Bill Patton Movies

The Picture of Dorian Gray was writer/director Albert E. Lewin's fascinating follow-up to his expressive-esoterica masterpiece The Moon and Sixpence. Hurd Hatfield essays the title character, a London aristocrat who would sell his soul to remain handsome and young--and, in a manner of speaking, he does just that. Under the influence of his decadent (albeit witty) friend Lord Henry Wotton (George Sanders), Dorian Gray becomes the embodiment of virtually every sin known to man. The greatest of his sins is vanity: Gray commissions artist Basil Hallward (Lowell Gilmore) to paint his portrait. Admiring his own painted countenance, Gray silently makes a demonic pact. The years pass: everyone grows older but Gray, who seemingly gets younger and more good-looking every day. Hallward eventually stumbles upon the secret of Dorian's eternal youth: he finds his painting hidden in the attic, the portrait's face grown grotesquely aged and disfigured. Gray kills Hallward so that his secret will remain safe. Later on, Gray falls in love with Hallward's niece Gladys (Donna Reed). Certain that Gray is responsible for Hallward's death, Gladys' ex-boyfriend David Stone (Peter Lawford) sets out to prove it. He is joined in this mission by the brother of dance hall performer Sybil Vane (Angela Lansbury), who killed herself after Gray betrayed her. Essentially a black and white film, Picture of Dorian Gray bursts into Technicolor whenever the picture is shown in close-up. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

In this western, two deputies go undercover to save a scientist from his evil kidnappers. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide

The last of RKO's Fred Astaire-Ginger Rogers vehicles, The Story of Vernon and Irene Castle is also the least typical. At their best playing carefree characters in gossamer-thin musical comedy plotlines, Fred and Ginger seem slightly ill at ease cast as the real-life dancing team of Vernon and Irene Castle. The stripped-to-essentials storyline boils down to novice dancer Irene (Rogers) convincing vaudeville comic Vernon (Astaire) to give up slapstick in favor of "classy" ballroom dancing. With the help of agent Edna May Oliver, the Castles hit their peak of fame and fortune in the immediate pre-World War I years. When Vernon is called to arms, Irene stays behind in the US, making patriotic movie serials to aid the war effort. Vernon is killed in a training accident, leaving a tearful Irene to carry on alone. To soften the shock of Astaire's on-screen death (it still packs a jolt when seen today), RKO inserted a closing "dream" dancing sequence, with a spectral Vernon and Irene waltzing off into the heavens. The film's production was hampered by the on-set presence of the real Irene Castle, whose insistence upon accuracy at all costs drove everyone to distraction--especially Ginger Rogers, who felt as though she was being treated like a marionette rather than an actress. In one respect, Mrs. Castle had good reason to be so autocratic. Walter, the "severest critic servant" character played by Walter Brennan, was in reality a black man. RKO was nervous about depicting a strong, equal-footing friendship between the white Castles and their black retainer, so a Caucasian actor was hired for the role. Mrs. Castle was understandably incensed by this alteration, and for the rest of her days chastised RKO for its cowardice. As it turned out, it probably wouldn't have mattered if Walter had been black, white, Chicano or Siamese; The Story of Vernon and Irene Castle was a financial bust, losing $50,000 at the box office. Perhaps as a result, Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers would not team up again for another ten years. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Ken Maynard saves Geneva Mitchell from a runaway coach in the opening of this so-so Columbia western. The victim of a stage hold-up, Geneva is mighty grateful but her banker father (John Ince) is only too willing to believe uncouth Charles "Slim" Whitaker when he fingers Ken as the master-mind behind the latest outrage, a bank heist. Geneva, meanwhile, has recognized nasty Harry Woods) as the real culprit of both stage holdup and bank robbery and promptly gets herself kidnapped. With Ken behind bars, help is a bit slow in coming but the bad guys are corralled in due time and peace is finally restored to the town of Santana. Sidekick Guy Wilkerson takes time out to serenade a winsome Indian maiden -- three times! -- and even Maynard is allowed to warble a campfire tune or two, more's the pity. ~ Hans J. Wollstein, All Movie Guide

Former footballer Reb Russell stars in this very low-budget oater as Muley Benson, a young cowpoke unfairly accused of cattle rustling. After splitting the ear of his accuser, Flash Purdue (Kenneth MacDonald), Muley leaves the area only to be summoned five years later by lovely Sally Griswold (Mary Jane Carey). The Griswolds are being terrorized by a mystery man who, it turns out, is none other than Purdue seeking vengeance for the loss of his auricle. Filmed in 1934, Border Vengeance was produced by Willis Kent, an independent operator better known as a purveyor of cheap exploitation melodramas. ~ Hans J. Wollstein, All Movie Guide

A superior Tim McCoy Western, Justice of the Range featured a range feud between John Mclean (Edward J. LeSaint) and his neighbor, Lafe Brennan (Jack Rutherford), each believing the other to be behind a series of cattle rustlings in Apache Basin. Hired to look into the matter by commission agent Hadley Graves (Guy Usher), range detective Tim Condon (McCoy) discovers that neither is the culprit. But before he can do anything about it, he is framed in the murder of Pegleg Sanderson (George "Gabby" Hayes), a crime actually committed by a couple of Brennan's henchmen. Tim escapes the sheriff and, together with Brennan's estranged brother, Bob (Ward Bond), discovers that the real leader of the rustlers is Graves, who had hired Tim in order to divert attention from himself. About to take over the Mclean ranch, Graves and his henchmen are arrested by Sheriff Burns (Stanley Blystone) and Tim is free to continue his budding romance with lovely Janet Mclean (Billie Seward). ~ Hans J. Wollstein, All Movie Guide

In this western, cattlemen and sheepherders battle it out to see who really can make their home on the range. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide

Directed by the veteran Elmer Clifton, Pals of the Range was yet another attempt at turning journeyman actor Rex Lease into a viable B-Western hero. Lease plays Steve Barton, a ranch hand promised 1,000 dollars if he can turn the Circle Ranch into a profitable venture. The dilapidated ranch has become the victim of the neighboring Circle B outfit who has been stealing the cattle and adding the letter "B" inside the brand. While investigating, Steve is accused of shooting and paralyzing Tom (Joey Ray), an innocent bystander, but manages to convince the sheriff (Bud Osborne) of his innocence. Tom reveals the true culprit, the rustlers are apprehended, and Steve earns enough money to bankroll his prospector friend Gold Dust (Milburn Morante). ~ Hans J. Wollstein, All Movie Guide

A rather weak entry in Tim McCoy's Columbia oeuvre, this Western was released to smaller venues in December of 1934, but not widely shown until 1936. McCoy, a rather stolid type of cowboy hero, is rather miscast as a rodeo performer competing for the affection of Juanita Barnes (Marion Shilling) with Bob Lockhart (Joe Sawyer). Juanita chooses the latter, but comes to regret her decision when she discovers that she really loves Tim. Meanwhile, Tim's father, Zack (Edward J. LeSaint), is killed by the rodeo rider's horse, Midnight. With his inheritance, Tim buys the ranch next to Senator Lockhart (John H. Dilson), Bob's father, and has a run-in with Lockhart's crooked foreman, Wallace (Hooper Atchley). There is a fight during which Bob is badly injured. Tim is arrested but escapes with the assistance of Uncle Ben, an old family retainer (Harry Todd). Together, they learn that Zack's death was no accident, and that the sheriff (Albert J. Smith) may be implicated. After the climactic shootout, Bob's name is cleared, the villains apprehended, and Tim free to pursue a future with Juanita. ~ Hans J. Wollstein, All Movie Guide

Perhaps the weirdest Western from Poverty Row entrepreneur Victor Adamson, The Rawhide Terror features Art Mix (aka George Kesterson) as Al Blake, a young rancher going up against a phantom killer known only as "The Rawhide Terror." Years earlier, a family of settlers became the victims of a gang of white renegades. Two young boys survived the attack, one escaping safely, the other wandering off into the desert laughing hysterically. Fast forward ten years, and the renegades have become solid citizens in the community of Red Dog. But three of them are killed by the "Terror," whose trademark is a strip of rawhide bearing the legend "Remember ten years ago." Al's father Tom (William Desmond) disappears after confronting a brutal neighbor, Black Brent (William Barrymore), and while searching for him in the desert, Al is captured by the "Terror," who leaves him bound and gagged on a runaway wagon. The hero is rescued in the nick of time by Sheriff Tim Luke (Edmund Cobb) and Tom is found alive and well by Black Brent's young son Jimmy (Tommy Bupp). The "Terror," who has kidnapped Al's sister Betty (Frances Morris), creates an avalanche, but is tracked down by Sheriff Luke and Al. Cornered in his mountain hideout, the mystery killer proves to be the sheriff's long-lost demented brother who has been masquerading as a rancher. The maniac dies happy in the thought that he had avenged the death of his parents. ~ Hans J. Wollstein, All Movie Guide

In his second starring Western for low-budget producer Willis Kent, former All-American fullback Reb Russell played just that, a former football star for Northwestern. He is also a detective for the Cattlemen's Association, assigned to look into a series of cattle rustlings. Posing as a cowboy, Reb makes the acquaintance with Big Jack Thorpe (Yakima Canutt), another football veteran, and together they unmask saloon keeper Lenihan (Edward Hearn) as the leader of the rustlers, saving lovely Lucille (Lucille Lund) from a fate worse than death along the way. ~ Hans J. Wollstein, All Movie Guide

Curley Fletcher's famous lament "The Strawberry Roan became Ken Maynard's favorite Western and went a long way to popularize the Singing Cowboy trend. Ranch owner Big Jim Edwards (James Marcus) promises a job to anyone who can round up the Strawberry Roan, a wild stallion that has been rustling his mares. A neighbor, Colonel Brownlee (William Desmond), sweetens the pot by actually promising his cattle ranch to whomever can ride the dangerous animal. Ken Masters (Maynard) takes up both challenges but is defeated every step of the way by nasty foreman Bart Hawkins (Harold Goodwin), who is jealous of the newcomer's rapport with Big Jim's pretty daughter, Alice (Ruth Hall). The rustlings continue and Alice almost perishes in a stampede but Ken ultimately proves that Bart has been forcing the roan into committing the crimes. Filmed at scenic Lone Pine, CA, The Strawberry Roan was renamed Flying Fury in the UK. ~ Hans J. Wollstein, All Movie Guide

Latin Lover Rod LaRocque starred as a Mexican Robin Hood in this tepid Western melodrama directed by Lambert Hillyer. With a price on his head, LaRocque's gay desperado comes to the assistance of a fair damsel-in-distress (Doris Kenyon), who is suffering unwanted attention from unscrupulous banker Charles Middleton. Kenyon, however, loves poor but honorable George Duryea and the banker offers LaRocque $1,250 to kill the kid. "The story of the Robin Hood variety of lawbreakers has been told so often that one has a right to expect a better version of the tale," the New York Times complained. Villain Middleton, of course, later played the quintessential serial villain, Ming the Merciless, in the Flash Gordon cliffhangers from Universal. Juvenile lead George Duryea changed his name to Tom Keene and enjoyed some success as a B-Western lead. He later played villains as Richard Powers. ~ Hans J. Wollstein, All Movie Guide