John Ireland Movies
Born in Canada, he was brought up in New York City. For a while he was a professional swimmer in a water carnival. He became a stage actor, appearing in many productions in stock and on Broadway; he often appeared in Shakespeare. In the mid '40s he began working in films, at first in lead roles that tended to be introspective; as time went by, he was cast in secondary roles, often as a pessimistic bad guy. For his work in All the King's Men (1949) he received a Best Supporting Actor Oscar nomination. In the '60s his career began to dry up, and he appeared in many low-budget Italian films; however, he stayed busy as a screen actor into the '80s, often appearing in action or horror films. He co-directed and co-produced the film Outlaw Territory (1953). From 1949-56 he was married to actress Joanne Dru. ~ All Movie Guide- 1963
Samuel Bronston produced this extravagant blockbuster, shot in Super Technirama 70. Nominally directed by Nicholas Ray (who makes a brief appearance as the U.S. ambassador), Ray was taken off the film and replaced by the more pliable directorial touches of Andrew Marton. Charlton Heston stars as Maj. Matt Lewis, the leader of an army of multinational soldiers who head to Peking during the infamous Boxer Rebellion of 1900. As the film unfolds, the foreign embassies in Peking are being held in a grip of terror as the Boxers set about massacring Christians in an anti-Christian nationalistic fever. Inside the besieged compound, the finicky British ambassador (David Niven) gathers the beleaguered ambassadors into a defensive formation. Included in the group of high-level dignitaries is a sultry Russian Baroness (Ava Gardner) who takes a shine to Lewis upon his arrival at the embassy compound with his group of soldiers. As Lewis and the group conserve food and water and try to save some hungry children, they await the arrival of expected reinforcements, but the tricky Chinese Empress Tzu Hsi (Flora Robson) is, in the meantime, plotting with the Boxers to break the siege at the compound with the aid of Chinese recruits. ~ Paul Brenner, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Charlton Heston, Ava Gardner, (more)
- 1948
Hot on the heels of Columbia's The Fuller Brush Man, MGM released another Red Skelton gagfest, A Southern Yankee. Set during the Civil War, the film casts Skelton as bumbling bellboy Aubrey Filmore. Yearning to help the Northern cause by becoming an undercover spy, Aubrey succeeds beyond his wildest dreams when circumstances force him to pose as notorious Southern secret agent Major Drumman (George Coulouris), aka "The Grey Spider". Infiltrating rebel territory, our hero does his best (which is none too good) to intercept the Grey Spider's messages and smuggle them to the North. Along the way, he falls in love with pert Southern belle Sallyann Weatherby (Arlene Dahl). Many of the side-splitting gag routines were devised by Buster Keaton, notably the now-famous scene in which Aubrey gingerly walks across the battlefield between Northern and Southern lines carrying a two-sided flag -- the Northern Stars and Stripes on one side, the Southern Stars and Bars on the other -- a strategy that works until the wind suddenly changes! Though Edward Sedgwick is credited with the direction, Red Skelton later revealed that A Southern Yankee was actually directed by S. Sylvan Simon. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Red Skelton, Brian Donlevy, (more)
Harry Brown's honest, unsentimental WW2 novel A Walk in the Sun has been effectively adapted for the screen by Robert Rossen. Dana Andrews stars as Sgt. Tyne, a platoon squad leader in Italy who ends up assuming command of his platoon after a series of deaths. As they prepare to attack an isolated Nazi-held farmhouse, each of the infantymen reveals his true character as he dwells upon his background and contemplates the job at hand. The film's effectiveness lies in the non-cliched characterizations by a carefully chosen all-male cast. Huntz Hall of "East Side Kids" fame is particularly good in a scene wherein he argues over whether the human body or the leaf is the most complicated natural structure. Director Lewis Milestone's use of a ballad to link the action predates High Noon by some seven years. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Dana Andrews, Richard Conte, (more)
- 1962
Jeweler DuBois (Emile Genest) short-changes Captain McCabe (John Ireland) by selling a 5,000-dollar black pearl for a huge profit, returning a pittance to McCabe and pocketing the rest. Then Hubert Wilkens (Ernest Truex), the man who bought the pearl, demands to buy its match. Now DuBois must deal again with McCabe, who isn't about to be cheated twice. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
Based on the Pulitzer Prize-winning novel by Robert Penn Warren, All the King's Men is a roman à clef inspired by the career of Louisiana governor Huey Long. Broderick Crawford won an Academy Award for his portrayal of Willie Stark, a backwoods Southern lawyer who wins the hearts of his constituents by bucking the corrupt state government. Journalist Jack Burden (John Ireland) is impressed by Willie's seeming sincerity, and aids Stark on the road to political power. Once he's reached the governor's mansion, however, Willie proves himself to be as dishonest and despotic as the crooks whom he's replaced. He also cheats shamelessly on his wife with both his campaign manager (Mercedes McCambridge, another Oscar winner) and with Anne Stanton (Joanne Dru), the sister of idealistic doctor Adam Stanton (Sheppard Strudwick). Fiercely protective of his power, Willie organizes a fascistic police force and arranges for "accidents" to befall those who oppose him; even so, he retains the love of the voters by lowering the poverty level, improving the school system, and financing building projects. Even when Willie all but orchestrates the suicide of Anne's uncle, a highly respected judge (Raymond Greenleaf), those closest to him are unable to escape his power and the charismatic hold he has over people. Stockton, CA, stands in for the unnamed state capitol where most of the film's action occurs. In addition to its Oscars for Crawford and McCambridge, All the King's Men won the Best Picture prize. Warren's novel would later be adapted into a stage play, a TV special, and even an opera. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Broderick Crawford, John Derek, (more)
- 1949
Philip Yordan's stage hit Anna Lucasta posed two problems to Hollywood in 1949. For one thing, the story concerned a prostitute who is exploited by her greedy family. For another, the characters were black, thereby cutting the box-office potential in half in those racially divisive times. In adapting Anna Lucasta to the screen, Yordan and co-scripter Arthur Laurents "laundered" the property for popular consumption. Anna's sexual hijinks are only hinted at, and in fact an impressionable viewer might even get the idea that she's still a virgin when the film comes to an end. And the racial angle was tackled by transforming the characters into Polish-Americans, which enabled Paulette Goddard to assume the leading role. Otherwise, the film differs but little from the play: Thrown out of her house by her drunken father (Oscar Homolka), Anna is welcomed back into the fold only as bait to trap an unmarried, wealthy farmer. Anna squelches her family's avaricious plans by genuinely falling in love with the poor sucker who's been targeted as her husband. Broderick Crawford fares best as Anna's doltish brother-in-law, a characterization deftly combining boorish selfishness and lovable humor. Anna Lucasta was remade with most of its Broadway bite intact in 1958 -- this time with an all-black cast. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Paulette Goddard, William Bishop, (more)
- 1967
Producer A.C. Lyles managed to do quite well for himself in the 1960s by making low-budget westerns crammed full of familiar faces whose stock in the film industry had slipped a bit. Starring in Arizona Bushwackers were such celebrities of yesteryear as Howard Keel, Yvonne De Carlo, John Ireland, Marilyn Maxwell, Scott Brady, Brian Donlevy, Barton MacLane and James Craig. Keel is cast as a Confederate POW who is pardoned when he agrees to patrol the West on behalf of the Union. Assigned to a wide-open Arizona town, he stands up to such disreputable types as a crooked sheriff (MacLane) and saloon-owner Ireland. When legal means fail, the ex-POW resorts to six-guns and fists to keep the peace. Yvonne De Carlo's part was to have been played by Betty Hutton, but the latter actress could not adapt to A.C. Lyles' "get it right on the first take" approach. Arizona Bushwackers may be cheaply made, but it is consummately acted by its strong ensemble cast and sturdily directed by Leslie Selander. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Howard Keel, Yvonne De Carlo, (more)
- 1946
In this police drama, a busy precinct is thrown into chaos when the murdered corpse of a local detective is found in an abandoned car. Now the press is demanding to learn details. Meanwhile, an ambitious officer finds himself sorely tempted to use dishonest means to advance his political career. Things get even more muddled up when he falls in love with a female murder suspect. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Carole Landis, William Gargan, (more)
- 1956
After a brief fling at Hollywood stardom, John Ireland set up camp in England and Europe. It was in England that Ireland was top-billed in Black Tide, aka Stormy Crossing. The bulk of the film's storyline is carried by villain Derek Bond. After murdering his lover, cross-channel swimmer Joy Webster, Bond attempts to do same to her other boyfriend, Sheldon Lawrence. Ireland plays an Interpol detective who stems Bond's homicidal hijinks. Black Tide was produced by Monty Berman in his pre-Saint days. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- John Ireland, Derek Bond, (more)
A Bolivian rebel-force leader attempts to survive in the mountains as he must escape from governmental military troops. ~ Kristie Hassen, All Movie Guide
- 1967
Joe Cartwright joins a posse led by Sheriff Rimbau (John Ireland) to capture two robbery/murder suspects. For Rimbau, it is personal: His own brother Jack (James B. Sikking) was killed by the outlaws. Before long, Joe realizes that Rimbau intends to be judge, jury and executioner, thoroughly prepared to cold-bloodedly murder two men who may well be innocent. John Ford regular Harry Carey Jr. appears as Mapes. Originally telecast on February 26, 1967, "Judgement at Red Creek" was written by Robert Sabaroff. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Lorne Greene, Michael Landon, (more)
Bonanza: The Movie originally went out as Bonanza: The Next Generation. That title accurately reflected the film's content: death and previous commitments prevented the cast of the original Bonanza TV series of 1959-1973, thus the talent roster of The Next Generation was brand-new. John Ireland took over from Lorne Greene (who signed for this movie, but died before production commenced) as the brother of Greene's character Ben Cartwright. Home from the sea, Aaron Cartwright (Ireland) stupidly turns the drilling rights to the Ponderosa over to those perennial 1980s movie villains, the "evil land developers". It's up to the sons of Adam, Little Joe and Hoss Cartwright to save the ranch (One wonders how the Cartwright boys could have had sons, given the mortality rate of their sweethearts on the old series). Michael Landon Jr., son of the original series' Little Joe, is here cast as Benj. This 1988 Bonanza TV movie sequel was supposed to have been spun off into a weekly syndicated series, but for various reasons this project never came to fruition, despite station clearance and sponsorship in virtually every major market. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1966
Lola Albright returns in the role of crusading frontier newspaperwoman Ann Williams. Once again, Jason McCord (Chuck Connors) comes to Ann's aid in her efforts to break an important news story. This makes Jason a very busy man: He has already hired on as surveyor for a railroad, thus also making him a target for extermination by train-hating freight line owner Tad Evers (John Ireland). ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1965
Film favorite Joan Leslie appears in this episode as Mrs. Cooper, a Quaker widow who hires Jason McCord (Chuck Connors) as a ranch hand. It soon develops that Jason will also have to act as Mrs. Cooper's bodyguard, thanks to vengeful one-armed rancher Renger (John Ireland). Embittered over the fact that he was crippled in a war in which Mrs. Cooper's pacifist husband refused to fight, Renger is determined to drive the widow off her land--and he's not above committing extreme acts of violence to achieve his goal. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1962
Presaging the upcoming Vietnam War without knowing it, this routine drama directed by Jack Warner, Jr. (his only directorial effort) is set in Vietnam where the recent battles with the French have concluded and two soldiers have remained in the country to set up their own plantation. Their lives are changed when two Americans are captured by communist forces. Unless the ex-soldiers do something about it, the Americans may just have to stay captured, or worse. ~ Eleanor Mannikka, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- John Ireland, Everett Sloane, (more)
- 1967
This drama centers on life in a small college. The hero is a folk singer from the backwoods. Because he saved the dean's daughter from a car accident, he received a scholarship. The school rebel uses the folk singer to entice students into attending his rally on free speech. The folk singer rallies back and punches the radical in the nose. He then allows the dean to tell the student body the reasons why they don't need more radical ideas concerning freedom. Songs include "C'mon, Let's Live a Little," "Instnat Girl," "Baker Man," "What Fool This Mortal Be," "Tonights the Night," "For Granted," "Back-Talk," "Over and Over," "Let's Go Go," and "Way Back Home." ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Bobby Vee, Jackie De Shannon, (more)
- 1950
Oscar or no Oscar, Broderick Crawford was obliged to star in whatever property his home studio Columbia threw his way. In Cargo to Capetown, Crawford plays Johnny Phelan, first mate on a rundown oil tanker captained by his pal Steve Conway (John Ireland). Johnny is willing to look the other way whenever Steve's larcenous nature comes to surface. But when Steve starts moving in on Johnny's girl Kitty Mellar (Ellen Drew), it's more than he can stand. The two men become buddies again during a climactic shipboard fire. Not exactly a "B" picture, Cargo to Capetown isn't precisely an "A", either. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Broderick Crawford, John Ireland, (more)
- 1968
We pity the poor historian who has to catalog all the films of ubiquitous leading man John Ireland. Just when such a list seems to be complete, along comes an obscurity like Caxambu. Lensed on location in the Amazon, the film casts Ireland as a member of a diamond hijacking gang. Once they've escaped into the forest, the thieves must contend with headhunters. Audience exposure to Caxambu was largely confined to drive-ins and Late Late Shows. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1990
In this episode of the series, Cromwell proves that the owner of a California winery did not murder his brother who also owned the company and with whom he was always feuding. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- 1953
Jack Broder Productions sidestepped its usual distributor United Artists to release Combat Squad through Columbia. Set in Korea, the film focuses on the strained relationship between WW II veteran Sgt. Fletcher (John Ireland) and inexperienced, terrified Private Martin (Lon McAllister). Only after several confrontations with the enemy is Martin able to overcome his fear of combat. Actual footage of the Korean "police action" is integrated into the action. TV personality Hal March provides the obligatory (and intrusive) comedy relief, while Jill Dansworth, Linda Danson, Neva Gilbert and Eileen Howe do cheesecake duty as a quartet of USO entertainers. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- John Ireland, Lon McCallister, (more)
- 1979
Adapted from a true story, a pole-vaulter (Aaron Kornylo) attempts to overcome the lack of a leg during the Olympic trials. ~ John Bush, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Brent Carver, Kim Cattrall, (more)
- 1968
Set near the end of World War II in the Netherlands, Dirty Heroes concerns a group of ex-convicts recruited into the U.S. Army to recover Dutch jewels originally stolen by the Nazis as well as confiscated Allied plans. Ennio Morricone contributed the score music. ~ John Bush, All Movie Guide
- 1965
The wife of a commercial artist risks her life to discover the truth about her husband after he is accused of killing a woman. She believes that he could have committed the crime and sets out to prove it after the police are unable to locate a corpus delicti. First she visits her husband's father, a shrink. Just after leaving, she runs into the "corpse" who is very much alive and out to kill her. Fortunately, the wife survives. Unfortunately, her father-in-law isn't so lucky, but before he dies, he recognizes the she-killer as someone he knows all to well. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
