Joan Banks Movies

Knowing that Darrin is anxious to impress his new client, a golf enthusiast named Joe Baxter (MacDonald Carey), Endora casts a spell on her son-in-law's golf clubs. As a result, Darrin plays golf brilliantly -- too brilliantly to suit the envious Baxter, who drops his account, whereupon Larry Tate drops Darrin. As it turns out, it is Mrs. Baxter (Joan Banks), rather than Samantha, who comes to the rescue. Written by David V. Robison and John L. Greene, "Birdies, Bogies and Baxter" originally aired on October 19, 1967. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

If anything, this star-studded sequel is even sillier than the original, adding to its problems by completely recasting all the roles, combining several of them into existing characters. Carol Lynley is the heroine this time, and she leaves Peyton Place for New York to write a book about the hypocrisy of her hometown. The book causes lots of trouble back home, getting Mike (Robert Sterling) fired as principal, angering Lynley's mother (Eleanor Parker), and stirring such horrible memories in Selena (Tuesday Weld) that she brains her new boyfriend with a fireplace poker, thinking he is her dead rapist stepfather. The film really belongs to Mary Astor, in a hilarious turn as a smotheringly possessive mother. She tries to come between her son and his new bride (Luciana Paluzzi) in some unintentionally hilarious scenes, causing Paluzzi to fling herself down a ski slope in an attempt at a self-induced miscarriage. Overwrought and overblown, the film is still a treat for fans of campy "suburban sin" melodramas. Look for Bob Crane as an unctuous talk show sidekick. ~ Robert Firsching, All Movie Guide

Falsely accused of embezzling $300,000, Martin Ellis (William Phipps) is released after several years' imprisonment thanks to Perry Mason, who is in possession of new evidence. The real embezzler is Charles Brewster (Ralph Clanton), who unfortunately is let out on bail. Shortly thereafter, Brewster is murdered--and guess who gets charged with the crime? This is one of several Perry Mason episodes directed by Arthur Hiller, whose subsequent film credits included The Out-of-Towners and Love Story. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Elderly actor Charles Gresham (Claude Rains) spends more of his time in barrooms than backstage, but he is always on the lookout for the role that will make him a star. He finally gets that opportunity by blackmailing producer Wayne Campbell (James Gregory) into casting him as the lead in Campbell's new play. Ironically, Gresham has been cast as a blackmailer -- and he intends to give the performance of his life for the entertainment of a potential backer named Nick Roper (Paul Picerni). Without giving away the ending, it can be noted that the operative word in the previous sentence is "life." ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Awakening in a strange bed and suffering from a terrible headache -- not to mention the mysterious bruises all over her body -- alcoholic Karen Stewart (Phyllis Thaxter) tries to piece together the events leading up to her present condition. All she can recall at first is her most recent promise to her boyfriend Jeff (Warren Stevens) that she will stop drinking, and stop drinking for good. But Jeff had heard that song many times before, and he was in no mood to put up with her subsequent drunken binge. From this point forward, Karen's mind is a blank...but the blank will soon be filled in a horrific fashion. In light of the serious nature of the story, host Alfred Hitchcock foregoes his usual humorous epilogue. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Washington Story stars Van Johnson as mildly liberal congressman Joseph T. Gresham. For reasons that he can't fathom, Gresham has been targeted for abuse by powerful columnist Gilbert Nunnaly (Philip Ober). Working in cahoots with Nunnaly is journalist Alice Kingsley (Patricia Neal), who pretends to be working on a favorable magazine article about Gresham, but who is actually digging up dirt for Nunnaly's benefit. Ultimately, Alice falls in love with the honest Gresham, standing by him during a moment of profound political crisis. The major selling card of Washington Story was producer Dore Schary's decision to lens the film on location in Washington, offering viewers glimpses of the real-life Congress and Senate in action. Remarkably, the film offers a slightly left-of-center hero at a time when McCarthyism was at its height. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Arthur Kennedy stars as a blinded war veteran struggling to adjust to his affliction in peacetime. He must overcome his pugnacious attitude towards any problem he can't think his way out of--and he must learn to temper his inbred racial prejudices. Peggy Dow plays the woman who loves Kennedy enough to be cruel to him during his bouts of self-pity. Refusing to lapse into sentimentality, Bright Victory, based on the novel by Bayard Kendrick, is one of the best of the "against all odds" films of the 1950s. Arthur Kennedy's performance won him the New York Critics' Circle award, but not the Oscar he so richly deserved. Trivia note: new Universal contractee Rock Hudson receives 18th billing for his bit role as a soldier in this film. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide