Rita La Roy Movies

When World War I hero Alvin York agreed to sell the movie rights to his life story to Warner Bros., it was on three conditions: (1) That the film contains no phony heroics, (2) that Mrs.York not be played by a Hollywood "glamour girl" and (3) That Gary Cooper portray York on screen. All three conditions were met, and the result is one of the finest and most inspirational biographies ever committed to celluloid. When the audience first meets young farmer Alvin York (Cooper), he's the cussin'est, hell-raisin'est critter in the entire Tennessee Valley. All of this changes when York is struck by lighting during a late-night rainstorm. Chalking up the bolt from the blue as a message from God, York does a complete about-face and finds Religion, much to the delight of local preacher Rosier Pile (Walter Brennan). Despite plenty of provocation, York vows never to get angry at anyone ever again, determining to be a good husband and provider for his sweetheart Gracie Williams (Joan Leslie). When America goes to war in 1917, York elects not to answer the call when drafted, declaring himself a conscientious objector. Forced to go to boot camp, he proves himself a born leader, yet still he balks at the thought of killing anyone. York's understanding commanding officer Major Buxton (Stanley Ridges) slowly convinces the young pacifist that violence is sometimes the only way to defend Democracy. Later on, while serving with the AEF in the Argonne Forest, Sergeant York sees several of his buddies, including his Bronxite best pal Pusher Ross (George Tobias), killed in an enemy ambush. His anger aroused, York personally kills 25 German soldiers, then single-handedly captures 132 prisoners. As a result, York becomes the most decorated hero of WW1, celebrated by no less than General John J. Pershing as "the greatest civilian soldier" of the war. The film won Gary Cooper his first Academy Award, and also picked up an Oscar for Best Film Editing. Not surprisingly, it ended up as the highest-grossing film of 1941. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

James Dunn and Frances Gifford were husband and wife when they costarred in PRC's Hold That Woman. Dunn plays Jimmy Parker, ace operative for Skip Tracers Ltd., a process-serving firm. Repossessing a radio from a recalcitrant debtor, Jimmy finds a fortune in stolen jewels hidden inside the box. Arrested for theft, Parker spends the rest of the picture trying to recover both the jewels and the radio, the better to clear his name and keep his job. Frances Gifford (evidently the "woman" of the title) plays Parker's business partner and erstwhile sweetheart Mary Mulvaney. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Virile George O'Brien straddles the "western" and "crime-flick" genres in RKO Radio's Border G-Men. The plot gets under way when the FBI learns that ammunition and men are being smuggled out of the US and into Mexico in violation of the neutrality act. Federal agent O'Brien is dispatched to Texas to investigate, promptly falling in love with pretty Laraine Johnson (later billed as Laraine Day), whose brother is unwittingly mixed up with the smugglers. Villains John Miljan and Rita LaRoy, in the employ of an unnamed foreign power, use every dirty trick at their disposal to continue their nefarious activities, but O'Brien proves a bit too fast and a great deal too smart for them. Several trade papers applauded RKO Radio's marketing strategy with Border G-Man, which enabled the studio to promote the film as either a straightford western or an espionage adventure, depending upon the demands of the exhibitors. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

In this drama, a gangster finds the woman of his dreams, but before he can have her he must frame her fiance. Meanwhile the Asian lover he dumped plots her revenge. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide

This laudable RKO programmer casts Chester Morris as a fearless pilot whose misdeeds have exiled him to a remote flying field in the Andes mountains. Morris and his fellow pilots are all exiles of sorts, and as such are willing to take on the near-suicidal task of flying supplies to miners in the most treacherous mountain ranges. The all-male atmosphere is disrupted when young air ace Van Heflin shows up with his wife Whitney Bourne. Morris tries to keep the sex-starved pilots away from Whitney, buts ends up falling in love with her himself. Heflin proves himself a weakling, but redeems himself by eliminating evil flight-commander Onslow Stevens. Heflin also dies in this endeavor, leaving a clear path for Morris and Bourne. One could point to Flight From Glory as the precursor to Howard Hawks' more famous Only Angels Have Wings, except that the earlier film succumbs to corniness and cliche a bit too often. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

There was some novelty value in the fact that an actor whose initials were E.Q. was cast as intellectual sleuth Ellery Queen in Republic's The Mandarin Mystery. That actor was Eddie Quillan, who though a talented and appealing performer was woefully miscast as Queen. The story, based on the Ellery Queen novel The Chinese Orange Mystery, is set in motion by a crook who steals a $50,000 stamp, which results in two murders -- both committed in impenetrably locked rooms. The primary suspect is Jo Temple (Charlotte Henry), the original possessor of the stamp. Falling in love with Jo, Ellery sets about to retrieve the stolen goods and solve the murders. Perhaps realizing that Eddie Quillan could never be taken seriously in the leading role, Republic opted to play The Mandarin Mystery for laughs -- another big mistake. Originally released at 63 minutes, the film is currently available only in its 54-minute TV-reissue form. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Completed just before the Production Code went into effect, I've Got Your Number is delightfully racy, risque entertainment. Pat O'Brien is all wisecracks and left hooks as Terry, a troubleshooter for the New York telephone company. Terry puts his talents -- and his eavesdropping skill -- to good use when he decides to rescue his switchboard-operator girlfriend Marie (Joan Blondell) from taking the fall in a stolen-bond scheme. Not to be taken seriously for a moment, I've Got Your Number concludes with a belly-laugh as Terry's old telephone-linemen pals "bug" his honeymoon suite. The only false note struck by the film is the notion that know-it-all Joan Blondell could be slickered twice by the same gang of con artists. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Previously filmed in 1928, Columbia's Name the Woman is set in motion when an overenthusiastic cub reporter (Richard Cromwell) implicates an innocent woman (Arline Judge) in a well-publicized murder case. Realizing his mistake, the reporter teams up with poor woman to nab the real killer. This they do, but their triumph is due less to clever deduction than plain dumb luck. The plot has holes as large as the Grand Canyon, but the stars perform with conviction and almost manage to make the whole thing credible. Featured in the cast as a gangster is Al Hill, a self-proclaimed genuine criminal who "went straight" when he entered the movies. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

No relation to the 1949 20th Century-Fox melodrama of the same name, Columbia's 1934 Whirlpool stars Jack Holt as a shifty carnival promoter. He is incarcerated for a major crime just after learning that his wife is pregnant. Released after twenty years behind bars, Holt is anxious to make contact with his daughter (Jean Arthur), who knows nothing of his existence. This benighted reunion leads to tragedy for Holt, which he shoulders manfully (no one ever caught Jack Holt crying, no sir). Jean Arthur gave her best performance to date in Whirlpool, though her gift for comedy would remain untapped for a few years more. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

The Lady from Nowhere is manicurist Polly (Mary Astor) who is the wrong girl at the wrong place when a gangland murder occurs. Taking it on the lam, Polly is pursued by both the gangsters and the police. The cops could have taken a little time to put a tail on the suspected murderer, but why let logic get in the way of a good story? Equally illogical is the decision by the fugitive Polly to pose as a small-town heiress as a means of getting her hands on some getaway money. Since such a ploy could serve only to reveal her whereabouts to the villains, it's surprising that heroic newspaperman Earl (Charles Quigley) comes to Polly's rescue instead of chastising her with a "Geez, what a dummy!" ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Paramount Pictures seldom fully utilized the talents of contract player Carole Lombard, as witness such tedious programmers as Sinners in the Sun. Lombard plays Doris Blake, an elegant fashion model who spurns her auto-mechanic suitor Jimmy Martin (Chester Morris) in favor of married millionaire Eric Nelson (Walter Byron). Securing a job as a chauffeur, Jimmy marries his employer, wealthy heiress Claire (Adrienne Ames), on the rebound. Ultimately, both hero and heroine realize that (here comes the message) MONEY ISN'T EVERYTHING, whereupon both turn their backs on money and creature comforts to find happiness with each other. Somewhere near the bottom of the cast list is Cary Grant, who would later co-star with Carole Lombard in the infinitely better romantic drama In Name Only. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Mildred Cram's novel Scotch Valley was transformed by the scenarists at Fox into the Warner Baxter vehicle Amateur Daddy. Baxter plays a true-blue sort who agrees to take care of the family of dying pal Edwin Stanley. While his neighbors make cruel fun of Baxter's efforts to play surrogate father, he does an admirable job. Baxter's resolve to do right is put to the test when a stranger shows up, claiming to be the family's "genuine" father. Marian Nixon plays the oldest and prettiest member of Baxter's foster family; her presence smooths the path for a romantic finale. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide