Arthur Dreifuss Movies

This musical chronicles the rise to fame of C&W singer Grady Dodd (Hank Williams Jr.). The tale begins as the talented young man defies the uncle who raised him and tries to break into the music business. As a result of the conflict, the boy learns that his mother, whom he doesn't remember, was a singer who died after she ran away with another musician. Songs include: The Humming Bird, It's All Over But the Crying, Rock in My Shoe (Hank Williams, Jr.), A Man Is On His Own (John Scoggins, Williams, Jr.), Money Can't Buy Happiness, Old Before My Time (Steve Karliski), Next Time I Say Goodbye, I'm Leaving (Larry Kusik, Eddie Snyder), and A Time to Sing (Scoggins). ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide

Those looking for a tasteful but fun little musical comedy had best look elsewhere as this one is basically about the exploitation to two naive young women who move into a swinging singles complex to find some fun. Unfortunately, they end up objectified, and pursued. One of them leaves the place and gains firsthand experience with gang rape and suicide. Songs include: "For Singles Only," "Take a Chance with Me," "I'm Not Afraid," "Destination Unknown," "Why Need They Pretend?" "Symbol of Love," and "Tight Black Gown." ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide

In this dated, satirical drama, a college professor 'drops-out,' 'turns-on' and becomes a hippie guru after two students who publish an underground newspaper are unjustly expelled. The new guru promotes the dropping of LSD to find true enlightenment. After he is kicked out of his pad, the psychedelic prof moves in with the two radical journalists who revere him. He then manipulates the woman journalist into sleeping with him. The young man finds out and is crushed. He then uses his newspaper to expose the professor. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide

Brendan Behan, the quixotic, eternally sloshed Irish poet/playwright, peppered his play The Quare Fellow with plenty of "gallows humor." The film version dispenses with most the play's morbid jests, leaving us with a grim, straightforward account of a Dublin death-row prison guard (Patrick McGoohan) and his growing empathy with two condemned prisoners. One could understand the removal of the play's comic elements had the film been made in timorous Hollywood. But since Quare Fellow was financed and produced in Ireland, it seems a inappropriately glum tribute to one of the country's boldest and most brilliant talents. Quare Fellow was directed by American "B" specialist Arthur Dreifuss, who also adapted Behan's play for the screen. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Filmed on location in Holland, The Last Blitzkrieg stars Van Johnson in the atypical role of WW2 German officer Kroner. The son of a high-ranking Nazi official, Kroner is called upon to lead a dangerous mission in the waning days of the war. He and several other English-speaking Germans are dressed in American uniforms and ordered to infiltrate the Allied troops for sabotage purposes. Kroner does what is expected of him, though it is clear that he has become disillusioned with the "glories" of the Third Reich. When his true identity is revealed, Kroner decides to cast his lot with the Americans, leading a figurative "last blitzkrieg" against his fellow Nazis. Of interest is the presence in the cast of several future TV favorites: Dick York (Bewitched) as an American sergeant, Larry Storch (F Troop) as a griping GI and Leon Askin (General Burkhalter on Hogan's Heroes) as Nazi officer Steiner. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Whenever Monogram wanted to get prestige bookings, the studio released its product through its "class" subsidiary Allied Artists. Such was the case of There's a Girl in My Heart, a period musical that any of the larger studios would have been proud of. The only indication of its Monogram origins is its less-than-stellar cast, including Lee Bowman and Elyse Knox; surprisingly, the film's big-money musical stars, Gloria Jean and Peggy Ryan, are billed fourth and fifth. The story finds New York ward-heeler Terrence (Lee Bowman) trying to erect a sports stadium on the property partially occupied by music-hall entrepreneur Colton (Lon Chaney Jr.) The fly in the ointment is Claire (Elyse Knox), the owner of the property, who refuses to sell because several tenants would be thrown out of their homes. But Terrence is determined to have his way -- at least until he falls in love with Claire. Cast as the daughter of a music teacher, Gloria Jean gets to sing a couple of tunes, while Peggy Ryan hoofs it with her perennial dancing partner Ray McDonald. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

In this high-flying musical, a flight attendant dreams of singing in a band. Just as her career takes off she finds it endangered of crashing when another singer fights her for the use of her stage name "Mary Lou," which she claims is her stage name. Naturally, the flight attendant wins. Songs include: "Mary Lou" "Don't Mind My Troubles," "I'm Sorry I Didn't Say I'm Sorry" "That's Good Enough for Me," "Wasn't It Swell Last Night?" "Carle's Boogie," and "Learning to Speak English." ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide

The combination of star Gloria Jean and director Arthur Dreifuss resulted in several pleasant if unmemorable late-1940s musicals. In An Old-Fashioned Girl, Jean is cast as Polly Milton, the poor relation of a prosperous 19th-century Boston family. Rather than accept financial support from her stuffy relatives, Polly elects to support herself as a music teacher. Mistreated and misunderstood by practically everyone she meets, our heroine at last finds true love in the arms of businessman Mr. Sydney (John Hubbard). The supporting cast includes former child star James Lydon and future adult star Elinor Donahue, as well as violin prodigy Sandra Berkova. An Old-Fashioned Girl is based on the story of the same name by Louisa May Alcott. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Band singer Freddie Stewart stars in the pure-'40s frivolity Vacation Days. It's a high-school musical romance, with some of the oldest "teenagers" on record. During summer vacation, Freddie and student June Preisser fall for each other. Their relationship is complicated by romantic rivalries carried over from the regular school year. Vacation Days features a spirited musical number by country-western star Spade Cooley, whose ultimate real-life destiny -- he would die in prison after murdering his wife -- retrospectively casts a slight pall on the proceedings. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Jean Porter plays the title role in Betty Co-Ed--and never mind that her character name is Joanne Leeds! The plot gets under way when Joanne, a carnival hootchy-kootchy dancer, is accepted into a snobbish college sorority when it is assumed that she hails from a blueblooded Virginia family. Most of the film concerns Joanne's ongoing feud with sorority president Gloria Campbell (Shirley Mills). Blackballed when the truth comes out about her lineage, Joanne eventually convinces her sorority sisters that she's worthy of their friendship-and that they're worthy of hers. Musical comedy actress Jean Porter later retired from films upon her marriage to director Edward Dmytryk. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide