Nora Lane Movies

In this musical romance, an ice skater comes to America to represent her country at a Lake Placid carnival. Unfortunately, while she is there the war breaks out and she is unable to go home. While in America, she is cared for by her rich uncle. She soon falls in love with his handsome junior partner who is already engaged to another. When she discovers this, the skater runs away. Her lover follows and true love ensues. Songs include: "Deep Purple", "My Isle of Golden Dreams", "National Emblem March", "Winter Wonderland", "Intermezzo", "Waiting for The Robert E. Lee", "When Citrus is in Bloom", "Drigo's Serenade", "While Strolling in the Park". ~ Sandra Brennan, Rovi

In this charming episodic comedy, a giddy group of adolescent girls form a movie-star fan club. Their favorite pastime is collecting the autographs of major stars. Led by their determined president, the gals stalk the streets and train stations of New York in search of big-name stars. Their expeditions are frequently successful, and during the film they garner the John Hancocks of such stars as Lana Turner, Greer Garson, William Powell, Walter Pidgeon, and Robert Taylor. ~ Sandra Brennan, Rovi

Undercover Man was the first of the "Hopalong Cassidy" series to be released by United Artists rather than Paramount. William Boyd and Andy Clyde return as saddle pals Hoppy and California, while Jay Kirby is cast as their partner-in-adventure Breezy. This time, Hoppy and company take on a gang of outlaws who've been plying their trade on both sides of the US-Mexican border. The plot is thickened by the presence of a mysterious masked rider who's been impersonating both Cassidy and Mexican police official Gonzalez (Antonio Moreno). Most of Undercover Man is an advertisement on behalf of the "good neighbor" policy promoted between North and South America during the War years. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

Though it ain't Noel Coward, Chatterbox is the funniest of the two Judy Canova-Joe E. Brown vehicles for Republic. Brown is hilariously cast as Rex Vane, a pompous radio cowboy star who's never been any further west than his living room. When Rex is signed to appear in a film, it becomes painfully apparent that he can neither ride nor shoot. But rambunctious Judy Boggs (Judy Canova) can do both, and it is Judy who helps guide the vain Vane through his moviemaking experiences. Rex proves himself to be a genuine hero in a slapstick finale "borrowed" from Chaplin's The Gold Rush. Naturally, both Brown and Canova are given ample opportunity to sing, as are guest performers Spade Cooley and the Mills Brothers. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

Jane Withers, 20th Century-Fox's second-feature Shirley Temple, plays the favorite daughter of a wealthy man (Cecil Kellaway). Real-life debutante Cobina Wright Jr. plays Jane's snobbish sister, who is pushed into society by her mother (Katherine Alexander). The hostility between the down-to-earth dad and the snooty mom is mirrored by the rivalry between Withers and Wright. Eventually, however, the kids make up, then set to work on reuniting their parents. Small Town Deb represents the first time that child actress Jane Withers was permitted to play a character closer to her own age (she was 16 and looked it). ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

Monogram hoped that The Gentleman From Arizona would be their "prestige" release for 1940, and to that end the film was lensed in Cinecolor. The "gentleman" is played by John King, but the star of the show is J. Farrell McDonald, cast as a chronic gambler named Coburn. When the old man loses every penny he has, wandering cowboy Pokey (King) comes to the rescue by grooming a wild stallion for a successful racetrack career. Everything comes to a head during the climactic Big Race, with the expected (but still satisyfing) results. Ruth Reece and Joan Barclay share the leading-lady responsibilities, while the villainy is in the capable hands of Monogram's ace utility actor Craig Reynolds. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

Former Latin Lover Ricardo Cortez directed this farfetched but fast-paced gambling melodrama in which girl reporter Julie Reynolds (Lynn Bari) attempts to infiltrate a crooked gaming establishment by pretending to be a naïve girl from Texas. Julie's plans go awry, however, when one of the owners, Steve Walker (Donald Woods), recognizes her as his childhood sweetheart. Although Steve's mentor, The Judge (C. Aubrey Smith), warns him of the consequences, the young man insists on resuming his relationship with Julie, a decision that almost costs him his life when rival gangster Marty Connors (Richard Lane) decides to move in on the operation. But Steve and Julie pull a fast one on Marty and The Judge skips the City of Chance on a floating casino. ~ Hans J. Wollstein, Rovi

Hopalong Cassidy gallops to the rescue once again in this seventh entry in the long-running series. This time the trouble begins when bad-guys begin harassing the townsfolk. In desperation, Hoppy's former gal sends him a plea for help. With guns a-blazing, he gets there just in time to round 'em up and throw 'em in the hoosegow. ~ Sandra Brennan, Rovi

