Louise Arthur Movies

When people refer to Doris Day as "the world's oldest professional virgin," they generally have the 1962 comedy That Touch of Mink in mind. It isn't that Cathy Timberlake (Day) is above a bit of hanky-panky; it's just that she wants such tangibles as a marriage license and wedding ring first. Thus, when playboy businessman Philip Shayne (Cary Grant) begins actively pursuing Cathy (they "met cute" when Philip's limo splashed mud on the hapless Cathy), she won't say "I will" until he says "I do." She is of the idealistic opinion that she can bring out the best intentions in him, even when he repeatedly tips off his worst intentions by inviting her to accompany him to Philadelphia, Baltimore, and Bermuda. After not a few complications and misunderstands, Cathy finally finagles a proposal out of Philip. The film is essentially much ado about nothing, but it is so well-acted and attractively photographed that the audiences are willing to go along for the ride. The high-powered supporting cast includes Gig Young as Roger, Philip's moralistic financial advisor; Audrey Meadows as Connie, Cathy's wise-cracking roommate; Alan Hewitt as Dr. Gruber, a confused psychiatrist; John Astin as Beasley, Cathy's slimy would-be beau; Dick Sargent as a neurotic honeymooner; and an unbilled Richard Deacon as an all-around letch. Best scene: the baseball-dugout rhubarb involving New York Yankees Mickey Mantle, Roger Maris, and Yogi Berra. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

This socially-conscious drama claims to provide an examination of the problems inherent in teen-age marriages. It centers on a 17-year-old girl who marries a much older medical student. Her parents are terribly upset, but her former boyfriend nearly goes berserk with jealousy. One day she innocently accepts his invitation to meet him on an empty sound stage at his father's studio. He attacks and attempts to rape her. Fortunately, her husband finds out about the meeting and in a nail-biting climax stalks the would-be rapist from a narrow catwalk high above until he can stop the killer in the film's shocking conclusion. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide

Obviously inspired by such films as The Asphalt Jungle and The Killing, The Big Caper takes place in a small town with a large bank. James Gregory plays the leader of a gang of thieves who intends to knock over the bank--but not without meticulous pre-planning. In the months prior to the holdup, gang members Rory Calhoun and Mary Costa (a popular opera star making her dramatic film debut) gain the confidence of the townspeople by posing as the husband-and-wife owners of a local gas station. When Gregory makes it clear that he plans to blow up a school to create a diversion, Calhoun and Costa decide to go straight in a hurry. The Big Caper was directed by Robert Stevens, best known for his work on such TV anthologies as Alfred Hitchcock Presents and The Twilight Zone. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Attractively filmed in Cinecolor, Roar of the Crowd is a better-than-average actioner from Allied Artists. Howard Duff plays Johnny Tracy, scion of a racecar-driving family. Johnny wants a crack at the Indianapolis 500 above all else, but his girl friend Marcy Parker (Helene Stanley) wants him to quit the racetrack. Finally, a compromise is reached: Johnny will retire from racing if Marcy allows him to prepare for the 500. Alas, Johnny is injured in a pre-Indy accident, and it looks like he hasn't a chance. While the outcome is predictable, a few surprises still await the audience in the final reel. A few months before Roar of the Crowd went into release, stock footage from the racing sequences were seen in the Bowery Boys epic Jalopy. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

The People's Choice was one of a handful of mid-1940s attempts to launch a series of 16-millimeter "mainstream" feature films (16mm had previously been limited to the home-movie and industrial-film market). Drew Kennedy stars as a small-town milquetoast who gains confidence when he runs for mayor. Coming face to face with local corruption and graft, Kennedy proves that he's a man and not a mouse. The supporting cast includes such familiar Hollywood faces as George Meeker, Fred Kelsey, Ernie Adams and Rex Lease, while Louise Arthur does a nice job as leading lady. Filmed in Kodachrome Color, The People's Choice was amusing, but not considered saleable enough to warrant a major studio release. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide