Peter Whitney Movies

Buchanan (Randolph Scott) rides alone through Texas, en route to his future home of Mexico. He is sidetracked during a stopover in a lawless border town, where Mexican youth Juan (Manuel Rojas) sits in jail, awaiting trial for the killing of the local bully. It seems that the dead man had several influential relatives who intend to string up poor Juan before justice can be served. Championing the boy's cause, Buchanan methodically sets out to undermine the villains by playing one against the other. As was customary in the Randolph Scott-Budd Boetticher films of the 1950s, Buchanan Ride Alone offers unrelenting tension and innumerable plot twists until its explosive finale. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

A young, brunette Angie Dickinson appears in this episode as Rose, the daughter of an Arapaho Indian chief and the new wife of rowdy frontiersman Big Dan Daggit (Peter Whitney). Appalled that Big Dan has married a "squaw", hotel owner Dobie (Gage Clarke) manages to stir up hatred against the Daggits. When later on Rose is kidnapped and beaten by a pair of young punks, Big Dan holds Dobie responsible. Hoping to avoid any further violence, Matt and Chester tell Big Dan that they'll handle the punishment of Rose's assaulters--but it is Rose herself who metes out retribution. This episode is adapted from the Gunsmoke radio broadcast of January 22, 1955. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

When gold is discovered in the Colorado Territory at the start of the Civil War, Confederate Owen Pentecost (Robert Stack) and Union agent Stephen Kirby (Alex Nicol) battle with each other in a struggle to obtain the most gold to give to their respective armies. ~ Iotis Erlewine, All Movie Guide

The Cruel Tower is a dog-and-pony variation of a well-worn triangle plot. John Ericson is a handsome young steeplejack, working side-by-side on a dizzying new structure with brooding partner Charles McGraw. Mari Blanchard is McGraw's beautiful young wife, whose history of illicit romances immediately arouses McGraw's suspicions vis-a-vis Ericson. The problem with all of these "dangerous profession" mellers is that the villain invariably hatches a scheme to make a murder look like an accident--and nearly always ends up the victim of his own scheme. For a while in The Cruel Tower, however, it appears as though John Ericson is really going to fall for Mari Blanchard. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Victor Mature is in rare form in this otherwise uneven cavalry Western about a trapper who prevents a Little Big Horn-type disaster. Having been robbed of a year's worth of skins by marauding Indians, Jed Cooper (Mature), Gus Hideout (James Whitmore), and Mungo (Pat Hogan) sign on at a nearby fort. Jed, however, falls in love with Corinna (Anne Bancroft), the refined wife of the commanding officer, Colonel Marston (Robert Preston), and when the latter begins to plan an all-out attack on an unruly Indian tribe, he attempts to prevent what, in all likelihood, will be a mass slaughter. Based on a novel by Richard Emery Roberts, The Last Frontier was re-released to television as Savage Wilderness and came complete with a rousing title song performed by Rusty Draper. ~ Hans J. Wollstein, All Movie Guide

The staff of the "Daily Planet" investigates when the scavenger ship commandeered by Captain McBain (Peter Whitney) returns from a treasure hunt with a cache of low-value pirate doubloons. It turns out that McBain is actually pulling off a scam, converting stolen jewelry into phony coins. Alas, the demented modern-day buccaneer imprisons Lois (Noel Neill) and Jimmy (Jack Larson), then forces Clark (George Reeves) to walk the plank--thereby setting up a perversely amusing situation whereby Clark reappears as Superman in order to "save" himself from drowning! ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Whenever Mel Brooks wanted to get a rise out of wife Anne Bancroft during their joint talk-show appearances of the 1970s, Brooks would bring up the subject of Gorilla at Large. Easily the low point of Ms. Bancroft's movie career, the film is good for a few chuckles if one's in the proper mood. The story is set in an amusement park, where the star attractions include trapeze artist Cameron Mitchell and a huge, vicious gorilla. When a series of murders take place, Mitchell is one of the prime suspects; another is Bancroft's husband Raymond Burr, who owns the big ape. The revelation of the actual killer is mildly surprising, not to mention thoroughly unbelievable. Gorilla at Large was filmed in 3D, resulting in a reasonably exciting "thrill" sequence atop a roller coaster. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Previously adapted to film in 1923, Ben Ames Williams' rousing sea adventure All the Brothers Were Valiant was given the prestige MGM treatment in 1953. Robert Taylor and Stewart Granger star as seafaring siblings Joel and Mark Shore. When Mark disappears during a whaling expedition, Joel and his wife Priscilla Holt (Ann Blyth) set sail in search of his missing brother. They discover to their chagrin that Mark has become a conscienceless reprobate, a disgrace to his family. Not only does Mark make a play for Priscilla, but he foments a mutiny on board Joel's ship so that he may commandeer the vessel and embark on a search for a valuable bed of pearls. Eventually, one of the brothers comes to a literally sticky demise, with Priscilla looking on in wide-mouthed horror. Cast as Priscilla's father is that grand old trouper Lewis Stone, in his final film role. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Fritz Lang directed this gritty drama of gangland murder and police corruption, which was considered quite violent in its day. Dave Bannion (Glenn Ford) is a scrupulously honest police detective who learns that one of his fellow officers has committed suicide. Bannion is told by the officer's wife, Bertha (Jeanette Nolan), that he was severely depressed after being told he was diagnosed with a terminal illness. But the cop's mistress, a barmaid named Lucy (Dorothy Green), has another tale to tell. She claims that he left behind a suicide note detailing a complex trail of corruption in the department, leading to mob boss Mike Lagana (Alexander Scourby), and now Bertha plans to use the note to blackmail Lagana. When Lucy is found dead beside an abandoned road, with her body showing obvious signs of torture, Bannion is convinced that her story was true, and he goes after Lagana. When he threatens to expose Lagana's dealings, the gangster orders Bannion killed. But the car bomb meant to finish Bannion off instead kills his wife Katie (Jocelyn Brando). The police take Bannion off the case, but, convinced his peers are trying to cover their tracks, Bannion follows the case alone, determined to get revenge. Lee Marvin and Gloria Grahame shine in key supporting roles. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide

Another of 20th Century-Fox's "drawn from today's headlines" dramas of the late 1940s, Behind the Iron Curtain (a.k.a. The Iron Curtain) is based on the true-life defection of Soviet Embassy code specialist Igor Gouzenko. Portrayed by Dana Andrews, Gouzenko is brought to Canada under a cloud of secrecy by Russian "special agents", the better to help them in their espionage efforts. Despite the fact that he is far from Russia, Gouzenko is hounded by his suspicious superiors and denied the simplest basic rights. When Gouzenko realizes that his government will soon call him back to Russia to engage in the "class struggle," the code clerk decides to defect, stealing secret information and turning it over to the Canadian Ministry of Justice. At first, Gouzenko is ignored, but when his information is digested by the Canadian government, the authorities round up the Communist spy ring. Gouzenko and his family are put in protective custody by the Canadian government, while several of Gouzenko's Russian superiors are punished by the Communist higher-ups for allowing the clerk to slip through their hands. Filmed in a semi-documentary style, Behind the Iron Curtain is more matter-of-fact and less paranoic than other "Red scare" films of the period. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

With a title like Violence, the audience knew what it was in for from the get-go. Nancy Coleman plays Ann Mason, troubleshooting journalist for an illustrated newsmagazine. Going undercover, Ann infiltrates the United Defenders, a so-called patriotic organization comprised of thugs and extortionists. Preying on disillusioned war veterans, the United Defenders are able to spread their own brand of bigoted propaganda on a wide scale. In the midst of her investigation, Ann is injured in an auto accident, and as a result loses her memory. It's up to government investigator Steve Fuller (Michael O'Shea) to apprise Ann of her true identity, and to rescue her from the clutches of the villains (including such powerhouse "heavies" as Sheldon Leonard and Peter Whitney). Violence would seem to be inspired by the final sequence in RKO Radio's Till the End of Time, wherein a trio of ex-GIs dukes it out with a small band of hate-spouting "patriots". ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

On the eve of the Chinese New Year, three strangers make a pact before a small statue of the Chinese goddess of Destiny. The strangers are Crystal Shackleford (Geraldine Fitzgerald), married to a wealthy philanderer; Jerome Artbutny (Sidney Greenstreet), an outwardly respectable judge; and Johnny West (Peter Lorre), a seedy sneak thief. The threesome agree to purchase a sweepstakes ticket and share whatever winnings might accrue. Alas, the pact brings little more than misfortune for all concerned. Jerome steals funds from a client, then kills Crystal (with the goddess statue!) when she refuses to hand over her sweepstakes winnings. Johnny and his girlfriend Icy (Joan Lorring) decide to abandon their life of crime, but when it is revealed that the ticket is a winner, he sets fire to it to avoid having his name tied to the crime. If it seems strange that Peter Lorre ends up the romantic lead in Three Strangers, remember that the film's director, Jean Negulesco, thought Lorre was the finest actor who ever lived--and as a result, he fought tooth and nail with Warner Bros. to cast Lorre in this film. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide