DeVallon Scott Movies

In this South Seas adventure, a sea captain teams up with lovely island princess help her vanquish the brutal smugglers who are forcing her people to dive for pearls. There are French colonialists on the island and a judge is there to ensure justice. Unfortunately, he is crooked, and after the smugglers are captured he gives them a choice: they can help him retrieve a sunken treasure or they can go to prison. They choose the former, but afterward, they double-cross the judge. Fortunately, the sea captain is still around to see that justice is served. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide

Gary Merrill heads the cast of the unorthodox western The Black Dakotas. The story is set during the Civil War, as President Lincoln tries to mollify the Sioux Indians in order to free up soldiers for more important fighting. Disguised as a Northerner, Brock Marsh (Gary Merrill) intercepts Lincoln's emissary and heads into Sioux territory himself, hoping to steal Union gold for the Southern cause, and to stir up an Indian war between the Sioux and the Dakotas, who have already cast their lot with the North. It soon develops that Marsh doesn't care who wins the war; he wants to abscond with the gold himself. Wanda Hendrix, who despite her divorce from Audie Murphy was still regularly employed in westerns, costars as the daughter of Southern spy Fay Roope, and the sweetheart of good-guy stagecoach driver John Bromfield. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

After Robert Francis became an "instant star" in Columbia's The Caine Mutiny (54), the studio rushed Francis into as many vehicles as possible. In They Rode West, Francis plays a young Army doctor, stationed at a remote cavalry post. The post's commander (Philip Carey) immediately clashes with Francis due to the latter's humanitarian attitudes towards Native Americans. When a malaria epidemic breaks out at a local Kiowa encampment, Francis insists upon treating the Indians, despite opposition from both Carey and the tribe's medicine men. May Wynn, Francis' Caine Mutiny vis-a-vis, is third-billed in They Rode West. Alas, Robert Francis' skyrocketing career plummeted to earth when he was killed in a 1955 accident. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

When Gloria Grahame signed her contract at Columbia Pictures, she had no idea the studio would require her to appear in anything available. Rather than go on suspension, she consented to star in the "Arabian nights" fiasco Prisoners of the Casbah, but her discomfort with the assignment is obvious in every scene. Grahame plays a Moroccan Princess, while Turhan Bey is the lowborn thief who loves her. The plot decrees that Grahame must marry Turhan to escape death at the hands of her enemies, and the script has a lot of fun with the custom of a groom being able to wed or cast away his bride simply by saying "I Marry You" or "I Divorce You" three times. Cesar Romero, playing the villain, is the only actor who looks like he's enjoying himself. Prisoners of the Casbah was another tarnished gem from anything-for-a-buck producer Sam Katzman. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Producer Sam Katzman once more rummages through stock footage from the 1953 Columbia costumer Salome and comes up with another "instant epic." Slaves of Babylon stars Richard Conte as Nahum, the muscular young representative of Hebrew leader Daniel (Maurice Schwartz). On behalf of his master, Nahum pulls strings so that Cyrus the Persian (Terence Kilburn) can reclaim Babylon from usurpers Balthasar (Michael Ansara) and Nebuchadnezzar (Leslie E. Bradley). Several Biblical incidents are thrown into the stew, with the added ingredient of a romance between Nahum and one "Princess Panthea" (Linda Christian). For another viewpoint of the historical events offered herein, the reader is referred to D. W. Griffith's Intolerance (1916). ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Robert Newton exhibits absolutely no shame in his portrayal of the title character in Blackbeard the Pirate. If you thought that Newton's "Arr, matey"s got out of hand in Treasure Island, wait til you see this one. The plot concerns the efforts of the British admirality to bring Blackbeard to justice. To that end, officer Keith Andes allows himself to be abducted by the pirate's minions. Also captured by Blackbeard is luscious Linda Darnell, the adopted daughter of Andes' superior Torin Thatcher. When it turns out that everyone is being double-crossed by the insidious Thatcher, all Technicolor hell breaks loose. William Bendix costars as Blackbeard's chief henchman, appearing to be a model of subtlety when compared to his costar. Future "Beverly Hillbilly" Irene Ryan has some nice moments as Linda Darnell's lady-in-waiting. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Enterprising roadshow exhibitor Kroger Babb was largely responsible for the jerry-built "feature film" The Lawton Story. Most of the footage is devoted to the annual Passion Play at Lawton, Oklahoma, enacted by volunteers from several nearby communities. This portion of The Lawton Story was directed by Harold Daniels and narrated by radio announcer Knox Manning. To bring the film up to feature length, a fictional plotline concerning the preparations for the pageant was hastily assembled, featuring such familiar Hollywood character players as Forrest Taylor, Willa Pearl Curtis and Maude Eburne. These "wraparound" scenes were directed by old reliable William Beaudine. Certain recent publications have mercilessly poked fun at The Lawton Story, pointing out such "mistakes" as the telephone wires behind the crucified Jesus and the wristwatches worn by some of the Passion Play performers. Nowhere do these derisive accounts acknowledge that the audience is made aware that this is not meant to be a historical spectacle, but is in fact a filmed record of an outdoor-theater production. The Lawton Story is better known by its general-release title The Prince of Peace. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

MGM's newest romantic team of James Craig and Frances Gifford head the cast of the glossy "B"-picture She Went to the Races. Gifford plays beautiful professor Ann Wotters, who develops a scientific method of picking winners at the race track. Craig portrays horsetrainer Steve Confield, who thinks that Ann's theories are all wet. Falling in love with Steve, Ann gets mixed up in a romantic triangle, the apex of which is socialite Hilda Spotts (Ava Gardner, who steals the picture). Edmund Gwenn, Sig Ruman and Reginald Owen provide screwball-comedy relief as three pedants who are subsidizing Ann's equestrian research. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Paula (Fritzi Brunette), a chorus girl, marries into an aristocratic family. Unfortunately, her husband is a drunk. When he tries to give some liquor to their infant son, she brandishes a pair of scissors at him. He wrestles them away from her, then falls down the stairs and stabs himself. Due to the perjured testimony of the maid and butler, Paula is convicted of murder and sent to jail. Her son, Danny (Ben Lyon), grows up to be a movie star. There is a controversy surrounding him because he refuses to do his own stunts. The reason he won't take any chances is that he is using all his money to get his mother out of jail. Finally, to redeem himself, he agrees to participate in a charity auto race, but his mother's hearing is scheduled for the race day. Somehow, Danny manages to attend the hearing, get his mother off, and make it to the race. He proves his bravery when the track gives way and he is injured. His courage wins him the girl (Mary Astor). ~ Janiss Garza, All Movie Guide