Jack Baston Movies

Universal's Technicolor cameras this time tell the story of Harun El Raschid (Rock Hudson), who innocently comes into possession of the magical Sword of Damascus. Sword in hand, our hero gains entrance to the court, tames the haughty, but socially aware, Princess Khairuzan (Piper Laurie) and finds himself in the middle of a palace revolution. The evil Vizier Jafar (George Macready), may be able to trick the Caliph (Edgar Barrier) into letting the princess marry his boorish son Hadi (Gene Evans), but he cannot remove the magic sword from its resting place in the palace wall. Up steps Harun, who performs the task, King Arthur-style, a feat which brings him both the princess and half the Caliphate. The Golden Blade was filmed entirely on the Universal back lot. Watch for future stars Dennis Weaver and Guy Williams among the Baghdad populace. ~ Hans J. Wollstein, All Movie Guide

The Desert Fox is a superb filmed biography of German general Erwin Rommel, concentrating on the period between his retreat from North Africa and his government-decreed death. A brilliant tactician, Rommel earns the respect not only of his own men but of the enemy. Unfortunately, Adolph Hitler (Luther Adler), laboring under the delusion that he too is a military genius, demands more of Rommel than he's able to provide. Ordered to stand his ground in Africa to the last man, Rommel realizes that it's more intelligent in the long run to retreat; this incurs Hitler's wrath, but Rommel is a war hero, and as such is virtually "untouchable". Increasingly disgusted by Hitler's behavior, Rommel joins in a plot to assassinate the Fuhrer. The attempt fails, and Rommel's complicity is discovered. He is given a choice: either face a horrible death by torture, or commit suicide, thereby saving his family and his reputation. Rommel opts for the latter; the official story given to the press is that Rommel died heroically of his war wounds. Also appearing in The Desert Fox are Jessica Tandy as Rommel's wife and Leo G. Carroll as an insufferably aristocratic Von Ruhnstedt. The film caused a critical stir in 1951 by providing a tense ten-minute dramatic sequence before the opening credits--a technique that is all but de rigueur today. The Desert Fox was based on the book by Brigadier Desmond Young, who narrates the film and appears as himself in the early scenes. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Rival telephone companies race to complete a line between Cheyenne, Wyoming and Rawhide in this lively Tom Mix Western directed by the star's brother-in-law, Eugene Forde. The foreman of one of the competing companies hires Mix to keep an eye out for sabotage from their rival. Mix swings into action when the foreman's daughter (Caryl Lincoln) gets herself kidnapped; at one point, the athletic hero hooks under a runaway wagon in order to evade his pursuers. Miss Lincoln is rescued and her father can claim victory for his company. Reviewers of the day praised Caryl Lincoln, a 1929 Wampas Baby Star and Barbara Stanwyck's sister-in-law, for her spirited portrayal of a Western heroine. ~ Hans J. Wollstein, All Movie Guide

Dolores Del Rio and director Raoul Walsh took on Prosper Mérimée with this sumptuous silent film produced by William Fox and originally tinted lavender. Del Rio was, of course, the gypsy cigar factory worker caught between two men: the bullfighter Escamillo (Victor McLaglen) and the soldier Don José (Don Alvarado). Following in the footsteps of Geraldine Farrar, Theda Bara, and Pola Negri, Del Rio was "apt to make these Carmens of the past appear relatively conservative," according to the New York Times. ~ Hans J. Wollstein, All Movie Guide

The credibility of this northwoods melodrama strains at the seams and even the usually excellent Alice Brady in the starring role can't do much to give it life. Annette Leroux (Brady) is the daughter of fur trader Gaston Leroux (Mario Majeroni). Annette and the sheriff, Andre Porel (Maurice B. "Lefty" Flynn), are in love, but their romance is interrupted by a murder. Indian Charlie (Nick Thompson), an unscrupulous fur trader, gets into a fight with Leroux and is killed. Paul Gerard (Jack Baston), a slimy alcoholic who has witnessed the murder, tells Annette that unless she marries him he will tell all. Annette agrees to the marriage, but plans to take poison before the wedding. Gerard accidentally gets his hands on the potion and drinks it instead. When he dies, Annette is accused of his murder and sentenced to the gallows. As she is led to the scaffold by Porel, Leroux confesses to Charlie's murder and claims he is responsible for Gerard's death. An avalanche conveniently destroys the gallows, and the townsfolk decide this is God's way of saying that Annette is innocent. ~ Janiss Garza, All Movie Guide