Sidney Picker Movies

Juvenile Jungle looks suspiciously like a standard kidnap drama, rewritten to conform with the "juvernile delinquent" cycle of the late 1950s. Gang leader Hal McQueen (Corey Allen) goes out of his way to ingratiate himself with Caroline Elliot (Anne Whitfield), the daughter of a wealthy shopkeeper. It's all part of McQueen's master plan to fake Caroline's abduction and extort a great deal of money from her daddy. Trouble begins brewing when Hal falls in love with Caroline, while his hoodlum buddies intend to go through with the snatch for real. Director William Witney struggles manfully to inject some excitement into the plodding plotline. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

Action specialist William Witney was the director of the leisurely, sensitive western Stranger at My Door. MacDonald Carey plays a frontier minister, who much against the wishes of his wife and child invites a fugitive outlaw (Skip Homeier) into his home. At first the outlaw takes advantage of Carey's largesse, but gradually feels the effect of the minister's kindness and altruism. This film has frequently been excerpted into TV documentaries on the basis of one single sequence: a beautifully staged confrontation with a wild, rampaging horse. The split-second editing and the undetectable combination of fact and artifice results in a superb setpiece which arguably represents William Witney's finest work. Stranger at My Door was scripted by Barry Shipman, the son of pioneering female producer/director Nell Shipman. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

In this western, a man is falsely accused of betraying a wagon train to the Apaches and is punished by his employers, but not fired. His boss gives him a second chance and the man is assigned to make sure that an arms shipment makes it safely through the Indian land. The woman who owns the valuable cargo finds herself courted by both men. The woman, however, was born of an interracial couple; she despises this fact as she must deal with constant degradation from her un-enlightened peers. When the wagon master finds out about her family, he too must deal with his own prejudice. ~ Sandra Brennan, Rovi

Stan Freberg fans are advised to keep an eye open for the obscure Republic musical Geraldine. Freberg plays recording star Billy Weber, a devastating takeoff of "crying tenor" Johnnie Ray. Looking for a new song, Billy chances to hear an old folk tune, rearranged by college music professor Grant Sanborn (John Carroll). Several incredible intrigues later, Billy's star has eclipsed and it is Sanborn who's the new singing heartthrob. Mala Powers, Jose Ferrer's vis-a-vis in Cyrano de Bergerac, is rather overshadowed by the male stars in her nondescript role. The songwriting credits on Geraldine are most impressive, including Freberg, Victor Young, Irwin Koster, and even western comic sidekick Fuzzy Knight. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

Estelita Rodriguez, Republic Pictures' own Latin Bombshell, is back in Tropical Heat Wave. Once again, Rodriguez, playing herself, is a new arrival from Cuba who sets the U.S. on its ear with her unbounded enthusiasm. Taking a singing job at her uncle's Manhattan nightclub, Rodriguez is threatened with abduction or worse by mobster Norman James (Grant Withers) unless he is allowed to gain control of the nitery. Professorial criminologist Stratford Carver (Robert Hutton) comes to the heroine's rescue by posing as a hard-bitten hoodlum (though in fact he seems a lot less frightening than Rodriguez!) Like the concurrently produced Judy Canova musicals, Tropical Heat Wave consists of several rambunctious musical numbers, a kidding-on-the-square romance, and a slapstick finale. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

In his second and last Western for Republic Pictures, former bandleader Vaughn Monroe plays a marshal returning to Tombstone with a wanted gun-runner (Victor Jory) when he stumbles upon a woman (Joan Leslie) and a couple of children, apparently the only survivors of an Indian raid on a wagon train. The woman's cowardly husband, a telegrapher (Harry Morgan), had managed to escape and is now helping the gun-runner's siblings (Ian MacDonald and Lee MacGregor) to both free their brother and attack a valuable shipment of silver. When Monroe comes gunning for the bandits, he learns that the supposedly dead husband of the woman he has grown to love is still alive. There is a final shootout and the marshal comes face-to-face with his rival, now a murderer. Learning that her husband is to be tried in Prescott, Leslie loyally leaves to be with him despite the fact that she has fallen in love with Monroe. But, as Monroe's young daughter (Diana Christian) predicts, "she'll be back." In between the action, Monroe finds time to perform "Hound Dog," "Bay at the Moon," "A Man's Best Friend is His Horse," and the ballad "The Man Don't Live Who Can't Die Alone." ~ Hans J. Wollstein, Rovi

Cuban Fireball is a vehicle for the combustible talents of Estelita Rodriguez, here cast as "herself." The plot finds Estelita arriving in Los Angeles to claim a multimillion-dollar inheritance. To fend off fortune hunters, she disguises herself as a meek little old lady. The rest of the story sustains this level of credibility. Warren Douglas co-stars as Estelita's true love, while Leon Belasco is the most prominent of the film's many antagonists. The film's 78-minute running time affords ample opportunity for Estelita Rodriguez to render four songs. Dyed-in-the-wool fans of Republic Pictures will easily recognize Cuban Fireball as a South-of-the-Border retooling of the studio's popular Judy Canova musical comedies. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

Estelita Rodriguez, Republic's south-of-the-border answer to their own Judy Canova, stars in Havana Rose. Rodriguez plays Estelita DeMarco, the daughter of foreign Ambassador DeMarco (Fortunio Bonanova), who is looking for a way to raise $5,000,000 for his poverty-stricken South American country. Just when Ambassador DeMarco is on the verge of securing a loan from eccentric millionaire Filbert Fillmore (Hugh Herbert) and his haughty wife (Florence Bates), Estelita messes up the deal. With the help of Texas rancher Tex Thompson (Bill Williams), our heroine manages to mollify Fillmore and his wife and save the day. Havana Rose is highlighted by three Latin American musical numbers, all of which are a lot livelier than the rest of the film. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

Republic's Harbor of Missing Men stars Richard Denning as a two-fisted smuggler named Brooklyn. Double-crossed by his partners, Brooklyn is forced to go on the lam lest he be shot full of holes by his smooth-talking boss Danzinger (George Zucco). Hiding out in the home of a Greek fishing captain, Brooklyn vows to reform when he falls in love with Angelike (Aline Towne) the captain's daughter. The film concludes with a burst of violence, retribution and redemption. Harbor of Missing Men features cult-favorite character actor Percy Helton in a meatier role than usual as a waterfront habitue named Rummy Davis. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

No relation to the 1970s TV series of the same name, Republic's Streets of San Francisco stars Hollywood veterans Robert Armstrong and Mae Clarke. Armstrong plays Willard Logan, a tough Frisco detective who is forced to killer a gangster leader. Logan takes pity on the gangster's orphaned son Frankie (Gary Gray), despite the fact that the boy despises all cops with a passion. Gradually, Frankie responds to the kindnesses extended by Logan and his wife Hazel (Mae Clarke). Sentiment gives way to melodrama in the final reel, when Frankie is kidnapped by his father's mob and nearly strong-armed into a life of crime. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

Warren Douglas is Post Office Investigator Bill Mannerson in this diligent Republic programmer. Top billing, however, is awarded to Audrey Long as villainess Clara Kelso. The "maguffin" is a collection of rare stamps, which the baddies attempt to steal from stalwart Mr. Mannerson. Aiding and abetting the hero is his spirited fiancee April Shaughnessy (Jeff Donnell). The film's most interesting performances are rendered by Marcel Journet as a cosmopolitan criminal mastermind and former boxer Richard Benedict as Journet's deaf-mute henchman. Originally clocking in at 60 minutes, Post Office Investigator seems to be brisker and more entertaining in the 48-minute version prepared for television. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

Lightnin' in the Forest is a rare Republic Studios foray into the comedy field, kept alive by the rapport between its stars. Lynne Roberts plays an Eastern gal who heads to the North Woods, looking for thrills. Vacationing psychiatrist Warren Douglas likewise journeys to the tall timbers, in search of peace and quiet. Roberts and Douglas "meet cute," verbally spar for a few reels, and team up to undergo several exhilarating, life-threatening outdoor adventures. Adding additional spice to Lightnin' in the Forest are such dependable players as Don Barry, Adrian Booth, and the ageless Lucien Littlefield. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi