Joy Page Movies
The exotic-looking daughter of silent star Don Alvarado, Joy Page is best remembered for playing newlywed Annina Brandel in Casablanca (1942). She came to the small but memorable role by way of nepotism, though, her mother, Ann Alvarado, having married studio boss Jack Warner. In the long run, the familial relationship with Warner Bros. became more of a hindrance than a help and Page's subsequent screen career proved decidedly anticlimactic and was mostly spent in programmers. In 1945, she married actor William Orr, who was created a producer almost overnight, a circumstance that occasioned the often quoted dig that "the son-in-law also rises." Orr was later put in charge of Warner Bros.' television division and Mrs. Orr starred opposite Leslie Nielsen in the first season of Walt Disney's Swamp Fox (1959), her final professional appearance. She was the mother of television writer-producer Gregory Orr. ~ Hans J. Wollstein, All Movie Guide
One of the most beloved American films, this captivating wartime adventure of romance and intrigue from director Michael Curtiz defies standard categorization. Simply put, it is the story of Rick Blaine (Humphrey Bogart), a world-weary ex-freedom fighter who runs a nightclub in Casablanca during the early part of WWII. Despite pressure from the local authorities, notably the crafty Capt. Renault (Claude Rains), Rick's café has become a haven for refugees looking to purchase illicit letters of transit which will allow them to escape to America. One day, to Rick's great surprise, he is approached by the famed rebel Victor Laszlo (Paul Henreid) and his wife, Ilsa (Ingrid Bergman), Rick's true love who deserted him when the Nazis invaded Paris. She still wants Victor to escape to America, but now that she's renewed her love for Rick, she wants to stay behind in Casablanca. "You must do the thinking for both of us," she says to Rick. He does, and his plan brings the story to its satisfyingly logical, if not entirely happy, conclusion. ~ Robert Firsching, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Humphrey Bogart, Ingrid Bergman, (more)
- 1953
Cashing in on the popularity of such pro-Native American films as Broken Arrow, Columbia's resident quickiemeister Sam Katzman came up with Conquest of Cochise. John Hodiak plays the eponymous Apache leader, who at the beginning of the film is seen conducting raids on the U.S.-Mexican border in the company of the Comanches. Eventually realizing that the whites are better armed and equipped than the Indians, Cochise wants to put an end to the raids and smoke the peace pipe, but the Comanches don't see things his way. In films of this nature, there is usually a foredoomed love affair between a white man and an Indian girl. This time, however, Cochise falls in love with Mexican aristocrat Consuelo de Cordova (Joy Page), whom he holds hostage while U.S. cavalry officer Burke (Robert Stack) searches for the killer of Cochise's Indian bride. Director William Castle does a nice job matching stock footage with his newly-shot scenes. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- John Hodiak, Joy Page, (more)
- 1953
Director Leslie Selander invests the Allied Artists "special" Fighter Attack with the same energy that he'd previously applied to his many westerns. Set during World War II, the film concerns an effort to destroy a Nazi supply depot. Though he's flown enough missions to be sent home, squadron leader Steve (Sterling Hayden) insists upon leading the offensive--and, on cue, is shot down behind enemy lines. Rescued by resistance fighters (Joy Page and J. Carroll Naish), Steve becomes the "inside man" for his squadron, laying the groundwork for the destruction of the German supplies. Fighter Attack was pleasingly filmed in the two-color Cinecolor process, as were many Monogram/Allied Artists "A"s of the period. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Sterling Hayden, J. Carrol Naish, (more)
- 1944
Oriental Dream is the TV title for the 1944 Technicolor version of Kismet. Ronald Colman plays Hadji, "king of beggars" in the days of the Arabian Nights. Posing as a prince, Colman woos Marlene Dietrich, the favorite wife of the evil Wazir (Edward Arnold). Meanwhile, Colman's daughter Joy Ann Page falls in love with handsome Caliph James Craig--while the Wazir connives to get Page into his own harem. Several plot convolutions later, Colman ends up with Dietrich, Page winds up with Craig, and the Wazir winds up six feet under. Kismet was based on the war-horse stage play by Edward Knoblock, previously filmed in 1920 and 1930 with the play's original star Otis Skinner. The title Oriental Dream was bestowed upon the 1944 Kismet when it was remade as a musical in 1955. The earlier version had its musical moments as well, notably a delicious dance number spotlighting Dietrich, painted gold head from head to toe; an additional dance sequence was cut, but later showed up in the Abbott and Costello comedy Lost in a Harem (1944). ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Ronald Colman, Marlene Dietrich, (more)
- 1950
Director Budd Boetticher's love of bullfighting comes to the fore in this film drama, directed and co-written by Boetticher (and produced by John Wayne). Robert Stack plays the cocky American Chuck Regan, who travels to Mexico and falls in love with the sultry Anita de la Vega (Joy Page). In order to impress her with his prowess, he convinces the famed matador Manolo Estrada (Gilbert Roland) to mentor him in the art of bullfighting. But Chuck's carelessness causes the tragic death of Manolo, resulting in Chuck's being shunned by both the villagers and Anita. In order to regain Anita's love and the villagers' respect, Chuck re-enters the arena, taking on a bull in Manolo's honor. ~ Paul Brenner, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Robert Stack, Joy Page, (more)
- 1955
Joseph Kramm's Pulitzer Prize-winning Broadway play The Shrike was brought to the screen by its original director/star, Jose Ferrer. Most of the film takes place in a state hospital, where theatrical director Jim Downs (Ferrer) is convalescing after a suicide attempt. Downs' wife Ann (June Allyson) visits every day, ostensibly to offer support and comfort to her husband. In truth, Ann is the "shrike" of the title, tearing into Downs and mercilessly berating him for his lack of success. To the rest of the world, however, Ann is a self-sacrificing saint, because that's the side of her personality that she prefers to display. Unless Jim can escape Ann's harangues, he will be driven completely over the edge. The script, by Ketty Frings, adds all sorts of motivations for Ann's abusive behavior, thereby softening the misogynism of the original play. June Allyson does as best as she can in a most atypical role, though one would liked to have seen the original "shrike", Judith Evelyn, whose talents were never sufficiently utilized by Hollywood. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- José Ferrer, June Allyson, (more)
- 1959
In the second episode of Walt Disney's eight-part miniseries The Swamp Fox, the Redcoats have retaliated against the raids of Colonel Francis Marion's guerillas by burning down their homes. While Francis (Leslie Nielsen) advises his men to wait before striking back, his own brother Gabriel (Dick Foran) is in no mood to bide his time. Gabriel has vowed vengeance in particular against the pro-Tory Videaux family, even though Mary Videaux (Joy Page) is in love with Francis. What neither Gabriel nor the Redcoats realize is that Mary is secretly working on the guerillas' behalf, spying on the British and reporting their activities to Francis. "Brother Against Brother" was originally telecast as part of the Walt Disney Presents anthology. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1959
One of producer Walt Disney's more blatant efforts to duplicate the success of his early TV miniseries Davy Crockett, the eight-part Swamp Fox featured another flamboyant frontiersman hero who wore coonskin-style headgear and whose adventures were introduced with a catchy, memorable theme song. Based on a book by Dr. Robert D. Bass, The Swamp Fox stars Leslie Nielsen as real-life American patriot Francis Marion, a wealthy landowner who during the Revolutionary War led a hardy band of guerilla fighters against the Redcoats and pro-British tories in his native South Carolina. The villain of the piece (at least in the first few episodes) was another actual historical figure, the ruthless Banastre Tarleton (John Sutton), an officer in the British Green Dragoons (Marion and Tarleton later served as the models for the hero and villain, respectively, of the 1999 Mel Gibson film Patriot). In the first episode, Marion is prevailed upon by his friends and neighbors to help free South Carolina from the grip of British rule. His task is made difficult by the fact that his sweetheart, Mary Videaux (Joy Page), is from a pro-Tory family. "The Birth of the Swamp Fox" originally aired as part of the Walt Disney Presents anthology. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1958
This Disney adventure differed from many films of its era in that it depicted an unusually humanistic view of Native Americans as it tells the story of a young Sioux who finds a wild horse, captures the magnificent animal, names him Tonka, and patiently gentles him. According to custom, he is supposed to give it to his elder cousin, a despicable and cruel fellow who takes pleasure in beating Tonka and who eventually sells him to the cavalry. A kindly cavalry captain buys Tonka and names him Comanche. Meanwhile, the grieving youth, decides he must be with his horse and so sneaks into the fort where he is promptly captured. Fortunately, the captain, who has come to love his horse as much as the boy does, understands the youth. Later the captain rides the horse into the fateful battle at Little Big Horn and in the end, Tonka is the only survivor. The youth takes his horse and is later made an honorary member of the cavalry. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Sal Mineo, Philip Carey, (more)
