Herb Meadow Movies

Originally made for television, the film centers on an Egyptian archaeological expedition, and the discovery of the tomb of the famed Pharaoh. After it is opened, disturbing events mark the trip. ~ John Bush, All Movie Guide

Paladin (Richard Boone) finds himself in the middle of a long-standing feud between two Native American brothers. Jim Redrock (Charles Bronson) is the ineffectual sheriff of a small town, while brother Abe Redrock (Michael Keep) is a wild, untamed outlaw. When Jim offers a $200 reward for the capture of Abe, Abe counters with an offer of $500 for the capture of Jim. Forsaking any hopes of monetary gain, Paladin dedicates himself to reuniting the two warring siblings. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Man Afraid stars George Nader as a clergyman serving a big-city slum district. He is forced to kill a young hoodlum in self-defense; the police are willing to forgive him of the killing, but the victim's psychotic father (Harold J. Stone) is not so pliable. The father threatens not only to wreak vengeance on Nader, but on Nader's family as well. The minister is torn apart by the practical necessity of protecting his family and the pacifistic edicts of his religious calling. Man Afraid is a tight, claustrophobic melodrama that was inappropriately filmed in CinemaScope; consequently, it tends to play better on TV than it did in theatres. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

One of the best and most fondly remembered of the classic black-and-white adult Westerns, Have Gun, Will Travel starred Richard Boone as a gunslinger for hire who traveled under the name of Paladin. Headquartered at the Hotel Carlton in San Francisco, the college-educated Paladin spent his leisure hours pursuing the finer things in life: gourmet food, vintage wines, classical music, the best literature...and, of course, the most beautiful women on the West Coast. But whenever his professional services were called upon by a potential client, Paladin would slap on leather and issue forth his famous business card: "Have Gun, Will Travel. Wire Paladin, San Francisco" (the card was, of course, embossed with the image of a chess knight, or paladin). On the job, Paladin ritualistically dressed in black, his pearl-handled revolvers ever at the ready. Though he tended to operate outside and sometimes above the law, Paladin was scrupulously honest, adhering to a rigid code of honor. This, however, did not prevent him from verbally assaulting clients who had lied to or misled him -- which happened more than once in the course of his perambulations throughout the West. Once the job was done (usually by filling the villain of the week full of holes), Paladin bade farewell to those he had helped and rode back to San Francisco alone...always alone. If he felt particularly poetic, Paladin would mutter a few words of Shakespeare, appropriate to the occasion. Although Richard Boone was the only regular who appeared on each episode, Kam Tong was frequently seen as Hey Boy, the Hotel Carlton's best bellhop and Paladin's unofficial general factotum. Some episodes featured Lisa Lu as Hey Boy's female counterpart, a maid who answered to Hey Girl. Many of the series' episodes were written by such top-rank talent as Irving Wallace and Gene Roddenberry, while among the directors were Lewis Milestone, Andrew V. McLaglen, Buzz Kulik, and Richard Boone himself. Produced by Sam Rolfe, Have Gun, Will Travel ran on CBS for six top-rated seasons: from September 14, 1957, through September 21, 1963. The series' famous opening theme music was composed by Bernard Herrmann, while its closing theme, "The Ballad of Paladin"," was written by Richard Boone, Sam Rolfe, and Johnny Western, the latter doubling as singer. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Esther Williams essays her first dramatic, nonswimming role in The Unguarded Moment. Written by actress Rosalind Russell, the film is a remarkably prescient tale of sexual harassment at the workplace. Williams plays high-school music-teacher Lois Conway, who inadvertently arouses the libido of problem student Leonard Bennett (John Saxon). Conditioned by his misogynistic father (Edward Andrews) to hate and distrust all women, the seriously disturbed teenager experiences mixed emotions when Lois takes an interest in his well-being. Before long, the teacher is being stalked by Leonard day and night. Ultimately, the boy forces himself upon Lois -- whereupon the all-male school board, holding Lois responsible for Leonard's behavior, promptly suspends her. With the help of understanding police lieutenant Harry Graham (George Nader), Lois does her best to fend off future attacks, to seek professional help for the maladjusted Leonard, and to keep from suffering a nervous breakdown herself! ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

The Lone Ranger was the first of two Technicolor theatrical features based on the popular TV series of the same name. Clayton Moore and Jay Silverheels, stars of the video version, essay the roles of the Masked Rider of the Plains and his faithful Indian companion Tonto. This time around, our heroes take on evil rancher Reece Kilgore (Lyle Bettger), who hopes to become an all-poweful land baron by fomenting an Indian war. It is up to the Lone Ranger to keep the peace and to find out why Kilgore is up to what he's up to. To expedite this, the Ranger adopts a couple of clever disguises (though we never see his full face au naturel). Among the more novel aspects of the film is little Beverly Washburn as Lila Kilgore, the sweet, innocent daughter of the double-dyed villain. The nominal leading lady is played by Bonita Granville, who co-produced the film with her husband Jack Wrather. The Lone Ranger proved successful enough to warrant a sequel, The Lone Ranger and the Lost City of Gold (also 1956). ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

This laid-back western manages to deliver a full quota of action, an agreeable dash of sentiment, and quite a few three-dimensional characterizations. Van Heflin plays Luke Fargo, a Civil War veteran who returns to his Southern homeland to find his house destroyed, his crops burned out, and the local town under the thumb of "white trash" Vancey Huggins (Raymond Burr). In addition, Fargo is on the outs with the townsfolk because he fought for the Union instead of the Confederacy. Having grown weary of death and killing, Fargo hopes to start life anew as a minister, and to that end intends to rebuild the town's only church. Complicating matters is the presence of unkempt, hoydenish teenager Lissy (Joanne Woodward, in her film debut). Though Fargo's feelings for Lissy are basically paternal, the townsfolk, stirred up by Huggins, suspect the worst and prepare to drive the novice minister out of town. A happy--or at least satisfying--ending is reached through a series of logical events not often seen in "formula" westerns. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

The title character of this western can only be one of two actresses: Maureen O'Hara or Rhonda Fleming. But Fleming apparently had something else to do, so O'Hara won the coin-toss. She plays a dance-hall gal who protects the identity of a cattle rustler--mainly because she's the same crooked business herself. Complications ensue when O'Hara falls in love with the very sheriff (Alex Nicol) who intends to bring the rustler to justice. Redhead from Wyoming was filmed in Technicolor; the producers would have been insane not to do so. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Young Sally Moyne (Ann Blyth) seldom makes a move in life without first consulting Saint Anne, patron saint of all young girls. Sally's faith in the efficacy of St. Anne has a salutary affect on all those in her orbit. It can also be said that Sally's tight relationship with her patron saint is of invaluable help in her family's Herculean efforts to save their home and hearth from the machinations of land-grabbing alderman Goldtooth McCarthy (John McIntyre). The sublime supporting cast includes Frances "Aunt Bee" Bavier and Otto Hullett as Sally's parents, Edmund Gwenn as her supposedly invalid grandfather, and Jack Kelly and Lamont Johnson as her looney brothers. One of the last of the "crazy family" comedies inspired by the success of You Can't Take It With You, Sally and St. Anne is also one of the best of its kind. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide