Tab Hunter Movies
With that fabricated name and those Malibu-beach good looks, Tab Hunter really couldn't hope to be taken seriously as an actor, but he certainly worked hard -- and at times was very good indeed. An early starter, Hunter lied his way into the Coast Guard at the age of 15. Three years later, he was selected on the basis of his physique to appear in a supporting role in the 1950 tale of racial prejudice The Lawless. At 21, Hunter became a major "beefcake" personality after shedding most of his clothes in the low-budget Island of Desire (1952). He was signed to a Warner Bros. contract in 1953, which didn't bring him much in the way of substantial roles but which gave him leeway to work on live television, where he turned in a few creditable performances. Critics wailed when he was selected to star opposite Gwen Verdon and Ray Walston in the 1958 film version of Damn Yankees, but his presence brought in a lot more business from the teenage filmgoing contingent than might otherwise have been possible; besides, he looked like a young Mickey Mantle, which was qualification enough for his role as a baseball player. In 1960, Hunter starred as a bachelor newspaper cartoonist in his own sitcom, The Tab Hunter Show, which opened in an excellent timeslot but failed to please the masses. By the mid-1960s, Hunter was considered something of a "Sonny Tufts" type, best suited for campy, self-mocking roles. Happily, he survived on these terms, proving he could kid himself better than any wiseguy scriptwriter. He was co-starred in several films starring the corpulent female impersonator Divine, including the deathless Lust in the Dust (1985). In 1977, Tab Hunter replaced Philip Bruns on the satirical TV series Forever Fernwood; to answer those who might wonder how the still-handsome Hunter could possibly replace the wizened, chinless Bruns, the scripters contrived to have Bruns fall into a chemical vat, require plastic surgery...and then emerge from the bandages looking just like Tab Hunter. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide- 1950
The Lawless was director Joseph Losey's second feature-length film. The story concerns a group of Mexican-American migrant workers who are subjected to all sorts of abuse and intolerance by their California bosses. A violent clash between whites and Latinos at a dance results in a torrent of bigotry. Seemingly the only Californian willing to champion the workers' cause is crusading newspaperman Larry Wilder, and soon he too is the victim of senseless mob violence. The story boils to a manhunt for a fugitive fruit-picker who has been accused of fomenting the aforementioned riot. Director Losey, producers William Pine and William Thomas and screenwriter Geoffrey Homes (aka Daniel Mainwaring) are to be commended for tackling a controversial issue in an honest, no-nonsense fashion; even so, the film ends in standard Hollywood-liberal fashion with a white man coming to the rescue. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- MacDonald Carey, Gail Russell, (more)
- 1952
During World War II, an injured pilot, his nurse and a Marine, all marooned on a desert island, fall into a love triangle in this film also known as Saturday's Island. ~ Jason Ankeny, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Linda Darnell, Tab Hunter, (more)
- 1953
Technically a "B" western, Gun Belt is a notch or two above the norm. George Montgomery stars as former outlaw Billy Ringo, whose bank-robbing brother Matt (John Dehner) implicates him in a recent holdup. When Matt is killed in a shootout, Matt's son Chip (Tab Hunter) holds Billy responsible. When not trying to clear his name and patch up his family problems, Billy finds time to romance requisite leading lady Helen Westcott. The most tangible asset of Gun Belt is the superb Technicolor photography, courtesy of William Howard Greene. The film was one of several budget-conscious 1950s productions turned out by producer Edward Small for United Artists release. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- George Montgomery, Tab Hunter, (more)
- 1953
The Steel Lady in this crazy-quilt actioner is the armored tank commandeered by star Rod Cameron. Marooned in the Sahara desert, airplane pilot Mike Monohan (Cameron) and his melting-pot crew (including a young Tab Hunter) come across a deserted Afrika Korps tank. As they roll across the burning sands in search of civilization, the crew is unaware that hidden within the tank is a fortune in diamonds. But villainous sheik Mustapha El Melek (John Abbott) does know, and he manages to enlist Monohan's drunken co-pilot Barlow (John Dehner) in his scheme to claim the gems for himself. Also released as Treasure of Kalifa, The Steel Lady is an unsteady mixture of war drama and Arabian-Nights escapism. The film was directed by E. A. Dupont, who in his salad days was responsible for the silent German classic Variety. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Rod Cameron, Tab Hunter, (more)
- 1954
Famed German filmmaker E. A. Dupont, who in his peak years was responsible for such classics as Variety, merely goes through the motions in this updated sequel to Robert Louis Stevenson's Treasure Island. Instead of Jim Hawkins, the film offers Jim's beautiful female descendant Jamesina (Dawn Addams), who manages to get her hands on Captain Flint's fabled treasure map. This makes Jamesina the target of a variety of scurrilous fortune-hunters, including phony archeologist Harris (Porter Hall) and the malevolent, sightless Newman (James Seay). It is handsome archeological student Clive Stone (Tab Hunter) who helps Jamesina locate the treasure and elude the villains. At least Return to Treasure Island wasn't intended to be taken seriously. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Tab Hunter, Dawn Addams, (more)
In this experimental 1954 Western, director William Wellman uses black-and-white backgrounds with occasional splatches of color on certain characters' bodies and clothes. On a snowbound ranch in northern California, the Bridges family is trapped by winter weather and its own internal conflicts. It is run by a stern matriarch, Ma Bridges (Beulah Bondi), who lords it over her weak, alcoholic husband (Philip Tonge) and her bitter, unmarried daughter, Grace (Teresa Wright). The three sons squabble constantly. Staying at the ranch is a young neighbor, Gwen Williams (Diana Lynn), who is smitten with one of the sons, Harold (Tab Hunter). But the arrogant Curt (Robert Mitchum) wants to take control of the ranch and take possession of Gwen too. During the winter, a black panther has been killing the cattle on the ranch. Curt and the third brother, the quiet Arthur (William Hopper), set out to kill the panther, but when Curt leaves to get more food, the cat kills Arthur. The grief-stricken family blames Curt, who then sets out on his own to kill the beast. ~ Michael Betzold, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Robert Mitchum, Teresa Wright, (more)
John Wayne plays anti-Nazi Prussian sea captain Karl Erlich in Sea Chase, one of the many film commentaries released post WWII. Though staunchly opposed to the Nazi regime, Karl (Wayne) feels it would nevertheless be unpatriotic should he refuse to save his ship from destruction. His ship--an old, rusty 5,000 ton freighter named the Ergenstrasse--is being pursued by a British warship on his journey from Australia back to Germany. Captain Erlich does everything he can to save his ship and his crew, but the process is long and dangerous, particularly without a plentiful supply of fuel and provisions. Erlich must face obstacles ranging from horrendous sea storms and shark attacks to false murder accusations, and it seems his only devotee is Elsa (Lana Turner), a beautiful German spy. Despite nearly falling to the determined English ship and a mutiny attempt by his own crew, Captain Erlich manages to survive what was anything but a routine trip back to his home country. ~ Tracie Cooper, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- John Wayne, Lana Turner, (more)
Adapted by Leon Uris from his own novel, the film follows a group of World War II marines, from Basic Training to Battlefield. Major Van Heflin knows that his men are spoiling for a real fight, but must make do with the desultory skirmishes assigned them by the Brass. All this changes with an onslaught of heavy-duty battling in the South Pacific. Aldo Ray plays a tough leatherneck who falls in love with demure Nancy Olson, while James Whitmore, Tab Hunter, Dorothy Malone and Raymond Massey costar. And watch for young Justus McQueen, cast as private L.Q. Jones; McQueen liked his character name so much that he adopted it as his professional cognomen. Composer Max Steiner's musical score earned him an Oscar nomination. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Van Heflin, Aldo Ray, (more)
- 1956
The peacetime draft is given the teen-idol treatment in The Girl He Left Behind. Hollywood hunk Tab Hunter is starred as a spoiled young man who is whipped into shape--and humility--by his two years of compulsory military service. Natalie Wood plays the girl who...well, look at the title. Director David Butler would have preferred to cast a minor actor who was making his film debut in the leading role, but Butler was committed to Warners contractee Tab Hunter. Thus it was that young James Garner would have to wait his turn. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Tab Hunter, Natalie Wood, (more)
- 1956
The plot of The Burning Hills is motivated by revenge, which only a few years earlier had been on the Motion Picture Code's no-no list. Cattleman Trace Jordan (Tab Hunter) seeks retribution for the murder of his brother, killed at the behest of cattle baron Joe Sutton (Ray Teal). Before long, however, it is Jordan who is being pursued by Sutton's henchmen. Accompanying Jordan on his flight is his Anglo-Latino girlfriend Maria Colton (a miscast Natalie Wood). Clearly designed to cash in on the teenaged fan following of Tab Hunter and Natalie Wood, Burning Hills is nonetheless entertaining enough to please even nonfans of the stars. The film is based on a novel by Louis L'Amour. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Tab Hunter, Natalie Wood, (more)
- 1958
Though director William Wellman was attached to the Lafayette Flying Corps during WW1, many people believed that he was actually with the celebrated Lafayette Escadrille, and this 1958 actioner does little to dispel that belief. The film concentrates on a group of courageous young American aviators who, long before the USA's entry into the Great War, band together to fight the minions of the Kaiser in the skies of France. One of these reckless flyboys is Thad Walker (Tab Hunter), who arrives in Paris after being thrown out of his wealthy father's home. Joining the Escadrille with Walker are fellow expatriates Tom Hitchcock (Jody McCrea), Duke Sinclaire (David Janssen) and "Wild Bill" Wellman (played by the director's son, Bill Wellman Jr.). After a bit of parlez-vous with the local mademoiselles, Walker and his pals take to the air, and at this point, the film really gets off the ground (no pun intended). The spectacular aerial sequences are evocative of those in Wellman's silent classic Wings, though Lafayette Escadrille itself falls a bit short of classic status. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Tab Hunter, Etchika Choureau, (more)
- 1958
Damn Yankees is a frothy, faithful adaptation of the 1956 Broadway hit. In an amusing slant on the "Faust" legend, aging baseball fan Joe Boyd (Robert Schafer) is given an opportunity to lead his beloved Washington Senators to victory by a devilish gent named Applegate (Ray Walston). Boyd is transformed into handsome young "Shoeless" Joe Hardy from Hannibal, Mo. (and in the process, the part is taken over by Tab Hunter, who's better than everyone said he was back in 1958). Joe becomes the Senators' star player, but at the price of his immortal soul; he isn't terribly worried, however, since he's built an escape clause into his contract with Applegate. To see that Joe doesn't get a chance to exercise that clause, Applegate sends his luscious assistant Lola (Gwen Verdon) to seduce the ballplayer. This effort doesn't work, but Applegate still manages to cause Joe to lose his chance at salvation. But there is still a ray of hope--if Hardy can win the deciding pennant game, he'll be able to foil Applegate's master plan of causing the Senators to lose. With Lola's aid, Joe gives the devil more than his due. The principal selling angle of Damn Yankees, beyond the presence of Gwen Verdon and Ray Walston delightfully recreating their stage roles, are the wonderful Richard Adler/Jerry Ross songs, including "You've Gotta Have Heart" and "What Lola Wants, Lola Gets." Based on the novel The Year the Yankees Lost the Pennant, the film (like the play before it) unfortunately throws away Wallop's wryly ironic climax; as a result, the last scenes appear rushed and haphazard. But why quibble? Damn Yankees is and always was a rock-solid piece of entertainment, as proven by its recent S.R.O. Broadway revival. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Tab Hunter, Gwen Verdon, (more)
- 1958
Adapted by Sally Benson (Meet Me in St. Louis) from the novel by Mary Mapes Dodge, this dazzling musical version of Hans Brinker, or the Silver Skates) stars 1950s Hollywood heartthrob Tab Hunter in the title role (as Hans, not the Skates). Living in a small Dutch village, Hans yearns to compete in an upcoming ice-skating competition, for a grand prize of 500 guilders and a gleaming new pair of silver skates. Also, all poor Hans and his sister Trinka (Ellie Sommers) have to their name is two pair of crude wooden skates. Making matters worse, the Brinker family has been living in poverty ever since Hans' father (Ralph Roberts lost his mind while trying to save the local population from a burst dyke. But though Hans is certain that things will never get better, his erstwhile sweetheart, the wealthy Rychie Van Gleck (Peggy King), has faith in both Hans and his future. While the songs in this production, written by Hugh Martin, are rather unremarkable and a bit silly at times (notably the production number "Clop, Clop, Clop", wherein the chorus does a dance in wooden shoes), Hans Brinker, or the Silver Skates" is redeemed by a talented supporting cast, including Basil Rathbone (complete with German accent) as the crusty-but-lovable Dr. Boekman, opera diva Jarmila Novotna as Hans' mother, and Olympic skating champ Dick Button as Rychie's brother Peter (in fact, it is Button who steals the show with some astonishing figure skating). Originally telecast live and in color, this 90-minute extravaganza was presented as a Hallmark Hall of Fame special. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Tab Hunter, Peggy King, (more)
- 1958
The highly variable Tab Hunter delivers his best film performance in the grim western Gunman's Walk. Hunter plays Ed Hackett, the son of gunslinger-turned-land baron Lee Hackett (Van Heflin). Out of respect (and fear) of his father, the hotheaded Ed is given a wide berth by the resentful townsfolk. The elder Hackett doesn't make things any better when he tacitly approves of Ed's violent behavior, all the while giving short shrift to his law-abiding younger son Davy (James Darren). Inevitably, Ed goes one step too far, forcing his father to make a devastating decision. Kathryn Grant, future wife of Bing Crosby, registers well as the half-breed girl with whom Davy falls in love. Gunman's Walk is seen at a disadvantage on television; director Phil Karlson's inventive use of the CinemaScope lens will be largely lost on a 22-inch screen. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Van Heflin, Tab Hunter, (more)
- 1959
That Kind of Woman stars Sophia Loren as an Italian girl, Kay, who enjoys a brief wartime romance with American paratrooper Red (Tab Hunter). But Kay is already the property of a suave millionaire (George Sanders) known only as "The Man." When next we see her, Kay is living Hollywood's concept of the life of a kept woman: luxurious apartment, limitless wardrobe, and an ever-so-slightly repentant facial expression. When Red reenters her life, she forsakes her wanton lifestyle -- only to lose her newfound love to enemy bullets. Essentially a remake of the World War I war-horse The Shopworn Angel, That Kind of Woman relies solely on Sophia Loren for its emotional punch; Tab Hunter is, after all, Tab Hunter. Watch for fleeting appearances by John Fiedler as a GI and Bea Arthur as a WAC. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Sophia Loren, Tab Hunter, (more)
Gary Cooper stars in one of his final roles in They Came To Cordura, Robert Rossen's moody study of the thin dividing line between heroism and cowardice. Cooper plays Major Thomas Thorn, a U.S. Army officer in the expedition into Mexico against Pancho Villa. Because he hesitated during a moment of decision in a battle, he has been labeled a coward. His commanding officer, Colonel Rogers (Robert Keith), orders Thorn to recommend five men for nomination for the Congressional Medal of Honor for bravery in the battle against Villa. Angered that Thorn did not nominate him for the Medal of Honor, Rogers charges Thorn with transporting the men through a broiling and dangerous desert to the rear area of Cordura. They begin the trek accompanied by Adelaide Geary (Rita Hayworth), the daughter of a dishonored U.S. Senator, who is accused of treason since she owned the hacienda where Villa's men stayed. As they travel across the desert expanse, Thorn ponders why these men are considered heroes while he is labeled a coward. As their journey continues, the heroes turn into a mutinous rabble, with Thorn reduced to holding the group at bay with a loaded gun. ~ Paul Brenner, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Gary Cooper, Rita Hayworth, (more)
- 1961
Based on a play by Samuel Taylor and Cornelia Otis Skinner, The Pleasure of His Company is an old-fashioned romantic comedy. Fred Astaire plays Biddeford "Pogo" Poole, the long-absent prodigal father of Jessica Poole (Debbie Reynolds), who is just about to be married. Much to the dismay of his ex-wife, Katharine (Lilli Palmer), and her new husband, James Dougherty (Gary Merrill), Pogo shows up at the wedding. To get back into the family circle, he puts on the old charm, but before film's end realizes that charm alone is no substitute for parental responsibility. Charlie Ruggles makes a wry turn as Pogo's former father-in-law. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Fred Astaire, Debbie Reynolds, (more)
- 1962
Tab Hunter guest stars as Del Packer, a famous baseball pitcher who has joined King Company as a draftee. Sgt. Saunders (Vic Morrow) is the only member of the platoon who isn't starstruck by the celebrity in their midst, grimly demanding that Packer be treated just like any other GI. But this proves difficult when the ballplayer reveals himself to be a profoundly--and even dangerously--troubled man. A particularly violent climax caps this terse character study, in which familiar supporting actors Bernard Fox and Eric Braeden (then known as Hans Gudegast appear unbilled. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1962
Filmed in Egypt, The Golden Arrow stars yesteryear's beefcake Tab Hunter as a bold Arabian Nights bandit. He discovers that he's actually the son of a Sultan, and that his kingdom is in danger. In order to save his people and restore his throne, the Tabmeister must locate a magic golden arrow. Or, if you prefer, he must locate "la fraccia d'oro", which was the original Italian title of this film. The Golden Arrow lets us know halfway through that it's not to be taken seriously (as if we had up till then) by offering us two comic genies: One skinny, one lazy. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Tab Hunter, Rossana Podestà , (more)
- 1963
This conventional wartime drama is comprised of an inexplicable mix of moods and genres as a U.S. submarine in World War II heads out to the island of Bikini in the South Pacific to destroy the remains of a sunken sister ship. The ruined ship has some delicate radar equipment on board that cannot fall into enemy hands. Meanwhile, the Japanese naval command is sending out its ships as control over the Pacific is at issue. This builds up into a major sea-going confrontation as the forces on each side are strengthened and expanded. Incongruously mixed in with the growing tension is a love story between Lt. Morgan Hayes (Tab Hunter) and the voluptuous Reiko (Eva Six). Frankie Avalon, as one of the seamen, sings a few songs, and others contributing to the action are Jim Backus as a chief bosun's mate, and Gary Crosby as another seaman. ~ Eleanor Mannikka, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Tab Hunter, Frankie Avalon, (more)
Fabian, Tab Hunter, and Peter Brown star as three surfers--Jody, Steamer and Chase--who make a pilgrimage from California to the north shore of Oahu for a vacation. Surfers from all over gather here every winter to compete with each other for the title of "the last ride" champion. While surfing the gigantic waves of the Pacific, the three young men each find romance with attractive young ladies (Shelley Fabares, Susan Hart, and Barbara Eden). Ride the Wild Surf features extensive surf footage of the Hawaiian Islands by cinematographer Joseph Biroc. Biroc was credited for a total of five feature productions in 1964. ~ Kristie Hassen, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Fabian, Shelley Fabares, (more)
- 1965
Frank Sinatra guests on two episodes of The Soupy Sales Show, with spots in color and black-and-white. ~ John Bush, All Movie Guide
The satire in Evelyn Waugh's darkly comic novel The Loved One was originally double-edged. The book was not only an attack on the Southern California funeral industry but also a lampoon of Hollywood's "British colony," those clannish, cricket-playing English actors of years gone by who bemoaned the artificiality of Tinseltown while eagerly accepting the demeaning and insignificant movie roles they were offered. The film version of The Loved One, anxious to live up to its ad-campaign promise of containing "something to offend everybody," downplays the British-colony business (save for the presence of the magnificent Robert Morley) and pumps up the "death" gags. Innocent British poet Dennis Barlow (Robert Morse) falls in love with funeral-home cosmetician Aimee Thanatogenos (Anjanette Comer), who in turn is loved by prissy funeral director Mr. Joyboy (Rod Steiger). The latter lives with his obese mother (Ayllene Gibbons), whose eating sequence is far more hilarious (and more tasteless) than many of the film's calculatedly "black" jokes. A huge guest-star cast is headed by Jonathan Winters in a dual role as a funeral home manager and his covetous twin brother, who operates an elaborate pet cemetery. Musician Paul Williams is also on hand as a 13-year-old aeronautics genius who develops a method of sending corpses into "eternal orbit" (a plot device that Waugh neglected to include in his novel). Film historian William K. Everson has commented that The Loved One is one of the best and most underrated comedies of the 1960s. For others, especially those who might feel guilty chuckling at the sight of Anjanette Comer committing suicide with an embalming needle, it's purely a matter of taste...or lack of same. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Robert Morse, Anjanette Comer, (more)
This sci-fi fantasy film was supposedly inspired by a line from an Edgar Allen Poe poem. It is also the last film made by distinguished director Jacques Tourneur. The adventure begins when the widowed ruler of a sub-oceanic kingdom spies a woman on the land who closely resembles his late wife. Believing that she is the reincarnation of his beloved spouse, the mer-king orders his gill men to kidnap her. Fortunately two courageous divers and their pet rooster brave the mysterious depths and the deadly gillmen to rescue her. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Vincent Price, Tab Hunter, (more)
