John Kitzmiller Movies
American actor John Kitzmiller appeared in many European films following military service during WW II. He started out while stationed in Italy. There he was asked to appear in a few Italian neorealist features. This lead to his playing the lead in Without Pity in 1948. After that he continued to act in Europe where he frequently played an angry black man fighting against racism. Kitzmiller's work in the Yugoslavian film Peace Valley earned him the "Best Actor" award at Cannes in 1957. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide- 1965
Set in Kentucky during the slavery days of the Old South, this adaptation of the novel by Harriet Beecher Stowe tells of the workings of the underground railroad, a secretive system formed by whites and blacks which allowed slaves to escape into the northern states. This drama, directed in Yugoslavia by Hungarian Geza Radvanyi, tends to stray from the original story and contains many contradictions to historical fact. ~ Kristie Hassen, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- John Kitzmiller, O.W. Fischer, (more)
In this lively horror film, a number of young women have mysteriously vanished and now Inspector Doren is assigned to find them. He goes to the village where the seven murdered maidens lived and ends up assisted by the town witch who leads him to a strange laboratory located in the deepest dungeons of an abandoned castle, where they find the blood-chilling solution to the mystery: the slain women have been rendered undead by their ruthless bloodsucking master, a psychotic professor. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- 1962
In this swashbuckler, a sensuous female pirate takes over her retired father's ship and sails off for high-seas adventure and romance. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- 1962
This sequel to the classic adventure, stars Sean Flynn, the son of the swashbuckling actor who played Captain Blood in the original. In this version, the son of the notorious pirate is raised by his mother. She wants him to be a doctor, but unfortunately, the lad has salt-water in his veins and adventure in his heart; he longs to sail the high seas of his father. Eventually the mother gives in, and young Blood joins a crew. There he finds himself falling in love with a pretty passenger. Trouble ensues when a wicked pirate attempts to forcibly board the ship. He soon discovers that the old villain was one of his father's worst enemies. Adventurous mayhem ensues. After the ocean-going outlaws are defeated, the good sailors race homeward to warn the people of an impending tidal wave. They succeed and end up hailed as heroes. The young Blood then decides that he has had enough of the sea-faring life and decides to become a humble doctor after all. The lovely female passenger remains by his side. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Sean Flynn, Alessandra Panaro, (more)
Terence Young directed this first of a long line of screen adventures with Ian Fleming's unflappable British Secret Service Agent 007 in a fast-paced, tongue-in-cheek style that set the tone for the rest of the popular series. Sean Connery sets the standard by which all future takers must measure themselves as the insouciant and devil-may-care James Bond. The story concerns Bond being sent to Jamaica to investigate the murders of a British agent and his secretary. During his investigation, he comes into contact with the evil and unscrupulous Chinese scientist Dr. No (Joseph Wiseman) who, living on an island called Crab Key, is hard at work in a nuclear laboratory. Dr. No's scheme is to divert rockets being fired from Cape Canaveral off their charted course and to blackmail the United States to get their rocket launches restored to normal. Helping Bond is Ursula Andress (mostly undressed in a bikini throughout most of the film), as well as bad gals like Zena Marshall, who almost leads Bond to his death in her bedroom, and Eunice Gayson, a Bond pickup in a London gambling house who proves herself a greater adversary than even James Bond can handle. ~ Paul Brenner, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Sean Connery, Ursula Andress, (more)
- 1961
In this drama, a widowed duchess finds herself drawn to leader of a mercenary band. The cavalier leader offers to save her from her avaricious, land-grabbing neighbor, but then suddenly goes to work for him when the neighbor pays a hire price. This enrages the duchess, but fortunately, he comes back when he rescues a bride whose wedding has been invaded by the evil neighbor. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- 1961
The trouble in this Italian crime drama begins when five convicts and their leader escape from Elba and endeavor to rob the payroll office of an iron mine. The mine owner's son refuses to allow this. Unfortunately, the son's sister and her pals happen into the office and soon find themselves held hostage. Fortunately one of the girls escapes and runs for help. Unfortunately, she is caught by a criminal who tries to rape her. A struggle ensues and the girl shoots him in the arm. Engraged, the convict kills her. The loyal son, having no choice, gives the fugitives the money. The ring leader then takes the son's sister with him to the bank to sign the checks. The quick-thinking girl endorses the checks, but on the back of one, she rewrites a note to the police. They return to the mine only to find that another crook has killed the leader. A gunfight ensues and the robbers kill themselves. Soon the police arrive. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- 1958
A poor Irishman goes to Africa to help a friend harvest his tobacco, but upon arrival, he learns that his friend was eaten by a crocodile. His friend's French mistress proposes marriage and they work on the tobacco crop until the natives helping them leave for a ritual. He starts hunting crocodiles and gets enough skins to send both he and his mistress back home, but some traders steal the skins and three of the natives are killed getting them back. He and the mistress decide to repay the natives by staying and adapting to their way of life while teaching them about Western culture. ~ Steve Huey, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Richard Todd, Juliette Greco, (more)
- 1956
This Yugoslavian drama was released in English-speaking countries as The Peaceful Valley and Sergeant Jim. In the tradtion of Rene Clement's Forbidden Games, the film offers a child's-eye perspective of WW2. A group of war orphans run away from an institution in search of a mythical peaceful valley (hence the title). Along the way, they befriend an African American aviator who has crashed behind enemy lines. The relationship between the children and the aviator somewhat unsubtly makes the point that "outcasts attract" in times of peril. The principal adult character is played by Michigan-born John Kitzmiller, who won a Cannes Film Festival award for his performance. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- John Kitzmiller
Federico Fellini's directorial debut (co-directed with veteran Alberto Lattuada), Luci del Varietà is a bittersweet drama about a bunch of misfits in a traveling vaudeville troupe. The group of actors, dancers, and performers struggle to make it from town to town, playing to minimal crowds. Their comedic leader, Checco Dal Monte (Peppino De Filippo) just wants his act to be a success. His longtime sweetheart, Melina Amour (Fellini's wife Giulietta Masina), keeps the business end of things together and saves up money with plans of buying a business. Stumbling into one small town for another show, Checco meets beauty queen Lily (Carla Del Poggio) and puts her in the show as a dancer. When it appears that her sex appeal is drawing in large crowds of enthusiastic spectators, she quickly becomes the star of the show. Checco soon becomes infatuated with her, casting aside Melina and breaking up the troupe in order to put on a showcase for Lily instead. The loyal group of outcast performers are left without a leader, while star-eyed Lily proves to be relentless in her quest for fame. ~ Andrea LeVasseur, All Movie Guide
- 1949
Tombolo was one of several Italian films dwelling upon postwar Black Market activities. The title refers to a remote wooded area, used as a hideout by several small-time racketeers and sharpsters. Top-billed Aldo Fabrizi plays Andrea, a night watchman whose dereliction of duty has resulted in a robbery. Hoping to redeem himself, Andrea infiltrates the criminals' den. The bloodbath that follows spares practically no one, save for Anna (Adriana Benetti), a good-girl-gone-bad-gone-good, and the relatively spotless Renzo (Luigi Tosi). Featured in the cast of Tombolo is Michigan-born black actor John Kitzmiller, who enjoyed a thriving career in Italy during the 1940s and 1950s. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Aldo Fabrizi, Nada Fiorelli, (more)
- 1949
Filmed in 1948 as Senza Pieta, this Alberto Lattuada-directed effort came to America the following year as Without Pity. The film's sensitive subject matter caused problems in distribution and approval; Lattuada was never known to shirk from a sociopolitical statement, even when it meant loss of revenue overseas. The plot is based on an actual postwar dilemma: in Northern Italy, dozens of black American GIs chose to go AWOL rather than return to a racially divided United States. John Kitzmiller plays an occupation soldier named Jerry, who decides to remain in Italy when he falls in love with a blonde, Caucasian local girl named Angela (Carla Del Poggio). Reviewers in 1949 felt that Lattuada exercised poor taste in depicting the interracial romance: while these scenes cannot realistically be described as offensive when seen today, they are still quite frank by 1940s standards. A "regular" in Italian neorealist films, Michigan-born black actor John Kitzmiller went on to win a Cannes Film Festival award for his performance in 1957's Sergeant Jim; James Bond fans will remember Kitzmiller as "Quarrel" in Dr. No (1962). ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Carla Del Poggio, John Kitzmiller, (more)
- 1949
Based on a true story, Ti Ritrovera is set in postwar Naples. Newlywed Maria (Delia Scala) can't understand why her husband disappeared without a trace during their honeymoon. What the audience knows, but Maria doesn't, is that hubby is a British intelligence agent on a top-secret mission. Maria finally locates her husband with the help of sympathetic village priest Don Giuseppe (Enrico Viarisio). Featured as an American MP is John Kitzmiller, whom most filmgoers will remember as "Quarrel" in the inaugural James Bond entry Doctor No (1962). Though its story has dramatic potential, director Giacomo Gentilomo chooses to play most of Ti Ritrovera for laughs, and very effectively. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Enrico Viarisio, Delia Scala, (more)
- 1949
Italian director Carmine Gallone, who previously brought the Giueseppe Verdi opera Il Trovatore to the screen, herein offers a cinemazation of Verdi's La Forza del Destino. With a less dynamic plot than Trovatore, this Verdi composition can be appreciated on the merits of its music alone. Famed opera star Tito Gobbi does his own singing (of course), while his co-stars Nelly Corradi and Gino Sinimberghi are dubbed by Caterina Mancini and Galliano Masino. The stars are backed up by the orchestra and chorus of the Rome Opera. Not quite as well filmed as Il Trovatore, La Forza del Destino is still a must for opera buffs. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Nelly Corradi, Gino Sinimberghi, (more)
- 1947
In this interesting Italian WW II comedy-drama, the residents of a remote Italian village find their lives forever changed when two American GIs break out of a German prison camp and hide out in their town. The fugitives are harbored by a local family. This divides the town into those wanting to protect them and those fearing German retribution. When a young German officer arrives to watch the town, tension mounts. One of the GIs is an African American and one night he gets terribly drunk and stumbles into the officer who is also rip-roaring drunk. The two end up continuing their bender together and no fighting erupts. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Aldo Fabrizi, Gar Moore, (more)
