Tamara Lees Movies
- 1956
In this Biblical epic, a brave Chaldean rebel takes on his evil nemesis, a cruel Assyrian king. En route to his fateful meeting, the rebel hides in the humble hut of a luscious peasant girl. She is found by the king's passing troops; when the king sees the lass he is immediately smitten and makes her a part of his court. Unfortunately, when the king is suddenly poisoned, she is blamed. Later it is revealed that the real killer is the king's corrupt advisor who wants the kingdom for himself. Meanwhile, the rebel continues to fight his way to the palace so he can liberate the people and save the girl. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Rhonda Fleming, Ricardo Montalban, (more)
- 1955
In the last stages of his career, veteran American director Robert Z. Leonard dabbled in international productions. One of the best-distributed of these was the Gina Lollobrigida vehicle Beautiful But Dangerous. Lollobrigida is cast as Lina Cavaliari, an earthy Italian peasant who becomes a world-renowned opera singer. She also matriculates into something of a mantrap, making up for all the years that she was spurned and ignored by her "betters." One of Lina's many swains is played by none other than Robert Alda. Originally titled La Donna piu bella del mondo, Beautiful But Dangerous benefits immeasurably from Mario Bava's sumptuous cinematography. And as a bonus, La Lollo does her own singing! ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Gina Lollobrigida, Vittorio Gassman, (more)
- 1953
Gina (Irene Genna), a provincial Italian lass, is whisked away to the Big City upon entering a beauty contest. When she loses, the financially strapped Gina takes a job as a photographer's model. It would seem from the evidence presented in the film that the "modelling agency" is actually a front for a prostitution ring. The heavily American prints of Verginita don't make this clear, but they can't censor the gleam in the agency-owner's Otello Toso eye. At any rate, it turns out that Gina needs rescuing from her new profession, and confectionery salesman Franco (Leonardo Cortese) is just the fellow for this assignment. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Leonardo Cortese
- 1953
Originally released as Trattedella Blanche, Girls Marked Danger offers a voyeuristic glimpse at the subrosa world of 20th century white slavery. Veteran Hollywood heavy Marc Lawrence plays a vice lord who recruits innocent young Italian ladies for his nefarious purposes, on the pretext of hiring them to be cabaret dancers in South America. Despite the fact that none of Lawrence's "girls" ever return home, the new candidates suspect nothing as they sign up for the tour. Since the plot and outcome of Girls Marked Danger are predictable, the film justifies its 78-minute length by concentrating on the backgrounds of some of the unfortunate lasses. The most tragic of the ladies is played by Eleanora Rossi Drago, who is not only brutally beaten and mishandled, but ends up dying in childbirth. The nominal romantic lead is played by Sophia Loren, who tends to be upstaged on this occasion. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Silvana Pampanini, Sophia Loren, (more)
- 1951
Playwright Eduardo de Fillipo not only adapted his theatrical piece Filumena Marturano to the screen, but also starred in it and directed as well. de Fillipo's sister Titina plays the title character, a Neapolitan mother who is determined to "legitimize" her three out-of-wedlock children. She targets her ex-lover Domenico Soriano (de Fillipo), a disillusioned rouge, as her future husband. The latter prefers much younger bedmates, but Filumena isn't about to give up without a fight -- albeit a gentle and loving one. Like many of Eduardo de Fillipo's films, Filumena Marturano took some time before achieving an American release. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Titina de Filippo, Eduardo de Filippo, (more)
- 1950
Gina Lollobrigida has top billing in Four Ways Out, but the film's dramatic weight is carried by its male stars. The story concerns a quartet of hard-luck cases, played by Renato Baldini, Enzo Maggio, Paul Muller and Fausto Tozzi. Feeling as though the cards have been stacked against them in life (and not without reason), the foursome turns to crime. The film's setpiece, the robbery of a stadium box-office while a soccer game is in progress, bears a passing resemblance to the key scene in Stanley Kubrick's later The Killing, though it is obvious that Kubrick did not in any way imitate the earlier film stylistically. One of the collaborators on the script for Four Ways Out was Federico Fellini. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Gina Lollobrigida, Renato Baldini, (more)
- 1949
Based on a play by Pepine de Felipe, Her Favorite Husband is a British comedy set in Italy. Housewife Jean Kent is bemused by her husband Robert Beatty, who is not quite himself these days. In truth, he is not himself at all: Jean's husband has been replaced by a lookalike gangster who is plotting a big bank robbery. Once she tumbles to the truth, Kent is alternately repulsed and fascinated by her "new" spouse. Not exactly Shakespeare, Her Favorite Husband is a genial romp distinguished by a sizeable supporting cast of familiar British players. The film was released in the U.S. as The Taming of Dorothy. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Jean Kent, Robert Beatty, (more)
- 1949
The action in the British Marry Me! centers around a marriage bureau. Utilizing the "omnibus" approach made popular by such films as Quartet, director Terence Fisher relates the stories of four separate marriage-bound couples. The cast (including Derek Bond, Susan Shaw, Patrick Holt, Carol Marsh, David Tomlinson, Zena Marshall, Guy Middleton and Nora Swinburne) is quite appealing, and the production values are of the highest caliber. It would have been nice, though, to spend more time getting to know the individuals involved in the four playlets. Marry Me! is not a remake of the 1932 film of the same name. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Derek Bond, Susan Shaw, (more)
- 1947
Director Anthony Asquith's first postwar effort, While the Sun Shines was based on a play by frequent Asquith collaborator Terence Rattigan. Set in WW2 London, the story revolves around Lady Elizabeth Randall (Barbara White), who is serving her country as an Air Force corporal. While en route to her marriage to the Earl of Harpenden (Ronald Howard, in his screen debut), Lady Elizabeth is wooed a French expatriate named Colbert (Michael Allen) and American lieutenant Joe Mulvaney (the inevitable Bonar Colleano). The resulting series of sexual misunderstandings puts Lady Elizabeth's military career-not to mention her impending marriage-in dire jeopardy. A harmless romantic farce, While the Sun Shines is generally out of favor with Anthony Asquith's many adherents. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Barbara White, Ronald Squire, (more)
