Sara Taft Movies

The most delightful aspect of You Never Can Tell is the film's ability to successfully sustain its single joke for 78 minutes. The story begins when King, a German shepherd, falls heir to a fortune. Ellen Hathaway (Peggy Dow), trustee of King's estate, spends most of her time fending off would-be fortune hunters -- with the exception of personable Perry Collins (Charles Drake), who claims to have been King's "commander" in the wartime K-9 corps. Soon afterward, King dies of strychnine poisoning, and though no evidence exists, Ellen is held responsible. The film then shifts to the celestial way-station for animals known as "Beastatory." Here, the ghost of King implores a heavenly jury to be given an opportunity to return to earth and expose his genuine murderer. King gets his wish, and in a twinkling he is reincarnated in the form of private-eye Rex Shepard (Dick Powell). Shepard's girl Friday is Goldie (Joyce Holden), a reincarnated racehorse who insists upon outrunning buses just for the exercise. In his new human form, Rex returns to his mansion, where despite his animal instincts he can't help falling in love with Ellen as he endeavors to clear her name. To reveal more would rob the viewer of thoroughly enjoying this captivating piece of whimsy. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

The 8-year-old "Ma and Pa Kettle Series" came to an end with The Kettles on Old MacDonald's Farm. In her last screen appearance, Marjorie Main is back as Ma Kettle, while Parker Fennelly replaces the defecting Percy Kilbride as Pa Kettle. This time, Ma and Pa try to smooth the path of romance for newlyweds Sally Flemming (Gloria Talbot) and Brad Johnson (John Smith). Despite her wealthy parents' objections, Sally intends to "rough it" with her back-to-the-soil husband by living on the Kettles' old, ramshackle farm. Ensuing comic complications include a set-to with a bunch of crooked loggers and a wild appearance at a rodeo. A worthwhile finale to this durable series, The Kettles on Old MacDonald's Farm was still making the second-run-theater rounds as late as 1960. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

This Biblical epic stars Elana Eden as Ruth, who serves in the temple where the High Priestess (Viveca Lindfors) leads the worship of the Pagan idols of the people of Moab. When Ruth falls in love with Mahlon (Tom Tryon), a Hebrew, she must come to terms with his spiritual beliefs, but in time she embraces his faith and converts to Judaism when they marry. Ruth travels with Mahlon and his mother Naomi (Peggy Wood) to their homeland of Bethlehem. Ruth suffers hardship and religious persecution, and when Mahlon dies, Ruth's faith is severely tested. But her belief in God survives this trial by fire, and in time Ruth finds a new love with Boaz (Stuart Whitman). ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide

Charles Bronson guest stars as Janos Kolescu, a renegade gypsy hired by the Syndicate to establish a new illegal-liquor market amongst his own people in Chicago. Kolescu has an intensely personal reason for casting his lot with the Mob: He intends to carry out an old vendetta against the head of Chicago's "gypsy senate", who back in the Old Country had stolen a religious icon and shifted the blame to Kolescu's father. In his efforts to bring Kolescu to justice, Elliot (Robert Stack) finds himself up against one of his most elusive--and most deadly--adversaries. This episode features the first of four Untouchables appearances by future Lou Grant star Edward Asner. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Roger Corman's stripped-down remake of Universal's 1939 period classic elevates that film's supporting player Vincent Price to the starring role, essayed in the original by Basil Rathbone. Price chews scenery as hunchbacked mad monarch Richard III, who ascends the throne through murder (including the Duke of Clarence's wine-vat drowning), torture (lovely Sandra Knight gains a few inches on the rack), and elaborate deception. Bloody events and plot twists notwithstanding, this low-budget outing is painfully threadbare for a period piece, even in comparison to Corman's Edgar Allan Poe films for AIP from the same period. The film's saving grace is found in Price's manic performance, which ranks among the horror legend's most flamboyant. ~ Cavett Binion, All Movie Guide

John Ford's last film to deal with World War II, Donovan's Reef is an alternately comical and sentimental look back on the fighting Navy men from that war, and how and where -- in Ford's eyes, and Frank Nugent and James Edward Grant's script -- they should have ended up. Michael "Guns" Donovan (John Wayne), Thomas "Boats" Gilhooley (Lee Marvin), and Dr. William Dedham (Jack Warden), a trio of navy veterans who fought on the Pacific island of Haleakalowa during the war, now live on the island. Donovan and Gilhooley, biding time and enjoying themselves, engage in rough-house hijinks among themselves, and are both part of the doctor's extended family, enjoying the good will of the islanders for whom they fought during the war. While Dedham is away on a call to a neighboring island, his grown daughter, Amelia (Elizabeth Allen), from his first marriage, whom he has never seen, announces that she is arriving from Boston to determine Dedham's fitness of character to inherit the majority shares in the family shipping business. Donovan contrives to present Dedham's three Polynesian children, whom the doctor had with the island's hereditary princess, as his own, and also squires Amelia around the island in her father's absence. In the process, the cold Bostonian woman discovers a whole world -- of passion, joy, heroism, and a life among men and women whose lives have been about something other than making money -- that she's never known. She also understands all of the good that her father has accomplished away from Boston, even though it entailed abandoning her. Sparks and even a few fists fly between Donovan and Amelia (and between Donovan and several other characters), in the usual Ford rough-house manner, before their eventual reconciliation and a romantic clinch at the end, in this sweet, sentimental comedy-drama. ~ Bruce Eder, All Movie Guide

Famed anonymous director Alan Smithee (in this case a hybrid of Richard Totten and Don Siegel), directed this turgid western drama concerning Marshal Frank Patch (Richard Widmark), who, even though he has kept the peace in Cottonwood Springs for over twenty years, is now considered a local joke by the town liberals who want some new blood in the Marshall's Office. They get it when Patch shoots the drunken Luke Mills (James Lydon) in self-defense. Now the forces of progress really want Patch out. So much so that the local newspaper editor, Andrew Oxley (Kent Smith) demands his resignation. Patch not only refuses to quit but disgraces Oxley so badly in front of his son Will (Mercer Harris) that Oxley kills himself. Will is now out for blood, but Patch remains stoic, even when his old friend Lou (John Saxon) comes to town to advise him to quit. Patch refuses Lou's suggestion but decides to marry Claire (Lena Horne), the owner of the local saloon and whore house. But an uninvited guest attends the wedding ceremony --Will. And both Will and his gun are loaded. ~ Paul Brenner, All Movie Guide