David T. Chantler Movies

In this war drama, an Army intelligence officer stationed in Saigon labors to discover the identity of the double-agent in his department who has been sending classified information to the Soviets. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide

Follow the Boys attempts to recapture the box-office magic of 1960's Where the Boys Are; sometimes it succeeds. Returning from the earlier film are Connie Francis and Paula Prentiss, here cast as Bonnie Pulaski and Toni Denham, tourists on the French Riviera. Together with their Gallic friend Michelle (Dany Robin), Bonnie and Toni are romanced by three sailors on leave: Smitty (Russ Tamblyn), Pete (Richard Long) and Hulldown (Robert Nichols). Also on hand for the fun are married couple Ben (Ron Randell) and Liz (Janis Paige), the latter justifiably jealous of the former. The plot serves as an excuse for a series of sprightly tunes, including the title number. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Even with the guiding hand of talented action director Paul Wendkos, and good performances by the cast, this routine western unconvincingly tries to develop complex relationships in a 24-hour period. Mark Riley (Fred MacMurray) is in the middle of robbing a bank when his younger brother guns his way into the scene to stop him. In the process, he kills a deputy and is killed himself, while Mark takes off to save his own skin. He is now accused of the murder. Holing up in another town where he is a stranger, Mark falls in love with the sheriff's sister. Then he really gets into trouble when he decides to save the sheriff from imminent death -- he himself is caught out and captured. There is some hope for him because the sheriff he just rescued happens to be a lawyer. What a difference a day makes. ~ Eleanor Mannikka, All Movie Guide

Eccentric inventor Professor Pepperwinkle (Phillips Tead) unveils his latest creation: a "forget gas", which wipes out people's memories for fifteen minutes at a time. Simultaneously, reporters Lois (Noel Neill) and Jimmy (Jack Larson) place a bet with editor Perry White (John Hamilton) that they can come up with an expose of gangster boss Muggsy Maples (Herburt Vigran) without the help of Superman. Inevitably, the two reporters are kidnapped by Muggsy and tied up in the same room as a ticking time bomb--along with Perry White, fellow reporter Clark Kent (George Reeves), and dear old Pepperwinkle. With no other option, Clark reveals himself to be Superman and rescues his friends--and if you haven't already figured out how he is able to protect his secret identity, then you haven't read the first sentence of this synopsis! ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

In the first of three Adventures of Superman episodes directed by series star George Reeves, reporters Lois (Noel Neill) and Jimmy (Jack Larson) are enjoying a working vacation in a tranquil Mexican village. When Lois sends back a dispatch to the "Daily Planet" about a local burro named Carmelita who apparently has the ability to read minds, Clark Kent (George Reeves) is ordered South of the Border to investigate. It's a darn good thing that Clark and Superman are one and the same, especially when a pair of crooks (Mauritz Hugo, Ken Mayer) hijack the burro to help them rob and bank, and then leave the helpless Lois and Jimmy in one of the series' inevitable "death traps." ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Last of the Badmen gets started in 1880 Chicago, as detective Dan Barton (George Montgomery) prepares to head westward. Barton intends to round up a gang of stagecoach bandits, whose modus operandi is to spring criminals from jail in return for their services. In order to infiltrate the gang, Barton poses as an incarcerated crook with a huge price on his head. What he doesn't know is that gang leader Hawkins (Douglas Kennedy) invariably kills the bad guys that he's freed from jail in order to collect the reward money. For the most part an ordinary western, Last of the Badmen is elevated by its novel premise. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

A pair of turbaned Middle Eastern diplomats named Abdul (Ted Hecht) and Ali (Jack Reitzen)--the sort of comic-opera characters who finish each other's sentences--are convinced that reporter Lois Lane (Noel Neill) is the reincarnation of the legendary Princess Nephroditis of Baldad. Normally, Lois would be flattered by the attention, but unfortunately tradition dictates that the "Princess" be sealed up in a tomb in order to fulfill an ancient prophecy--and equally unfortunately, Jimmy Olsen (Jack Larson) is also slated for the same treatment! This episode is a particular favorite of Superman buffs because of the unusually revealing outfits worn by series star Noel Neill--which of course have absolutely no effect on Superman (George Reeves), who is not called the "Man of Steel" for nothing. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Circus ringmaster Haley (Thomas Jackson) posts a $10,000 reward for the return of his main attraction, Suzie the Elephant. Meanwhile, the two crooks who stolen Suzie hide the pachyderm in a barn owned by impoverished Mrs. Wilson (Eve McVeigh) and her son Johnny (Gregory Moffat). When the boy stumbles upon Suzie, he is overjoyed, thinking that the elephant is his birthday present! It is up to Superman (George Reeves) to foil the crooks, recover Suzie, and prevent the impressionable Johnny from having his heart broken. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

This episode marks the first appearance of Phillips Tead) in the role of eccentric scientist Professor Pepperwinkle, whose offbeat inventions invariably cause trouble for Clark Kent (George Reeves) and his fellow "Daily Planet" newshounds. This time, Pepperwinkle has created a device that fools the nervous system and makes people think that they are upside down. Crooked sideshow man Carni (Ben Welden) decides to steal the invention so that he can rob a few banks. Thus it is that Clark Kent disappears, and Superman appears in his place, the better to revert back to "downside-up" (or something like that). ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Wealthy and spoiled Myra Van Clever (Gloria Talbott) hires Superman (George Reeves) to entertain at a party. What Myra doesn't know is that she has been manipulated into a criminal scheme cooked up by her guardian Jonas Rockwell (John Eldredge), who intends to use Superman as an unwitting courier for a set of counterfeit plates. Ultimately, Jonas tips his hand and locks Myra into a safe with reporters Jimmy Olsen (Jack Larson), Lois Lane (Noel Neill) and Clark Kent--who of course is Superman in disguise, but is unable to "transform" himself in full view of his fellow prisoners! ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Dishonest politician Duke Taylor (George E. Stone) and his henchman Little Jack (Richard Reeves) conspire with crooked Dr. Watts (Rolfe Sedan) to rid Metropolis of Superman (George Reeves) just before an important election. Luring the Man of Steel into a locked room, the trio turn the temperature down to 2000 degrees below zero. Thus frozen, Superman not only loses his super-strength but also the color in his face, and must put on makeup when disguised as Clark Kent--thereby making an embarrassing situation even more so. As it turns out, Superman's only hope to return to normal is to expose himself to extreme heat--a blazing fire, for example! ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Clark (George Reeves), Lois (Noel Neill) and Jimmy (Jack Larson) investigate a supposedly deserted island that is slated to be used as target practice by the US Navy. Unfortunately, the island isn't deserted at all, but instead is populated by the descendants of a 17th century pirate band. These latter-day buccaneers not only refuse to believe that they're in danger, but they also kidnap Clark, Lois and Jimmy and leave them tied up in the middle of the island! The pyrotechnic climax of this episode features the notorious scene in which a stock "flying" sequence is reversed, revealing a backward "S" on Superman's costume. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide