Virginia Lindley Movies
- 1966
Sombra, the Spider Woman is the feature-film abridgement of the 1947 Republic serial The Black Widow (which explains why a number of the listed actors had died by this film's listed year of release). The formidable Carol Forman stars as Sombra, whose fortune-telling establishment serves as a front for a vast criminal empire. Making things trickier for hero Steve Colt (Bruce Edwards) is the fact that Sombra is a master (or mistress) of disguise. Colt and plucky girl reporter Joyce Winters (Virginia Lindley) try to prevent Sombra from stealing the plans for a revolutionary atomic rocket engine. This is one serial in which the male actors are thoroughly overshadowed by the female leads. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1950
This Gay-90s musical interweaves a number of fictional characters with real-life theatrical impresario Tony Pastor (played by Gordon MacRae, who resembles the real Pastor not at all). The plot involves a roisterous Irish papa (James Barton) who, when not on a drunk, tries to keep his two daughters (June Haver and Debbie Reynolds) from the clutches of predatory men. The older daughter (Haver), who entertains notions of a stage career, meets Tony Pastor during an audition, and promptly falls in love. She becomes a star singing such turn-of-the-century hits as the title song, while Pastor tries to suppress his own warm feelings towards the girl. Warner Bros. stalwart S.Z. Sakall shows up in Daughter of Rosie O'Grady, fully justifying his nickname "Cuddles." ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- June Haver, Gordon MacRae, (more)
"I want to report a murder...mine." So begins D.O.A. Told in flashback, the story tells of how vacationing CPA Frank Bigelow (Edmond O'Brien) becomes the recipient of a deadly poison known as iridium. Told by a doctor that he hasn't long to live, Bigelow desperately retraces his movements of the previous 24 hours, trying to locate his murderer. Through the aid of his secretary Paula Gibson (Pamela Britton) (who doesn't know of her employer's imminent demise), Bigelow traces a shipment of iridium to a gang of criminals who've used the poison in the commission of a crime. But for much of the film, it remains unclear why Bigelow himself was targeted. Though we know from the outset that Bigelow isn't long for this world, the film builds up an incredible amount of suspense towards the end, when Bigelow is taken "for a ride" by a psychopath (Neville Brand). with a penchant for pummeling his victims in the belly. DOA was remade in 1988 with Dennis Quaid and Meg Ryan. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Edmond O'Brien, Pamela Britton, (more)
Government agent Richard Hendricks (Michael O'Shea) goes undercover to get goods on a gang responsible for dispensing illegal paroles. Posing as a prisoner, Hendricks links up with the gang's inside man, Barney Rodescu (Turhan Bey). As often happens in real life, several pillars of society are getting rich by manipulating the lives of others. The plot is not always logical, but audience involvement is sustained every step of the way. Parole Inc was one of the "in-between" pictures -- not quite a "B", not expensive enough for "A" -- produced by young-and-hungry Eagle Lion studios in the late 1940s. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Michael O'Shea, Turhan Bey, (more)
- 1947
The Black Widow is a low-budget, surprisingly entertaining adventure, science-fiction serial produced by Republic Pictures. Steve Colt (Bruce Edwards) and Joyce Winters (Virginia Lindley) battle to save the world from the evil powers of Sombra (Carol Forman), a wicked woman who intends to rule using her psychic powers. This 13-episode series was directed by Fred C. Brannon and Spencer Gordon Bennett. These episodes, released on video, were produced and shown weekly in movie theatres prior to the main features. While not of the same quality as Flash Gordon, The Black Widow is entertaining and amusing and worth viewing for lovers of the genre. ~ Linda Rasmussen, All Movie Guide
- 1946
Years before he became the leading star in horror movies, Vincent Price starred in this gothic thriller based on the best-selling novel by Anya Seton. Nicholas Van Ryn (Vincent Price) is a wealthy feudal heir of Dutch ancestry living in New York's Hudson Valley in the 1840s. Nicholas has come to hate his wife because she has been unable to give him a son; their only child is a daughter he doesn't care for. Miranda Wells (Gene Tierney), a distant relative of the Van Ryns, comes to live at their estate and work as an au pair girl; Nicholas becomes infatuated with her and eventually poisons his wife so they can marry. However, while Miranda gives birth to a son, the boy is sickly and does not live to adulthood. Nicholas begins to slip into insanity, moving to the attic of his mansion and drowning his sorrows in drugs. A distraught Miranda seeks the counsel of the local physician, Dr. Jeff Turner (Glenn Langan); Dr. Turner falls in love with Miranda, and he eventually discovers that Nicholas killed his first wife to be with her, and that Miranda might be next on the madman's list. Dragonwyck was the directorial debut of screenwriter and producer Joseph L. Mankiewicz. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Gene Tierney, Walter Huston, (more)
