Arthur E. Orloff Movies

Middle-aged sculptor John Kenyon (John Larkin) falls hopelessly in love with his young model Theba (Marianna Hill), demonstrating his ardor by making a "goddess" statue of her. Unfortunately, Theba's Medusa-like mother Cleo (Faith Domergue) would rather than she marry someone her own age--and more specifically, someone with more money. Inevitably, Cleo is murdered, and Kenyon is spotted apparently disposing of the body. Among those scrutinized by Perry Mason (Raymond Burr) in his efforts to save Kenyon from the gas chamber is one George Spangler, played by future Oscar winner George Kennedy. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

In the final episode of Walt Disney's ten-part miniseries Elfego Baca, frontier lawyer Baca (Robert Loggia) embarks upon a mission to bring fugitive gunslinger Gus Tomlin to justice. Upon hearing that Tomlin is dead, Baca is all for giving up the search -- until a citizen of the small town of Granite claims that Tomlin and his family are living on a farm under an assumed name. The father of a man allegedly killed by Tomlin begins forming a lynch mob, but Baca offers to personally bring Tomlin back for a fair trial -- if he lives long enough to do so. "Gus Tomlin Is Dead" was originally telecast as part of the Walt Disney Presents anthology. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

Rex Allen, the last of Republic's singing cowboys, stars in Red River Shore. This time, it's up to Allen to prevent a major oil scam. The potential suckers have been enticed into the deal on the reputation of a recently deceased local hero. The problem here is to rout the crooks without dragging the dead man's name through the mud. Fortunately, providence, and the screenwriters, take a hand in things. Though Rex Allen usually gets the girl -- in this case, Lyn Thomas -- the romantic angle this time is handled by young swain Bill Phipps. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

Dan Duryea essays a rare sympathetic role in the Columbia programmer Sky Commandos. At first glance, however, Duryea seems to be the villain. Cast as a martinet air force officer, he drives his men mercilessly, earning the enmity of practically everyone under his command. But through a series of flashbacks, the audience learns that the officer is actually a sensitive, honorable man, who goes through hell whenever one of his "boys" is killed. In one of her last major film roles, Frances Gifford plays a savvy female war correspondent -- while in one of his first roles, Touch Connors (later known as Mike Connors) portrays Duryea's hotheaded co-pilot. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

Tim Holt's first western release for 1952 was Trail Guide. Tim (Holt) and his perennial saddle pal Chito Rafferty (Richard Martin) are hired to shepherd a wagon train to Arizona. Our Heroes end up protecting the travellers from a vicious ban of land-usurpers. Halfway through the proceedings, Tim and Chito are framed for murder and slated for a "necktie party," but things turn out in their favor. Trail Guide introduced a new leading lady to the RKO fold, Linda Douglas. Though the Tim Holt series had once been a cash cow for RKO, Trail Guide ended up $50,000 in the red, indication enough that the era of the "B"-western was drawing to a close. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

Though he doesn't wield a sword nor wear a plumed hat, singing cowboy Rex Allen qualifies as The Last Musketeer in this Republic western. Allen is called upon to stem the underhanded activities of land baron Russ Tasker (James Anderson). It is Tasker's intention to buy up all the local farmland dirt cheap, so that he can reap all the revenue engendered by an upcoming dam project. The villain is none too particular about his methods, going so far as to cut off all water supplies so that the ranchers' cattle will die off. But Allen finds a method to thwart Tasker's scheme--and without resorting to firearms or fisticuffs. Rex Allen's singing talents are spotlighted during two musical sequences, in which he is backed up by comic sidekick Slim Pickens and The Republic Rhythm Riders. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

Republic singing cowboy Rex Allen is once again teamed with bucolic Buddy Ebsen in Thunder in God's Country. This contemporary western casts Ebsen and Harry Lauter as WW II pals who meet for a reunion in a corruption-ridden community. When a murder occurs, the former servicemen immediately fall under suspicion. Coming to the rescue is Allen, a professional artist on assignment in the West. Our Hero soon learns that the key to the mystery is a taped recording of the genuine killer. Well, one can't say that Thunder in God's Country didn't at least try to be different. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

Code of the Silver Rage is more of the same from Republic western star Allan "Rocky" Lane. This time, Rocky plays U.S. cavalry intelligence officer Lt. Rocky Lane, assigned to protect the President of the United States from harm when the Chief Executive visits the treacherous Arizona Territory. Going undercover, our hero infiltrates a criminal gang headed by Hulon Champion (Roy Barcroft), who hopes to assassinate the President and set up his own totalitarian regime in the West. The plot may have been a bit too much for Allan Lane's kiddie fans to digest. Fortunately, there was plenty of gunplay and fisticuffs to keep the youngsters happy. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

As indicated by the title, Beauty on Parade is largely an excuse to display beautiful, well-proportioned young women in the latest swimming attire. That's okay for the men in the audience, but the ladies needed a plot to hold their attention, so here goes. Future All My Children-star Ruth Warrick plays aging beauty queen Marian Medford, who attempts to vicariously regain her past glories through her pretty daughter Kay (Lola Albright). Marian's relentless promotion of her daughter on the beauty-contest circuit has an injurious effect on Kay's romantic life, not to mention her own marriage to Jeffrey Woodstock (John Ridgely). "B"-picture "regular" Robert Hutton co-stars as a journalist who follows the beauty contestants from pageant to pageant. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

The country in this low-budget Eddie Dean Western from PRC isn't so much wild as it is familiar. Dean is assigned to bring in escaped convict Rif Caxton (I. Stanford Jolley), whose trademark is a polka dot hatband. The bandit is holed up in Silver Springs, where he frames Sheriff Bill Devery (Steve Clark) in a stage robbery and murder -- basically to teach the aged lawman a lesson -- and then shoots him down in cold blood. Eddie, meanwhile, passes off sidekick Soapy Jones (Roscoe Ates) as Caxton -- with the expected results. The real Caxton aligns himself with a nasty gambling establishment owner (Douglas Fowley) and his lackey, the new sheriff (Lee Robert). None of these gentlemen, however, is any match for Eddie, who can count to six and knows when the opposition's gun is empty. In between making Silver Springs a safer place for heroine Martha Devery (Peggy Wynne), Dean performs his own and Hal Blair's "Wild Country" as well as Peter Gates' "Saddle With a Golden Horn" and "Ain't No Gal Got a Brand on Me," the latter with the Sunshine Boys. ~ Hans J. Wollstein, Rovi