Pierce Lyden Movies

In this routine western set in 1864 in Montana, U.S. Marshal Jim McDowell (James Philbrook) is trying to safely get a treasure-trove of gold bullion out East, where it will help the Union cause in the Civil War. Standing in his way are first a band of Native Americans and then some crafty outlaws headed by double-dealing sheriff Henry Plummer (Marshal Reed). Since the sheriff has insider information, he and his band of bad guys have a special hot line to what happens next. Meanwhile, Marshal McDowell is aided and abetted by his wife Rose (Nancy Kovack), a woman who married him for her own particular reasons. ~ Eleanor Mannikka, Rovi

This lively musical was made to capitalize on the popularity of calypso music and features some excellent production numbers. It all begins when a jukebox magnate tries to force his way into a record company. They succeed and this angers the labels biggest star, who doesn't want to change his style. He disappears and so does all of the company's profits. Musical chaos reigns for awhile, but eventually everything is set to rights and happiness ensues. Look for distinguished poet Maya Angelou singing "Run Joe" and actor Alan Arkin's performance with the folk group the Tarriers. ~ Sandra Brennan, Rovi

The second-to-last American serial ever made, this film series very uneasily combined two popular genres: The Northwest Mounted Police melodrama and Science Fiction. The mix of Medicine Men and airplane dog fights were too ridiculous even for the small fry who, by the '50s, had become the sole audience for this sort of fare. Dennis Moore played an undercover deputy marshal posing as an outlaw in order to infiltrate a gang headed by the nefarious Kenneth MacDonald, a self-styled "Gun Emperor of the Northwest," whose stirring up of the Indians proves a diversion from his smuggling activities. A dark-haired, tight-lipped also-ran cowboy star of the late '40s, Dennis Moore earned the dubious distinction of starring in the two last action serials made in America: Perils of the Wilderness and Blazing the Overland Trail, both low budget affairs heavily padded with stock footage from the genre's glory days in the '30s and '40s. ~ Hans J. Wollstein, Rovi

A series of mysterious deaths of fishermen and swimmers along a stretch of beach attract the attention of scientist Dr. Ted Stevens (Kent Taylor) and government investigator William Grant (Rodney Bell) -- they both want to know why the victims and their boats all show signs of exposure to atomic radiation, and if there's a connection between the deaths and the nearby Pacific College of Oceanography, run by Professor King (Michael Whalen); and they're also interested in why King's assistant, George Thomas (Phillip Pine), is always lurking around the beach, often armed with a spear gun. Stevens establishes a friendship with King's daughter Lois (Cathy Downs) that turns to romance, but he's principally concerned with finding out about an apparent source of radiation on the ocean floor, and what its connection might be with the unearthly sea creature rumored to be stalking that section of the beach. Helene Stanton hangs around in a fairly revealing (for the time) bathing suit, waiting on the beach for some top-secret information, and Vivi Janiss overacts nicely as a woman with too much on her mind for her own good. ~ Bruce Eder, Rovi

Columbia Pictures elevated a run-of-the-mill B-western supporting player, Marshall Reed, to the title role in this equally run-of-the-mill western serial released in 15 chapters. Like most serials in the '50s, Riding with Buffalo Bill consisted of quite a bit of budget-stretching stock footage telling a highly fictionalized account of Buffalo Bill Cody aiding a group of ranchers in their defeat of a local crime lord. The serial's assistant director, Leonard Katzman, later produced the long-running television series Gunsmoke and Dallas. ~ Hans J. Wollstein, Rovi

Gene Autry goes undercover once again in this rather pedestrian western from Columbia Pictures. Suspecting jailed youth Dave Weldon (Dick Jones) of complicity in an army payroll heist, special investigator Autry has himself jailed. He quickly discovers that there is more to the case than meets the eye and helps Dave escape and rejoin his father's medicine show, which also includes Dave's sister Connie (Gail Davis) and the singing Cass Country Boys. Meanwhile, nasty Mike McClure (Henry Rowlands and his crew are also after the stolen money and to save young Dave's life, Gene convinces him to turn the loot over to Marshal Taplan (Gordon Jones). Among other selections, Autry and the Cass County Boys perform yet another version of Gene's signature tune, "Back in the Saddle Again". ~ Hans J. Wollstein, Rovi

The Waco depicted in this film is a wide-open Texas frontier town, in desperate need of a strong authority figure to clean out the criminal element. The man needed is the man found: Matt Boone, played by Wild Bill Elliot. Though himself a fugitive from justice (he killed a man in self-defense), Boone takes his responsibilities as sheriff very seriously. Flying in the face of standard "good badman" movie cliches, Boone is often as brutal and ruthless as the desperadoes he comes up against. Waco was one more feather in the cap of cowboy star Bill Elliot, who appeared in some of the toughest -- and best -- medium-budget westerns of the 1950s. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

Originally filmed at Republic in 1948, Montana Belle was purchased by producer Howard R. Hughes, who'd loaned the services of the film's star, Jane Russell. After laying on the shelf for three years, Montana Belle was finally released by Hughes' RKO Radio Pictures in October of 1952. Russell plays notorious western outlaw Belle Starr, who after being saved by the Dalton Gang from the hangman's noose, falls in love with Bob Dalton (Scott Brady). This doesn't stop Belle and Dalton from trying to stab one another in the back for the next 8 reels. It is gambler Tom Bradfield (George Brent) who finally offers Belle a new start in life--and, incidentally, a new romance. The film's high point of imbecility arrives when Jane Russell disguises herself as a man. In other words, Montana Belle is lots of fun so long as no one takes it too seriously (it is clear that the people who made the film didn't!) ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

Johnny Mack Brown substitutes brains for brawn during most of Texas City. Cast once more as a U.S. marshal, Johnny investigates when several government gold shipments are hijacked. Someone has been tipping of the outlaws as to when and where the supposedly secret shipments will take place. The principal suspect is dishonorably discharged cavalry officer Kirby (James Ellison), but Johnny has a gut feeling that Kirby is innocent on all counts. Besides, someone has to romance leading lady Lois Hall, and Brown is frankly too mature and portly to handle this aspect of the story. Way down on the cast list as a cavalry sergeant is John Hart, who at the time Texas City was filmed was subbing for Clayton Moore on TV's The Lone Ranger. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

Fury of the Congo was the sixth entry in Columbia's "Jungle Jim" series, though in most markets it was the fifth to be released. Johnny Weissmuller returns as Alex Raymond's comic strip hero Jungle Jim. The plot this time around has Jim coming to the rescue of a native tribe which has fallen under the influence of evil dope peddlers. Benumbed by drugs, the tribesmen have been ordered to hunt the Okongo, a hybrid beast that is the source of a dangerously powerful narcotic. The film builds steadily to an exciting climax in a blinding sandstorm. The villainy is handled by William Henry, Lyle Talbot and George Eldredge, while the "femme interest" is provided by shapely native girl Sherry Moreland. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

Columbia Pictures elevated stunt man Jock O'Mahoney to stardom in this 15 chapter western serial about the building of the transcontinental railroad. O'Mahoney played a railroad agent who uncovers the master criminal behind a series of sabotage attempts on the construction site. The culprit, a German villain calling himself "The Baron" (George Eldredge), bribes the local Indians into doing his dirty work. Jock O'Mahoney later changed his billing to the more streamlined Jock Mahoney and enjoyed a lengthy career as a star of run-of-the-mill westerns. ~ Hans J. Wollstein, Rovi

Texas Lawmen was one of the shortest entries in Monogram's Johnny Mack Brown series, running a scant 54 minutes. This time, Brown is hunting for three desperate criminals. Fortunately for Our Hero, two of the crooks -- Bart and Steve Morrow (Stan Jolley and Lee Roberts) -- are father and son, on the verge of a major falling out. Ultimately, Steve Morrow casts his lot with the Good Guys. Texas Lawmen differs from previous rubber-stamp Johnny Mack Brown westerns in one respect: there is no heroine, nor even a supporting actress in the cast. Texas Lawmen was based on a story by actor Myron Healey, who often showed up in the Brown vehicles as a villain. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

The King of the Cowboys and the Queen of the West perform their noublesse oblige in Twilight in the Sierras. Roy Rogers plays a US marshal, pursuing a vicious gang of counterfeiters. Dale Evans (not yet Mrs. Rogers) hasn't got much to do but provide love interest, warble a few tunes, and display jealousy when co-star Estelitta Rodriguez sashays into view. The story is motivated by the kidnapping of an ex-counterfeiter who's gone straight. Filmed in the restful Trucolor process, Twilight in the Sierras was designed and marketed as a "special," aiming beyond its usual small-town and regional audiences. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi