Carleton Young Movies

Set against the backdrop of the French Revolution, this 1953 television production centers on the love triangle between two men who each pine for the same woman. Just as the men come to terms with the complexities of the relationships, one of them is compelled to make an extraordinary sacrifice. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi

Also known as City on a Hunt, No Escape stars Lew Ayres and Marjorie Steele as mixed-up victims of circumstance. John Tracy (Ayres), a drunken songwriter, has reason to believe that he's murdered artist Peter Hayden (James Griffith). So does Pat Peterson (Steele), a blue-collar girl whom Hayden had tried to seduce. Both John and Pat take it on the lam, with her boyfriend, police detective Simon Shayne (Sonny Tufts), in hot pursuit. The twist ending isn't much of a surprise, but it's still crammed with suspense. No Escape represents a rare directorial effort by screenwriter Charles Bennett, whose previous scripting credits include several Alfred Hitchcock thrillers. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

The title of this Gene Autry opus is almost as long as the film itself. This time, Autry plays a circuit judge who presides over a murder case in a mining town. The accused, Ed Wheeler (Kirk Riley), has confessed to the killing, and is undeniably guilty, but Autry considers this to be a case of justifiable homicide. The catch: How can Autry exonerate Wheeler without violating his own vow to uphold the law at all costs? The answer is a technicality, so cleverly handled that it can't be repeated here without giving the whole game away. On hand, as ever, are Autry's comic sidekick Smiley Burnette and favorite leading lady Gail ("Annie Oakley") Davis. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

The Glory Brigade is a standard Korean War combat drama with a few interesting plot wrinkles. Victor Mature stars as Lt. Sam Prior, an American of Greek extraction. While trying to cross a bridge into Red territory, Prior loses most of his men, a fact he attributes to the seeming cowardice of the Greek UN troops. Eventually he realizes that his assumptions about the Greeks were mistaken, and further proof of their courage is offered during a later confrontation with the North Koreans. Alexander Scourby co-stars as Lt. Nikias, CO of the Greek detachment, while Lee Marvin enjoys one of his best early roles as Prior's corporal. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

The scene is Schofield Army Barracks in Honolulu, in the languid days before the attack on Pearl Harbor, where James Jones' acclaimed war novel From Here to Eternity brought the aspirations and frustrations of several people sharply into focus. Sergeant Milt Warden (Burt Lancaster) enters into an affair with Karen (Deborah Kerr), the wife of his commanding officer. Private Robert E. Lee "Prew" Prewitt (Montgomery Clift) is a loner who lives by his own code of ethics and communicates better with his bugle than he does with words. Prew's best friend is wisecracking Maggio (Frank Sinatra, in an Oscar-winning performance that revived his flagging career), who has been targeted for persecution by sadistic stockade sergeant Fatso Judson (Ernest Borgnine). Rounding out the principals is Alma Lorene (Donna Reed), a "hostess" at the euphemistically named whorehouse The New Congress Club. All these melodramatic joys and sufferings are swept away by the Japanese attack on the morning of December 7. No words could do justice to the film's most famous scene: the nocturnal romantic rendezvous on the beach, with Burt Lancaster's and Deborah Kerr's bodies intertwining as the waves crash over them. If you're able to take your eyes off the principals for a moment or two, keep an eye out for George Reeves; his supporting role was shaved down when, during previews, audiences yelled "There's Superman!" and began to laugh. From Here to Eternity won eight Academy Awards, including Best Picture, Best Director, Best Adapted Screenplay, and supporting awards to Sinatra and Reed. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

Washington Story stars Van Johnson as mildly liberal congressman Joseph T. Gresham. For reasons that he can't fathom, Gresham has been targeted for abuse by powerful columnist Gilbert Nunnaly (Philip Ober). Working in cahoots with Nunnaly is journalist Alice Kingsley (Patricia Neal), who pretends to be working on a favorable magazine article about Gresham, but who is actually digging up dirt for Nunnaly's benefit. Ultimately, Alice falls in love with the honest Gresham, standing by him during a moment of profound political crisis. The major selling card of Washington Story was producer Dore Schary's decision to lens the film on location in Washington, offering viewers glimpses of the real-life Congress and Senate in action. Remarkably, the film offers a slightly left-of-center hero at a time when McCarthyism was at its height. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

After Columbia's 1951 biopic Valentino laid an egg, leading man Anthony Dexter was persona non grata at the studio. Still, Columbia couldn't very well pay Dexter his weekly salary for doing nothing, and that's why The Brigand was born. Dexter does his best in the dual role of King Lorenzo, monarch of a mythical Latino country, and adventurer Carlos DeLargo. When Lorenzo is seriously wounded in an assassination attempt, DeLargo is coerced into posing as the ailing King. Scheming would-be usurper Prince Ramon (Anthony Quinn), sensing that something's fishy, plots to do in both the King and his look-alike. Meanwhile, DeLargo discovers the fringe benefits of royal life as he woos the King's betrothed Princess Teresa (Jody Lawrance) and Lorenzo's mistress Countess Flora (Gale Robbins). The story is supposedly based on an Alexandre Dumas novel, though it more closely resembles Prisoner of Zenda. It is fun to watch Anthony Quinn, clearly contemptuous of his role, pulling all sorts of thespic tricks to add variety to the proceedings: during one dungeon scene, Quinn delivers all his lines with a cigar clenched firmly between his teeth! ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

Stanley Kramer's production unit at Columbia Pictures was known for its willingness to tackle subject matter that was not necessarily "box office" (much to the dismay, of course, of Columbia head man Harry Cohn!) Adapted by Michael Blankfort from the autobiography by Donald Powell Wilson, My Six Convicts is the true story of a prison psychologist and his efforts to "reach" his incarcerated patients. John Beal plays the Donald Powell Wilson counterpart, herein known simply as Doc. Convinced that psychological rehabilitation is, indeed, an option, Doc overcomes a great deal of opposition -- from both prison officials and prisoners -- to test out his theories. Once he's won the confidence of hardened safecracker James Connie (Millard Mitchell), Doc is able to bring five more convicts into his circle: murderous mobster Punch Pinero (Gilbert Roland); alcoholic, self-sacrificing Blivens Scott (Marshall Thompson); holdup man Clem Randall (Alf Kjellin); psychopathic killer Dawson (Harry Morgan -- yes, that Harry Morgan); and embezzler Steve Kopac (Jay Adler). These six cons learn to make their life behind bars not only tolerable but productive, and in so doing pass on their new outlook on life to their fellow inmates. Despite the seriousness of the subject matter, My Six Convicts is essentially a comedy, with the all-male cast working together in seamless perfection. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

When undercover secret agent Tyrone Power is thwarted in his efforts to obtain a vital document with details of the Russian invasion of Yugoslavia by the death of the courier at the hands of two Russian agents, played by Mario Siletti and Charles Buchinski (aka Charles Bronson), it becomes his duty to go after the murderers and retrieve the papers. With more loops and turnabouts than a snake, the plot has surprises with agents, double agents, mistaken information and is, all in all, a surprisingly exciting spy vehicle. Michael Ansara and Lee Marvin also make brief appearances in this early cold war story. A script with a lot of holes in it is pulled off by the fine performances and tight direction given in this film. ~ Tana Hobart, Rovi

Joseph Cotten plays a assistant bank manager who steals $500,000 from the safe late on a Friday. He plans to fly to Brazil with his wife (Teresa Wright) and child. They get as far as New Orleans; the wife finds out about the robbery and walks out on Cotten. Stricken by guilt, Cotten must now return to his home town and replace the money before he's found out on Monday morning. Writer/director Andrew L. Stone smooths out the unrealistic elements of The Steel Trap by filming extensively at real locations. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

The Blue Veil was the single most successful effort from the production team of Jerry Wald and Norman Krasna. Jane Wyman pulls out all the emotional stops as a young Frenchwoman named Louise, who, after losing her husband and child in WW I, devotes the rest of her life to selflessly caring for other people's children. In true "woman's story" fashion, Louise ages and ages beautifully, sacrificing all for the sake of others. On the brink of destitution, she is rescued by her former charges, all nicely grown up and boundlessly grateful. A remake of the French Le Voile Bleu, The Blue Veil was adapted for the American screen by radio's Norman Corwin. The sterling supporting cast includes Charles Laughton as a widowed manufacturer, Joan Blondell as a blowsy actress, Natalie Wood as Blondell's neglected daughter, and Richard Carlson, Audrey Totter, Agnes Moorehead and Don Taylor. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi