Frank Mayo Movies

A Child is Born is a remake of 1932's Life Begins, softened to conform to stricter movie censorship and lengthened to qualify as an "A" picture. The film is an episodic account of one particularly busy night in a maternity hospital. A generous portion of screen time is lavished on a gangster's moll (Geraldine Fitzgerald), about to give birth to her illegitimate baby. The young woman dies in childbirth, but other subplots end more happily. Even at 79 minutes, A Child is Born seems more padded and protracted than its 1932 predecessor--notably in a contrived sequence wherein the only surgeon qualified to perform a delicate operation is blinded in an accident. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

It is a tale known well, filmed many times over the years, but never better than this early black and white version from the MGM Studios, David O. Selznick producing. "It was the best of times, it was the worst of times"-- Charles Dickens juxtaposes England and France, George and Louis, tradition and revolution. One of the most beloved of Dickens' stories, finding not only countries and conditions compared, but also two individuals thrown up in stark contrast to one another: -- the dissolute barrister Sydney Carton (Ronald Colman) and the young, somewhat callow aristocrat Charles Darnay (Donald Woods), both in love with Lucie (Elizabeth Allan), daughter of a victim of the French Regime. Their lives intertwine until the violent revolution that overtook an entire nation engulfs them all as well.

Dickens' story has stood the test of time; remade frequently since the release of this1935 version. It is this version by director Jack Conway's that is best remembered and to which all others are compared. The settings, cinematography, and direction are all right on the mark, recreating the streets of London and of Paris with great skill and realism. The supporting cast, filled with faces we have grown to cherish-- Reginald Owen, Edna May Oliver, Claude Gillingwater, Walter Catlett, H. B. Warner, Basil Rathbone, and E. E. Clive-comes through with crystalline performances which add substance to the inexorable stream of events. Blanche Yurka's bravura turn as Therese de Farge delights us even as we shudder at her intensity. Second unit directors Jacques Tourneur and Val Lewton, who would both go on to memorable careers as leading directors in their own right, staged the storming of the Bastille and other "revolutionary" scenes brilliantly, managing to combine fervor with panache. It is, however, Colman's portrayal of the lonely man redeemed by love and sacrifice which stands at the center of the story.

Sydney Carton first saves Charles Darnay from a charge of treason, thereby meeting those who care for him: the beautiful Lucie Manette, her father, Doctor Manette (Henry B. Walthall), released from the Bastille after many years of unjust incarceration; Lucie's servant Miss Pross, (Oliver) and Mister Lorry (Claude Gillingwater), an functionary of Tellson's Bank. His relationship with this circle of kind friends grows rocky when Darnay marries Lucie, whom Carton has loved from afar, but even this turn of events cannot change his feelings for them all and he grows to love them even more when daughter Lucie comes along. He reforms, leaving old ways behind and enjoying a familial warmth he has never known. This happy life is shattered when Darnay returns to France during the first revolutionary struggles, intent on saving his old tutor from the guillotine. He soon finds himself behind bars and facing the blade instead. The Revolution does not forget an aristocrat, even one who has recanted and lived life abroad as a commoner. The whole family makes the channel crossing to come to the young man's aid and Carton seeks a way to save him, discovering only one path to free Darnay and return everyone to safety. It is a sacrifice easily promised and quickly made.

Ronald Colman had long wanted to make a film of this story and, when he finally got his chance, he happily shaved off his signature mustache in an appropriate gesture to historical realism. Reviews of his work indicate his portrayal of Sydney Carton surpassed all his previous endeavors; he had been accused of walking through light parts, once he started making "talkies," and not putting his many talents to good use. "A Tale of Two Cities" put rest to those complaints. He dominates completely the scenes he which he does appear, and his skill gives substance to a literary achievement, a melancholy man of intelligence and wit, given to drink and despair, whose life seems to attain meaning only when it is given up for someone else. It is one of the portrayals for which Ronald Colman has come to be remembered.

There are various remake versions of A Tale of Two Cities. Dirk Bogarde played Carton in 1958 and Chris Sarandon starred in a television remake in 1980. While these and other versions have all been good films, none has achieved the stature of the 1935 version and its excellent combination of star power, technical brilliance and great storytelling. ~ Rovi

A lively espionage drama that reunited the stars and director of the previous year's The Maltese Falcon, Across the Pacific was originally envisioned as the story of a Japanese invasion of Hawaii. Real-life events of December of 1941, however, precluded such a scenario and the location was changed to the Panama Canal. For reasons known only to Warner Bros., the title was retained despite the fact that none of the action takes place in the Pacific. Humphrey Bogart plays Rick Leland, a disgraced ex-army man, who, after being turned down by the Canadian military, jumps a Japanese steamer bound for the Panama Canal Zone. Also onboard are Alberta Marlow (Mary Astor), a small-town girl claiming to be en route to Los Angeles; Dr. Lorenz (Sydney Greenstreet), a corpulent sociologist with a suspiciously friendly regard for all things Japanese; and Joe Totsuiko (Victor Sen Yung), a happy-go-lucky second generation Japanese-American on his way to visit the old country. But no one is exactly who he or she claims to be and the voyage from Halifax via New York City to Panama becomes a matter of life and death for the passengers in general, and for the future of the United States in particular. Director John Huston was forced to leave the film three weeks into the four-week shooting schedule when summoned to report to the Department of Special Services. According to Huston, he purposefully placed Humphrey Bogart's character in a highly precarious situation and left it up to his replacement, Vincent Sherman, to come up with the solution -- which Sherman did in an especially fiery climax. ~ Hans J. Wollstein, Rovi

In his third Western for low-budget company Tiffany, Ken Maynard plays Ken Neville, a cowboy returning to the old homestead to find his father (Lafe McKee) and a fellow rancher (Robert Homans) killed. The dead neighbor's daughter, Mary Warner (Virginia Brown Faire), blames Ken, whom she believes to be the leader of a gang of rustlers. Overhearing a plot by Rance Collins (Frank Mayo) to rustle Mary's steers, Ken pretends to be looking to join the gang. Unfortunately, Ken's sidekick "Repeater" Simpson (Irving Bacon) unwittingly gives away his real identity and Rance has him locked up in a cabin. Aided by his wonder horse Tarzan, who breaks through a window, Ken makes his escape and is later able to round up the entire gang. ~ Hans J. Wollstein, Rovi

June Elvidge is legally married to Douglas Redmond Jr., but no one in her small town believes this. Thanks to a jealous rival, a rumor is spread that Elvidge is living in sin with her husband. She'd like to prove the validity of their union, but all court records have been conveniently lost. Elvidge is on the verge of having her child taken from her when the story takes a wholly unexpected twist. Appearance of Evil was one of the last features produced by the World Film Organization, which collapsed after executive Lewis J. Selznick withdrew in favor of independent production. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

In reflection of the patriotic fervor attending America's entry into WWI, the World Film Corporation felt emboldened to serve up this filmed biography of legendary flagmaker Betsy Ross. Alice Brady, daughter of studio head William A. Brady, played the title role, while Betsy's mentor George Washington was portrayed by George MacQuarrie. Inasmuch as the story of Betsy Ross was largely a fabrication to begin with, the screenwriters had no qualms about concocting a romantic triangle involving Betsy, her sister Carissa (Lillian Cook), and their mutual sweetheart Clarence Vernon (Frank Mayo). Joseph Ashburn (John Bowers), who has a crush on Betsy, challenges Clarence to a duel and apparently kills his opponent, whereupon Ashburn adopts an assumed name and joins General Washington's army. Meanwhile, Clarence recovers from his wounds and rejoins his regiment in the British army. What happens next is eminently predictable, though one has to admit that it is heaps more exciting than watching Betsy Ross sewing the Stars and Stripes together for six reels. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

Though set during WW1, British Intelligence was obviously thrown together to capitalize on the outbreak of WW2. A remake of the 1930 espionager Three Faces East, the film stars Boris Karloff as Valder, the sinister butler of a British cabinet minister. It is quite possible that Valder is a German spy, and equally likely that the mysterious Helene von Lorbeer (Margaret Lindsay) is likewise working for the enemy. In fact, the audience is never quite certain who the good guys and bad guys really are until the climax, which takes place during a German zeppelin raid of London. As a balm to 1940 audiences, the film includes an early comedy scene in which German military protocol is upset by a clumsy corporal (Willy Kaufman) who bears a startling resemblance to a certain Nazi dictator. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

In this drama, an oil driller learns about true love and the important things in life the hard way after he suddenly strikes oil and gets rich. Elated and sure that his wealth is permanent he marries a local woman, spends too much money at the town club, empties his bank account, and then leaves his new wife. Soon after, his well catches fire and all is lost. His loyal wife, does return and the chastened man finds true happiness. ~ Sandra Brennan, Rovi

Chinatown After Dark is where you'll find Madame Ying Su (Carmel Myers), a "dragon lady" type who'll stop at nothing to get her hands on a rare dagger belonging to the Royal House of Lee Fong. Unbeknownst to the authorities, the dagger contains a priceless jewel, the owner of which will be able to wield untold power over all of Chinatown. American Jim Bonner (Rex Lease), in love with Lee Fong's ward Lotus (Vera Reynolds), is set up as the fall guy when the dagger is stolen and a man is murdered. Bonner spends the rest of the picture trying to prove his innocence to a sneezing comic-relief detective (Billy Gilbert, in one of his first important feature-length roles. "See what happens in the underworld dens after dark!" entreated the ads for this fast-moving cheapie. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

In this adaptation of the Augustus Thomas stage play (he also wrote one called Arizona), the time frame has been updated to post-World War I. Frank Austin (Frank Mayo) shares a gold strike with Tom Doyle (Charles Newton), but gives it up to James Kincaid (Charles LeMoyne), his former commanding officer, in order to keep secret his misconduct in the service. Doyle, meanwhile, believes that Austin is having an affair with his wife (Lillian West), but the truth is he's really in love with their daughter, Kitty (Gloria Hope). Kincaid finally reveals that he has held Austin's honorable discharge papers the whole time, and Doyle discovers that Austin is interested in Kitty, not Mrs. Doyle. So Austin gets back his share of the mine, and the girl. This was the second time Universal Studios filmed this play; the first was in 1915, with Hobart Bosworth as Doyle. ~ Janiss Garza, Rovi

In this mystery, a detective and his secretary go on vacation and end up solving a murder. ~ Sandra Brennan, Rovi

Generous stock footage from Paramount's silent Zane Grey series enhances the production values of the entertaining "pocket" western Desert Gold. Though most of the storyline is taken up the romance between young pioneers Dick Gale (Tom Keene) and Jane Belding (Marsha Hunt), the most compelling character is young Indian chief Maya, played by Buster Crabbe. Faithfully guarding the gold deposits which rightfully belong to his people, Maya finds his hands full fending off the villainous incursions of claim-jumping Chetley Kasedon (Monte Blue) and his gang. Dick Gale casts his lot with Maya, forming a united front against the villains. Featured among the supporting cast are new Paramount contractees Robert Cummings as an eastern tenderfoot, and Glenn (later Leif) Erikson as Kasedon's brother. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi