Curtis Cooksey Movies

A contemptuous and self-serving immigrant, Clementi Sabourin (George Sanders) pulls himself up by his bootstraps by instrumenting a series of cons and seductions which bilk several very wealthy persons out of most of their money. Most of the action is related in a series of flashbacks after Sabourin's body is found dead in a Park Avenue apartment. Death of a Scoundrel is a fictionalized adaptation of the life and mysterious death of Serge Rubenstein. ~ John Bush, All Movie Guide

Taxi stars Dan Dailey as Ed Nielson, a been-there-done-that Manhattan cabbie. Nagged by his mother (Blanche Yurka) to find himself a wife, Ed must also contend with a blood-sucking loan company, demanding huge payments for his cab. His life is further complicated when he falls in love with one of his fares: Mary, a young Irish immigrant (Constance Smith), freshly arrived in New York in search of her husband. The girl discovers that her hubby is a louse, but she's forced to stay with him lest she face deportation. Despite his own problems -- not to mention the huge cab fare that Mary's running up while searching for her husband -- Ed vows to rescue his new love from an ungovernable fate. Though running only 77 minutes, Taxi boasts no fewer than six screenwriting credits. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

June Allyson portrays real-life doctor Emily Dunning in this respectful biopic. Emily chooses a medical career despite turn-of-the-century prejudice against female physicians. The only job open to her is in a slum hospital in the Bowery, where she performs with courage and perseverance, exposing herself to the many deadly diseases which afflicted the poor in those pre-Penicillin days. Dr. Dunning's work brings her to the attention of the public, ultimately leading to an appointment on the staff at Bellevue Hospital--the first woman to hold such a job. Based on Emily Dunning's autobiography, This drama is slightly weakened by the fluctuating performance of June Allyson, though she wins over the audience in the very first scene by grimly slapping the face of a flirtatious intern. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

This delightful adaptation of Rafael Sabatini's swashbuckling novel stars Stewart Granger as Andre Moreau, an 18th-century French nobleman who is publicly humiliated by the Marquis de Maynes (Mel Ferrer). Challenged to a sword duel by the Marquis, Andre, who knows nothing about fencing, runs away, taking refuge with a theatrical troupe. He hides behind the personality of Scaramouche, a zany clown, and in his spare time romances his sexy leading lady Lenore (Eleanor Parker). Seeking revenge against de Maynes, Andre takes fencing lessons from swordmaster Doutreval (John Dehner). It isn't long before Andre has developed a reputation as the finest swordsman in France--which, as intended, arouses the ire of de Maynes. The two opponents face off in a deserted theater; the ensuing sword duel, running nearly seven minutes, is one of the best ever committed to film. Before he can plunge his blade into de Maynes, Andre discovers that he and the Marquis are half-brothers. The two men instantly forget their differences, and Andre's honor is fully restored. He ends up not in the arms of the sensuous Lenore but with a woman of his own class, Aline de Gavrillac (Janet Leigh)--while a gag ending reveals that Lenore has found herself a new and highly influential boyfriend. Lewis Stone, star of the 1923 silent version of Scaramouche, appears in the remake in the supporting role of Georges de Valmorin. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

This was not one of Corinne Griffith's better vehicles. It's one of a seemingly endless procession of Northwoods melodramas, usually released in the summer to (at least visually) cool off theater patrons who did not yet have the benefit of air conditioning. Griffith plays Althea Sherrill, who convinces a stranger, Tom Merwin (Curtis Cooksey), to marry her in name only so that he can help her with some mysterious mission. It turns out that the project involves the evil Sam Bellows (George MacQuarrie), who raped Althea's mother (Louise Prussing). Mrs. Sherrill bore a daughter, which Althea has claimed as her own so that her father (David Torrence) will not discover the truth. With the help of an Indian, Jacques (Nick Thompson), and several wolf-dogs, Merwin braves a number of death-defying situations to save Althea from Bellows, and he makes sure the villain gets his due. After Merwin has proven his devotion to her, Althea decides to stick with him. ~ Janiss Garza, All Movie Guide

A Self Made Widow begins conventionally enough as farm girl Sylvia Smith (Alice Brady) is lured to the city by a smooth-talking gentleman, only to discover that said gentleman is already married. Too proud to return home and admit her foolishness, Sylvia remains in the Big City to face an uncertain future. But fortune smiles upon Sylvia when she comes across an apparent suicide note written by heartbroken millionaire Fitzhugh Castleton (John Bowers). With this note in hand, Sylvia poses as the Castleton's widow, thereby sidestepping the disgrace of being seduced and abandoned -- and incidentally falling heir to her "husband's" fortune. Inevitably, Castleton returns very much alive, but rather than eject Sylvia from his family mansion he falls in love with the pretty impostor and offers to become her husband for real. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide