Quentin Reynolds Movies
- 1960
This well-wrought, 45-minute documentary by director John Jacobs contains footage of death row inmate Caryl Chessman, sentenced to death in January 1948 because he was convicted of being the "red light bandit." The bandit got that name because he would put a flashing red light on top of his car to stop motorists and then he would rob them. Chessman later recanted his confession which he says was due to police brutality. When the "red light bandit" robbed people in their cars he would sometimes abduct a woman from the car and rape her. Under the "little Lindbergh" law in California, anyone guilty of an abduction involving bodily harm gets the death penalty. (That law was later repealed.) In this documentary, the mother of one of the "red light bandit's" victims is interviewed, along with the prosecutor in his case, the policeman who arrested Chessman, Chessman's lawyer and a few other people. Chessman was executed in the gas chamber a little more than sixty days after this documentary was released, in spite of a world-wide appeal to spare him. ~ Eleanor Mannikka, All Movie Guide
- 1954
Half-Way to Hell is an uncompromising look at 20th-century totalitarianism. Narrated by the staunchly anti-communist Quentin Reynolds, the film points out the similarities between Hitler's Nazi regime, Mussolini's fascist dictatorship, and the then-current Soviet regime. Canny distributor Kroger Babb claimed that many of the filmclips were smuggled out of Russia at great risk to the filmmakers. In truth, most of the footage was culled from previously released documentaries, but this doesn't make it any less powerful. Half-Way to Hell was originally released in tandem with the hour-long African documentary Karamoja. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1953
This 81-minute documentary was presented by the American Academy of Asian Studies, after having passed through several creative hands. Narrated by American journalist Quentin Reynolds, the film provides an acceptable thumbnail sketch of Gandhi's life, work and influence. The newsreel footage included herein is impressive, but not quite as impressive as Reynolds' knowledgeable narration. At the time the film was released (1953), Gandhi was still a controversial figure in many circles, even in India: there were quite a few provinces that were reluctant to book the film. In America, Mahatma Gandhi--20th Century Prophet was distributed by United Artists. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1950
Fifty Years Before Your Eyes was the first feature-length endeavor from compilation producer Robert Youngson. Just as he'd been doing in such short subjects as Magic Movie Moments and World of Kids, Youngson assembles rare vintage film clips into a cohesive narrative. Covering the years 1900 to 1950, the film's highlights includes the inauguration of President McKinley, the funeral of Queen Victoria, Teddy Roosevelt's presidential campaign, and thrilling combat footage culled from both World Wars. The rest of the film is comprised of the famous, the infamous, and disasters both natural and man-made. The various sequences are narrated by radio favorites Arthur Godfrey, Quentin Reynolds, H. V. Kaltenborn, Clem McCarthy, Andre Baruch, Norman Brokenshire, Milton Cross, Dwight Weist and Dan Donaldson. While 50 Years Before Your Eyes was a success, Robert Youngson was dissatisfied, feeling that he hadn't maintained complete control over the project. He was far prouder of his much-later silent-movie compilations Golden Age of Comedy, When Comedy Was King and Laurel & Hardy's Laughing 20s. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1950
The 93-minute documentary Blood Brothers endeavors to underline the similarities between Hitler's Nazis and Stalin's communists. Narrated by Quentin Reynolds, the film uses archival footage and dramatized reenactments to trace the history of Soviet communism. Special emphasis is given the Hitler-Stalin nonaggression pact of 1939 and the horrors of both German and Russian concentration camps. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1950
Written and narrated by journalist Quentin Reynolds, Death of a Dream can be described as a cautionary documentary. The 48-minute film attempts to justify America's intervention in the Korean conflict. Reynolds argues that WW II could have been prevented had the aggressor nations--Japan, Germany, Italy--been nipped in the bud at the outset. So, too, could the world be kept safe from communism by halting its spread to South Korea. The "Dream" alluded to in the title is, according to Reynolds, one held dear by all men of peace: a dream of "peace, democracy and security." ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1948
- NR
Casting Frank Sinatra as a Pennsylvania priest is but one of the many miscalculations made by the producers of Miracle of the Bells. Adapted by Ben Hecht and Quentin Reynolds from the best-selling novel by Russell Janney, the story revolves around an aspiring actress named Olga Treskovna (Alida Valli). Escaping the sooty environs of Coaltown, Pennsylvania, Olga heads to Hollywood, where through a series of incredible circumstances she manages to land the highly coveted leading role in a film based on the life of Joan of Arc. Tragically, Olga dies suddenly after wrapping up the film's final scene. Producer Marcus Harris (Lee J. Cobb) wants to reshoot the film with another, better-known actress, rather than risk losing a fortune on an "unknown" whom he can no longer groom for stardom. But press agent Bill Dunnigan (Fred MacMurray), who has journeyed to Coaltown to learn Olga's life story, tries to persuade Harris to release Joan of Arc as filmed, and to this end he enlists the aid of local priest Father Paul (Sinatra). To show their support for the late, lamented Olga, all the churches of all denominations in Coaltown ring their bells, nonstop, for three days. This man-made miracle not only convinces Harris to change his mind, but leads to a genuine miracle at the fadeout. Reviewers were unanimous in condemning Miracle of the Bells as a pretentious failure: the kindest comments ranged from "mawkish" to "nauseating." The picture hasn't improved much with age, but should be seen at least once on the strength of its cast alone. If it is seen, however, it's best to stick with the original black-and-white version and avoid the colorized TV print. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Philip Ahn, Lee J. Cobb, (more)
In this documentary-inspired thriller, P.J. McNeal (James Stewart) is a reporter who is asked by his editor to look into a potential story: their newspaper has been carrying an ad offering a substantial reward for information regarding the murder of a policeman that occurred eleven years ago. It turns out the ad was placed by a cleaning woman named Tillie Wiecek (Kasia Orzazewski); her son Frank (Richard Conte) was convicted of the crime, but she is thoroughly convinced her son had nothing to do with the killing. McNeal doesn't believe for a moment that Frank could be innocent, but he sees a good human interest story in Tillie and writes a piece that receives a great deal of favorable attention. Brian Kelly (Lee J. Cobb), McNeal's editor, thinks there might be more to this story and asks P.J. to look into the original murder case. To McNeal's surprise, Frank passes a lie detector test in which he proclaims his innocence, and the more he digs into records on the case, the more he finds wrong with the original investigation; some evidence is missing, much is inconclusive, and the reporter begins to wonder if Frank might have been railroaded after all, or if the police might be trying to keep something quiet. Call Northside 777 was based on a true story. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- James Stewart, Richard Conte, (more)
- 1947
Based on a novel by Yolanda Foldes, this confusing romantic adventure concerns a love affair and international espionage. Told in flashback, British officer Ralph Denistoun (Ray Milland) recounts the story to American journalist Quentin Reynolds. Before WWII, British Intelligence officers Ralph and Richard (Bruce Lester) were held captive by Nazis who wanted to know about Prof. Otto Krosigk's (Reinhold Schunzel) secret formula. Ralph and Richard escape, deciding to look for Krosigk separately with the plan to meet up again in Stuttgart. Then Ralph meets gypsy woman Lydia (Marlene Dietrich) in the forest. She disguises him, gives him golden earrings to wear, and leads him through the forest. Ralph eventually fights the gypsy leader Zoltan (Murvyn Vye) and wins his respect. He joins the band of gypsies and heads to Stuttgart where he meets Richard and reads the horrible fate in his palm. He then meets Krosigk, who gives him the secret formula. He is then able to escape, but promises to return for Lydia. The story ends with Lydia and Ralph meeting again in the forest after the war is over. ~ Andrea LeVasseur, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Ray Milland, Marlene Dietrich, (more)
- 1944
The 68-minute wartime documentary One Inch from Victory was adroitly assembled from captured German newsreels. In showing the War from the Nazi side, the film is not only able to expose the fallacies of Goebbels' propaganda machine, but also offer combat footage heretofore unseen by American audiences. The most disturbing sequence is the funeral of Nazi "hangman" Heydrich, especially when the viewer is forearmed with the knowledge that Heydrich's assassination was the excuse for the annihilation of Lidice in Czechoslovakia. One Inch from Victory is narrated by American war correspondent Quentin Reynolds. The film was distributed stateside by New York movie-theater owner Noel Meadow. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Quentin Reynolds
- 1942
Having underestimated Hitler in the 1930s, British propaganda specialists spent the early war years insisting they were prepared for any international contingency. Big Blockade was a morale-boosting film produced in cooperation with the Ministry of Economic Welfare. In documentary fashion, the film underlines the importance of the economic blockade which Britain directed against Germany. An all-star cast (Michael Redgrave, Leslie Banks, John Mills, Robert Morley etc.) appears in brief sketches dramatizing the effect of the blockade and the reactions of the British public. While it received good reviews at the time, The Big Blockade quickly fell out of favor once it served its wartime purpose. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Leslie Banks, Morland Graham, (more)
- 1942
With America's Air Force not completely mobilized in mid-1942, Universal paid tribute to those foresighted Yankee flyboys who joined England's Royal Air Force before America's entry into WW2 in Eagle Squadron. Robert Stack stars as Chuck Brewer, one of several US flyers participating in RAF bombing raids of Germany. The film stresses the importance of hands-across-the-sea teamwork in this massive undertaking, concluding with Brewer leading his British compatriots on a Commando raid behind enemy lines, the better to capture a revolutionary new Nazi war plane. Every so often, the story slows to a walk as Brewer romances British lass Anne Partridge, played by the unfortunate Diana Barrymore in her last truly important screen role. Producer Walter Wanger made special arrangements with the British government to incorporate several exciting shots of authentic air battles in the film's 108 minutes. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Robert Stack, Diana Barrymore, (more)
- 1941
With pro-Soviet sympathy in America at an all-time high thanks to the recent Nazi invasion of Russia, the distributors of A Day in Soviet Russia could be assured excellent box-office returns in the U.S. The film is unabashedly propagandistic, trumpeting the industrial and technological advances made in the USSR since the installation of the Stalin regime. Among the visual highlights are a four-engined passenger plane with a 64-person capacity and a high-speed excursion train. The editing is surprisingly haphazard, especially for a country that boasted such montage experts as Eisenstein and Pudovkin. Ironically, A Day in Soviet Russia is narrated by journalist Quentin Reynolds, later one the most strident anti-communist commentators of the 1950s. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1938
The slick Universal programmer Secrets of a Nurse was based on a Collier's Magazine story by distinguished journalist Quentin Reynolds. This story in turn was based on a true incident, in which a gangster "returned from the dead" to save an innocent young man from the electric chair. The nurse of the title is Katharine McDonald (Helen Mack), in love with prizefighter Lee Burke (Dick Foran). As Burke recovers from a beating inflicted by crooked gamblers, Katharine must fend off the advances of shady criminal attorney John Dodge (Edmund Lowe). Hoping to rid the world of his romantic rival for good and all, Dodge arranges for Burke to be framed for murder. Convicted and sentenced to death, Burke walks the dreaded "last mile", as miles away Katharine struggles to revive a mortally wounded gambler who may be able to save her sweetheart from electrocution. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Edmund Lowe, Helen Mack, (more)
