Andrew Marton Movies

Filled with enough cameos to keep film buffs entertained, this otherwise routine action-comedy by John Landis boasts Michelle Pfeiffer as one of its major attractions. She plays Diana, a woman prone to having affairs with some very dangerous men, and Jeff Goldblum is Ed Okin, an aerospace engineer whose lot is thrown in with Diana's when the woman is caught in a bind at the airport. The beautiful Diana is an airhead on the scale of the Hindenberg, her only concerns are clothes and men -- which she either most attractively wears or wears out, depending. While Ed is at the airport one day trying to sort out his life, Diana arrives with six smuggled emeralds in tow and is immediately welcomed by several hired assassins. Fear and expediency propel her into Ed's car, and the two are off on a series of narrow escapes that has them pursued by everyone from Iranians to baddies played by well-known international directors (Roger Vadim) or singers (David Bowie) or comedians (Dan Aykroyd). ~ Eleanor Mannikka, All Movie Guide

Director Mike Nichols and writer-actor Buck Henry followed their enormous hit The Graduate (1967) with this timely adaptation of Joseph Heller's satiric antiwar novel. Haunted by the death of a young gunner, all-too-sane Capt. Yossarian (Alan Arkin) wants out of the rest of his WW II bombing missions, but publicity-obsessed commander Colonel Cathcart (Martin Balsam) and his yes man, Colonel Korn (Henry), keep raising the number of missions that Yossarian and his comrades are required to fly. After Doc Daneeka (Jack Gilford) tells Yossarian that he cannot declare him insane if Yossarian knows that it's insane to keep flying, Yossarian tries to play crazy by, among other things, showing up nude in front of despotic General Dreedle (Orson Welles). As all of Yossarian's initially even-keeled friends, such as Nately (Art Garfunkel) and Dobbs (Martin Sheen), genuinely lose their heads, and the troop's supplies are bartered away for profit by the ultra-entrepreneurial Milo Minderbinder (Jon Voight), Yossarian realizes that the whole system has lost it, and he can either play along or jump ship. Though not about Vietnam, Catch-22's ludicrous military machinations directly evoked its contemporary context in the Vietnam era. Cathcart and Dreedle care more about the appearance of power than about victory, and Milo cares for money above all, as the complex narrative structure of Yossarian's flashbacks renders the escalating events appropriately surreal. Confident that the combination of a hot director and a popular, culturally relevant novel would spell blockbuster, Paramount spent a great deal of money on Catch-22, but it wound up getting trumped by another 1970 antiwar farce: Robert Altman's MASH. With audiences opting for Altman's casual Korean War iconoclasm over Nichols' more polished symbolism, the highly anticipated Catch-22 flopped, although the New York Film Critics Circle did acknowledge Arkin and Nichols. Despite this reception, Catch-22's ensemble cast and pungent sensibility effectively underline the insanity of war, Vietnam and otherwise. ~ Lucia Bozzola, All Movie Guide

In this Ivan Tors action adventure (that later served as the basis for the television series Cowboy in Africa, John Mills appears as Wing Commander Howard Hayes, now having hung up his wings for ranching in Kenya. Hayes hatches a solution to alleviate the hunger of Masai villagers with a plan to domesticate wild African game. To do this, he imports from across the sea two authentic ridin' and ropin' American cowboys -- Jim Sinclair (Hugh O'Brien) and his faithful sidekick, John Henry (Tom Nardini). While the two sod busters corral wildlife for Hayes, Sinclair falls hard for an attractive nurse, Fay Carter (Adrienne Corri) and befriends a young native boy (Charles Malinda). But this African idyll is soon torn asunder when rancher Karl Bekker (Nigel Green) -- fearing that Hayes' wild animal domestication will breed disease and the contagion will infect his own prize cattle -- using any means necessary, sets out to sabotage Hayes's plans to feed the hungry. All riled up, Jim Sinclair swings into action to help Hayes. ~ Paul Brenner, All Movie Guide

Dr. Marsh Tracy (Marshall Thompson) is an animal behavioral research director who travels to East Africa with his daughter Paula (Cheryl Miller) in this engaging wildlife saga. While Tracy develops a relationship with anthropologist Julie Harper (Betsy Drake), Paula befriends the visually challenged lion named Clarence. Because his eyes are crossed, Clarence has never been able to rely on hunting for survival, so the family adopts the lovable lion. Richard Haydn plays the schoolmaster with comic flair as he runs scared from the harmless king of the jungle. The evil Gregory (Maurice Marsac) is the leader of a group of mercenaries who plan to capture Julie's beloved gorillas and sell them for profit. Clarence later traps Gregory in a slapstick scene to save the animals from danger. The film served as a pilot for the television series Daktari. ~ Dan Pavlides, All Movie Guide

Ivan Tors Productions, the firm responsible for such aquatic TV delights as Sea Hunt and Flipper, was the prime mover behind MGM's Around the World Under the Sea. The official stars include Lloyd Bridges, Shirley Eaton, Brian Kelly, David McCallum, Keenan Wynn, Marshall Thompson, and Gary Merrill. The real stars are underwater photographer Lamar Bowen, diving-sequence director Ricou Browning, and the folks in Tors' special effects department. The plot concerns a series of underwater volcanic eruptions. Sub commander Bridges (who else?) heads into the depths to find out the cause of the disturbances. Before the THE END sign presents itself, Bridges and his crew are nearly devoured by a sea monster and sucked into a vortex. Though the film's technology-both on-screen and behind the camera--is dated, Around the World Under the Sea is still credible, not to mention thoroughly enjoyable. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

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

The Longest Day is a mammoth, all-star re-creation of the D-Day invasion, personally orchestrated by Darryl F. Zanuck. Whenever possible, the original locations were utilized, and an all-star international cast impersonates the people involved, from high-ranking officials to ordinary GIs. Each actor speaks in his or her native language with subtitles translating for the benefit of the audience (alternate "takes" were made of each scene with the foreign actors speaking English, but these were seen only during the first network telecast of the film in 1972). The stars are listed alphabetically, with the exception of John Wayne, who as Lt. Colonel Vandervoort gets separate billing. Others in the huge cast include Eddie Albert, Jean-Louis Barrault, Richard Burton, Red Buttons, Sean Connery, Henry Fonda, Gert Frobe, Curt Jurgens, Peter Lawford, Robert Mitchum, Kenneth More, Edmond O'Brien, Robert Ryan, Jean Servais, Rod Steiger and Robert Wagner. Paul Anka, who wrote the film's title song, shows up as an Army private. Scenes include the Allies parachuting into Ste. Mere Englise, where the paratroopers were mowed down by German bullets; a real-life sequence wherein the German and Allied troops unwittingly march side by side in the dark of night; and a spectacular three-minute overhead shot of the troops fighting and dying in the streets of Quistreham. The last major black-and-white road-show attraction, The Longest Day made millions, enough to recoup some of the cost of 20th Century Fox's concurrently produced Cleopatra. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

This 1959 version of Lew Wallace's best-selling novel, which had already seen screen versions in 1907 and 1926, went on to win 11 Academy Awards. Adapted by Karl Tunberg and a raft of uncredited writers including Gore Vidal and Maxwell Anderson, the film once more recounts the tale of Jewish prince Judah Ben-Hur (Charlton Heston), who lives in Judea with his family during the time that Jesus Christ was becoming known for his "radical" teachings. Ben-Hur's childhood friend Messala (Stephen Boyd) is now an ambitious Roman tribune; when Ben-Hur refuses to help Messala round up local dissidents on behalf of the emperor, Messala pounces on the first opportunity to exact revenge on his onetime friend. Tried on a trumped-up charge of attempting to kill the provincial governor (whose head was accidentally hit by a falling tile), Ben-Hur is condemned to the Roman galleys, while his mother (Martha Scott) and sister (Cathy O'Donnell) are imprisoned. But during a sea battle, Ben-Hur saves the life of commander Quintus Arrius (Jack Hawkins), who, in gratitude, adopts Ben-Hur as his son and gives him full control over his stable of racing horses. Ben-Hur never gives up trying to find his family or exact revenge on Messala. At crucial junctures in his life, he also crosses the path of Jesus, and each time he benefits from it. The highlight of the film's 212 minutes is its now-legendary chariot race, staged largely by stunt expert Yakima Canutt. Ben-Hur's Oscar haul included Best Picture, Best Director for the legendary William Wyler, Best Actor for Heston, and Best Supporting Actor for Welsh actor Hugh Griffith as an Arab sheik. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Mantz; Walter Thompson) X It would be pointless to telecast the Cinerama travelogue 7 Wonders of the World on the tiny TV screen--at least, until widescreen digital television becomes the norm. This third feature-length Cinerama effort was produced by Lowell Thomas, who also narrates. The plotless film starts off with an overhead view of Manhattan, then hopscotches between 32 different countries. Among the sights soaked in by the triptych cameras are the Grand Canyon, Niagara Falls, the Sphinx, the Pyramids, St. Peter's Basilica, a Benares temple and the Rio de Janeiro Mardi Gras celebrations. Five directors collaborated on the film, including the late, great stunt coordinator Paul Mantz. Though undeniably impressive, 7 Wonders of the World seems primitive when compared to the mixed-media IMAX presentations of the 1990s. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Gypsy Colt was based on a story by Eric Knight, better known for his enduring dog saga Lassie Come Home. This time, a beautiful black colt subs for Lassie, undergoing all sorts of perilous adventures out of love for its mistress, little Meg McWade (Donna Corcoran). Living with her mother and father (Ward Bond, Frances Dee) in a drought-ridden farming community, Donna is dismayed to learn that her parents may be forced to sell her beloved colt to pay off their mounting debts. But the colt manages to escape its new owner, making a 500-mile journey back to Meg's waiting arms. Future spaghetti-western star Lee Van Cleef has a meaty supporting role as a dour groom. A 60-minute version of Gypsy Colt was made available in 1967 as part of the weekly TV anthology Off to See the Wizard. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Set in the coffee fields of Colombia, Green Fires stars Stewart Granger and Grace Kelly. Granger plays emerald prospector Rian X. Mitchell, who intends to explore an old deserted mine despite the protests of his partner Vic Leonard Paul Douglas and the threat of death at the hands of local bandit El Moro Murvyn Vye. Ms. Kelly costars as Catherine Knowland, whose coffee plantation lies at the foot of the mine where Mitchell labors away. Such natural disasters as rain and flood, coupled with such man-made weapons of destruction as guns and dynamite, continually thwart Mitchell's search for riches. As the film winds down, he is forced to choose between the emeralds and Catherine. Largely filmed on location, Green Fire is good, old-fashioned Saturday matinee stuff, dressed up and prettified by MGM. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Filmed on location in Canada, The Wild North stars Stewart Granger as renegade trapper Jules Vincent. Forced to kill in self-defence, Vincent hides out in the wilderness, obliging RCMP constable Pedley (Wendell Corey) to chase after him in some of the most treacherous territory in Northern America. After braving the elements and various wild animals, Vincent and the wounded Pedley are compelled to join forces in order to survive their ordeal. Though his common sense advises him to leave Pedley to die, Vincent's essential decency wins out, and the trapper struggles against the odds to bring the constable back to civilization. Third-billed Cyd Charisse does a little box-office duty in the thankless role of an Indian maiden smitten by Vincent's charms. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

MGM's expensive remake of the 1937 British adventure film King Solomon's Mines stars Stewart Granger as fearless-explorer Alan Quartermaine, and Deborah Kerr as the spunky Irish lass who hires him on to locate her husband. Kerr's spouse has disappeared somewhere in Africa while attempting to unearth the long-lost diamond mines of King Solomon. Quartermaine wants no part of so risky an undertaking until Kerr waves 5000 pounds of sterling under his nose. Coming upon a Watusi tribe, the explorers discover that their taciturn native bearer (Siriaque) is actually a deposed Watusi king, who intends to wrest the throne back from his usurpers. Quartermaine uses his wits to quell the natives and keep his party from being killed on the spot. The group finally reaches King Solomon's Mines, where rests the bones of Kerr's late husband. The ending of this version of King Solomon's Mines doesn't pack the same ironic punch as the climax of the 1937 version, but this MGMization is more concerned with the blossoming romance between the leading man and leading lady than with full fidelity to the H. Rider Haggard novel on which it is based. King Solomon's Mines was filmed on location in Africa, which proved an excellent decision in the long run: for several years afterward, MGM adventure films like Watusi (1959) and Trader Horn (1973) were able to economically lift huge chunks of Technicolor stock footage from King Solomon's Mines. The property would be remade once more in 1985, this time as an Indiana Jones rip-off starring Richard Chamberlain and Sharon Stone. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide