Renie Riano Movies

In the first episode of a two-part story, Kimball (Alvy Moore), Eb (Tom Lester), and Arnold the pig prepare to fly to Washington. To save money, the trio has chosen an extremely low-cost airline, complete with an over-the-hill pilot and a septuagenarian flight attendant. But the real fun begins when Oliver (Eddie Albert) and Lisa (Eva Gabor) show up at the Pixley airport to bid their friends goodbye -- only to end up on the plane themselves! ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

In the first installment of a two-part story, Robert Strauss is cast as Charlie Leach, a sleazy private detective. Hired by one of Darrin's clients to do a background check on Samantha, Charlie discovers that Sam is really a witch. But instead of reporting to his boss, Charlie makes a beeline to Sam, threatening to tell all if she doesn't pay him off. Written by Bernard Slade, part one of "Follow That Witch" was originally telecast on April 14, 1966. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

As if one Jerry Lewis wasn't enough, The Family Jewels offers no fewer than seven Jerrys. Fans of Lewis will like the film. Others should be advised to steer clear of any and all French film festivals. The plot revolves around nine-year-old Donna Peyton (Donna Butterworth), who stands to inherit 30 million dollars. The catch: Donna must pick a new daddy from her late father's six closest male relatives. Lewis spends most of the film playing family chauffeur Willard Woodward, whom Donna loves above all others. He also portrays snaggle-toothed gangster "Bugs" Peyton, hirsute sea captain James Peyton, flying fool Captain Eddie Peyton, cynical clown Everett Peyton, Holmes-like detective Skylock Peyton (whose "Dr. Matson" is corpulent Sebastian Cabot), and photographer Julius Peyton (a reprise of Lewis' Nutty Professor character Julius Kelp). Though fitfully amusing, The Family Jewels is too sloppily put together to completely satisfy anyone other than Lewis' most fervent fans. Best bits: the in-flight movie starring Anne Baxter, the marathon pool game, and Bugs Peyton's outrage at being called a rat fink. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

When the Bowery Boys go to visit a friend on an Air Force base, they are pulled into an investigation to discover why their friend is being accused of treason. Accidentally enlisting in the service, they continue their investigation and eventually stumble on a Nazi plot. ~ Tana Hobart, Rovi

To call The Barefoot Mailman episodic would be understating the issue: the film's story stops and starts so often that it appears to be three half-hour TV episodes strung together. No matter, since the premise is workable and the characters appealing. Though Robert Cummings is top-billed as erudite 19th-century con artist Sylvanus Hartley, the title character, Steven Pierton, is played by Jerome Courtland. The film is set in turn-of-the-century Florida, which was then little more than an elongated swamp. It is the responsibility of Steve Pierton to deliver the mail by foot, covering the distance from Palm Beach to Miami. Attempting to elude the northern authorities, Sylvanus Hartley joins Pierton on his treacherous journey. Their travelling companion is Adie Titus (Terry Moore), a hoydenish young lady who disguises herself as a child to avoid unwanted advances. After saving Adie from the clutches of swamp outlaw Theron (John Russell) and his gang, Hartley goes off on a new tangent, bamboozling the local settlers in a highly suspect land-speculation scheme. When Theron and his fellow crooks lay siege upon Miami, Hartley and Pierton, despite their rivalry over the affections of Adie, team up to save the day. Nothing if not unusual, The Barefoot Mailman is based on a novel by Theodore Pratt. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

Monogram's Jiggs and Maggie in Society was the second entry in the series based on the George McManus comic strip "Bringing Up Father." Joe Yule Sr. (Mickey Rooney's father) and Rene Riano are once again ideally cast as Jiggs and Maggie, the world-famous nouveau riche shanty-Irish couple. Though down-to-earth Jiggs has little patience for his wealthy new surroundings, Maggie insists upon entering "The 400," and to do this she enlists the aid of dance instructor Arthur Murray and How to Win Friends and Influence People guru Dale Carnegie (both playing themselves!) Try though she might, Maggie cannot win acceptance in High Society, but Jiggs saves the day when he solves a jewel robbery in an upper-crust mansion. The level of wit in Jiggs and Maggie in Society can be gauged by such character names as Mrs. Vacuum and Mrs. Heavydoe. Still, a good time was apparently had by all during filming; it's especially enjoyable to watch "guest stars" Murray, Carnegie and columnist Sheila Graham enthusiastically participate in the lowbrow proceedings. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

Bringing Up Father was the first of a series of Monogram comedies based on the popular comic strip by George McManus. Joe Yule (aka Mickey Rooney's father) and Renie Riano star as Jiggs and Maggie, a shanty-Irish couple who suddenly become millionaires. While Jiggs remains his old, loveable self, forever escaping his magnificent mansion in order to enjoy some corned beef & cabbage at Dinty Moore's restaurant, Maggie is nouveau riche to an obnoxious degree. The plot rears its ugly head when Dinty Moore (Tim Ryan) is in danger of losing his diner thanks to the well-meaning but misguided machinations of Moore's architect son Danny (Wallace Chadwell). Jiggs gets into hot water by mistakenly circulating a petition to raze Dinty's eatery, and then must spend the rest of the picture setting things right. Cartoonist George McManus shows up briefly as "himself". ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

Edgar G. Ulmer's Club Havana is Grand Hotel, PRC style. The titular club is a popular nightspot where everyone who is anyone congregates. Six couples, none of whom are acquainted with the others, show up at Club Havana on one fateful evening, and the result is sheer murder-literally. Among the participants in the heavily plotted proceedings are suicidal socialite Rosalind (Margaret Lindsay), novice doctor Bill Porter (Tom Neal), callous playboy Johnny Norton (Don Douglas) and would-be philanderer Willy Kingston (Ernest Truex). Former Paramount leading lady Gertrude Michael delivers a poignant cameo as a worn-out powder room attendant. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

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, Rovi

This mammoth musical is at base the story of two sailors on leave in Hollywood. Brash Joseph Brady (Gene Kelly) has promised his shy pal Clarence Doolittle (Frank Sinatra) that he will introduce Clarence to all the glamorous movie starlets whom he allegedly knows so well. Actually, the only actress whom Joseph meets is bit player Susan Abbott (Kathryn Grayson). He arranges for the golden-throated Susan to be auditioned by musician José Iturbi, but when she seems to want to return the favor romantically, Brady tries to foist the girl off on Clarence. But Clarence only has eyes for a fellow Brooklynite (Pamela Britton). Also involved in the plot machinations is runaway orphan Donald Martin (Dean Stockwell). Featuring Kelly dancing with such partners as a cartoon mouse (courtesy of MGM's house animators Bill Hanna and Joseph Barbera), Anchors Aweigh was a huge hit in 1945, assuring audiences future Gene Kelly/Frank Sinatra teamings. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

Based on a play by Phoebe and Henry Ephron, Three Is a Family is a 1940s farce that frequently substitutes noise for humor. Charlie Ruggles plays a hubby whose bungled business schemes force his wife Fay Bainter to enter the workplace. The couple's daughter Marjorie Reynolds shows up with her twin babies in tow. Son Arthur Lake arrives with his pregnant wife (Jeff Donnell). And overbearing maiden aunt Helen Broderick also decides to move in. Because his wife is away at work, poor old Charlie Ruggles is not only housekeeper, but nursemaid and servant as well. If you like diaper and bottle-warmer jokes, you'll love Three is a Family. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi