Lester Scharff Movies

If Edward G. Robinson thought he'd get away from tough-guy roles by moving from Warners to MGM, he was sorely mistaken. Robinson plays the editor of a 1920s tabloid newspaper, compelled to accept financial aid from a gangster (Edward Arnold). Defying his "unholy partner," Robinson adopts an editorial stance in direct opposition to the gangster's activities. The crook is less upset by this than by the fact that Robinson's star reporter (William T. Orr) is romantically interested in the crook's girlfriend (Marsha Hunt). When Robinson tries to expose the gangster's insurance racket, the young reporter is kidnapped. Robinson kills the crook, then covers his tracks in noble fashion by participating in a suicidal airplane test flight. Unholy Partners manages to keep its multitude of plot threads in order, resulting in one of Edward G. Robinson's most solid vehicles. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Filmed independently in 1939, The Great Commandment finally attained released in 1942 via 20th Century-Fox. Set in 30 AD, the story concerns the burgeoning Christian movement, and its effects on young Judean scholar named Joel (John Beal). A hotheaded reactionary, Joel spearheads an uprising against the Romans, but his warlike impulses melt away under the influence of Jesus of Nazareth. Joel even "turns the other cheek" when dealing with the warrior who murdered his brother. Director Irving Pichel later helmed such inspirational church-basement fare as 1952's Martin Luther and 1954's Day of Triumph. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Future blacklistee John Howard Lawson co-wrote this remake of Samuel Goldwyn's 1920 drama Earthbound, presented here as a rather more straightforward morality tale/fantasy. Warner Baxter and Andrea Leeds star as Nick and Ellen Desbrough, a seemingly happily-married couple celebrating their fifth anniversary at the outset of the movie. But Nick hasn't been nearly as faithful as Ellen believes, and his one-time romance with Linda Reynolds (Lynn Bari) has come back to haunt him. He believed the relationship was safely ended long ago, and Linda to be in love with his longtime friend Jeffrey Reynolds (Henry Wilcoxon) -- but she still wants Nick, and when he rejects her, she shoots him in a fit of jealous rage. Jeff takes the blame for the murder and is put on trial, while Nick -- now a wraith-like figure caught between heaven and earth -- tries desperately to communicate with Ellen or anyone else, to no avail, to tell them of Jeff's innocence. The only person with whom he can communicate is a mysterious man (Charles Grapewin) who seems to know a great deal about where Nick has been and also where he might -- or might not -- end up. Confronted in death by all of the unhappiness that his faithless life has caused, Nick vows to try and repair some of the damage, but it may take a miracle for that to happen. ~ Bruce Eder, All Movie Guide

War's End was the brainchild of Col. Thomas J. Dickson, chaplain of the A.E.F's First Division during WWI. By trotting out grim newsreel footage of wartime horrors, it was Dickson's intention to dissuade the viewer from ever rushing headlong into another world conflict. Though War is definitely Hell throughout the film, much is also made of the courage and determination of the allied forces who finally achieved victory. Admirably, War's End avoided any overtly horrible shots but still managed to pack a wallop. Alas, by the time the film was finally released, Col. Thomas J. Dickson had passed away. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide