aunt than the "other woman" (the film might have been more effective had Hayward and Miles switched roles). Its plot inconsistencies and logic lapses notwithstanding, Back Street proved to be another hit for producer Ross Hunter. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Richard Connell's story The Most Dangerous Game has offered a big, fat target for dull low-budget thrillers since the dawn of movie-making itself, and this is truly one of the dullest. The first (and apparently the last) directorial effort from Ralph Brooke was saved from cinematic obscurity only through its movie-trivia value, thanks to the presence of Brady Bunch dad Robert Reed as the thick, hunky non-hero in upsettingly-tight clothing. There is little variation on the timeworn theme of a wealthy madman (Wilton Graff) hunting shipwreck survivors for sport -- perhaps aside from this villain's tendency to store his human trophies in cleverly-designed, glass-walled dioramas which presaged the popular horror model kits of the 1960's. ~ Cavett Binion, All Movie Guide

A gifted forger and confidence man attempts to stay one step ahead of the lawman determined to bring him to justice in this comedy-drama from Steven Spielberg, based on a true story. Frank W. Abagnale Jr. (Leonardo DiCaprio) is a 16-year-old high school student who finds himself emotionally cut adrift when his mother, Paula (Nathalie Baye), leaves his father, Frank Abagnale Sr. (Christopher Walken), after Frank Sr. falls into arrears with the Internal Revenue Service. One day at school, Frank Jr. attempts to pass himself off as a substitute teacher, and easily makes the subterfuge work. His small-scale success gives Frank some ideas, and he soon discovers bigger and more profitable ways of hoaxing others, passing himself off as an airline pilot, a doctor, and an attorney. Along the way, Frank learns how to become a master forger, and uses his talent and charm to pass over 2.5 million dollars in phony checks. Frank's increasingly audacious work soon attracts the attention of Carl Hanratty (Tom Hanks), an FBI agent who is determined to put Frank behind bars. Frank seems to enjoy being pursued by Carl, and even goes so far as to call Carl on the phone to chat every once in a while. While posing as a doctor, Frank falls in love with Brenda Strong (Amy Adams), a sweet girl working as a candy striper. When Frank asks Brenda to marry him, he decides to assume a new identity to impress her father, Roger (Martin Sheen) -- who happens to be the District Attorney of New Orleans, LA. Catch Me If You Can was based on the autobiography of the real Frank W. Abagnale Jr., who has a cameo in the film and today works on the side of the law as a top consultant on preventing forgery and designing secure checking systems. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide

Elderly Alter Fortner (Ralph Moody) tells Friday (Jack Webb) and Smith (Ben Alexander) that he has lost his wallet, which contained a huge amount of money. But when a wallet matching the description is recovered, Fortner abruptly changes his story, no only insisting that the wallet is not his but also denying that he ever reported it missing in the first place. Could Fortner's change of heart have anything to do with a family of French emigres named Velard? Featured in the supporting cast is child actor Bobby Crawford, then concurrently costarring in the ABC western series The Rifleman. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Robert Loggia guest stars as Stefano, a popular chef as famous for his temper as his culinary accomplishments. Frasier (Kelsey Grammer) bends over backward trying to remain on Stefano's good side, even if it means pretending to like a caricature of himself that has been hung on the wall of Stefano's restaurant. Meanwhile, a nervous Daphne (Jane Leeves) continues preparing for her marriage to Donny (Saul Rubinek) -- and wrestling with her feelings toward Niles (David Hyde Pierce). ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Les Girls is the Rashomon of MGM musicals. The film is told in flashback, as Mitzi Gaynor and Taina Elg, two-thirds of a popular cabaret trio, attempt to legally block the third, Kay Kendall, from writing her memoirs. Each of "Les Girls" has her own interpretation of the group's previous professional and amorous escapades. To make sense of these wildly diverse recollections, the court must rely upon a fourth party to straighten things out. Enter Gene Kelly, the dancing star who organized "Les Girls" in the first place. But can Kelly be believed? The "truth" of the many reminiscences in Les Girls is secondary to the dazzling beauty of its female stars, and to the delightful musical numbers, the best of which is an extended Marlon Brando parody titled "Why Am I So Gone About That Gal?" This was Gene Kelly's last musical effort for MGM, the studio he joined way back in 1943; the film was the inspiration for the short-lived 1963 TV series Harry's Girls, which starred Larry Blyden, Susan Silo, Dawn Nickerson and Diahn Williams. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

3DLost, Lonely and Vicious3D is so archetypical a 1950s film title that it was recently reused for a coffee-table book consisting of movie-poster reprints. Essentially an 3Da clef3D retelling of the life of James Dean, the film stars Ken Clayton as Johnnie, a Deanlike Hollywood actor. Obsessed with the concept of Early Death, Johnnie insists upon courting disaster with fast cars and faster women. He never commits to any one girl, convinced that he is destined to be killed in a sports-car crackup. Finally, Johnnie meets the Right Girl, a drugstore clerk whom he nicknames Preach (Barbara Wilson). Through her influence, Johnnie decides that living just might be more fun than dying. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Robin Masters dispatches Magnum (Tom Selleck) to Sicily to rescue the beauteous Katrina Tremaine (Ann Dusenberry) from the clutches of a nobleman with alleged mob ties. Once his job is done, Magnum returns to Hawaii and his current girlfriend Margo Perrina (Mimi Rogers). Unfortunately, Katrina has fallen in love with Magnum and follows him home--not only jeopardizing our hero's love life, but also his life, period! Further complicating matters is that shady-looking group of "tourists" whom T.C. (Roger E. Mosley) is guiding around the Islands. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

In this pilot film for the NBC TV series Medical Story, idealistic young intern Dr. Steve Drucker (Beau Bridges) clashes with three of his superiors over whether a prominent actress should have a hysterectomy. The woman in question is played by Harriet Karr, who had undergone a similar experience in real life. In fact, Karr's ordeal was the inspiration for this film, which was produced and written by her husband, Abby Mann (who also partially adapted the script from an unrelated novel by Dr. Howard A. Oglin). Medical Story first aired on September 4, 1975; the series itself was broadcast weekly until January 8, 1976. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

The scene is a writers' conference in Amsterdam, attended by (among many others) Jessica Fletcher (Angela Lansbury) and her British friend Nigel Allison (Joseph Maher). Things take a sinister turn when Nigel is kidnapped--whereupon the victim's so-called friend Collin Biddle (Marcus Gilbert) assures Jessica that there is nothing to worry about. Even investigating inspector Van Horn (Theodore Bikel) appears to be indifferent about the abduction, prompting Jessica to take a hand in matters. What follows is a maelstrom of intrigue involving espionage, illegal arms and illicit drugs. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Those familiar only with Johnny Horton's song hit North to Alaska might not be aware that the song came equipped with a movie. John Wayne and Stewart Granger star as a couple of lucky miners in Alaska Territory during the '98 gold rush. Since the Duke is the only man he can trust, Granger sends his pal to Seattle to fetch his fiance. Fabian appears in the cast (playing Granger's brother) primarily to attract teenage filmgoers; he gets to sing, of course, but he's better than usual. The film's centerpiece, an outsized brawl in the muddy streets of Nome, was repeated with several variations in Wayne's subsequent McLintock (1963). North to Alaska was based on a considerably more genteel stage play, Laszlo Fodor's Birthday Gift. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

In this Cold War time-capsule, Perry Mason (Raymond Burr) and Della Street (Barbara Hale) venture behind the Iron Curtain to save the life of Emma Ritter (Jeanette Nolan), the wife of expatriate East German physicist Hans Ritter (Wolfe Barzell). Emma and Hans have been lured back to East Berlin with the promise that their granddaughter Elke (Eileen Baral) would be released from an orphanage and allowed to emigrate to the U.S., but things go awry and Emma is charged with the murder of Franz Hoffer (Ronald Long). It doesn't take Perry long to realize that the cards have been stacked against Emma from the get-go, and that he will have to do some clever and fancy maneuvering to outwit the Communist legal system. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide