Bob Peoples Movies
- 1955
Who else but Randolph Scott could be the Tall Man Riding in this rugged western? Forced to lay low for several years after being forced out of town by land baron Tucker Ordway (Robert Barrett), Larry Madden (Randolph Scott) returns to wreak vengeance against Ordway and claim the land that is rightfully his. Madden also hopes to rekindle the flames of romance with his ex-fiancee, Ordway's daughter Corinna (Dorothy Malone). The tension lies not in whether or not Madden will get what he wants but whether or not he can be dissuaded from becoming a murderer--and, by extension, a fugitive for the rest of his life. Tall Man Riding benefits from the brisk, no-nonsense direction of Lesley Selander, in one of his few Warner Bros. assignments. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Randolph Scott, Dorothy Malone, (more)
- 1953
Jack Broder Productions sidestepped its usual distributor United Artists to release Combat Squad through Columbia. Set in Korea, the film focuses on the strained relationship between WW II veteran Sgt. Fletcher (John Ireland) and inexperienced, terrified Private Martin (Lon McAllister). Only after several confrontations with the enemy is Martin able to overcome his fear of combat. Actual footage of the Korean "police action" is integrated into the action. TV personality Hal March provides the obligatory (and intrusive) comedy relief, while Jill Dansworth, Linda Danson, Neva Gilbert and Eileen Howe do cheesecake duty as a quartet of USO entertainers. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- John Ireland, Lon McCallister, (more)
Jean Simmons' fascinating interpretation of an uncharacteristic role is the main drawing card of Otto Preminger's Angel Face. The daughter of Charles Treymayne (Herbert Marshall), who remarried a wealthy woman (Barbara O'Neil), Diane Treymayne's (Simmons) angelic countenance masks an unbridled psychotic who'll let nothing stand in the way of her happiness. Diane arranges for Catherine's death, making it look like an auto accident. Coveting family chauffeur Frank Jessup (Robert Mitchum), Diane steals Frank away from his sweetheart Mary (Mona Freeman) and forces him to become her spiritual accomplice in her stepmother's murder. And when Diane finally realizes that she'll never, ever, be able to hold Frank, she... well, enough said. If Angel Face doesn't look like a typical early-1950s RKO Radio film, it may be because its director was borrowed from 20th Century-Fox, and its cinematographer (Harry Stradling) was a loan-out from Sam Goldwyn. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Robert Mitchum, Jean Simmons, (more)
- 1953
Prince of Pirates is fairly elaborate for a Sam Katzman production, though its low budget does betray itself in the closing scenes. Utilizing plenty of stock footage from Joan of Arc (as he'd previously done in Thief of Damascus), producer Katzman offers the viewer a 16th-century swashbuckler, with John Derek as Robin Hood-like buccaneer Prince Roland. Having lost his throne to his evil older brother Stephan (Whitfield Connor), Roland forms a band of volunteers to oust Stephan and bring peace and harmony to his land (by busting several heads along the way). Barbara Rush co-stars as Nita, the daughter of a deposed count and a fine swordswoman in her own right. The film's best line is unintentionally funny: After being fetchingly attired in form-fitting blouse and slacks during most of the film, Nita is garbed in hoop-skirted feminine finery, whereupon Roland snickers "At last, you look more like a woman!" Far from a classic, Prince of Pirates is an agreeable time-passer. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- John Derek, Barbara Rush, (more)
- 1952
The Bowery Boys go to college in Hold That Line. Things haven't changed much since the Marx Bros. went to college in Horse Feathers: academic achievement still takes second place to football. The story shifts into gear when Sach (Huntz Hall) swallows a chemical-lab mixture which turns him into a super-athlete. Sach's pal Slip (Leo Gorcey) parlays this metamorphosis into an unbroken winning streak for the university's gridiron team. Football star Biff Wallace (John Bromfield), who has bet heavily on the opposing team, arranges for Sach to be kidnapped just before the Big Game, but eventually sees the error of his ways and tells Slip where to locate his pal. The climax is right out of Harold Lloyd's The Freshman, but if one must steal, steal from the best. Most of Hold That Line was filmed on location at Los Angeles City College, not far from the Bowery Boys' headquarters at Monogram Studios. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Leo Gorcey, Huntz Hall, (more)
- 1952
Steel Fist was produced by William F. Broidy and Wesley Barry, the same team responsible for TV's Wild Bill Hickok series. Roddy McDowall stars as Erik, an idealistic young student in an unnamed Iron Curtain country. Pursued by the communist police for speaking his views, Erik is sheltered by the underground. While being smuggled out of the country, he finds time to fall in love with Marina (Kristine Miller), who unfortunately has also developed a close relationship with Red-army officer Giorg (Rand Brooks). Steel Fist is basically a WW II "French Resistance" film with names and nationalities changed to reflect the tinderbox situation in postwar Europe. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Roddy McDowall, Kristine Miller, (more)
Flight to Mars is the second American film of the postwar era (after the previous year's Rocketship X-M) to depict a manned space trip to the Red Planet. Leading-man responsibilities are evenly divided between Arthur Franz as brilliant scientist Dr. Jim Barker and Cameron Mitchell as two-fisted reporter Steve Abbott. Both men make the journey to Mars, finding time along the way to battle over the affections of leading lady Virginia Huston. Upon landing on Mars, the earthlings learn that planetary leader, Ikron (Morris Ankrum, a fixture of 1950s sci-fi), intends to conquer the world. Fortunately a group of good Martians are on hand to lend moral and physical support to the heroes. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Marguerite Chapman, Cameron Mitchell, (more)
- 1951
The Bowery Boys once more frolic about in an "old dark house" setting in Ghost Chasers. The story finds Slip Mahoney (Leo Gorcey) and his gang endeavoring to expose a phoney seance racket. Slip's pal Sach is aided and abetted in this endeavor by a genuine ghost, a jovial 17th-century wraith named Edgar (Lloyd Corrigan). Naturally, no one but Sach can see or hear Edgar, leading to any number of delightfully comic complications. Director William "One-Take" Beaudine effectively mixes humor with horror, sustaining audience interest for a full seven reels. Ghost Chasers should not be confused with such previous and future Bowery Boys endeavors as Spook Busters and Spook Chasers, though many of the gags and comic setpieces are pretty much the same. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Leo Gorcey, Huntz Hall, (more)
- 1951
Through an incredible series of circumstances, the Bowery Boys sign up for a hitch in the Navy. While clumsily going about the shipboard duties, Slip (Leo Gorcey), Sach (Huntz Hall) and the rest of the gang search high and low for a couple of crooks disguised in sailor suits who've stolen a large sum of money intended for charity. They don't find the bad guys right away, but dimwitted Sach manages to replace the money through a lucky gambling streak. Finally collaring the villains, the Bowery Boys head to Navy headquarters for a reward--only to end up accidentally signing for another hitch at sea. Silly though it sounds, Let's Go Navy is one of the most believable Bowery Boys comedies, as well as one of the funniest. Contributing to the general hilarity is prune-faced Allen Jenkins as the Boys' chief petty officer. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Leo Gorcey, Huntz Hall, (more)
- 1951
On a pure storytelling level, Crazy Over Horses is one of the best entries in Monogram's "Bowery Boys" series. This time, Slip (Leo Gorcey), Sach (Huntz Hall) and the gang come into possession of a race horse. Slip is convinced that the horse, which he'd picked up as payment for a debt owed to sweet-shop owner Louie (Bernard Gorcey) by stable owner Flynn (Tim Ryan), is a thoroughbred. For once, he's right: the nag had been left with Flynn by a group of gamblers who'll do anything to get her back, even unto switching horses on the boys. The film leads steadily and logically to an exciting racetrack climax, capped by a final confrontation with the crooks. Comic patsy Huntz Hall is curiously unpleasant and abrasive in Crazy Over Horses, though he reverts to his old bumbling self in an extended sequence wherein he disguises himself as a black stablehand (this scene is usually removed when the film is shown on television). ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Leo Gorcey, Huntz Hall, (more)
