Paul Stein Movies

Cage of Gold was a rare non-comic effort from Britain's Ealing Studios. Jean Simmons stars as Judith, who awakens the morning after her wedding to discover that her new husband has deserted her. Later on, she is told that her husband is dead. After a period of mourning, Judith remarries--only to be subjected to blackmail by husband number one. It's all a racket, of course, but Judith doesn't go to the police until it's almost too late. Featured in the cast of Cage of Gold as a slimy smuggler is Herbert Lom, who later gained worldwide fame as Inspector Dreyfus in the "Pink Panther" comedies. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

The French Revolution provides the setting for the British musical. The story centers on the notorious rebel Robespierre who cuts a deal with the son of a duchess headed for the guillotine. Robespierre tells the son that if he can go to England and find a pearl necklace Marie Antoinette gave as a gift that his mother will be saved. The lad does so, finds the owner, a pretty young woman engaged to the Prince of Wales. They fall in love and the fellow decides not to take the pearls back. The would be princess then takes the pearls back to France herself. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide

In this British costume musical, Carol Raye plays Empress Maria, a young woman of noble blood who has fallen in love with Count Franz Von Hofer (Peter Graves), one of the men assigned to guard her. Maria's guardians attempt to dissuade her interest in Franz because of his reputation as a Casanova, and when Franz is discovered in a playful conversation with Cenci Prohaska (Patricia Medina), they are convinced that their assumptions are correct. When Maria learns of Franz's behavior, she disguises herself as Cenci for an upcoming costume ball with the hopes of catching Franz in a disloyal act. Waltz Time also features a guest appearance by the celebrated operatic vocalist Richard Tauber, who sings two numbers; it was one of Tauber's final screen appearances, as he passed on in early 1948. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide

In this romance, a young woman gets into a real mess when her mother begins meddling in her romantic life by conning her into becoming engaged to her boss. Unfortunately, the girl loves another who has gone off to fight the war. Upon his return, he is enraged to learn about the engagement. Mayhem ensues until the whole mess is straightened out and the lovers are reunited. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide

Released in England as Gentleman of Venture, It Happened to One Man was produced in England with "frozen funds" accumulated in that country by RKO Radio Pictures. Inspired by a true story, the film stars Wilfred Lawson as financier Felton Quair. Thanks to the chicanery of his crooked business partner Ackroyl (Reginald Tate), Quair loses his fortune, his family and his freedom. The second half of the story deals with Quair's attempts to find redemption after a four-year prison term. Based on a stage play by Roland Pertwee and John Hastings Turner, the film wisely retains the play's ambiguous ending. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

American leading lady Gertrude Michael tops the cast of the British Just Like a Woman. Reprising her misbehavior in Hollywood's The Notorious Sophie Lang, Michael plays jewel thief Ann Heston, who purloins a string of valuable pearls right from under the long noses of the law. She is then pursued halfway around the world by insurance investigator Tony Walsh (John Lodge), who doesn't know what the audience does-that Ann is actually the daughter of his boss. Predictably, Ann is revealed to be operating with the best of intentions, allowing for a satisfying romantic finale. Perhaps inspired by the film's "Yankee" leads, the British cast members of Just Like a Women adopt mid-Atlantic accents throughout most of the story. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

A once-popular stage melodrama by Gordon Sherry was the source for the 1938 British film Black Limelight. Raymond Massey plays Peter Charrington, who early in the proceedings is charged with murder. Escaping from the authorities, Peter desperately tries to keep in touch with his distraught wife Mary (Joan Marion), who believes in his innocence. Meanwhile, an overly unctuous fellow named Lawrence Crawford (Walter Hudd) watches from the sidelines as Peter eludes the police. Crawford has a vested interest in the outcome of the chase; he is, after all, the real murderer. Reviewers in 1938 enjoyed Black Limelight, but carped over the fact that neither Raymond Massey nor Joan Marion seemed inclined to scale down their stage characterizations for the more intimate demands of the screen. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Like Rick's Café Americain, the Café Colette is a rendezvous for virtually every spy in Europe. Greta Nissen stars as Russian princess Vanda Muroff, whose seductive powers are so overwhelming that one otherwise intelligent secret agent after another is willing to sacrifice all their top secrets to her on a moment's notice. Only Ryan (Paul Cavanaugh), an outwardly dissolute playboy, is able to resist Vanda's charms. It turns out that Ryan is actually a spy himself -- and one of the best in the business, at that! In the true Hitchcock tradition, the "secret papers" in Café Colette aren't nearly as important as the trials and tribulations undergone by the characters to get their hands on them. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

In this musical, two students from an English music conservatory elope and go to London. There, the young husband becomes a nightclub singer. Trouble ensues when he begins an affair with a socialite. The despairing wife decides to separate from her spouse. Eventually they are reunited with a little help from a man who has had a secret love for the bride. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide

Mimi is based on Murger's La Vie de Boheme, with operatic snatches from Puccini's La Boheme occasionally thrown in. The very healthy-looking Gertrude Lawrence seems an odd casting choice for the consumptive Mimi, whose tragic romance with starving artist Rodolfe (Douglas Fairbanks Jr.) in Paris' Latin Quarter provides the film's dramatic thrust. Director Paul Stein has spared nothing to make the film as historically accurate as possible; unfortunately, Stein has also robbed the story of much of its vitality in the process. Fans of Gertrude Lawrence couldn't have been happy that her singing was confined to only one tune, and a forgettable one at that. Originally released at 98 minutes, Mimi is currently available only in its 62-minute American release version. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Based on Walter Reisch's play The Song is Ended, The Song You Gave Me is a British attempt to emulate the glossy "continental" style. Hollywood's Bebe Daniels (who later took up permanent residence in London) stars as Mitzi Hansen, the personal secretary to world-renowned singer Karl Linden (Victor Varconi). He falls in love with her, but she keeps him at arm's length. As time goes by, of course, Mitzi wins Karl on her own terms. Bebe Daniels handles her musical numbers with her usual charm and grace, while Frederick Lloyd offers silly-ass comedy relief as "Baron Bobo." Eva Moore, cast as Daniels' grandmother, was at the time of The Song You Gave Me the mother-in-law of Laurence Olivier. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Flash, yet another German shepherd in a long line of would-be Rin Tin Tin successors, took center stage in this obscure action-melodrama, which came complete with supernatural overtones. Stowing away on his master's plane, a parachuting Flash rescues Jim Robbins (John David Horsley) from drowning in the ocean between Los Angeles and Hawaii when Jim's aircraft catches fire during a fierce lightning storm. They both make it safely to Tabu Island where Sally James (Marceline Day), the skinny-dipping daughter of the local missionary, guides them to the nearby trading post. Said operation is lorded over by Von Krantz (Noah Beery), a nasty trader who is getting rich from exploiting the native villagers. Irredeemably villainous, Von Krantz not only attempts to ravage a native girl, much to the dismay of his floozy girlfriend, Molly (Carmelita Geraghty), but shoots the local high priest (Mischa Auer) when the latter takes umbrage to the goings-on. Soon, an uprising is under way, during which the high priest is resurrected in a cave, but in the end it is Flash who saves the day for all and sundry. ~ Hans J. Wollstein, All Movie Guide