George Reeves Movies
In his youth, George Reeves aspired to become a boxer, but gave up this pursuit because his mother was worried that he'd be seriously injured. Attracted to acting, Reeves attended the Pasadena Playhouse, where he starred in several productions. In 1939, Reeves was selected to play one of the Tarleton twins in the Selznick superproduction Gone With the Wind (1939). He made an excellent impression in the role, and spent the next few years playing roles of varying sizes at Warner Bros., 20th Century Fox, and Paramount. He was praised by fans and reviewers alike for his performances in Lydia (1941) and So Proudly We Hail (1943); upon returning from WWII service, however, Reeves found it more difficult to get good roles. He starred in a few "B"'s and in the title role of the Columbia serial The Adventures of Sir Galahad (1949), but for the most part was shunted away in ordinary villain roles. In 1951, he starred in the Lippert programmer Superman vs. the Mole Men, playing both the Man of Steel and his bespectacled alter ego, Clark Kent. This led to the immensely popular Superman TV series, in which Reeves starred from 1953 through 1957. While Superman saved Reeves' career, it also permanently typecast him. He made an appearance as wagon train leader James Stephen in Disney's Westward Ho, the Wagons! (1956), though the producer felt it expeditious to hide Reeves behind a heavy beard. While it is now commonly believed that Reeves was unable to get work after the cancellation of Superman in 1957, he was in fact poised to embark on several lucrative projects, including directing assignments on two medium-budget adventure pictures and a worldwide personal appearance tour. On June 16, 1959, Reeves died of an apparently self-inflicted gunshot wound. The official ruling was suicide -- and, since he left no note, it was assumed that Reeves was despondent over his flagging career. Since that time, however, there has been a mounting suspicion (engendered by the actor's friends and family) that George Reeves was murdered. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide- 1940
'Til We Meet Again is an inflated remake of 1932's One Way Passage. As in the original, the hero is a convicted murderer en route to the death house by way of a merchant ship; the heroine is suffering from a terminal illness. Once more, hero and heroine fall in love, each keeping the facts of his or her imminent doom from the other. The principal difference this time is that instead of William Powell and Kay Francis, the stars are George Brent and Merle Oberon. This cast change does no damage to the basic storyline, but the decision in 'Til We Meet Again to expand upon the secondary romance between the arresting detective (Pat O'Brien) and an accomplice of the condemned man (Geraldine Fitzgerald) throws the focus of the film completely out of kilter. One decided benefit to both One Way Passage and 'Til We Meet Again is the comic presence of Frank McHugh, who plays the same role--a tipsy pickpocket--in both pictures. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Merle Oberon, George Brent, (more)
- 1940
Stalwart Warner Bros. contract player George Reeves, better known as TV's Superman, was given an early opportunity to "carry" a picture in the 1940 quickie Always a Bride. Wealthy Rosemary Lane, dissatisfied with her dishwater-dull fiance John Eldredge, throws him over in favor of Reeves. To make certain that her new beau will be acceptable to her parents, Lane contrives to have Reeves enter a mayoral campaign. As election day draws close, criminals complicate matters (one of the "disreputables" is Ben Welden, later a frequent Superman guest star) The 58-minute Always a Bride was pared down from a three-act play by Barry Conners. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Rosemary Lane, George Reeves, (more)
- 1940
The Andrews Sisters made their screen debut in Argentine Nights, but the stars of the show are the Ritz Brothers, in the first of their four Universal vehicles. The wafer-thin plotline finds the Ritz boys showing up flat broke in Argentina with an all-girl band. Despite their utter lack of funds, the zany trio tries to save a local hotel from the clutches of a con man. Highlights include the Ritz Brothers' famous "hero sandwich" routine (repeated by the two surviving brothers in 1975's Blazing Stewardesses) and a perversely hilarious climax in which the Ritzes are called upon to impersonate the Andrews Sisters (which may have given rise to Patty Andrews' oft-quoted observation "We looked like the Ritz Brothers in drag"). As a bonus for fans of the Superman TV series, nominal romantic lead George Reeves warbles the deathless tune "Amigo We Go Riding Tonight". ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- The Ritz Brothers [Al, Jimmy, Harry], The Andrews Sisters, (more)
- 1943
At 54 minutes, Bar 20 is the shortest of the 1943 quota of Hopalong Cassidy pictures. William Boyd, Andy Clyde and George Reeves return to their series roles as Hopalong Cassidy, California Carson and Lin Bradley. Also on hand for villainous purposes is Victor Jory, who'd menaced Hoppy and his pals in the previous Cassidy flick Colt Comrades. The story concerns a gang of outlaws who've pilfered a cache of jewels in a stagecoach holdup. Unfortunately, they've also stolen Hoppy's cattle money, and that makes him reeeeeal mad. Two echoes from the silent-movie days are present in Bar 20; former leading lady Betty Blythe, and Dustine Farnum, the daughter of the late matinee idol Dustin Farnum and niece of veteran western player William Farnum. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- William "Hopalong" Boyd, Andy Clyde, (more)
Based on the novel by Vincente Blasco Ibanez, Blood and Sand is the beautifully rendered story of the rise and fall of a young, cocksure Spanish bullfighter, played by Tyrone Power. Working his way slowly up the ladder to success, Power achieves fame when he is praised to skies by fatuous, fickle critic Laird Cregar. A country boy at heart, Power finds himself way over his head with sophisticates, and is soon torn between his pious and faithful wife Linda Darnell and sexy, mercenary Rita Hayworth. It is Darnell, however, who comforts Power after his final, fatal goring in the bull ring. The film's best scenes depict the curious combination of horror and fascination with which bullfighting aficionados treat this most barbaric of "sports." Blood and Sand was previously filmed in 1922 with Rudolph Valentino; a Valentino contemporary, Alla Nazimova, plays Power's mother in the remakes. Portions of this film turned up as stock footage in the 1945 Laurel and Hardy comedy The Bullfighters. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Tyrone Power, Linda Darnell, (more)
- 1941
The high batting average of 20th Century-Fox's Michael Shayne detective series remained intact with Blue, White and Perfect. Having prevented his sweetheart Merle Garland (Mary Beth Hughes) from marrying a bigamous fortune-hunter (Ivan Lebedeff), Mike Shayne (Lloyd Nolan) offers to marry the girl himself (at long last!) Merle agrees, but only if Mike gets out of the private-eye racket and takes an honest job. Shayne manages to land a job at an aircraft factory, only to discover that he's been hired to protect the company's valuable supply of industrial diamonds. When the gems are stolen during a highly suspicious break-in, Mike follows the trail of clues to a fancy dress shop managed by one Mr. Hagermann (Henry Victor). Sending his fiancee off on a wild goose chase, Mike trails Hagermann to a Honolulu-bound ocean liner, where he renews an acquaintance with former lady friend Helen Shaw (Helene Reynolds) and is introduced to overly effusive young playboy Juan Arturo O'Hara (George Reeves). Detective-movie logic dictates that at least one of these characters is inextricably linked with the elusive Hagermann-who is no mere diamond thief but a very clever German spy. All sorts of serial-like thrills await Shayne before he manages to uncover the "Mister Big" behind the stolen diamond racket (and it's a real surprise to boot!) Like most of Fox's Michael Shayne series entries, Blue White and Perfect was based not on a "Shayne" novel by Bret Halliday, but on a whodunit originally written for another fictional sleuth: In this instance, the source was a novel by Borden Chase. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Lloyd Nolan, Mary Beth Hughes, (more)
- 1943
Though released after Hoppy Serves a Writ, the 1943 Hopalong Cassidy entry Border Patrol was filmed first, to capitalize on America's new "Good Neighbor Policy" with Mexico. Hoppy (William Boyd) and his pals California (Andy Clyde) and Johnny (Jay Kirby), investigate a group of crooks who've been smuggling alien laborers across the border. The villains treat their Mexican help as virtual slaves, killing off anyone who complains. When Hoppy and company invade the illegal work camp, they're subject to a kangaroo court and sentenced to be hanged. But with the help of the Mexican prisoners, our heroes not only escape, but bring the bad guys to justice. Border Patrol features Robert Mitchum in an unbilled bit, but it's difficult to determine whether or not this was his first movie appearance. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- William "Hopalong" Boyd, Andy Clyde, (more)
- 1943
Originally slated for Paramount release, Buckskin Frontier was ultimately distributed by United Artists. Richard Dix stars as railroad troubleshooter Stephen Bent, assigned to supervise the building of 120 miles of track through the treacherous Santa Fe cutoff. He is opposed in this mission by land baron and freight service owner Jeptha Marr (Lee J. Cobb), who backs up his opposition with hired guns. Marr, in turn, is defied by his daughter Vinnie (Jane Wyatt), who is not only a visionary, but has also fallen in love with Bent. Amusingly, though Lee J. Cobb and Jane Wyatt play father and daughter in Buckskin Frontier, both actors were 31 years old at the time! The film was produced by Harry "Pop" Sherman, of "Hopalong Cassidy" fame. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Richard Dix, Jane Wyatt, (more)
- 1952
During the Civil War, Colonel Kern Shafter (played by Ray Milland) and Captain Edward Garnett (played by Hugh Marlowe) become embroiled in a conflict, the cause of which is somewhat cloudy. As a result, Shafter leaves the Eastern Cavlary and moves West, where he is able to re-enlist. Ten years later, Shafter is reassigned to an outpost in the Dakota Territory -- one that is commanded by his old nemesis Garnett. Garnett takes advantage of his authority to assign Shafter to the most dangerous missions, clearly hoping that he will not return from one of them. Things are not made any easier by the fact that both men fall in love with the same woman (played by Helena Carter). The situation comes to a climax during the Battle of Little Big Horn, when both men attempt to put an end to their personal war as hundreds of others are slaughtered around them. Victorious, Shafter manages to survive the massacre and return to claim the woman he loves. ~ Craig Butler, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Ray Milland, Helena Carter, (more)
- 1940
Poor Mr. Trippe, a spineless spouse, finds himself brow-beaten by his overbearing nag of a wife who constantly reminds him that she should have married her dashing, successful ex-boy friend Armstrong. Fortunately, Trippe's daughter Betty understands and tries to help him cope with his battle-axe wife. Betty has fallen in love with handsome Williams. One day, Trippe finally gets sweet revenge upon his constantly nattering wife when Armstrong shows up at their back door. Impoverished and fleeing from the law, he begs Trippe for shelter and help. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- George Tobias, Lucille Fairbanks, (more)
- 1940
Calling Philo Vance is a perfunctory remake of 1933's The Kennel Murder Case, which many aficionados consider the best of the "Vance" films. James Stephenson plays the titular gentleman sleuth, who must solve the murder of the inventor of a revolutionary new bombsight (the original film concerned a championship dog race). The principal suspect is the victim's brother, who is taken out of the running when he, too, is bumped off. The actual killer is in the employ of an unnamed foreign government-and, in the tradition of Kennel Murder Case, is also the least suspicious and most cooperative of the suspects. With Calling Philo Vance, mystery novelist S. S. Van Dine's dilettante detective bade farewell to the screen for seven years, returning in 1947 through the facilities of low-budget PRC Pictures. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- James Stephenson, Margot Stevenson, (more)
- 1943
The winning streak of superior Hopalong Cassidy westerns continued with 1943's Colt Comrades. In this one, Hoppy (William Boyd) and his saddle pals California (Andy Clyde) and Johnny (Jay Kirby) use a large amount of reward money to buy their own ranch. But despotic Jebb Hardin (Victor Jory), who controls the local water rights, makes life difficult for our three heroes and their ranching partner Lin Whitlock (George Reeves). When Hoppy proves a bit too tough and resiliant for Hardin, the villain begins plotting and planning the hero's hasty demise. The film's best moments include an elaborate confidence scam, with California as the sucker and Wildcat Willy (Earl Hodgins) as the suck-ee. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- William "Hopalong" Boyd, Andy Clyde, (more)
- 1941
Wily Honolulu detective Charlie Chan (Sidney Toler) is summoned when Miss Nodbury (Ethel Gryffies), an elderly eccentric, is murdered just before taking part in a seafaring treasure hunt. Chan deduces that the old lady died of fright, brought on by the apparent visitation of the ghost of her ancestor, a notorious pirate. Suspecting that the ghost was actually one of Miss Nodbury's enemies in disguise, Chan tags along on the treasure hunt to pinpoint the real killer. Meanwhile, Number Two Son Jimmy Chan (Victor Sen Yung) seeks out suspects on the waterfront, only to be constantly dunked in the briny by a wild-eyed but essentially harmless lunatic (Milton Parsons). A lesser Charlie Chan entry, Dead Men Tell is redeemed by its atmospheric harbor scenes, a specialty of director Harry Lachman. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Sidney Toler, Sheila Ryan, (more)
- 1939
Unlike many another pre-WW II spy melodramas, Espionage Agent clearly identifies the villains as Germans. Joel McCrea plays Barry Corvall, the son of a recently deceased US diplomat. Boarding a Berlin-bound train, Corvall attempts to swipe a briefcase stuffed with documents which will prove that the Nazis have been infiltrating vital industrial centers in the United States. He is helped along by Brenda Ballard (Brenda Marshall), whose behavior suggests at times that she might not be all that trustworthy. According to the Warner Bros. publicity machine, Warren Duff's screenplay was based on actual events. Coming on the heels of the studio's Confessions of a Nazi Spy, Espionage Agent was indication enough that Warners had declared war on Germany long before President Roosevelt made it official. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Joel McCrea, Brenda Marshall, (more)
- 1940
Father is a Prince is a scaled-down remake of the 1934 comedy-drama Big Hearted Herbert, itself based on a play by Sophie Kerr Underwood. Grant Mitchell plays tyrannical paterfamilias Mr. Bower, who runs his home like he runs his carpet-sweeper factory: pinching pennies, turning off lights, and interfering in every aspect of his loved ones' private lives. What with trying to manage things at home and attempting to hoodwink the IRS at the factory, Bower is on the verge of a nervous breakdown. The limit comes when he humiliates his daughter Connie (Jan Clayton) at the home of his prospective in-laws with his obnoxious behavior. But Bowers' essential decency and humanity finally surfaces when his wife (Dora Bryant) is forced to undergo emergency surgery. The nominal leading man is future Superman star George Reeves, though perhaps the role should have gone to John Ridgely, who makes a meal of his bit part as a door-to-door vacuum cleaner salesman. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Nana Bryant, Grant Mitchell, (more)
- 1953
Sir James Barrie's whimsical play Rosalind was updated and urbanized as the 1953 film Forever Female. Ginger Rogers plays a veteran Broadway star who has optioned a play written by William Holden. Though on the less sunny side of 40, Rogers expects to play the leading role, that of a 19 year old girl. Producer Paul Douglas--who also happens to be Rogers' husband--insists that Holden alter the age of the main character. Meanwhile, iron-willed ingenue Patricia Crowley, who is far more suited to the part than Rogers, begins her own campaign to win the role. Far more enjoyable than the plot mechanics of Forever Female are the sly showbiz inside jokes, courtesy of screenwriters Julius and Philip Epstein. It's also fun to tick off the familiar faces in the supporting cast, including George Reeves as a stuffy suitor, future Mrs. Bing Crosby Katherine Grant as an auditioning actress, and Gunsmoke and Dragnet villain Vic Perrin as an effeminate set designer. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Ginger Rogers, William Holden, (more)
- 1939
In this drama, the sequel to Four Daughters, the daughters are now adults. Three of the sisters rally together to find a new love for the fourth sister whose husband recently committed suicide. The widowed woman then discovers that she is pregnant with her deceased husband's child and this causes her to refuse a marriage proposal. At the same time, another sister learns that she is barren, one sister adopts and then finds herself carrying twins, and a different sister gets married. All are very happy except for the pregnant widow who bears her child prematurely. The baby is saved by a blood transfusion from her recently rejected suitor, and the grateful mother promptly elopes with the gallant chap. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Claude Rains, Jeffrey Lynn, (more)
The scene is Schofield Army Barracks in Honolulu, in the languid days before the attack on Pearl Harbor, where James Jones' acclaimed war novel From Here to Eternity brought the aspirations and frustrations of several people sharply into focus. Sergeant Milt Warden (Burt Lancaster) enters into an affair with Karen (Deborah Kerr), the wife of his commanding officer. Private Robert E. Lee "Prew" Prewitt (Montgomery Clift) is a loner who lives by his own code of ethics and communicates better with his bugle than he does with words. Prew's best friend is wisecracking Maggio (Frank Sinatra, in an Oscar-winning performance that revived his flagging career), who has been targeted for persecution by sadistic stockade sergeant Fatso Judson (Ernest Borgnine). Rounding out the principals is Alma Lorene (Donna Reed), a "hostess" at the euphemistically named whorehouse The New Congress Club. All these melodramatic joys and sufferings are swept away by the Japanese attack on the morning of December 7. No words could do justice to the film's most famous scene: the nocturnal romantic rendezvous on the beach, with Burt Lancaster's and Deborah Kerr's bodies intertwining as the waves crash over them. If you're able to take your eyes off the principals for a moment or two, keep an eye out for George Reeves; his supporting role was shaved down when, during previews, audiences yelled "There's Superman!" and began to laugh. From Here to Eternity won eight Academy Awards, including Best Picture, Best Director, Best Adapted Screenplay, and supporting awards to Sinatra and Reed. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Burt Lancaster, Montgomery Clift, (more)
- 1940
This 55-minute remake of the 75-minute Warner Bros. crime drama Special Agent retains a surprising amount of the original's plotline. Wayne Morris plays crusading journalist Jim Carter, who hopes to get the goods on crime boss Greg Morella (Gilbert Roland), the owner of a posh gambling ship anchored just outside the 12-mile limit. Trouble is, every time a witness is lined up for the federal district attorney (John Litel), said witness is either bought off or killed off, thanks to a stool pigeon in the DA's office. Eventually, Carter must rely upon the eyewitness testimony of Laurie Ogden (Jane Wyman), Morella's bookkeeper. To prevent this, Morella has Laurie kidnapped and hidden away on his ship, but Carter comes to the rescue. The film's central gimmick, a roulette wheel with a concealed camera, evidently caught the fancy of director George Amy, since this particular prop is given more close-ups than the two stars. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Wayne Morris, Jane Wyman, (more)
Gone With the Wind boils down to a story about a spoiled Southern girl's hopeless love for a married man. Producer David O. Selznick managed to expand this concept, and Margaret Mitchell's best-selling novel, into nearly four hours' worth of screen time, on a then-astronomical 3.7-million-dollar budget, creating what would become one of the most beloved movies of all time. Gone With the Wind opens in April of 1861, at the palatial Southern estate of Tara, where Scarlett O'Hara (Vivien Leigh) hears that her casual beau Ashley Wilkes (Leslie Howard) plans to marry "mealy mouthed" Melanie Hamilton (Olivia de Havilland). Despite warnings from her father (Thomas Mitchell) and her faithful servant Mammy (Hattie McDaniel), Scarlett intends to throw herself at Ashley at an upcoming barbecue at Twelve Oaks. Alone with Ashley, she goes into a fit of histrionics, all of which is witnessed by roguish Rhett Butler (Clark Gable), the black sheep of a wealthy Charleston family, who is instantly fascinated by the feisty, thoroughly self-centered Scarlett: "We're bad lots, both of us." The movie's famous action continues from the burning of Atlanta (actually the destruction of a huge wall left over from King Kong) through the now-classic closing line, "Frankly, my dear, I don't give a damn." Holding its own against stiff competition (many consider 1939 to be the greatest year of the classical Hollywood studios), Gone With the Wind won ten Academy Awards, including Best Picture, Best Director, Best Screenplay, Best Actress (Vivien Leigh), and Best Supporting Actress (Hattie McDaniel, the first African-American to win an Oscar). The film grossed nearly 192 million dollars, assuring that, just as he predicted, Selznick's epitaph would be "The Man Who Made Gone With the Wind." ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Clark Gable, Vivien Leigh, (more)
- 1943
Best known today as Robert Mitchum's screen-acting debut, this fine entry in the long-running Hopalong Cassidy series features the silver-haired hero (William Boyd) as a Texas lawman posing as a gambler in order to track down a gang of highwaymen and cattle rustlers who have found refuge in lawless Oklahoma Territory. Although quickly identifying scar-faced Tom Jordan (Victor Jory) as the leader of the gang, Hoppy has no jurisdiction in the territory and is forced to lure the gang back to Texas. Hoppy Serves a Writ was the final series entry based on an original story by Clarence E. Mulford, the creator of the "Bar 20" novels. ~ Hans J. Wollstein, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- William "Hopalong" Boyd, Andy Clyde, (more)
- 1949
Superman and Dick Tracy star in Jungle Goddess--or rather, the actors who played Superman and Dick Tracy, George Reeves and Ralph Byrd. When pilots Mike Patton (Reeves) and Bob Simpson (Byrd) learn that the father of long-missing Greta Vanderhorn (Wanda McKay) is offering a huge reward for his daughter's return, they fly off to the African jungle where Greta's plane crashed many years ago. Mike and Bob trace Greta to a supersititious native tribe, where she reigns as queen. Bob has the misfortune to kill one of the natives, whereupon Greta condemns him to death. Eventually, the more sympathetic of the two pilots manages to make his escape, with Greta by his side. Filmed "in glowing Sepiatone", Jungle Goddess recently resurfaced as an object of derision on TV's Mystery Science Theater 3000. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- George Reeves, Wanda McKay, (more)
- 1948
"Tarzan with clothes on". That's how one reviewer summed up Sam Katzman's newest film series Jungle Jim, starring ex-Tarzan Johnny Weissmuller in the title role. Based on the popular comic strip by Alex Raymond (previously cinematized as a 12-episode Universal serial in 1936), this first entry in the "Jim" series finds our hero guiding gorgeous lady scientist Hilary Parker (Virginia Grey) through the wilds of Africa-actually the Columbia back lot and nearby Bronson Canyon-in search of an herb that will cure infantile paralysis. At first, Hilary resents Jungle Jim's casual chauvinism, but after being nearly killed on several occasions (she apparently can't take two steps without confronting a lion or snake) she's willing to acknowledge his expertise in all things African. Once Hilary's expedition has arrived in a hidden native village, they find themselves as the mercy of crooked gold prospector Bruce Edwards (a pre-Superman George Reeves), who foments a tribal sacrifice as a means of putting the good guys out of the way. Many of the film's wildlife scenes were culled from the 1930 documentary Africa Speaks, which continued to be cannibalized throughout the subsequent 15 "Jungle Jim" epics. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Johnny Weissmuller, Virginia Grey, (more)
