Meri Welles Movies
- 1964
This drama tells the true story of one of Broadway's most successful madams in the 1920s. It is loosely based on the autobiography of Polly Adler. The story begins when young Polly is seduced and raped at her job by the sweatshop foreman. When her uncle, with whom she lived, learns of the act, he blames her and tosses her out. She then moves into an apartment owned by a racketeer. It is he who encourages her into her "helping" profession when he gives her money for bringing her pals to a gangster party. Soon she is beginning to build up her own clientele. As her business prospers, she begins to choose nicer locations. Her tiny cathouse becomes a haven for sleazy politicos, mobsters, and businessmen. The madame herself has a passionate romance with a young songwriter and she helps his career. He does not know of her vocation and she eventually breaks up with him to keep his reputation intact. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Shelley Winters, Robert Taylor, (more)
In the first in a series of detective comedies from director Blake Edwards starring Peter Sellers as bumbling French Inspector Jacques Clouseau, the mishap-prone snoop is actually a supporting player. David Niven stars as Sir Charles Litton, a suave jewel thief known as "The Phantom." Vacationing in a deluxe Alpine resort, Litton's real purpose is to purloin the Pink Panther, a gem of enormous worth owned by a princess (Claudia Cardinale). On his trail for years, Inspector Clouseau keeps losing his quarry, perhaps because his wife Simone (Capucine) is Litton's lover and alerts him every time her husband draws near. Also after the Panther is Litton's American nephew, George (Robert Wagner). At a posh costume ball at the princess' villa, the bauble is stolen and Clouseau, still trying to determine the bandit's identity, is framed for the crime himself. The Pink Panther made Sellers and his Clouseau act so popular that the character moved to center stage in a series of farcical sequels. ~ Karl Williams, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- David Niven, Peter Sellers, (more)
Comedian Jerry Lewis began directing movies in 1960, and this often unkind satire on the nature of American womanhood is one of his early efforts in that regard. The rubber-legged, rubber-faced Lewis plays Herbert, a man who is despondent over the break-up of his romance. While looking for a job, he comes across an impressive mansion (built as a set at the cost of $350,000) filled with women of all types -- and lo and behold -- they need a handyman. So Herbert gets to reside with a bevy of women of various types, all under the supervision of Mrs. Wellenmelon (Helen Traubel). In the end, the set itself outtrumps them all. ~ Eleanor Mannikka, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Jerry Lewis, Helen Traubel, (more)
- 1961
James Howgill (Ronald Howard) hopes to divorce his wife, Margery (Patricia Donahue), whom he dismisses as drab and dull. On the advice of his attorney, James hires a private eye to dig up evidence of adultery that he can use against Margery. What the detective finds proves to be quite an eye-opener -- not only for Howgill, but also for the viewers at home. Watch for future Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In regular Arte Johnson in a key supporting role. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1961
Once one of the biggest names in Hollywood, horror-movie star Ernest Von Kroft is now regarded as a pathetic has-been by everyone -- except, apparently, low-budget producer Hal Ballew (Sam Jaffe). With Ballew's sponsorship, Von Croft stages a comeback in a new vampire movie, only to discover on the night of the premiere that he has been set up to be cruelly humiliated by the film's director Morty Lenton (Robert H. Harris). Before the episode is over, however, a few unfortunate characters learn the hard way that Von Kroft is still "the greatest monster of them all." Listen for the unbilled voice of Mel Blanc during the movie-premiere sequence. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1960
It can be said with some assurance that Hollywood publicity agent Jimmy Dolan (Joby Baker) would sell his own mother to get ahead. With this in mind, it is entirely logical that Jimmy would want to milk the accidental drowning of actress Betsy Blake (Audrey Totter) for all it is worth. Selling his services to Goliath Studios, Jimmy builds a huge and lucrative campaign around the movie that Betsy had starred in before her untimely demise. Unfortunately, the campaign may go up in smoke when the "late" Ms. Blake shows up very much alive. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
