John Ayres Movies
- 1967
Still seeking appropriate spouses for Elly May and Jethro, Jed subscribes to a computer-dating service. The results are not what anyone expects, but then, if they had been, this wouldn't be a situation comedy, would it? The limit comes when Jethro mistakes Jed's computer-selected partner, middle-aged Gladys Peabody (Lurene Tuttle), for his own gal. "The Marriage Machine" was first shown on February 8, 1967. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1959
A well-dressed older man drives a car along the winding mountain road adjacent to the Grand Canyon. Another man lies in wait for him where the road ends. They fight, and the car and one of the men plunge into the mile-deep gorge. Thus begins a series of four killings that fall into the lap of newly hired Mojave County deputy Les Martin (Cornel Wilde) and his boss, Sheriff Edwards (Edgar Buchanan). Les is an experienced homicide detective trying to redeem himself and his career after a series of personal tragedies and professional disasters, unsteady in his confidence and uncertain of his ability -- the only people he's especially close to are the sheriff who hired him and Scotty (Mickey Shaughnessy), the big-hearted keeper of the local tavern. And complicating his investigation of the murder case at hand is his constant crossing of paths with the beautiful, wealthy Janice Kendon (Victoria Shaw), who seems to have a knack for turning up around every corner of this case. He has to sort out his feelings about her and work out what the murders have to do with the one clue left behind by one of the victims, about the "dancing bucket" that carries men and material more than 7,000 feet across the mile-high chasm. ~ Bruce Eder, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Cornel Wilde, Victoria Shaw, (more)
- 1958
Introduced in the previous episode "Divide and Conquer", Professor LaSerne (Everett Glass) returns in this episode to help Superman (George Reeves) sidestep a legal obstacle. It seems that wanted criminal Paul Barton (Bruce Wendell) has evaded arrest for past crimes by sealing himself in a huge, impenetrable concrete cube until the seven-year statute of limitations has expired. Ordinarily Superman would bust down the cube and nab Barton, but even he is unable to smash down its walls. Fortunately, LaSerne has a solution: Superman can "deconstruct" his molecule structure on the outside of the wall, then reassemble himself inside! There's only one problem: If Superman attempts to go through with his plan, Barton's henchman Jody Malone (Ben Welden) will murder reporters Lois (Noel Neill) and Jimmy (Jack Larson) at the very same moment. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1957
It's "Freud on the Frontier" time in the tension-filled western The Halliday Brand. Ward Bond plays Big Dan, the despotic head of the Halliday clan, while Joseph Cotten and Betsy Blair costar as Halliday's offspring Daniel and Martha. Intensely anti-Indian, Big Dan encourages a mob to lynch Jivaro (Christopher Dark), Martha's half-breed sweetheart. Despising his father's complicity in Jivaro's death, Daniel breaks off his relationship with the elder Halliday, casting his lot with Jivaro's father (Jay C. Flippen) and sister (Viveca Lindfors). The climactic showdown between father and son is superbly and innovatively handled by director Joseph H. Lewis. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Joseph Cotten, Viveca Lindfors, (more)
- 1955
The faces are new and the settings up-to-date, but otherwise An Annapolis Story is the tried-and-true "two guys and one girl" formula. Filmed on location at the titular Maryland naval academy, the story centers upon two sibling cadets, Tony (John Derek) and Jim (Kevin McCarthy). The boys battle over the affections of Peggy (Diana Lynn), a triangle that seriously strains their fraternal relationship and compromises their effectiveness as officers-to-be and gentlemen. In the tradition of 1927's Wings, the conflict is resolved when one brother sacrifices his life for the other while serving in Korea. Among the other cadets in An Annapolis Story are Alvy Moore and L. Q. Jones, who twenty years later would team up to produce the cult-fave science fiction film A Boy and His Dog. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- John Derek, Diana Lynn, (more)
- 1952
Something for the Birds is a toothless satire of Washington, filmed during the McCarthy era. For lack of a political target that wouldn't get them labeled as Communists, the producers decided to go after lobbyists. Patricia Neal comes to Washington on behalf of the preservation of the California Condor; she finds herself the object of ridicule for almost everyone, including leading man Victor Mature, a lobbyist for the oil interests who threatens a large bird sanctuary. Edmund Gwenn is one of the few Washingtonians willing to financially back Neal's cause; unfortunately he turns out to be a charlatan with nary a nickel to his name. Eventually Mature is made to realize that the plight of the Condor is worthy worrying about, and he is able to dissuade the agreeable oil executives from drilling on the bird's territory. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Victor Mature, Patricia Neal, (more)
