Ray Saunders Movies
- 1970
Italian director Tonino Valerii recreates a fistful of JFK conspiracy theories in Western settings with this bizarre look at the assassination of President James Garfield in 1890 Dallas. Granted, the assassination really occurred in Washington in 1881, but Valerii and screenwriter Massimo Patrizi don't let their allegory be ruined by facts. Anyway, it's a well-made film, with cinematography by Stelvio Massi and a suitably stentorian soundtrack by Luis Enrique Bacalov, but its appeal is probably limited to fans of Euro-oaters. Giuliano Gemma, Fernando Rey, and Van Johnson star, while genre enthusiasts will recognize veterans Frank Brana and Antonio Casas. ~ Robert Firsching, All Movie Guide
- 1970
Prolific filmmaker Demofilo Fidani directed this revenge-themed western under the name "Miles Deem," as well as co-authoring the screenplay with Tonino Ricci. Nevada (Hunt Powers) and a nameless bounty-hunter (Geoffredo Scarciofolo as "Jeff Cameron") spend the film searching for Hagen (Gordon Mitchell), an evil outlaw whose gang slaughtered Nevada's parents. The film gains from fine cinematography by Aristide Massaccesi (later known as cult director "Joe D'Amato") and a supporting cast including Klaus Kinski, Simone Blondell, and Dennis Colt. ~ Robert Firsching, All Movie Guide
This Italian crime melodrama was originally released as Citta Violenta. Charles Bronson stars as Jeff, an ex-convict living in New Orleans. Understandably, Jeff trusts no one but his curvaceous girl friend Vanessa (Jill Ireland). She is stolen away from him by Weber (Telly Savalas), the man who framed him on a murder charge. Jeff goes gunning after Weber, only to discover that his real enemy is within his own circle of intimates. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Charles Bronson, Jill Ireland, (more)
- 1954
In the conclusion of a two-part story, Friday (Jack Webb) and Smith (Ben Alexander) rush to the small sanitarium where hoodlum Gus Valentine, recuperating from two previous attempts on his life, has been shot and killed. Normally, this would be a case of "good riddance to bad rubbish"--except that an innocent nurse has also been killed in the crossfire. The trail of clues leads the detectives to the girlfriend (Virginia Gregg) of one of the triggermen. In the episode's highlight, important evidence is provided by an elderly witness to Valentine's murder, played by the ever-venerable Burt Mustin. This episode is based on the Dragnet radio broadcast of March 30, 1950. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1948
A man who dreams of seeing the future discovers the horrible burden that it can carry in this film noir suspense story. Suicidal Jean Courtland (Gail Russell) is prevented from killing herself by her fiancée Elliot Carson (John Lund). When they consult psychic John Triton (Edward G. Robinson), he confesses that he used his powers to bring on her death. Years ago, Triton was a phony mentalist in a vaudeville act, but he began seeing genuine visions of the future, most of which portended tragic results. After a premonition of the death of his wife Jenny (Virginia Bruce) in childbirth, a terrified Triton went into hiding for five years; upon his return, he discovered that his wife had married Whitney (Jerome Cowan) shortly after John was declared dead...and she died giving birth. Years later, Jenny's child grew up to be Jean Courtland, and when Triton receives a vision of Whitney's death in a plane wreck, he rushes to California in hopes of stopping fate. However, he's foreseen a tragic future for both Jean and Whitney and is afraid of the agony that awaits them. The Night Has a Thousand Eyes was adapted from a novel by Cornell Woolrich. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Edward G. Robinson, Gail Russell, (more)
- 1948
After suffering nobly in several heavyweight MGM dramas, Greer Garson and Walter Pidgeon begged the studio to cast them together in a comedy. Though not an all-out laff riot, Julia Misbehaves strives hard to please. Garson plays an ever-in-debt British music-hall performer who relies on the largess of her friends to keep the wolf from the door. Pidgeon portrays Garson's ex-husband, who for the past 20 years has lived in Paris with their daughter Elizabeth Taylor. When Taylor becomes engaged, she sends Garson a wedding invitation. Broke again, Garson hastily joins an acrobatic act to earn steerage money, and charms British nobleman Nigel Bruce into giving her enough cash for a wedding present. Once she arrives in Paris, Garson sticks her nose into everyone's affairs, much to the dismay of the uptight Pidgeon. Garson even advises daughter Taylor to marry someone other than her betrothed. Despite her screwball behavior, Pidgeon can't help falling in love with Garson all over again--but it takes a zany sequence in and around a mountain chalet to knot together the many loose plotlines. Julia Misbehaves was adapted from The Nutmeg Tree, a novel by Margery Sharp. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Greer Garson, Walter Pidgeon, (more)
- 1947
This story of two young hopefuls who come to Hollywood is merely a thin device to feature almost every star working for Paramount Studios in 1947. Mary Hatcher plays Catherine Brown, a woman of humble origins who arrives in Hollywood, where she meets another wanna-be movie star, Amber La Vonne (Olga San Juan). They work their way through the Paramount studios, trying to impress every important person. Mostly, the film is a cavalcade of songs by various stars that take place at several studio and Hollywood locations, including the famous Brown Derby restaurant. Many of the film's songs were written by Frank Loesser. Dorothy Lamour and Alan Ladd sing "Tallahassee"; Bing Crosby and Bob Hope play golf and sing a duet, "Harmony"; the Original Dixieland Jazz Band plays "Tiger Rag"; and a host of other top performers of the era appear in brief cameos. ~ Michael Betzold, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Eric Alden, Mary Hatcher, (more)
