BY LEE PFEIFFER

Despite Sylvester Stallone’s status as a movie icon, his boxoffice success outside of the Rocky and Rambo franchises has always been spotty. There have been some hits with films such as Cliffhanger and The Expendables series, but Stallone has managed to remain relevant simply by working non-stop. A few of his failures seemed promising on paper and were ambitious in execution, such as “F.I.S.T.” and “Paradise Alley”, while others were just done for a quick pay check (though I will concede that “Over the Top” is the “Citizen Kane” of arm-wrestling movies.) Some of his films have even gone direct-to-video but he always manages to bounce back. However, his attempts to conquer the comedy genre have generally fallen flat. (When was the last time you had a craving to watch “Stop! Or My Mom Will Shoot” or “Rhinestone”?). Thus, when, on a whim, I plucked out Kino Lorber’s Blu-ray screener of Stallone’s 1991 comedy “Oscar” from a pile of golden oldies, I pondered whether I was experiencing a momentary episode of self-flagellation in the manner of religious pilgrims who take satisfaction from the experience of whipping themselves for some greater cause. In my case, the greater cause would be to warn unsuspecting readers to avoid yet another Stallone comedy. But fate played a strange trick. From its opening moments, I found myself smitten by “Oscar”, perhaps because it was directed by John Landis, a man who knows a thing or two about directing first rate comedies. (His credits include “National Lampoon’s Animal House”, “Trading Places” and “The Blues Brothers.”) Landis had long wanted to remake a 1967 French film farce that, in turn, had been based on 1950s stage production. When it finally came to fruition, he moved the setting from contemporary to the 1930s.

The film opens with a very amusing scene in which Chicago gangster Angelo "Snaps" Provolone sits by the bedside of his dying father (a very amusing Kirk Douglas in a cameo) and promises him that he will give up his criminal ways and live on the straight-and-narrow. For his empathy, his old man slaps him across the face and then dies. Still, Snaps is determined to keep his vow. He presides over a palatial mansion house with his glamorous wife Sofia (Ornella Muti) and his rebellious, sexually frustrated daughter Lisa (Marisa Tomei). The script by Michael Barrie and Jim Mulholland (who plays the titular character who is much-discussed but seen only at the very end of the film) is spot-on and keeps the action flowing at a fever pitch, as is appropriate for a farce. The less said about the plot, the better. It moves at lightning speed and Landis capitalizes on the constant devices of mistaken identities, assumed identities and a packed house of amusing characters straight out of a Damon Runyon story with a side dish of Frank Capra and Howard Hawks comedies. Spats has to deal with double-crosses, temptations to return to crime and deal with a daughter who may or may not be pregnant and may or may not be marrying his personal accountant. Stallone is very good indeed, deftly spitting out wisecracks and showing frustration at the rapidly changing series of events. Director Landis wisely keeps virtually all of the action in and around the mansion, thus keeping the story's origins as a stage production intact. The film features a potpourri of marvelous supporting performances from the likes of Tim Curry, Peter Riegert, Harry Shearer, Chazz Palminteri, Kurtwood Smith, Vincent Spano, Martin Ferrero and Ken Howard. There are also welcome guest appearances by veterans Yvonne DeCarlo (her last film), Don Ameche and Eddie Bracken, who is particularly funny as hyper street informant. 

"Oscar" was a box office flop and critics attacked it across the board. However, it has aged very well and I found it to be a delight throughout. Give it chance, will ya?

The Kino Lorber Blu-ray features an amusing interview with John Landis, who recounts how the film was able to use the still-standing street sets on the Universal lot that had been constructed for "The Sting"- until a disastrous fire destroyed them all along with priceless vintage wardrobe. He describes the Herculean tasks of salvaging the film. He also relates a very amusing story about casting Kirk Douglas without realizing he and Stallone had been feuding for ten years ever since Douglas walked off co-starring in "First Blood" because Stallone wouldn't concede to killing off the Rambo character.

Other bonus features are the original trailer and a gallery of other KL trailers.

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Cinema Retro has received the following press release from Kino Classics:

Groundbreaking Adaptation of the Jules Verne Classic Novel and "The First Submarine Photoplay Ever Filmed"

Available on Blu-ray and DVD July 28, 2020

Includes audio commentary by film historian Anthony Slide and musical score by Orlando Perez Rosso

"Fans of the Silent Era will appreciate this impressive 4K restoration via the Kino Blu-ray. I loved stepping back and time over 100-years to enjoy this adventure. I hope you get the same pleasure." -- Gary Tooze, DVDBeaver

New York, NY -- July 6, 2020 -- Kino Classics proudly announces the Blu-ray and DVD release of the landmark 1916 silent version of Jules Verne's classic novel, 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea, in a stunning new 4K restoration conducted by Universal Pictures, with restoration from the 35mm nitrate print provided by UCLA Film & Television Archive and restoration services provided by NBCUniversal StudioPost.

Directed by Stuart Paton and produced by Universal Pictures, 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea was a groundbreaking production for its time, gaining much acclaim for its pioneering use of the underwater photography process developed by Ernest and George Williamson, making it one of the big-budget special effects epics of its day and a screen classic that has endured over the last century since it was first released.

20,000 Leagues Under the Sea will become available on Blu-ray and DVD July 28, with a SRP of $29.95 for the Blu-ray and $19.95 for the DVD. This Kino Classics edition includes a musical score by Orlando Perez Rosso, and features an insightful audio commentary by noted silent film historian Anthony Slide.

Synopsis:

Stuart Paton's 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea (1916) is an epic retelling of Jules Verne's classic novel, shot on location in the Bahaman Islands. Allen Holubar stars as the domineering Captain Nemo, who rescues the passengers of an American naval vessel after ramming them with his ironclad, steampunk submarine, The Nautilus. Incorporating material from Verne's The Mysterious Island, the film also follows the adventures of a group of Civil War soldiers whose hot-air balloon crash-lands on an exotic island, where they encounter the untamed "Child of Nature" (Jane Gail).

Calling itself "The First Submarine Photoplay Ever Filmed," the film is highlighted by stunning underwater photography (engineered by Ernest and George Williamson), including an underwater funeral and a diver's battle with a giant cephalopod. In honor of the film's extraordinary technical and artistic achievement, 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea was added to the National Film Registry by the Library of Congress.

20,000 Leagues Under the Sea (1916)

Blu-ray and DVD Street Date: July 28, 2020

Starring: Allen Holubar, Matt Moore, Edna Pendleton, Jane Gail, Howard Crampton

Produced by the Universal Film Mfg. Co.

Musical Score by Orlando Perez Rosso

Audio Commentary by Film Historian Anthony Slide

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BY FRED BLOSSER

Universal Pictures released three horror films about Paula Dupree, the Ape Woman, as it attempted to refresh its aging portfolio of monster series in the early 1940s. “Captive Wild Woman” debuted in 1943, followed by two sequels, “Jungle Woman” (1944) and “Jungle Captive” (1945). Paula Dupree never made a lasting impact on popular culture as other Universal horror characters did, coming too late in the studio’s 15-year horror run to gain much traction. By 1945, when “Jungle Captive” was dumped onto a double-bill with “The Frozen Ghost,” the cycle was on its last gasp. There was never an Aurora scale-model kit for the Ape Woman in the mid-1960s as there were for the studio’s more famous monsters, and nary a word about Paula when Universal started making noises a few years ago about reviving its trademarked monsters for a new “Dark Universe” film franchise. The “Dark Universe” concept has since tanked. Maybe they should have thought about the Ape Woman. At any rate, even if Paula never made much of a stir in the public imagination at large, she was seriously creepy and unforgettable for us impressionable kids who saw the trilogy on late-night “Shock Watch” TV packages in 1961. Now, Scream Factory has released the Ape Woman series in a new Blu-ray set, “Universal Horror Collection: Volume 5,” its fifth licensed compilation of vintage Universal horror and thriller films. “The Monster and the Girl,” also in the package, is an unrelated 1941 Columbia Pictures melodrama that shares the theme of a killer ape with vengeful human emotions in a noirish 1940s setting. It’s an unexpected fit with the other three pictures, but a good one.

“Captive Wild Woman,” directed by Edward Dmytryk, introduces Paula. Big-game trapper Fred Mason (Milburn Stone) returns from Africa with new lions for the John Whipple Circus. His prize find, though, is a friendly female gorilla, Cheela. A demented but outwardly urbane medical scientist, Dr. Sigmund Walters (the inimitable John Carradine), meets Fred and Cheela through Fred’s fiancee, Beth (Evelyn Ankers), whose sister he is treating for a hormonal disorder in his isolated clinic, the Crestview Sanitarium. Fred proposes to become Cheela’s personal trainer, but the gorilla mysteriously disappears -- stolen by Dr. Walters, who sees unusual potential in the ape’s high level of intelligence. Using hormones from Beth’s sister Dorothy (Martha MacVicar, who later changed her screen name to Martha Vickers) and human brain tissue from another unwilling donor, Dr. Walters secretly transforms Cheela from gorilla into human as a beautiful brunette, whom he calls Paula Dupree (Acquanetta). When Paula saves Fred from an attacking lion by giving the lion her Cheela stare, Fred decides that her uncanny ability would be an asset in his act, having no clue that Paula was once Cheela. It doesn’t hurt her chances in show biz, either, that she looks gorgeous in a sparkly, short-skirted circus outfit. But Paula remembers Cheela’s fondness for Fred, and when she becomes jealous of Beth, her anthropoid tendencies return and she reverts partway to gorilla form.

Undiscriminating audiences in 1943 may not have thought much about the film’s ping-pong between the John Whipple Circus and Crestview Sanitarium. B-movie escapism was B-movie escapism. Nor would they have been bothered by Fred Mason’s lion-taming techniques, which would now fall within PETA’s definition of animal cruelty. As a cost-saving measure, those scenes were recycled from “The Big Cage,” a 1932 Universal production starring Clyde Beatty. For the new footage of Fred in close-up, Milburn Stone’s hair was styled to make him look, not very convincingly, like Beatty. It takes an awfully long time before the Ape Woman actually appears, 45 minutes into the picture’s thrifty 61-minute running time. When she does, it’s in an effective time-lapse scene, Mr. Hyde or Wolf Man style, in which the beautiful Paula grows fangs, develops leathery skin, and finds her hairdo stiffening into a gorilla bouffant. The wonderful Jack P. Pierce makeup almost redeems the delay in bringing the character on stage. The Ape Woman immediately claims a victim in a nighttime home-invasion and murder, reminiscent of the linchpin horror scene featuring Erik the Ape in Universal’s 1932 Bela Lugosi thriller, “Murders in the Rue Morgue.” The aftermath of the killing sets up the crowning scene of the film for John Carradine, when Dr. Walters berates the monster for her indiscretion: “They’ll put you on trial, throw question after question at you,” the great Carradine storms. “You won’t know what anyone’s saying.” The actor delivers the lines with all the sincerity and intensity of a soliloquy from “Macbeth.” Since Paula is still in full Ape Woman mode, the disconnect between what Walters is saying and who he’s saying it to is sublimely surreal. You may not even have to be a fan with warm, half-century-old memories of “Shock Watch” to enjoy “Captive Wild Woman” on those terms.

BY LEE PFEIFFER

It may be hard to believe in our era of sweeping worldwide populist movements, but there was a time when movie-goers adored fairy tale-like comedies centered on the impossibly rich. The genre made it possible for an entire generation of British actors and actresses to shine and few had shone so brightly as Rex Harrison, who was seemingly born with a crystal wine goblet in his hand. Harrison and his wife at the time, acclaimed comedy star Kay Kendall, top-line director Vincente Minnelli's 1958 film adaption of playwright William Douglas Home's hit Broadway farce "The Reluctant Debutante", retaining Home's services to write the screenplay. The film is veddy, veddy British in tone and style to the extent that non-Brits may find some of the dialogue, delivered with machine gun rapidity, hard to decipher. Ironically, this most British of stories was shot in Paris due to Harrison's status at the time as a tax exile. Reviewing the film in the New York Times, A.H. Weiler described it as "thin and boneless but nonetheless giddy and diverting." That description remains apt, though the movie is dated in style and content.

Harrison and Kendall play Jim and Sheila Broadbent, better known as Lord and Lady Broadbent, who are nervously awaiting the arrival from America of 17 year-old Jane (Sandra Dee), Jim's daughter from a previous marriage, who is making her first trip to London to meet her new stepmother. Jane has been invited by Sheila to arrive in "The Season", a term used by the lifted pinky crowd to describe the time of year when young women are formally introduced to society through an elaborate Cinderella-like ball that each family must hold. Jane, whose American background and upbringing is at odds with such pretentious spectacles, is a reluctant participant but she gets on with Sheila so well that she goes through the motions of being enthused about fitting in with the snobs who are now surrounding her. Sheila wants to match her with David Fenner (an amusing Peter Myers), who holds a revered position as a member of the Queen's Horse Guards. The fact that he's an obnoxious lecher doesn't matter because he's well-connected. However, Jane rebuffs his crude advances and finds herself falling for another American, David Parkson (John Saxon), who is a humble drummer in an orchestra that performs at some of the balls. Sheila is appalled that she has eyes for a commoner but her father is more accepting, as he finds he likes the young man's unpretentious nature. In such fables, there's little doubt who Jane will end up with, but there are some amusing moments as the film gravitates towards the inevitable.

Director Minnelli has kept true to the production's origins as a play, eschewing any exteriors except for some brief second unit footage over the opening credits. This strategy tends to wear thin, however, as it becomes a bit monotonous watching the same characters saunter through the same rooms, opening bottles of wine and champagne, surreptitiously snooping on young lovers or bickering about love and marriage. The saving grace is the fine cast with Harrison and Kendall in top form, the former always cool and collected and the latter in a constant state of panic. (Tragically, Kendall would pass away the following year from cancer.) Angela Lansbury pops up briefly in an amusing role as a nosy, intrusive matchmaker. In films of this type, everyone seems older on screen than they were  in real life, partly because of the styles and social customs of the era. Kay Kendall was only 32 at the time of filming and Sandra Dee, astonishingly, was going on 15 years-old. Although the movie was probably a bit edgy for a comedy in 1958 because of its watered-down references to premarital sex, it's rather disturbing to realize that a young woman's character was primarily defined by her ability to remain a virgin while young men were given free rein to "play the field".

The movie isn't quite a top notch comedy but it's consistently pleasurable enough to merit viewing, even if the protagonists engage in the kind of elitist behavior that inspired the peasants to storm the Bastille. The Warner Archive region-free Blu-ray looks terrific and does justice to the opulent production values that are presented during the grand ball scenes. The original trailer is also included.

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BY LEE PFEIFFER

The life and career of Burt Lancaster are covered in the 1996 documentary "Burt Lancaster: Daring to Reach", which originally aired on the American TV network A&E. Lancaster had died in 1994 so the show was a timely look at the man and his career while his passing was still fresh in the minds of moviegoers. The  program consists of interviews with some of the screen legend's co-stars and colleagues including actresses Rhonda Fleming, Terry Moore and Virginia Mayo, James Hill, who partnered with Lancaster and Harold Hecht in their initially successful production company, directors Sydney Pollack and Ted Post and actors Earl Holliman and Peter Riegert. There are also insights from biographer Gary Fishgall. Directed by Gene Feldman and Suzette Winter, the documentary is a no-frills affair consisting mostly of talking heads and film clips, mostly comprised of well-worn footage from public domain trailers, though some apparently licensed film snippets also appear. The show also presents occasional audio excerpts from a late-in-life interview with Lancaster, who is refreshingly humorous about his human frailties, admitting that he was headstrong and bossy to the point of directing his directors. The 50-minute running time allows ample opportunity for the participants to present the basics of Lancaster's humble New York upbringing to his early life as a performer in the circus, his lifelong friendship with boyhood pal and fellow trapeze artist Nick Cravat (discussed by Cravat's daughter Tina) and the formation of Hecht-Hill-Lancaster, the production company that allowed Lancaster to call his own shots in terms of his career. The company also produced the Oscar-winner "Marty" before going broke in 1959 after funding a number of fine films that nonetheless failed to gel with the public. While Lancaster's colleagues lavish praise on his professionalism and acting ability, as well as his willingness to appear in worthy non-commercial films, they also acknowledge his could be difficult to work with due to his stubborn personality. Earl Holliman recalls working on "Gunfight at the O.K. Corral" with Lancaster and Kirk Douglas and noticed how the two old friends and frequent co-stars bickered endlessly as well as tried to instruct each other about acting techniques.

