Tommy Sands

When a young resident of a peaceful Mexican village is brutally raped to death, the evidence points to one of three strangers in town, all of whom are Mexican-hating Anglo-Americans. The father of the dead girl hates all whites and is eager to lynch all three to make sure they get the culprit, but the sheriff, even though he too is not fond of the gringos either, fights to see that real justice prevails. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide

Frank Sinatra took over the directors' chair for the first (and only) time in this unusual WWII drama. Lt. Kuroki (Tatsuya Mihashi) is the leader of a Japanese platoon stranded on a remote Pacific island, where with an iron hand he oversees the construction of a rescue ship. An American plane crash-lands on the island, leading to a skirmish between the two rag-tag legions; eventually, both sides call a truce, and medical officer Maloney (Sinatra) treats a Japanese soldier who was seriously wounded in the fighting. American commander Capt. Bourke (Clint Walker) and Lt. Kuroki come to an agreement -- they will work together to bring needed help to the island, but once either side's forces reach them, the fighting will pick up where it left off. None But the Brave was an international co-production of Artanis Productions (Sinatra's production company -- "Artanis" is Sinatra backwards), Warner Brothers, Tokyo Eiga, and Toho. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide

Out of ammo and trapped behind enemy lines, Saunders (Vic Morrow) manages to find a temporary hiding place. Also in hiding is Pvt. Carey (played by pop singer Tommy Sands), a terrified young rookie who has never killed anyone in combat--and hasn't even got the guts to defend himself against the relentless German sergeant (Ron Soble) who is keeping the two American pinned down with machine-gun fire. It is up to Saunders to outmaneuver the well-armed German...and to make a man out of Carey. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

The Longest Day is a mammoth, all-star re-creation of the D-Day invasion, personally orchestrated by Darryl F. Zanuck. Whenever possible, the original locations were utilized, and an all-star international cast impersonates the people involved, from high-ranking officials to ordinary GIs. Each actor speaks in his or her native language with subtitles translating for the benefit of the audience (alternate "takes" were made of each scene with the foreign actors speaking English, but these were seen only during the first network telecast of the film in 1972). The stars are listed alphabetically, with the exception of John Wayne, who as Lt. Colonel Vandervoort gets separate billing. Others in the huge cast include Eddie Albert, Jean-Louis Barrault, Richard Burton, Red Buttons, Sean Connery, Henry Fonda, Gert Frobe, Curt Jurgens, Peter Lawford, Robert Mitchum, Kenneth More, Edmond O'Brien, Robert Ryan, Jean Servais, Rod Steiger and Robert Wagner. Paul Anka, who wrote the film's title song, shows up as an Army private. Scenes include the Allies parachuting into Ste. Mere Englise, where the paratroopers were mowed down by German bullets; a real-life sequence wherein the German and Allied troops unwittingly march side by side in the dark of night; and a spectacular three-minute overhead shot of the troops fighting and dying in the streets of Quistreham. The last major black-and-white road-show attraction, The Longest Day made millions, enough to recoup some of the cost of 20th Century Fox's concurrently produced Cleopatra. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

The first half of this 1961 Walt Disney Presents episode shows the work that went behind the delightful animated opening titles of the upcoming Disney theatrical feature The Parent Trap. Famed studio artists Bill Justice, X. Attencio, and T. Hee are seen bringing the titles to life, from storyboard to final print; as a bonus, excerpts from The Parent Trap are previewed, and Tommy Sands and Annette Funicello are shown recording the film's hit title song The rest of the episode consists of Disney's Oscar-winning "True-Life Adventure" short subject Nature's Half Acre, originally released theatrically in 1952. Narrated by Winston Hibler, the film follows the four seasons of nature, from the viewpoint of several species of birds, insects, and plants. "Title Makers and Disney's Half Acre was Walt Disney's final TV-anthology episode for the ABC network, and the last one telecast in black-and-white. Beginning in the fall of 1961, the producer's series would air on NBC under the title Walt Disney's Wonderful World of Color. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

In this comedy drama, two troubled college freshmen find themselves united by their mutual family woes and so decide to spend the summer together in a beachhouse belonging to the boy's mother. They are platonic friends until the girl gets in trouble during a sailing accident and is rescued by a handsome Coast Guardsman who finds the pretty lass irresistible and starts showing up regularly at the beachhouse with his friends. Wild parties ensue and great fun is had until the boy's mom suddenly appears. Seeing that her son is cohabitating with a woman, she immediately makes lurid assumptions, the result of which makes the two mixed-up kids realize that they have somehow fallen in love. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide

In this musical drama, a popular rock star leads a successful and happy life while his grandfather, a stern, traditional preacherman admonishes the lad for his sinful existence. The young man is filled with guilt and after the old reverend dies, becomes a preacher himself. But try as he might, he simply cannot bring his heart into his words. A wise aunt counsels him and tells him that his talent came from God and that he should use it. Songs include: "Rock of Ages," "Sing, Boy, Sing," "Gonna Talk with My Lord," "Who Baby?" "Crazy 'Cause I Love You," "Bundle of Dreams," "Your Daddy Wants to Do Right," "Just a Little Bit More," "That's All I Want from You," "People in Love," "Soda-Pop Song," "Would I Love You." ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide

Cruisin Love Songs, Volume 2 offers twenty classic rock tunes performed by the original artists as they performed at the Rock 'n Roll Palace. This program includes appearances by The Crystals ("He's a Rebel,") Bryan Hyland ("Sealed With a Kiss,") and soul legend Sam Moore ("Hold On, I'm Coming.") ~ Perry Seibert, All Movie Guide