Otto Lang Movies

This 25-million dollar epic collaboration accurately recreates the events that led to the Japanese attack on the American naval base during World War II. With Germany's invasion of Poland on September 1, 1939, the wheels are set in motion by Japan to plan the attack. After internal differences in the government, the Japanese quickly mobilize plans for the assault. Key American personnel ignored warnings of the possibility of Japanese aggression. The first part of the film divides scenes from both countries. Part two contains spectacular battle scenes of the bombing that destroyed the American naval base of operations in Hawaii. Governmental errors on both sides add to the confusion, but the Japanese ultimately carry out the deadly mission. The film did well in Japan, did not do well in the he United States, and took years to make back the production costs. It remains an insightful and well crafted World War II action drama that was the result of years of negotiations between the two countries. ~ Dan Pavlides, Rovi

Cinerama, a three-camera widescreen process designed essentially to pry filmgoers away from their TV screens in the early 1950s, was rooted in the "Triptych" process invented by director Abel Gance for his 1927 epic Napoleon. Most American theatre managers of the 1920s couldn't be bothered with the bulky equipment and huge, curved screen necessary for Gance's Triptychs, but by 1953 they were willing to try anything that would improve business. The first Cinerama effort, appropriately titled This is Cinerama, thrilled audiences with its peripheral-vision shots of roller coasters and auto races. The second feature film, Cinerama Holiday was essentially a travelogue. Number three in the Cinerama series, Search for Paradise (1957), was distinguished by its breathtaking aerial and underwater shots. Lowell Thomas narrated the film, while Dmitri Tiomkin supplied most of the stereophonic-sound musical score. In the early 1960s, Cinerama ventured into "story" films with How the West Was Won and The Wonderful World of the Brothers Grimm. These were successful financially, but only when the Cinerama people abandoned the three-camera technique (and those irritating "creases" separating the three screens) in favor of a single wide-gauge camera would the process be aesthetically satisfying (vide It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World and 2001: A Space Odyssey). ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

Filmed on location, White Witch Doctor is set in the Belgian Congo, circa 1907. Professional hunter Lonni Douglas (Robert Mitchum) is hired by nurse Ellen Burton (Susan Hayward) to escort her into the African interior, in hopes of finding her former mentor. Eventually they discover that the man Burton seeks has died, but Burton decides to stay around for awhile and tend to the wounds of the local witch doctor's injured son -- and, incidentally, to convince the tribesmen that "white man's medicine" is a good thing. Unfortunately, Douglas' avaricious partner Huysman (Walter Slezak) endangers the lives of himself, Douglas and Burton by going on a forbidden hunt for gold. Based on a novel by Louise A. Steindorf, White Witch Doctor is distinguished by Bernard Herrmann's evocative musical score, wherein genuine African musical instruments are utilized. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

In this documentary-inspired thriller, P.J. McNeal (James Stewart) is a reporter who is asked by his editor to look into a potential story: their newspaper has been carrying an ad offering a substantial reward for information regarding the murder of a policeman that occurred eleven years ago. It turns out the ad was placed by a cleaning woman named Tillie Wiecek (Kasia Orzazewski); her son Frank (Richard Conte) was convicted of the crime, but she is thoroughly convinced her son had nothing to do with the killing. McNeal doesn't believe for a moment that Frank could be innocent, but he sees a good human interest story in Tillie and writes a piece that receives a great deal of favorable attention. Brian Kelly (Lee J. Cobb), McNeal's editor, thinks there might be more to this story and asks P.J. to look into the original murder case. To McNeal's surprise, Frank passes a lie detector test in which he proclaims his innocence, and the more he digs into records on the case, the more he finds wrong with the original investigation; some evidence is missing, much is inconclusive, and the reporter begins to wonder if Frank might have been railroaded after all, or if the police might be trying to keep something quiet. Call Northside 777 was based on a true story. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi

Glenn Hunter, who, with his shy, bashful persona would take off where Charles Ray left off, was the perfect starring choice for this thriller. Jim Bradley (Hunter) has always played second fiddle in his family -- while his older brother, Herbert (Townsend Martin), goes off to college, Jim becomes a garage mechanic. When Herbert returns home, it's easy for him to steal Jim's girl, Polly Crawford (Mary Astor). But trouble comes to the Bradley's town when Cragg (William Nally) murders his daughter (Helenks Adamowska) and breaks into the family's home. Herbert goes for help, leaving Jim with an empty gun to protect their mother (Mary Foy) and Polly. Jim faints before Herbert returns and is considered a coward. Cragg is taken off to jail, but he escapes and returns to his home to get money. Polly has taken refuge from a storm in the house, and Cragg takes her hostage. Herbert happens on the house, not realizing what is going on inside, and flees when Cragg attacks him. Jim shows up and battles the murderer. Cragg is killed, and Jim proves that he is the braver brother after all. ~ Janiss Garza, Rovi