Robert Florey Movies
Frenchman Robert Florey began to assistant direct, write, and act in Swiss one-reelers in 1919; that same year, he directed Isidore A La Deveine. Back in France he assisted famed director Louis Feuillade. After acting in his serial L'Orpheline in 1921, he came to America and was technical advisor on Monte Christo. Florey then began writing shorts for comic Al St. John and resumed acting. In 1923 he directed a comic two-reeler, Fifty-Fifty, and began to assist several directors, including Joseph von Sternberg, King Vidor, and Louis Gasnier. Florey finished the direction of his script for That Model from Paris after Gasnier took ill, and in 1927 directed his first feature. While keeping busy helming low-budget films, Florey also made a quartet of fascinating avant-garde shorts: The Life and Death of 9413--A Hollywood Extra (1928), The Loves of Zero (1928), Johann the Coffin Maker (1928) and Skyscraper Symphony (1928). In 1929, he and Joseph Santley co-directed the first Marx Brothers feature, The Cocoanuts (1929). In the '30s and '40s, Florey helmed a stream of programmers highlighted by his special affinity for horror: Murders in the Rue Morgue (1932) with Bela Lugosi, and The Face Behind the Mask (1941) and The Beast with Five Fingers (1946), both starring Peter Lorre. In the 1950s and '60s he turned his attention to television. ~ All Movie Guide- 1991
A video compilation of seven experimental French films, mostly from the 1920s. Anaemic Cinema (1926), perhaps the only true Dadaist film, by Marcel Duchamp; Ballet Mechanique (1924) by Fernand Leger; Menilmontant (1926) by Dimitri Kirsanov; Life and Death of 9413, A Hollywood Extra (1928), about the life of a would-be star, by Robert Florey; Seashell and the Clergyman (1928) by Germaine Dulac; Pacific 231 (1944) by Jean Mitry and La Jetee (1962) by Chris Marker. The silent films have musical tracks. ~ All Movie Guide
- 1964
Just before embarking upon a 40-year space journey, Cmdr. Douglas Stansfield (Robert Lansing) falls in love with the beautiful Sandra Horn (Mariette Hartley). Blasting into space, Stansfield in placed in a state of suspended animation, which will enable him to retain his youth and vitality during the long journey. Thus does he spend most of the flight in despair, knowing that when he returns, Sandra will have aged four decades. . .or will she? Also appearing in this low-key Twilight Zone installment are veteran movie heavy George Macready and TV-series perennial Edward Binns. Written by Rod Serling, "The Long Morrow" was originally telecast January 10, 1964. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Robert Lansing, Mariette Hartley, (more)
- 1964
In Volume 24 of a collection culled from the 1963-1965 science fiction anthology television series, the researchers on a military base on the Moon find a living organism. ~ Jason Ankeny, All Movie Guide
- 1962
Handsome actor Paul Ross (Charles S. Carlson) breaks up a romance between his housekeeper, Caroline Hardy (Cloris Leachman), and another man, simply because he doesn't want Caroline to leave his employ. What Paul doesn't know is that Caroline is madly in love with him -- and that she has a distinct taste for revenge. Later on, Paul is horribly scarred in an explosion, whereupon Caroline calmly informs him that he is too disfigured ever to appeal to women again...except, of course, Caroline. A perverse twist caps this final episode of Alfred Hitchcock Presents' seventh season. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1962
Frankie Fane (Jack Carson) is a particularly despicable gangster, who has accumulated a fortune selling illegal drugs to children. While hiding from the American authorities in Italy, Fane grows weary of visiting the same local sites day after day. Thus, he is receptive when another tourist, Ainslee Crowder (Christopher Dark), suggests that Frankie pay a visit to the out-of-the-way ruins in the Etruscan village of Alda Nouva. Unfortunately for Frankie, the village is populated by youngsters who prove to be every bit as larcenous -- and heartless -- as he is. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1962
This compilation video, part of the "Avant Garde" series, features a collection of avant garde and experimental film shorts, including: Dulac's The Seashell and the Clergyman (1927), written by Artaud; Marker's La Jetee (1962), a (in French with subtitles); and Vorkapich's and Florey's Life and Death of 9413, A Hollywood Extra (1928). ~ Tana Hobart, All Movie Guide
- 1962
Caught shoplifting in a big department store, Lois Callen (Coleen Gray) is brought to the office of store manager Paul Devore (Richard Long). Once he is alone with Lois, Paul offers to drop the charges if she'll do him a favor. It seems that Paul wants to divorce his wife, Kate (Rebecca Sand), but she refuses to do so knowing that the community property laws will force her to share half her belongings with Paul. Thus, Paul has devised a scheme whereby Lois will burglarize his home, stealing everything so that his wife will have nothing -- and for good measure, Paul instructs Lois to tie and gag him so that he won't be suspected of the crime. Without giving away the ending, be it noted that this episode has also be shown under the title "The Golden Opportunity." ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1961
A typically eerie Robert Bloch story is the basis for this episode, which was directed by suspense-movie expert Robert Florey. Striking up an acquaintance with elderly clockmaker Ulrich Klemm (Abraham Sofaer), Dane Ross (Nicholas Pryor) is fascinated by Klemm's stories of creating clockwork soldiers -- that is, life-sized mechanical toys. Even more fascinating is Klemm's beautiful granddaughter Lisa (Anne Helm), with whom Dane falls hopelessly in love. Alas, Klemm refuses to allow the young man to have anything to do with Lisa, insisting that her heart will never belong to Dane...and how right the old man turns out to be! ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1961
Susan Glaspell's famous short story and one-act play Trifles is the source of this episode, in which Millie Wright (June Walker) is arrested for the murder of her husband. When Millie is released for lack of evidence, two of her neighbors, Sarah (Ann Harding) and Mary (Frances Reid), try to find out what really happened to the late Mr. Wright. They uncover some disturbing evidence -- but are forestalled from informing the authorities upon uncovering some even more disturbing evidence. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1960
Everett Sloane, who previously starred in Rod Serling's award-winning TV play Patterns, was reunited with Serling for this January 29, 1960, Twilight Zone installment. Having won an all-expense-paid trip to Las Vegas, parsimonious Franklin Gibbs (Everett Sloane) refuses to enter into the spirit of things by gambling. Alas, Franklin is not strong enough to resist the lure of a strange-looking slot machine -- and thus begins Franklin's slow but inevitable descent into poverty and madness, as his wife Flora (Vivia Janiss) looks on in helpless horror. This may well have been the first TV program in which a slot machine ever "spoke." ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Everett Sloane, Vivi Janiss, (more)
- 1960
Anne Francis and Christopher Dark guest star as armored-car bandits Doreen Maney and Sheik Humphries in this thinly disguised retelling of the "Bonnie and Clyde" legend. Designed by the newspapers as "The Lovebirds", Doreen and Sheik have masterminded four major heists, the last of which netted the gate receipts from Yankee Stadium. This time, however, blood has been spilled, and Elliot Ness (Robert Stack) is determined to avenge the deaths of the four armored guards mowed down by the Lovebirds' gang. Managing to capture Doreen, Ness hopes that she will reveal Sheik's whereabouts while being extradited to New York, but Doreen says nothing, confident that her boyfriend will help her escape--little imagining that she is being double-crossed not only by Sheik, but also by her own kid sister Maybelle (played by a pre-Mister Ed Connie Hines). ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1959
Originally telecast November 27, 1959, "Perchance to Dream" was writer Charles Beaumont's first contribution to The Twilight Zone. Richard Conte stars as Edward Hall, a man who lives in mortal fear of falling asleep. Visiting a psychiatrst (John Larch), Hall explains that he has a weak heart, and that his recurring dream of a beautiful woman (Suzanne Lloyd) luring him to his doom will surely result in a fatal coronary. Alas, the psychiatrist's nurse is the spitting image of the woman in Hall's nightmares. Superbly directed by Robert Florey and boasting an eerie musical score by Nathan Van Cleave, "Perchance to Dream" is enough to give anyone nightmares. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Richard Conte, John Larch, (more)
- 1954
This early episode of TV's Disneyland anthology was essentially a glorified promotional trailer for Walt Disney's upcoming animated theatrical feature Lady and the Tramp. Shown hard at work on the project at the Disney studio were supervising director Clyde Geronomi, animation director Wolfgang Reitherman, directing animators Milt Kahl and Frank Thomas, and story man Erdman Penner. In keeping with the "dog" motif of this segment, the remainder of the episode was devoted to the "life story" of Mickey Mouse's pet mutt Pluto, from his debut as a nondescript bloodhound in the 1931 cartoon short The Chain Gang to his own starring series in the 1940s and 1950s. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1954
Walt Disney's long-running ABC anthology Disneyland was launched on October 17, 1954, with what amounted to a 60-minute informercial--albeit a very, very entertaining one. The first half of the program was devoted to a special feature, "What is Disneyland?", depicting the construction of the soon-to-be-opened theme park in Anaheim, California. Along the way, host Walt Disney manages to put in a plug for his upcoming theatrical release, 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea. The program concludes with "A Tribute to Mickey Mouse", tracing the development of the world's most popular rodent from his debut appearance in 1928's Steamboat Willie to his predominance as Disneyland's unofficial mascot. This last segment would be seen again in Disneyland's July 13, 1955 episode, "A Pre-Opening Report From Disneyland." ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1954
Donald Duck, the most irascible character to emerge from the Walt Disney cartoon factory, made his official TV debut on this early episode of the Disneyland anthology series. Using a "scrapbook" format, the episode traces the life and career of Donald from his inauspicious screen debut as a bit player in the 1934 "Silly Symphony" The Wise Little Hen, through his costarring stints in the vehicles of Mickey Mouse, and concluding with his own starring cartoon series, where he somewhat unwillingly shared screen time with his sweetheart Daisy Duck and his lookalike nephews Huey, Dewey and Louie. Refusing to let host Walt Disney do all the talking, Donald invades Walt's office to remind him who the "star of the show" really is, and also has a run-in with Clarence Nash, the man who supplied Donald's voice (and quacks!) for nearly half a century. "The Donald Duck Story" proved popular enough to be rebroadcast twice during Disneyland's inaugural season. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1950
Though filmed in Hollywood, The Vicious Years is set in postwar Italy. Tommy Cook plays a homeless orphan named Mario, who happens to witness a murder committed by the son of a wealthy family. The enterprising Mario moves in with the family, promising to keep his mouth shut in exchange for food, shelter, and creature comforts. Gradually, a genuine affection develops between the boy and the family. But the homicidal son (Gar Moore) unrepentantly schemes to rid himself of Mario at the first opportunity. The slow, leisurely pace of The Vicious Years accelerates dramatically during the climactic scenes. Way down on the cast list is future MGM leading man Russ Tamblyn, here billed as Rusty. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Tommy Cook, Sybil Merritt, (more)
Johnny One-Eye was adapted from one of Damon Runyon's lesser-known stories. Pat O'Brien and Wayne Morris star as Martin Martin and Dane Cory respectively, former partners in crime who have long since split up. When a new district attorney puts the heat on, Cory, anxious to save his own hide, accuses Martin of an unsolved murder. Holed up in abandoned house, Martin is befriended by a little girl (Gayle Reed) and her dog. It so happens that the girl is the daughter of the crusading DA, and thereby hangs the rest of this tale. Produced by Benedict Bogeaus, Johnny One-Eye co-stars Bogeaus' wife Dolores Moran as a moll named Lily White. The film represented the last directorial assignment of Robert Florey, who retired shortly afterward. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Pat O'Brien, Wayne Morris, (more)
Postwar films were festooned with amnesiac ex-GIs who found themselves mixed up with crime. In The Crooked Way, John Payne plays memory-deficient veteran Eddie Rice, who runs afoul of mobster Vince Alexander (Sonny Tufts) and police inspector Lt. Williams (Rhys Williams). Both the crooks and the cops seem to have good reason to despise Rice, and he'd like to find out why. He won't get any help from his wife Nina (Ellen Drew), however, since she is as hostile towards Rice as everyone else. Gradually, Rice puts the pieces together and discovers that he's far better off not remembering his former self. Film noir habitues Percy Helton, John Doucette and Greta Grandstedt are eminently suited to their minor roles. The Crooked Way was based on "No Blade Too Sharp", a radio drama by Robert Monroe. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- John Payne, Sonny Tufts, (more)
While under contract to Warner Bros., George Raft turned down picture after picture as being "unimportant" and thus unworthy of his talents. Among his turned-down projects were such minor items as High Sierra and Casablanca. By 1949, however, Raft's star had eclipsed, and he was obliged to accept whatever came along. Outpost in Morocco wasn't exactly a "B" picture -- it was expensively filmed on location -- but neither was it in the same league as Raft's earlier vehicles. Cast as Capt. Paul Gerard, a foreign-legion officer, Raft finds himself on the horns of a dilemma. He must protect his garrison from the rebel hordes of a native Emir (Eduard Franz) -- who happens to be the father of Cara (Marie Windsor), the woman Gerard loves. Akim Tamiroff easily steals the show as Gerard's slovenly second-in-command. The film truly comes to life only during the battle scenes, which utilize the services of hundreds of genuine Legionnaires and Moroccan cavalrymen. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- George Raft, Marie Windsor, (more)
- 1948
Even when decked out in a Foreign Legion uniform, Dick Powell looked, talked and acted like an urban private eye. In Rogues' Regiment, American secret agent Whit Corbett (Dick Powell) joins the Legion in order to track down Nazi war criminal Carl Reicher (Stephen McNally) in French Indo-China. Hampering his search is a native uprising which consumes most of the film's running time. Vincent Price contributes an amusingly despicable supporting role as Mark Van Ratten, an erudite art collector who sidelines in gunrunning. Though Dick Powell doesn't get to sing (not that he really wanted to!), leading-lady Marta Toren offers two sultry nightclub numbers. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Dick Powell, Märta Torén, (more)
- 1948
The "mermaids" are really tribal pearl divers in this diverting Tarzan adventure. Their livelihood is threatened by an evil white trader (Fernando Wagner), who sets himself up as a "god." With the help of lovely diver Linda Christian (later Mrs. Tyrone Power), Tarzan defeats the wicked despot, but not before several underwater battles, not the least of which involves an octopus. If the jungle settings of Tarzan and the Mermaids don't look particularly African, that's because the film was shot at the Churubusco Studios in Mexico. Mermaids represents the final appearance of Johnny Weissmuller as Tarzan. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Johnny Weissmuller, Brenda Joyce, (more)
- 1946
This movie is an early horror film classic and certainly one that a well-rounded horror movie aficionado should not miss. An invalid concert pianist dies, leaving a will that does not include his personal secretary Hilary Cummins (Peter Lorre) as a beneficiary. Furious, the left-out yes-man cuts off a hand from the corpse and plots revenge. Unfortunately for Hilary, the hand inherits a life of its own and relentlessly stalks the wild-eyed Lorre as he flees in vain. Special effects keep the audience jumping as they dread the next appearance of this gruesome walking hand. The film is directed by Robert Florey, who also directed Murders in the Rue Morgue (1932). ~ All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Robert Alda, Andrea King, (more)
- 1945
- NR
Such was the prevailing mood among filmgoers in 1943 that God Is My Co-Pilot was allowed to show a spiritual shaft of light in the sky and several scenes of enemy pilots spitting up blood when shot down by American bullets. The film was based on the best-selling novel by fighter pilot Col. Robert Lee Scott Jr., who fought in the Pacific during World War II. At 34, Scott was told he was too old to fly in combat, but he proved his worth as a member of the Flying Tigers. Dennis Morgan plays Scott with pious sincerity, while the more traditional "regular guy" roles went to such stalwarts as Dane Clark and Alan Hale. Like most aerial combat films of the era, God Is My Co-Pilot soars highest when its characters stay off the ground and away from all that pontificating dialogue. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Dennis Morgan, Dane Clark, (more)
- 1945
In this drama, an amoral, manipulative womanizer gets his comeuppance. The story begins as the handsome cad is witnessed quickly leaving a hotel room in the East. He has just stolen money, and a wedding band from a dead woman. He is next seen in L.A. living under an alias. There, he begins victimizing two naive sisters and uses them to substantially increase his wealth. Eventually, the two figure out the man's evil game, but there is little they can do to thwart him. Meanwhile, the gigolo is being stalked by the husband of the woman he robbed in the film's beginning. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Faye Emerson, Zachary Scott, (more)
- 1944
Melodramatic gangster action characterizes this tough and freely fictionalized biography of notorious, murderous Chicago mobster Roger Touhy. Set during Prohibition, it centers on Touhy's rise from small time thug to the city's most powerful bootlegger whose empire is rivaled only by that of Al Capone (who is referred to, but never named in the story). It is his rival who frames Touhy for kidnapping and arranges for him to serve a life-long term in Stateville prison. Determined to be free again, the desperate Touhy and his cellmate Basil "the Owl" Banghart, begin plotting a violent break out. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Preston S. Foster, Victor McLaglen, (more)
