Earl Hodgins Movies

Accomplice was the "pilot" for a proposed PRC series based on Frank Gruber's short-tempered detective hero Simon Lash. Commendably, Richard Arlen plays Lash as written-brusque, nasty, antisocial. The plot gets under way when socialite Joyce Bonniwell (Veda Ann Borg) hires Lash to located her missing husband Jim (Edward Earle). The fact that Joyce is Lash's former sweetheart heightens the detective's interest in the case-so much so that, for most of the film's running time, he doesn't realize that he's being set up by a pair of extremely clever con artists. Four murders later, however, Lash ties up all the loose ends and turns the crooks over to the authorities. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Olsen and Johnson's second starring vehicle for Republic was better than their first (Country Gentlemen), but a Hellzapoppin' it wasn't. Ole and Chic play a couple of itinerant vaudevillians, teamed with Sally the Singing Seal ("the eighth wonder of the world"). Heroine Joan Eldredge (Mary Howard) is about to lose the theater left to her by her father, so O&J offer to stage a gala fund-raising show. Unfortunately, one of the potential backers (Eddie Kane) is murdered -- and for a while, it looks like the killer was Sally the Seal! Our heroes decide to capitalize on this setback by offering to reveal the real killer's identity during a nationwide radio hookup -- but first they need a sponsor, so the boys perform their old vaudeville musical act for "The Mackerel King" (played by perennial Laurel & Hardy stooge Jimmy Finlayson). Kidnapped just before the broadcast, Olsen and Johnson escape in time to finger the murderer, whereupon the culprit leads them on a zany chase throughout the darkened theater. All Over Town never really pulls together, but the irrepressible Olsen and Johnson deliver what may well be their funniest joint screen appearance. Incidentally, nominal leading man Harry Stockwell was the singing voice of the Prince in Disney's Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs--and the father of present-day actor Dean Stockwell. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

At 54 minutes, Bar 20 is the shortest of the 1943 quota of Hopalong Cassidy pictures. William Boyd, Andy Clyde and George Reeves return to their series roles as Hopalong Cassidy, California Carson and Lin Bradley. Also on hand for villainous purposes is Victor Jory, who'd menaced Hoppy and his pals in the previous Cassidy flick Colt Comrades. The story concerns a gang of outlaws who've pilfered a cache of jewels in a stagecoach holdup. Unfortunately, they've also stolen Hoppy's cattle money, and that makes him reeeeeal mad. Two echoes from the silent-movie days are present in Bar 20; former leading lady Betty Blythe, and Dustine Farnum, the daughter of the late matinee idol Dustin Farnum and niece of veteran western player William Farnum. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Bob Kane's 1939 Detective Comics superhero The Batman came to the screens in serial form courtesy of Columbia Pictures and producer Rudolph C. Flothow. In time-honored serial fashion, Flothow chose Lewis Wilson for the title role, a relative newcomer, but one with an amazing facial resemblance to the cartoon character. Wilson's athletic ability, however, left a lot to be desired and Douglas Croft, cast as young sidekick Robin, the Boy Wonder, looked too old for his role, especially when doubled by a hairy-legged stunt man. For censorship purposes, the serial Bruce Wayne was not a lone Gotham millionaire crusader but gainfully employed by the Unites States government. Said government is terrorized by evil Dr. Daka (J. Carroll Naish), an emissary from Emperor Hirohito complete with atom-smasher ray guns and a device that turns its wearers into zombies. (The device, placed on the skull of its victim, resembles something from a child's Erector set.) Batman and Robin are aided by lovely Linda Page (Shirley Patterson), whose uncle (Gus Glassmire) becomes one of Dr. Daka's first victims. From the Bat Cave, the three crusaders and Wayne's butler, Alfred (William Austin), venture forth to battle the forces of evil in general and a scenery-chewing Naish in particular -- travelling in a convertible and not the later so familiar batmobile. It takes them 15 chapters and a race through an amusement park to finally destroy the evil Daka and the title of the concluding chapter, "Doom of the Rising Sun," must have brought a ray of hope to a war-weary populace. The Batman was directed by Lambert Hillyer, a veteran who knew something about bats from having previously helmed Dracula's Daughter. The serial was popular enough to merit a sequel, although it would take six more years until Columbia debuted The New Adventures of Batman and Robin (1949). ~ Hans J. Wollstein, All Movie Guide

William Holden plays Boots Malone, a dishonest--and impoverished--jockey's agent. Malone sees a chance to crack the big time through the talents of young jockey John Stewart. Stewart's wealthy mother wants to remove the boy from the rarefied world of the race track, but it is Malone himself who destroys his friendship with Stewart by ordering the boy to throw the race, or else they'll be put on the spot by gangsters. Malone's last-minute regeneration restores Stewart's faith in him. Filmed on location, Boots Malone is a satisfying horse-race drama, though one might expect a little something extra from star William Holden and director William Dieterle. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

An above-average "Hopalong Cassidy" series entry, Borderland has Hoppy (William Boyd) going undercover as a bandit in a tough Mexican border town in order to trap a notorious bandit known only as The Fox. Not even sidekicks Johnny Nelson (James Ellison) and Windy (George "Gabby" Hayes) are in on the scheme, concocted jointly by Mexican Army Colonel Gonzales (Trevor Bardette) and Texas Ranger Major Stafford (Earle Hodgins). Lodging with widowed Grace Rand (Nora Lane) and her small daughter, Molly (Charlene Wyatt), both of whom he abuses in order to protect his cover, Hoppy learns that The Fox (Stephen Morris aka Morris Ankrum) is himself performing a bit of masquerade, in this case as a halfwit known as Loco. Windy, however, innocently spills the beans and is promptly kidnapped along with Molly. Chased by Hoppy, who is himself tailed by the villain's henchmen, Gonzales' troops, and a wounded Johnny Nelson, The Fox (alias Loco) escapes to his secret hideaway, a cabin stocked with dynamite. There, Hoppy catches up with him and in an exciting finale keeps the master villain at bay until help arrives. ~ Hans J. Wollstein, All Movie Guide

In this western, a town finds itself under the tyrannical control of a shady sheriff. He is usurped by an honest outside lawman and his bumbling side-kick. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide

While a man recuperates from a heart-attack, he obsesses with the thought that his wife and his doctor are having an affair, so decides to write a letter to the D.A. accusing the two of trying to kill him. After his wife mails the letter for him, he tells her of its contents which provokes his anger and he attacks her, dying on the spot from another heart attack. Though innocent, she is nevertheless desperate to somehow get the letter back. ~ Kristie Hassen, All Movie Guide

The winning streak of superior Hopalong Cassidy westerns continued with 1943's Colt Comrades. In this one, Hoppy (William Boyd) and his saddle pals California (Andy Clyde) and Johnny (Jay Kirby) use a large amount of reward money to buy their own ranch. But despotic Jebb Hardin (Victor Jory), who controls the local water rights, makes life difficult for our three heroes and their ranching partner Lin Whitlock (George Reeves). When Hoppy proves a bit too tough and resiliant for Hardin, the villain begins plotting and planning the hero's hasty demise. The film's best moments include an elaborate confidence scam, with California as the sucker and Wildcat Willy (Earl Hodgins) as the suck-ee. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Another of cowboy hero Bill Cody's low-grade horse operas for Spectrum Pictures, Cyclone Ranger casts the white-Stetsoned star as the Pecos Kid. Despite his reputation as a cattle rustler, Pecos is a nice guy underneath. He gets to prove it by saving a blind old woman's cattle stock from falling into the hands of the villains. When his work is done, Pecos deposits the baddies in the local calaboose and bids adios to the fuming sheriff. Cyclone Ranger is no prize winner, but it isn't as awful as such future Cody vehicles as Border Menace and Phantom Cowboy. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Hoping to increase its box-office allure by adopting the title of a popular song, Deep in the Heart of Texas (clap!clap!clap!clap!) was the first Johnny Mack Brown western of the 1942-43 season. The plot concerns a group of insurrectionists who intend to keep Texas separate from the rest of the USA. Brown is cast as Jim Mallory, son of insurrectionist leader Colonel Mallory (played by William Farnum, who was often called upon to play Brown's dad). At first sympathetic to the separatists out of loyalty to his father, Johnny ultimately realizes that the movement has been corrupted by a criminal element. With the help of governor's emissary Brent Gordon (Tex Ritter), Johnny is instrumental in restoring the Lone Star state to the Union. The title tune is sung con brio by the Jimmy Wakely trio. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

After a two-year absence, the "Hopalong Cassidy" western series returned with The Devil's Playground. William Boyd, now executive-producer of the series, returns as Hoppy, with Andy Clyde as California Carson and Rand Brooks as Lucky Jenkins. More plot-oriented than earlier Cassidy efforts, Devil's Playground finds our three heroes coming to the rescue of widowed Mrs. Evans (Elaine Riley). The villain of the piece is Judge Morton (Robert Elliot), who hopes to force the heroine off her property for reasons unknown. Hoppy uncovers Morton's motivations and saves the day, but not without putting up one whale of a good fight. While Devil's Playground upheld the standard set by the previous "Hopalong Cassidy" films, the quality of the series would gradually deteriorate during the next eleven installments. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide