John Spacey Movies
Though set during WW1, British Intelligence was obviously thrown together to capitalize on the outbreak of WW2. A remake of the 1930 espionager Three Faces East, the film stars Boris Karloff as Valder, the sinister butler of a British cabinet minister. It is quite possible that Valder is a German spy, and equally likely that the mysterious Helene von Lorbeer (Margaret Lindsay) is likewise working for the enemy. In fact, the audience is never quite certain who the good guys and bad guys really are until the climax, which takes place during a German zeppelin raid of London. As a balm to 1940 audiences, the film includes an early comedy scene in which German military protocol is upset by a clumsy corporal (Willy Kaufman) who bears a startling resemblance to a certain Nazi dictator. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Boris Karloff, Margaret Lindsay, (more)
- 1939
Versatile character actor (and offscreen golf pro) John Gallaudet is afforded a leading role in the 1939 cheapie Murder is News. When business magnate Edgar Drake (William McIntyre) decides to get even with his cheating wife Pauline (Doris Lloyd) and her attorney lover David Corning (John Hamilton), it's dollars to doughnuts that someone's going to wind up dead. Problem is, the victim is Drake himself. So who "done it": The wife, the lover, or Drake's own son, a popular orchestra leader? With the help of his "leg man" Brains McGillicudy (George McKay), Winchellesque radio commentator Jerry Tracy (Gallaudet) hopes to crack the case. The presence of Columbia contractees Gallaudet, McKay and Iris Meredith suggests that Murder is News was originally a Columbia picture, sold to fly-by-night Warwick Films for a quick turnover. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- John Gallaudet, Iris Meredith, (more)
- 1939
This fictionalized biography of the famed American inventor's life provided actor Don Ameche with his signature role. For years after its release, people even referred to the telephone as "an Ameche." The story begins in 1873 Boston as Bell endeavors to teach deaf people to speak in the manner invented by his father. When not teaching, Bell tinkers with his various inventions. Opportunity knocks when Bell is befriended by an aristocratic fellow (Charles Coburn) who wants Bell to help teach his daughter (Loretta Young) to speak. Bell agrees and falls in love with her. It is she who inspires and encourages him to invent the telephone, while it is young Watson (Henry Fonda) who assists him. After they meet with success, the inventors must do battle in court with Western Union, the company that held the patent to the telegraph. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Don Ameche, Loretta Young, (more)
- 1939
The fourth cinematic version of the novel Raffles, the Amateur Cracksman by E.W. Hornung, this romantic caper is a virtual remake of the 1930 version. David Niven stars as A.J. Raffles, a famed cricket player of English society's upper crust. Secretly, however, Raffles is a skilled cat burglar known as "The Amateur Cracksman" to Scotland Yard, which has been unable to catch him. Known for returning the items he's filched, Raffles is about to give up a life of crime because he's fallen for Gwen (Olivia de Havilland), a rich society girl. But first Gwen's brother, Bunny (Douglas Walton), needs help to extricate himself from a gambling debt that will be satisfied nicely by the valuable necklace owned by royal Lady Melrose (May Whitty). At a party thrown by Melrose, a rival thief and a detective (Dudley Digges) stand in Raffles' way, although the nimble and perturbed master criminal has a master plan that will result in the least possible harm coming to all involved. ~ Karl Williams, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- David Niven, Olivia de Havilland, (more)
- 1939
Though it sure looks like a Columbia Production, Special Inspector was distributed by a States' Rights firm called Syndicate Films. Charles Quigley and Rita Hayworth, the William Powell and Myrna Loy of Columbia's B unit, star respectively as government treasury agent Tom Evans and his sweetheart Patricia Lane. When Patricia's brother is murderd by a gang of fur hijackers, she offers her services to the feds as an undercover operative. In other words, it is Paula, and not Tom, who is the "Special Inspector" of the title. The most surprising aspect of the film is that it contains practically no action at all, not even a climactic fistfight. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Charles Quigley, Rita Hayworth, (more)
- 1938
In this wartime drama, cavalry private Dennis Murphy purchases a nervous horse, Sergeant, after it is deemed unfit for military service. With patience and love, Murphy trains his horse into a champion and later proves his worth by sneaking the steed into England where he enters him in the Grand National. He wins. The plucky private also wins the affection of the colonel's daughter. This film is based on a true story. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Ronald Reagan, Mary Maguire, (more)
- 1938
Who Killed Gail Preston? gets off to a rousing start with a nocturnal prison break which turns out to be the prelude for a nightclub musical number, masterminded by bandleader Traynor (Robert Paige). Gail Preston (Rita Hayworth), Traynor's vocalist, is much-despised by practically everyone, so it comes as no surprise when she's bumped off in the third reel. The most likely suspect is a weaselly hanger-on (Dwight Frye) who removes himself from consideration when he takes a header from a fourth-floor roof. This leaves such disreputable types as Marc Lawrence, Arthur Loft and John Gallaudet for detective Connolly (Gene Morgan) to choose from. Set almost entirely in Columbia's standard nightclub set, Who Killed Gail Preston? is a remake of 1934's The Crime of Helene Stanley, which took place at a movie studio. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Don Terry, Rita Hayworth, (more)
- 1938
This saga spans the globe as the three young heroes search for the man who killed their much-admired, beloved father, a cashiered officer who was wrongly dishonorably discharged before he was murdered. Their quest takes them from India to South America, London, Egypt, and the U.S. As the progress, they begin to discover the disturbing truth about the murder of the father they idolized. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Loretta Young, Richard Greene, (more)
- 1937
This standard crime meller from the Columbia assembly line stars Paul Kelly as police lieutenant Tony Roberts. Hoping to smash a gang of racketeers who profit by "fixing" a crooked state parole board, Tony poses as a down-and-outer and gets himself arrested. While in prison, he gains the confidence of a mob contact, bribes his way to a parole, and joins the gang on the outside, working his way up to head of the racket. He does so well on the wrong side of the law, in fact, that one wonders why he retains his police badge! Ironically, star Paul Kelly actually did spend time behind bars in the 1920s on a manslaughter rap. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Paul Kelly, Rosalind Keith, (more)
- 1937
In this satire, an electrician from a tiny town impresses a New York radio sponsor with his booming baritone singing voice. He immediately contracts the worker to come to the Big Apple. Unfortunately, he suffers from bronchitis that changes him into a tenor. He still goes on the air, but everyone calls him a fake. Fortunately, the audience loved him. His manager then forbids him to appear publicly so he spends his spare time inventing a gadget that restores old radio sets. When it looks as though his clever invention will be stolen a beautiful woman gets it patented and then marries him. Songs include: The Oscar nominated "Remember Me," "Am I in Love?" "If I Were a Little Pond Lilly," "The Girl You Used to Be," and "Here Comes the Sandman." ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Kenny Baker, Alice Brady, (more)
- 1937
Women of Glamour is a considerably toned-down remake of Frank Capra's pre-code drama Ladies of Leisure. Virginia Bruce steps into the old Barbara Stanwyck role as streetwise good-time girl Gloria, who falls in love with wealthy playboy Dick (Melvyn Douglas). Not only must she contend with Dick's snooty society pals, but she must also cross claws with the hero's rich-bitch lady friend Carol (Leona Maricle). The dilemma almost leads Gloria to suicide, but there's a happy ending in the offing. Counterpointing the Gloria-Dick romance is the comic courtship of Gloria's dance-hall chum Fan (Pert Kelton) and silly socialite Fritz (Reginald Denny). ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Virginia Bruce, Melvyn Douglas, (more)
- 1936
In this romantic mystery, based on the beloved characters of P.G. Wodehouse, the ever-impeccable, unflappable butler Jeeves does all he can to serve his clumsy young master. This time Jeeves falsely identifies evil spies as government agents. Unfortunately these bogus G-men have come to steal secret plans. When Jeeves recognizes his mistake, he and his master team up and stop the villains. The film was later retitled Thank You, Mr. Jeeves. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Arthur Treacher, Virginia Field, (more)
- 1936
Based on the true story of Pan American Airlines, China Clipper was released only a year after the first transpacific flight in history. Pat O'Brien stars as Dave Logan, a man completely obsessed with starting the first commerical airline across the Pacific ocean. Engineer Dad Brunn (Henry B. Walthall) designs the airplane, while Dave teams up with business partner Tom Collins (Ross Alexander) to start up his company. Dave's wife, Jean (Beverley Roberts) has her doubts about the airline business, but loves her husband. Dave hires Hap Stuart (Humphrey Bogart) as the pilot to make his first flight to the Caribbean, where he ends up helping out the local people during a hurricane. Things start to go really wrong for Dave when Jean wants to leave him, his Dad gets ill, and his planes are subject to all kinds of tests. This was the last film appearance of Birth of a Nation star Henry B. Walthall, who had reportedly collapsed on the set right during production. ~ Andrea LeVasseur, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Pat O'Brien, Beverly Roberts, (more)
- 1936
In this romantic comedy, an aspiring socialite heads for a vacation in Monte Carlo where she befriends a wealthy widowed duchess and then begins blackmailing her after she steals a scandalous letter. This letter could destroy her upcoming nuptials to a stuffy Englishman. The duchess enlists the aide of an American thief to get the damning letter back. Meanwhile, her English lover continues to ardently pursue her; he is blissfully unaware that something is amiss. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Warren William, Dolores Del Rio, (more)
- 1936
A New York novelist (Henry Fonda) meets up with an actress (Margaret Sullavan), and the two date and later marry, though neither knows of the other's fame. The real adventure begins on the honeymoon, when this screwball comedy really heats up with insults and arguments. ~ John Bush, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Margaret Sullavan, Henry Fonda, (more)
- 1935
The old British musical-hall ditty "The Man Who Broke the Bank at Monte Carlo" provides the title for this lightweight Ronald Colman vehicle. Colman, playing a refugee Russian prince, is the "man" in question, and the owners of the "broken bank"--that is, the proprietors of the Monte Carlo casino where Colman scored the big win--are anxious to get their money back. They dispatch the beautiful Joan Bennett to lure Colman back into the casino. He falls for her and loses his winnings in the process, but she has pangs of remorse when she learns that Colman had been gambling on behalf of his impoverished countrymen. Bennett joins Colman as he merrily heads off to chase another rainbow. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Ronald Colman, Joan Bennett, (more)
