Douglas Fowley Movies

In this Roger Corman production, co-producer Jesse Vint stars as Jingo Johnson, a stuntman who goes to work for a backwater mining company. Jingo unearths a hotbed of corruption, partially orchestrated by redneck sheriff, Grimes (Albert Salmi). The hero and heroine (Karen Carlson) are forced into any number of serial-like perils while eluding the villains. Black Oak Conspiracy is enlivened by the presence of several veteran character players, including Douglas Fowley, Peggy Stewart and Vic Perrin. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Written and directed by Frank D. Gilroy, this Western casts Charles Bronson as Graham Dorsey, a two-bit Western outlaw who has a three-hour affair with lonely Amanda Starbuck (Jill Ireland). When Dorsey is reported killed, Starbuck capitalizes on her liaison by building up the "legend" of the supposed deceased outlaw. Soon Dorsey has become an icon, glorified in song, fable, and dime novels. Imagine Starbuck's discomfort when he turns up very much alive, and extremely upset at being turned into Amanda's own private cottage industry. At the end, Dorsey isn't even left with his own identity. This picture is somewhat unconventional for a Western, downplaying violence in favor of characterization and dark humor. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Jim (James Garner) is hired by his former lover Claire Prescott (Linda Evans) to help pry her loose from a loan shark. But as often happens on The Rockford Files, Claire isn't telling Jim the whole truth. As the plot thickens, Claire continues to withhold vital information from the detective, nearly getting him killed in the process. The moment of truth finally arrives when a pair of murderous thugs kidnap Jim's dad Rocky (Noah Beery Jr.) , thereby setting up a most unusual "trade-off." ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

A runaway box-office hit to the tune of 17 million dollars, Walking Tall is the unabashedly manipulative story of real-life Tennessee sheriff Buford Pusser. As played by Joe Don Baker, Pusser can either be regarded as a tireless champion of justice or a baseball-bat-wielding hooligan. But with some of the most scurrilous villains this side of a Republic serial as the main targets of Pusser's wrath, the audience cannot help but applaud the sheriff's strongarm methods. When the town baddies seek vengeance by killing Pusser's wife (Elizabeth Hartman), the you-know-what really hits the fan! Never resorting to subtlety, Walking Tall was such a winner that it spawned two sequels, a made-for-television movie, and a weekly TV series -- none of which were enjoyed by the real Buford Pusser, who had long since died under questionable circumstances. At the time of the film's theatrical release, the MPAA rating system was comparatively new, so the studio launched an ad campaign aimed at parents, letting them know that the R-rated Walking Tall contained violence and not sex, and therefore was good family entertainment. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

In this nature adventure, a courageous cougar must struggle to survive after a cruel human hunter kills her mate. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide

Universal's The Far Out West is a feature-length pastiche, comprised of four episodes of the 1966 TV series Pistols and Petticoats. In her last acting assignment, Ann Sheridan starred in this ill-fated western parody as Henrietta Hanks, a gun-wielding widow who takes up residence in the aptly named burg of Wretched, Colorado. The Hanks family includes Grandma (Ruth McDevitt), Grandpa (Douglas V. Fowley) and Lucy (Carole Wells), Henrietta's pretty daughter. All the members of the Hanks clan are dexterous with their shootin' irons, which comes in handy against such perennial foes as town boss Buss Courtney (Robert Lowery) and Indian Chief Eagle Shadow (Lon Chaney Jr.) Gary Vinson stumbles and bumbles around as Wretched's inept sheriff, Harold Sikes. Witless enough to begin with, the Pistols and Petticoats episodes represented herein are rendered even more pathetic by the removal of the series' laughtrack. Since the actors have timed their performance to the ubiquitous sound of canned laughter, the dead air that follows their "funny" lines and bits of business is devastating. Suffering in particular is Gary Vinson, whose lame attempts at slapstick must be seen to be disbelieved. The only interesting aspect is the bizarre relationship, bordering on the erotic, between villain Buss Courtney and his hero-worshipping henchman. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Pop singer Tommy Sands guest stars as Richard Bain, a young West Point cadet. Facing expulsion for defending Jason McCord's behavior at the Battle of Bitter Creek, Bain is given 30 days to recant his words--or face a dishonor and disgrace comparable to that suffered by McCord (Chuck Connors). As the story progresses, McCord must weigh the option of salvaging his own reputation by ruining Bain's. Prominent in the supporting cast is celebrated "film noir" veteran Marie Windsor ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Stephanie Carew (Sandra Warner) hires Perry (Raymond Burr) to sue first-time novelist Deborah Dearborn (Zeme North) for libel, claiming that her own life was the basis for Deborah's lurid best-seller. Not long afterward, Stephanie is found drowned in her fresh-water swimming pool--and lest the police write her death off as accidental, the coroner points out that the victim has salt water in her lungs. Putting two and two together, the authorities arrest Deborah for the murder, whereupon Perry switches sides to defend the girl. Yes, that's a young, pre-Love Story Ryan O'Neal as John Carew, Deborah's boyfriend and the victim's stepson. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Encouraged by an enterprising hobo (Douglas Fowley), Opie and his friends begin playing "Robin Hood." Before long, the boys are blithely stealing from the rich and giving to the poor-namely, their pal the hobo. Richard Keith, formerly "Little Ricky" on I Love Lucy, is here seen as Johnny. First broadcast on December 30, 1963, "Opie and His Merry Men" was one of several fourth-season Andy Griffith Show installments written by John Whedon. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Tony Randall has the showcase of a lifetime in the marvelous George Pal production The Seven Faces of Dr. Lao. We first see Randall as Dr. Lao, an enigmatic Chinese medicine-show impresario. The doctor brings his travelling show into the frontier town of Abalone, which is chafing under the oppression of land-hungry Clint Stark (Arthur O'Connell). Newspaper editor Ed Cunningham (John Ericson) is conducting a campaign of words against Stark, but he is no match for the land baron's money, power, and hulking henchmen. Nonetheless, Cunningham continues his crusade, all the while attempting to romance icy young widow Angela Benedict (Barbara Eden). All of this is observed with bemusement by Dr. Lao, who has already established himself as a man of many talents by alternating between pidgin-English and eloquent articulation, depending on the circumstances. Each of the townspeople--including the three already mentioned--learn a great many truths about themselves when they attend Dr. Lao's unusual circus. In the course of straightening out everyone's problems, Lao metamorphoses into (1) Merlin the Magician, (2) Pan, (3) Medusa, (4) The Abominable Snowman, (5) Apollonius of Tyana and (6) a Talking Serpent. The combined talents of Randall, puppeteer Pal and make-up wizard William J. Tuttle (who won two Special Oscars) resulted in this captivatingly unique entertainment experience. Curiously, Tony Randall is not fond of Seven Faces of Dr.Lao, and refuses to be interviewed on the subject. Perhaps he was unhappy that much of the philosophy dispensed in the original Charles G. Finney novel The Circus of Dr. Lao was weeded out of Charles Beaumont's script....or perhaps he just didn't like having his head shaved for the part. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

This 1962 Biblical epic was adapted by Christopher Fry from the novel by Pär Lagerkvist. Anthony Quinn stars as Barabbas, the thief who was pardoned in place of Jesus. For the rest of his life, the guilt-ridden criminal tries to justify his existence and to determine his place in the scheme of things. Along the way he encounters the self-righteous pomposity of Pontius Pilate (Arthur Kennedy), the stoning of Sara (Katy Jurado), the gladiatorial sadism of Torvald (Jack Palance), and the burning of Rome. The film's unbilled Christ is played by Roy Magnano, the brother of Quinn's second-billed costar Silvia Mangano. Watch for the genuine solar eclipse during the Crucifixion sequence, an effect that director Richard Fleischer spent several days preparing for. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide