Frank de Kova Movies
Of Latin extraction, actor Frank DeKova possessed the indeterminate but sharply chiselled facial features that allowed him to play a wide range of ethnic types, from East Indian to American Indian. His first film appearance was as a gravel-voiced gangster in 1951's The Mob. He was busiest in westerns, closing out his film career with 1975's Johnny Firecloud. Frank DeKova has endeared himself to two generations of TV fans with his performance as peace-loving Hekawi Indian chief Wild Eagle on the 1960s TV sitcom F Troop. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide- 1959
Escaped killer Joe Philips (Joe Maross) is hiding in plain sight as a worker at a Mexican construction site. Later on, another man is hired to work alongside Joe: Bret Johnson (Wayne Morris), who turns out to be the detective hired to bring Joe to justice. Things don't quite work out as planned, thanks to a near-disaster at the site -- followed by a daring rescue. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1962
After being injured in a train wreck, salesman Pedro Siqueras (David Opatoshu) is told by a doctor that he will never walk again. But after spending time in a wheelchair, Siqueras discovers that he has regained the use of his legs. However, he does not reveal this recovery, having already collected a sizeable insurance settlement. Ultimately tiring of faking paralysis, Siqueras concocts a scheme whereby he can undergo a "miraculous" cure -- a scheme that involves the unwitting aid of a genuine paraplegic named Maria (Miriam Colon). ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1953
Previously adapted to film in 1923, Ben Ames Williams' rousing sea adventure All the Brothers Were Valiant was given the prestige MGM treatment in 1953. Robert Taylor and Stewart Granger star as seafaring siblings Joel and Mark Shore. When Mark disappears during a whaling expedition, Joel and his wife Priscilla Holt (Ann Blyth) set sail in search of his missing brother. They discover to their chagrin that Mark has become a conscienceless reprobate, a disgrace to his family. Not only does Mark make a play for Priscilla, but he foments a mutiny on board Joel's ship so that he may commandeer the vessel and embark on a search for a valuable bed of pearls. Eventually, one of the brothers comes to a literally sticky demise, with Priscilla looking on in wide-mouthed horror. Cast as Priscilla's father is that grand old trouper Lewis Stone, in his final film role. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Robert Taylor, Stewart Granger, (more)
The rise and growth of American popular music through the 20th century is reflected in the lives of four generations of one family in this animated drama directed by Ralph Bakshi. Zalmie (voice of Jeffrey Lippa), a Russian Jew, emigrates to America, and tries to struggle along as a comic and musician in vaudeville, until an injury suffered in World War I ends his singing career. Zalmie's son Benny (voice of Richard Singer) inherits his father's love for music, and when he grows to adulthood, he joins a jazz combo as a pianist; his career is cut short, however, when he's killed while fighting in World War II. Benny's son Tony (voice of Ron Thompson) is also bitten by the music bug and is determined to make his mark as a songwriter; he becomes involved in the Beat poetry and music community in San Francisco, and later falls in with a pioneering psychedelic band. Along the way, Tony fathers an illegitimate son named Pete (voice of Eric Taslitz), and ends up becoming Pete's guardian in New York City without realizing he's the boy's father. After Tony's death, Pete supports himself by dealing drugs, while struggling to make his dream of becoming a rock star a reality. Ralph Bakshi achieved American Pop's unique look through a process called "rotoscoping" -- shooting the scenes with live actors, and then tracing their movements onto animation cells.
