Edward Peil, Jr. Movies

In this documentary-inspired thriller, P.J. McNeal (James Stewart) is a reporter who is asked by his editor to look into a potential story: their newspaper has been carrying an ad offering a substantial reward for information regarding the murder of a policeman that occurred eleven years ago. It turns out the ad was placed by a cleaning woman named Tillie Wiecek (Kasia Orzazewski); her son Frank (Richard Conte) was convicted of the crime, but she is thoroughly convinced her son had nothing to do with the killing. McNeal doesn't believe for a moment that Frank could be innocent, but he sees a good human interest story in Tillie and writes a piece that receives a great deal of favorable attention. Brian Kelly (Lee J. Cobb), McNeal's editor, thinks there might be more to this story and asks P.J. to look into the original murder case. To McNeal's surprise, Frank passes a lie detector test in which he proclaims his innocence, and the more he digs into records on the case, the more he finds wrong with the original investigation; some evidence is missing, much is inconclusive, and the reporter begins to wonder if Frank might have been railroaded after all, or if the police might be trying to keep something quiet. Call Northside 777 was based on a true story. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide

Bob Hope plays a famous movie star who does his best to avoid the pre-war draft, but ends up in uniform all the same. Hope marries Dorothy Lamour, the daughter of Army colonel Clarence Kolb, in hopes that this union will help him sidestep military service. Stuck in boot camp, Hope is a class-A screw-up until redeeming himself during a sham battle--though his "heroic" commandeering of a tank began as yet another boo-boo. Still not entirely certain that Hope could carry a film by himself, Paramount teamed him with Eddie Bracken and Lynne Overman--a sort of Abbott and Costello plus One. Despite the efforts to make Bob Hope part of an ensemble, it is clear from the first frame to the last who is truly the star of Caught in the Draft. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

A travelling circus provides the background for this "Three Mesquiteers" western. One of the circus owners is a counterfeiter, who when he's caught with the goods shifts the blame to his partner. Our three heroes Stoney (Robert Livingston), Tucson (Ray "Crash" Corrigan) and Lullaby (Max Terhune), an old friend of the falsely accused partner, combine their skills to spring their pal out of the calaboose. Meanwhile, Stoney pitches woo at heroine Mary (Maxine Doyle) -- who almost manages to march the hapless fellow down the aisle. An average "Mesquiteers" entry, Come On, Cowboy is still superior to practically any other "B" western of the period. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Ladies in Love transplants 20th Century-Fox's favorite film plot--three girls on the prowl for rich husbands--into the Budapest of the mid-1930s. Janet Gaynor, Loretta Young and Constance Bennett combine their earnings to rent a luxurious apartment, in hopes of attracting wealthy potential husbands. Young falls for a nobleman (Tyrone Power), who is engaged to another woman. She contemplates taking poison, but the lethal dose is accidentally ingested by Gaynor, whose plight results in a house call from Dr. Don Ameche, whom Gaynor has worshipped from afar. It is Bennett who snags the wealthy husband, middle-aged businessman Wilfred Lawson. Though Tyrone Power's part was small, he clicked immediately with the audiences, prompting the studio to give Power the big buildup. Ladies in Love would be reworked several times in the future, most obviously as How to Marry a Millionaire. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

While his reputation has faded next to stronger talents such as Cecil B. DeMille, Erich Von Stroheim, and King Vidor, James Cruze was one of the most popular directors of the 1920s. He is the biggest name associated with this drama. The picture was based on a successful Broadway play by Lewis Beach. Bernard Ingals (George Irving and his wife Eunice (Myrtle Stedman) have worked hard to send their children Hugh (William Otis Jr.), Lois (Constance Bennett), and Bradley (Edward Piel Jr.) to college. When the kids come home for Christmas, it's obvious that they've become selfish and self-centered. They ignore their parents completely, making themselves absent from home in favor of attending wild parties. Ingals finally gets tired of being under the thumb of political boss Elliott Kimberly (James Marcus) and quits his city job. When Grandma Bradley (Gertrude Claire) finds out, she lectures her three grandchildren, who straighten up and start pitching in to help. Ingals lands a better job and the kids learn their lesson. ~ Janiss Garza, All Movie Guide