A former assistant to W.S. Van Dyke, Leslie Selander took over directorial chores from the unimaginative Nate Watt with this "Hopalong Cassidy" series entry in which Hoppy (William Boyd) believes that his girlfriend and her paleontologist brother are actually heading a gang of rustlers. The hero is only half-right; foppish Horace Hepburn (Harry Worth) quickly reveals his ignorance of skulls and bones but sister Nora (Nora Lane) remains in the dark about her brother's nefarious schemes. When Hepburn learns that the Bar 20 is driving a herd of cattle through the Black Buttes, he plans to trap Hoppy and sidekicks Lucky Jenkins (Russell Hayden) and Windy (George "Gabby" Hayes), but manages only to wound Artie (Billy King), the nephew of rancher Buck Peters (William Duncan). Hepburn later attempts to assassinate Hoppy, but misses and instead plans to ambush the Bar 20 foreman. Hepburn's lead henchman, Blackie (John Rutherford), refuses to shoot Cassidy in the back, and after a final shootout, it is a dying Blackie who finally finishes the fleeing Hepburn. ~ Hans J. Wollstein, Rovi

Based on "The King of Cactusville", a 1923 short story by Johnston McCulley, the creator of Zorro, The Outlaw Deputy was the first of ten Tim McCoy Westerns from Poverty Row company Puritan Pictures. When McCoy's friend, Charlie Adams (Si Jenks), is killed by Bill Sanderson, the former cowboy and his gang turn to robbing stage coaches and rustling cattle, but take only what belongs to Sanderson. In the town of Godland, Adams' son, Chuck (George Offerman Jr.), is framed in a payroll robbery by Cash (Bud Osborne), one of Tim's former associates. Tim relieves Cash of the ill-gotten gains and is elected deputy sheriff by a grateful Rutledge (Joseph W. Girard), the payroll boss. Chuck, however, was killed during the robbery by Howger (Hooper Atchley), whose gang has been terrorizing the town. Despite the advice of lovely Joice Rutledge (Nora Lane), Tim is determined to bring Howger to justice. At a church social, Howger, who has learned about Tim's past from Cash, turns the citizenry against the new deputy, who lands in jail. With the help of Joice, Tim makes a daring escape and manages to collect enough evidence to convict Howger for the murder of Chuck. Having outdrawn the villain in a climactic gun duel and now elected permanent sheriff, Tim playfully arrests Joice, sentencing her to a lifetime as his wife. McCoy was paid 4,000 dollars for each of his ten Westerns for Puritan, which were budgeted at between 10,000 and 12,000 dollars each. Above-average for an independent production, The Outlaw Deputy brought in a domestic gross of 80,000 dollars. ~ Hans J. Wollstein, Rovi

James Cagney runs a shady missing-heir tracing service, occasionally providing phony heirs in order to collect his fee. He suffers a tinge of jealousy when he takes a gander at the offices of a legitimate tracing firm, where his former girlfriend (Bette Davis) has taken a job. Jimmy soon learns that the reputable organization's boss (Alan Dinehart) is more crooked than Jimmy ever was, but he can't convince the girl of this fact. Using his own street smarts, Cagney exposes the "honest" heir tracer and agrees to go straight if his girl will come back to him. At the time Jimmy the Gent was filmed, James Cagney was getting tired of the formula pictures being handed him; rather than go on suspension, he expressed his displeasure by shaving his hair almost down to the bone, which is why he appears in this film with an uncharacteristic buzz-cut. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

An average entry in Columbia Pictures' Tim McCoy Western series, The Western Code features perennial Bad Guy Wheeler Oakman as Nick Grindle, a crooked saloon keeper who marries lovely Polly Loomis' mother for her money. The woman dies leaving everything to Grindle while Polly (Nora Lane) and her brother, Dick (Dwight Frye), remain penniless. Texas Ranger Tim Barrett (McCoy), however, suspects the will to be a forgery. When Grindle is found dead, both Polly and Dick confess to the crime, each believing the other to be guilty. Assuming both to be innocent, Tim follows Grindle's henchmen, Worden (Matthew Betz) and Chapman (Mischa Auer), to the gang's hideout where he finds Grindle still very much alive. The dead man was in fact Frank Newport, a missing ranger whose face Grindle had disfigured to hide his identity. Worden confesses to the murder of the ranger, Chapman admits to having forged the will, and Grindle himself is killed in a climactic gun battle. ~ Hans J. Wollstein, Rovi

Peter Piper (Charles Farrell) and Sidney Taylor (Marian Nixon) are deeply in love, and saving to get married, but their mothers have other ideas. Mrs. Piper (Josephine Hull) is jealous of Sidney, refusing to allow the couple to move in with her after they marry. Elsie (Minna Gombell), Sidney's mother, is disgusted with her husband Willie (William Collier, Sr.) and has an affair with their border Mr. Jarvis (William Pawley); she wants Sidney to marry a rich man. When he fears his embezzlement will be found out, Jarvis persuades Elsie to leave the country with him. After they're gone, Willie finds the note Elsie left for Sidney in which she reveals she never loved him; as a result Willie has a heart attack. Peter and Sidney are forced to use their savings for his hospitalization, and then Sidney fears Peter is attracted to another woman. ~ Bill Warren, Rovi