~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Ron Thompson, Marya Small, (more)
- 1958
A wandering cowboy endeavors to save a wagon train from an Apache attack in this western that is based upon a Louis L'Amour novel. The settlers are frightened and flee. They all end up dead, but for one little girl, whom the cowboy saves. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Rory Calhoun, Barbara Bates, (more)
- 1958
George Nader plays a reporter whose career is ruined by liquor. A comeback opportunity presents itself when Nader is a bystander at the arrest of a well-known criminal. The reporter knows that the crook, who has been accused of an ambush murder, is innocent, and he sets about to collar the real killer. Nader goes "cold turkey" on the booze despite tempations at every turn, and gets his man. Appointment with a Shadow is one of a handful of films directed by onetime I Led 3 Lives star Richard Carlson. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- George Nader, Joanna Moore, (more)
Adapted from a novel by W.R. Burnett (which hadn't yet been published when the film was released), Arrowhead is a tough, uncompromising western dealing with the delicate issue of White-Indian relations. Charlton Heston is at his most truculent as Indian agent Ed Bannon, who though raised by Apaches has a very low opinion of the tribe's trustworthiness. Bannon's warnings about Indian treachery would seem to be borne out by a series of bloody raids upon the cavalry, but the officers in charge refuse to believe him. It turns out that the man behind the Apache attacks is Toriano (Jack Palance), the chief's college-educated son, who has rejected the ways of the White Man and intends to reclaim his birthright. The film boils down to a mano y mano battle between Bannon and Toriano, personal enemies from way back. Hardly politically correct, Arrowhead is worth seeing if only for the multitextured performance by Jack Palance. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Charlton Heston, Jack Palance, (more)
- 1961
Director George Pal is noted as a special effects maestro, both in films for children that feature his "puppetoons" and in sci-fi spectacles like the War of the Worlds. So it is no surprise that this sci-fi yarn about the fabled sunken continent of Atlantis should excel in the special effects department. Otherwise, the story is a clichéd tale about Demetrios (Anthony Hall) a Greek fisherman who is tempted into going to Atlantis by Antillia (Joyce Taylor), a princess of that doomed land. Demetrios is soon trapped into slavery, a situation which leads him to hobnob with the oppressed masses and plan a strategy to get them out of there before the rumblings of imminent submersion send the whole kit and caboodle into the briny deep. ~ Eleanor Mannikka, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Anthony Hall, Joyce Taylor, (more)
A recently released mental patient may well wonder who the looney ones are in this drama that chronicles his strange homecoming. He has been gone many years and during that time, his father has married a very young woman. He then discovers that the maid is a full-blown witch, the cat has disappeared and finally the chauffeur is busily chasing after his newest mistress. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
The once-scandalous autobiography of Frank Harris was the source of the fascinating "adult" western Cowboy. Jack Lemmon plays Harris, who when first the audience meets him is a citified desk clerk in a frontier hotel. Harboring romantic notions of the West, Harris prevails upon hard-living, hard-drinking trail boss Tom Reece Glenn Ford to take him along on Reece's next cattle drive. In the months that follow, Harris' idealized notions of the West are cruelly dispelled, though he eventually becomes accustomed to the rough-and-tumble life on the trail and to the curious cameradie between the drovers. The film's most talked-about scene finds a group of cowboys planting a rattlesnake in one of their comrade's blankets as a joke; their regretful but oddly detached reaction when the bitten man dies speaks volumes about the Real West. Also memorable is the performance of Brian Donlevy as Doc Bender, an ageing gunfighter who can't stand the notion of becoming an anachronism. One of the more unorthodox westerns of the 1950s, Cowboy is also one of the best. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Jack Lemmon, Glenn Ford, (more)
- 1975
Crossfire stars James Franciscus as police officer Rossi, who is thrown off the force for possession of narcotics. Disgraced in the eyes of everyone, including his own partner, Rossi descends into a life of crime. But--and this will come as a shock to anyone who's never seen a Humphrey Bogart picture--the drug bust was fabricated to allow Rossi to function as an undercover operative. His job: Locate and arrest the syndicate Big Boy. Adding fuel to the fire is the fact that Rossi's late brother was a mob functionary. Crossfire was yet another TV pilot film for yet another unsold James Franciscus weekly. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
Set in an isolated, snow-covered town in the far West, this story has a renegade army officer named Jack Bruhn (Burl Ives) and his henchmen riding into the town threatening their worst to the men and women there. Blaise Starrett (Robert Ryan) decides to agree to Bruhn's demands for someone knowledgeable to lead them away from the law and the town, to safety. Mortally wounded himself, Bruhn opts to take Starrett up on his offer in one last act of generosity toward the townspeople, sparing them the mayhem threatened by his men. ~ Eleanor Mannikka, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Robert Ryan, Burl Ives, (more)
- 1954
Though heavily advertised as Delmar Daves' Drum Beat, this film owed its existence to producer-star Alan Ladd. The star is cast as a veteran Indian fighter Johnny MacKay, who because of his close relationship with the Medoc tribe is sent out to negotiate a peace treaty. Once he has arrived in Medoc territory, Johnny (Ladd) must contend with the misspent emotions of his childhood sweetheart Toby (Marisa Pavan), the sister of Indian chief Manok (Anthony Caruso). Jealous over Johnny's relationship with pretty Nancy Meek (Audrey Dalton), Toby has cast her lot with renegade warrior Captain Jack (Charles Bronson), who honors no treaties. Though the film has a Native American villain, Drum Beat is largely sympathetic to the plight of the Indian. Based on a true story, the film is distinguished by J. Peverell Marley's breathtaking exterior photography, and by Victor Young's ballad-like musical score. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Alan Ladd, Audrey Dalton, (more)
The second season of F Troop is filmed in color instead of black-and-white, and the ballad and action montage which opened each season-one episode has been replaced by a simpler opening title, featuring caricatures of the cast members rendered by MAD magazine's Mort Drucker. Otherwise, it is business as usual in the 19th century cavalry outpost of Fort Courage, as enterprising Sgt. O'Rourke (Forrest Tucker) and Cpl. Agarn (Larry Storch), in league with peace-loving Hekawi Indian chief Wild Eagle (Frank DeKova), manage a vast array of questionable business concerns right under the nose of Fort Courage's clueless, clumsy commanding officer, Captain Wilton Parmenter (Ken Berry). Meanwhile, curvaceous trading-post operator Wrangler Jane (Melody Patterson) persists in her efforts to arouse Parmenter's romantic nature, to no avail. That F Troop is a comedy rather than a Western is once again made abundantly clear in its choice of guest stars. In the episode "The Great Troop Robbery," Milton Berle appears as intrepid Indian detective Wise Owl. "Where Were You at the Last Massacre" features Phil Harris as 147-year-old Indian warrior Flaming Arrow, who vividly recalls his meeting with the wife of President James Madison ("Hello, Dolly!"). "The Singing Mountie" stars Paul Lynde as the title character, a devastating takeoff of movie tenor Nelson Eddy. "V Is for Vampire" spotlights Vincent Price as a Dracula-like stranger who may or may not have kidnapped Wrangler Jane. "Bye Bye Balloon" finds Harvey Korman as stiff-necked Prussian officer Heinrich Von Zippel, whose attempt at lighter-than-air flight elicits the now-classic line from Wild Eagle, "It...is...balloon!" And "That's Show Biz" is a deliciously anachronistic outing featuring the singing group the Factory Rock Quartet, and highlighted by Melody Patterson's rendition of Bob Dylan's "Mr. Tambourine Man" -- some 90 years before it was written. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Forrest Tucker, Larry Storch, (more)
- 1953
Director Leslie Selander invests the Allied Artists "special" Fighter Attack with the same energy that he'd previously applied to his many westerns. Set during World War II, the film concerns an effort to destroy a Nazi supply depot. Though he's flown enough missions to be sent home, squadron leader Steve (Sterling Hayden) insists upon leading the offensive--and, on cue, is shot down behind enemy lines. Rescued by resistance fighters (Joy Page and J. Carroll Naish), Steve becomes the "inside man" for his squadron, laying the groundwork for the destruction of the German supplies. Fighter Attack was pleasingly filmed in the two-color Cinecolor process, as were many Monogram/Allied Artists "A"s of the period. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Sterling Hayden, J. Carrol Naish, (more)
One of a handful of Elvis Presley vehicles for United Artists release, Follow That Dream is a leisurely comedy/musical with a homey appeal that will delight even non-Presley fans. Based on Richard Powell's novel Pioneer Go Home, the film casts Elvis as Toby Kwimper, the most responsible member of an itinerant rural family comprised of Pop Kwimper (Arthur O'Connell) and nubile cousin Holly Jones (Anne Helm). Claiming "squatter's rights," the Kwimpers set up housekeeping, much to the dismay of local gamblers Carmine (Jack Kruschen) and Nick (Simon Oakland). In an attempt to force the family off their land, social worker Alicia Claypool (Joanna Moore) tries to prove that Toby is "degenerate," but succeeds only in making a fool of herself. Beyond a handful of pleasant songs, the film's highlights include Elvis' unwitting breakup of the local gambling casino, and the climactic trial scene featuring Roland Winters as a dyspeptic but basically likeable judge. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Elvis Presley, Arthur O'Connell, (more)
- 1973
- PG
Frasier the Sensuous Lion would seem to have been conceived as a racy "answer" to Disney's sugary-sweet animal comedies. The talkative title character is befriended by zoologist Marvin Feldman (Michael Callan). When Frasier's loquaciousness becomes public knowledge, Feldman tries to save the lion from being commercially exploited by a sleazy California wildlife preserve. The film's supporting cast includes such TV perennials as Frank De Kova ("Wild Eagle" on F Troop) and Malachi Throne ("Noah Bain" on It Takes a Thief). Frasier's innuendo-laden dialogue is supplied by, of all people, Victor Jory. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1956
Sick of working himself to death for next to no money, and convinced that no one appreciates him, Doc (Milburn Stone) is on the verge of leaving Dodge City forever. All this changes when Doc is kidnapped by stagecoach robbers Jed (Claude Akins) and Rod (Ray Bennett), who threaten to kill him if he can't save the life of their wounded cohort Brant. With the help of his Indian friend Tobeel (Frank DeKova), Matt (James Arness) devises a scheme to save Doc's life--possibly at the cost of his own. This episode is based on the Gunsmoke radio broadcast of April 3, 1954. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1957
After killing his partner Harry Bent (Paul Lambert), outlaw Fred Myers (Robert H. Harris) and his wife Jennifer (Julie Van Zandt) abscond with their stolen loot and set up a "legitimate" business in Dodge City. But if Fred thinks he's out of danger, he hasn't taken into consideration Harry's good friend Tobeel (Frank DeKova), a solemn-faced Indian who persistently dogs the Myers' trail. When another murder occurs, Tobeel is accused of the crime--but Matt (James Arness) uses his own knowledge of Indian traditons to trap the genuine killer. This episode is based on the Gunsmoke radio broadcast of November 28, 1953. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1957
Old codgers Peavy (Florenz Ames) and Rives (Frank DeKova) breeze into Dodge City for "one last fling." This less-than-dynamic duo causes more trouble than they're worth, and when Peevy makes a clumsy pass at Kitty (Amanda Barnes), she threatens to kill him if he ever comes near her again. Not long afterward, Peevy is shot, placing Matt Dillon in the awkward position of possibly having to arrest Kitty--but the real violence has yet to begin. This episode is adapted from the Gunsmoke radio broadcast of February 20, 1954. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
Heavy Traffic represents a follow-up to animator Ralph Bakshi's first feature film, Fritz the Cat (1972). The central character is Michael, the ingenuous son of an Italian father and Jewish mother. An aspiring cartoonist, Michael leaves home in a huff and outrages his family by conducting an affair with an African-American woman. Heavy Traffic was originally intended to be a cartoon adaptation of Hubert Selby's notorious novel Last Exit to Brooklyn, but negotiations fell through, and Bakshi was obliged to cook up a similar but not identical "mean streets" plotline. (Last Exit to Brooklyn was made as a live-action film in 1989.) ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1982
- R
Director/animator Ralph Bakshi turns his attention to 1950s Brooklyn in Hey Good Lookin', which looks at greasers hanging out (and making out) on street corners, hot girls, and gang rumbles, all set in a decaying urban landscape. The main action concerns Vinnie (voice of Richard Romanus), the leader of an Italian gang called The Stompers, who values, in equal measure, the perfection of his hairstyle and scoring with girls. His bosom buddy, Crazy (David Proval), more than lives up to his moniker, and his impulsiveness leads to many conflicts, including fights with other gangs -- a real problem because Vinnie is nowhere near as tough as he pretends to be. Things become even more complicated when he finds himself falling hard for Rozzie (Tina Bowman), whose father keeps her on a pretty short leash. Things come to a head in a deadly shoot-out, which may have serious consequences for the three main characters. ~ Craig Butler, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Richard Romanus, David Proval, (more)
- 1955
In this bizarre drama, an inmate on death row has one final request before his impending hanging: he wants to spend the night with a woman. The police bring him a suicidal prostitute. After a night of lovemaking, the two decide they are in love and are married by the prison chaplain. This eases his torment about going to the gallows. Just before he is to be killed, he describes a dream he had where the rope breaks during the hanging, the death bell rings, and he is freed. As he prays for his miracle the death bell tolls and the film fades to black. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Cleo Moore, John Agar, (more)
- 1952
This minor MGM feature stars Gig Young, Janice Rule, Keenan Wynn and Richard Anderson as diverse individuals caught up in New Orleans' Mardi Gras celebration. Young is cast in the leading role as a doctor, whose plans for the celebration are altered when punch drunk prizefighter Wynn commits murder. The killing completely changes the course of Young's life, and effects the lives of those closest to him. Though it didn't cost much, Holiday for Sinners suffered the fate of many second features produced during the early TV years and failed to make back its budget. Gig Young would have to wait several years for full stardom--and then usually as comedy relief for bigger stars. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Gig Young, Janice Rule, (more)