Posed publicity photo for From Here to Eternity (1953).

The documentary reinforces the fact that Lancaster had an extremely interesting career that allowed him to play a widely diverse assortment of characters. Even in his later years, he made his age an attribute, delivering marvelous performances in "Atlantic City", "Local Hero" and "Field of Dreams". His work continues to resonate today. Lancaster fans will find this documentary an interesting and rewarding experience.

(Available for streaming on Amazon Prime. Subscribers can view it for free but it is also available for streaming rental or purchase.)

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Cinema Retro has received the following press release from Kino Classics:

New York, NY -- July 9, 2020 -- Kino Classics is proud to announce the Blu-ray and DVD releases of two pioneering films in the history of Queer cinema: Reinhold Schünzel's dazzling romantic musical Victor and Victoria (1933), and Leontine Sagan's landmark of lesbian cinema Mädchen in Uniform (1931). Both films have been restored by the Friedrich-Wilhelm-Murnau-Stiftung.

Kino Lorber released both of these important films (along with Carl Theodor Dreyer's 1924 silent classic Michael) as part of the "Pioneers of Queer Cinema" virtual cinema program on Kino Marquee for Pride Month.

Victoria and Victoria (1933) is now available on Blu-ray and DVD. The Blu-ray and DVD feature audio commentary by film historian Gaylyn Studlar.

In this dazzling musical romance, a young woman (Renate Müller), unable to find work as a music hall singer, partners with a down-and-out thespian (Hermann Thimig) to revamp her act. Pretending to be a man performing in drag, Victoria becomes the toast of the international stage. But she soon finds that her playful bending of genders enmeshes her personal and professional life in a tangle of unexpected complications. Produced in the final days of the Weimar Republic, Victor and Victoria received limited exposure in the United States, and is today best known by Blake Edwards’s 1982 remake and the 1995 Broadway production. Viewers will be delighted to discover that the original is every bit as charming and outrageous, reminiscent of the sly sex comedies of Ernst Lubitsch and Billy Wilder.

Directed by Reinhold Schünzel

Starring: Renate Müller, Hermann Thimig, Friedel Pisetta, Fritz Odemar, Aribert Wäscher, Adolf Wohlbrück

Blu-ray and DVD Street Date: Now Available

1933 | Germany | B&W | 99 Min. | Not Rated | 1920x1080p (1.20:1) | German with English subtitles

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Mädchen in Uniform (1931) will be available on Blu-ray and DVD July 14, 2020, and includes audio commentary by film historian Jenni Olson.

As a new student at an all-girls boarding school, Manuela falls in love with the compassionate teacher Fräulein von Bernburg, and her feelings are requited. Experiencing her first love, lonely Manuela also discovers the complexities that come with an illicit romance. This artfully composed landmark of lesbian cinema – and an important anti-fascist film – was the first of just three films directed by Leontine Sagan.

Blu-ray and DVD Street Date: July 14, 2020

Starring Hertha Thiele, Dorothea Wieck, Emilia Unda, Erika Mann, Hedy Krilla

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BY LEE PFEIFFER

From the mid-to-late 1970s, American football was the subject of quite a few high profile Hollywood studio productions. Burt Reynolds starred in two: "The Longest Yard" and "Semi-Tough". There was also "North Dallas Forty" and two similarly-themed thrillers set at the Super Bowl: "Two-Minute Warning" and "Black Sunday". Even Warren Beatty's "Heaven Can Wait" had a tie-in to the sport. The aforementioned "Semi-Tough" has been released on Blu-ray by Kino Lorber. The 1977 production has a lineup of top talent including a script by the estimable Walter Bernstein ("Fail Safe", "The Front"), who adapted Dan Jenkins' bestselling novel. The director was Michael Ritchie, who saw a meteoric rise in stature after once being fired as a director on "The Man from U.N.C.L.E." after arguing over the artistic merits of a single episode. Ritchie was coming off a string of eclectic films including "Downhill Racer", "Prime Cut", "Smile" and "The  Bad News Bears". His acclaimed 1972 satire "The Candidate" is back in the news, as it seems prescient today with its tale of an unqualified aspirant to high political office who succeeds largely because he learned how to be media-savvy. "Semi-Tough", which was a boxoffice hit, boasted three leading actors at the peaks of their careers: Burt Reynolds was arguably the top male movie star in the world, Kris Kristofferson was riding high from the success of "A Star is Born" and Jilly Clayburgh was very much a hot property, having appeared in numerous high profile films.

The plot can be written on the head of pine: Billy Clyde Puckett (Reynolds) and "Shake" Tiller (Kristofferson) are best buds and NFL stars on a (fictitious) Miami team. They live together with Barbara Jane Bookman (Clayburgh), daughter of the team's mercurial owner Big Ed Bookman (Robert Preston). Strangely, while the trio consistently flirt and make sexual references, they live a platonic lilfestyle, largely because Barbara has suffered a string of bad relationships and broken marriages that she is not eager to repeat. Things are going swimmingly until one night, on a drunken impulse, Shake and Barbara break the rules and have sex. The next day they announce their engagement. Although Billy Clyde tries to put on a poker face, he's fighting depression because he realizes he has loved Barbara all along and should have made the first overture to her. Tensions only rise when Shake and Barbara begin to have second thoughts, leaving Billy Clyde tempted to intervene for selfish purposes. The movie has plenty of yucks and presents Reynolds at his best and in full towel-snapping, wise ass mode. He enjoys genuine chemistry with Kristofferson and Clayburgh and there are a wealth of amusing contributions from the fine supporting cast that includes Brian Dennehy in his first noticeable role as a numbskull NFL star who at one points memorably dangles a woman by the ankles from the roof of a hotel. There's also a priceless interlude between Reynolds and Lotte Lenya (in full Rosa Klebb mode) as a sadistic chiropractor.)Refreshingly, this is one 1970s film that doesn't demand nude scenes from its leading lady. Instead, director Ritchie finds numerous excuses for his male leads to doff their tops.

Burt Reynolds and Lotte Lenya.

For all the talent involved, however, "Semi-Tough" never amounts to much and seems rather dated today. The concept of a menage-a-trois was already old hat in 1977 and at times the movie begins to resemble "Paint Your Wagon" with some shoulder pads tossed in. Director Ritchie and screenwriter Bernstein almost salvage the proceedings with a sub-plot that satirizes the craze for wacky self-help movements that swept America in the late 1970s. Bert Convy is very funny as  the deadpanned dictator-like leader of a spiritual cleansing movement clearly modeled on EST. The three main characters end up attending a meeting and it's quite amusing to see art imitate life as dozens of well-heeled but naive souls pay money to be insulted and made to listen to pompous lectures, followed by ridiculous physical exercises. However, things go askew in the final scene which finds a chaotic wedding descending into slapstick. The movie never finds a consistent theme. Is it a sex comedy? Is it a social satire? Is it a poignant statement about the shallowness of relationships in the modern era? However, it is fun to spend time with the three leads, who were at top of their game. Sadly, over the next few years, their big screen careers would nosedive as Reynolds and Clayburgh chose unsatisfying films to star in and Kristofferson would find his career among the wreckage of the "Heaven's Gate" financial debacle.

The Kino Lorber presents a fine transfer. Bonus features are limited to a stills gallery and a variety of trailers. Kudos to Kino for retaining the marvelous and politically incorrect poster art by the great Robert McGinnis.

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BY LEE PFEIFFER

Sean Connery fans will be delighted that his 1957 film "Action of the Tiger" finally gets an official video release in America through the new Warner Archive Blu-ray. Although Connery only makes a few fleeting appearances in the movie, it did allow him to work with director Terence Young. The two men would be reunited in 1962 for the first James Bond film, "Dr. No". Young initially opposed the choice of Connery for the role Bond, feeling he was too inexperienced and unsophisticated. However, the two men worked well together and Connery would later credit Young for acting as a mentor and giving him personal instructions about how to properly dress and dine. There's no indication of Connery's future star power in "Action of the Tiger", largely due to his limited screen time, but the film itself is an above-average "B" movie starring Van Johnson, who made the movie under the auspices of his own production company. Johnson, who specialized in playing urbane romantic leads, was obviously trying to toughen up his screen image by taking on the role of Carson, an independent sea captain and adventurer who sails in European waters with his first mate Mike (Sean Connery). Carson is approached by a fetching blonde, Tracy Malvoise (Martine Carol), who offers him a great deal of money to induce him to take her on a dangerous mission: enter Communist Albania to rescue her brother, a political dissident who is being held captive. Initially reluctant, Carson finally agrees, as Carol assures him she has contacts in Albania who will help effect the escape. Mike drops them off on the coast and receives instructions to pick them up again when he sees Carson flash a signal from the shore in a couple of day's time. Things go awry quickly. When they meet Tracy's brother, they discover he has gone blind. Through various plot devices, Carson not only has to guide him back to the ship, but finds he is also taking a group of desperate refugee children. They are being pursued by a brutal security officer played by Anthony Dawson, who would also go on to appear in "Dr. No" as the Spectre agent Professor Dent. Along the way, they are saved by Trifon (Herbert Lom), the larger-than-life leader of a tribe of bandits. However, the price of his benevolence is that Tracy must stay on as his wife.

"Action of the Tiger" is a Cold War thriller based on the novel by James Wellard. The film is consistently entertaining and benefits from some exotic location scenery, mostly filmed in Spain. The film is nicely photographed in CinemaScope by Desmond Dickinson. Terence Young's direction is assured and he handles the action sequences especially well. If there is a weak link in the movie, ironically, it is Van Johnson as the leading man. He's adequate in the role, but he is essentially miscast in a part that would have suited the likes of Humphrey Bogart or Robert Mitchum very well. You can see Johnson straining to emulate the tough guys seen in similarly-themed films and he doesn't entirely pull it off, as I still kept imagining him more comfortable in a designer suit, sipping cocktails at the Waldorf. Martine Carol is quite good as the feisty, courageous catalyst of the adventure, though she is made up to look like a clone of Lana Turner and somehow manages to keep perfectly coiffed even while hiking across deserts and mountains. The scene-stealer is Herbert Lom as the tribal leader. He gives a delightful performance as a likable rogue. Sean Connery's appearances bookend the film and his only notable scene occurs when he tries to drunkenly assault Carol.

The region-free Warner Archive Blu-ray is up to the company's usual high standards, with an outstanding transfer. The release also includes the original trailer, which is amusingly in line with others of the era in that it boasts bombastic graphics and narration. Recommended.

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BY JOHN M. WHALEN

There’s an old axiom often quoted by writers that once you find a winning formula for putting stories together, stick with it. That certainly must have been the case back in the 1940s when the films collected together by Kino Lorber for its “Western Classics I” three disc box set were made. “When the Daltons Rode” (1940), “The Virginian” (1946), and “Whispering Smith” (1948) are all different movies, made by different writers and directors, with different settings, characters and plots, but when all is said and done they all basically tell the same story. Two guys who are pals have their friendship strained when they both fall in love with the same woman. It’s obviously a formula that worked.

In “When the Dalton’s Rode,” Tod Jackson (Randolph Scott) is a lawyer who comes west to set up his practice in Oklahoma, but finds he’s needed more in Kansas where his old friends, the Daltons, live. The Dalton family is having the kind of trouble that homesteaders usually have in these flicks—land grabbers. Tod decides to stay in Kansas and help them out. He and Bob Dalton (Broderick Crawford), especially, were good friends in their younger days, and the romantic triangle in this movie arises from the fact that Bob is engaged now to Julie King (Kay Francis). But when Tod meets her, it’s love at first sight. Tod’s inner conflict between loyalty to Bob and his attraction to Julie is played out against the background story of the Dalton’s fight with the Kansas Land Development Company. Bob, Emmett (Frank Albertson,) Ben (Stuart Erwin), and Grat Dalton (Brian Donleavy) are a wild bunch, and probably responsible for all that grey hair in their Ma’s (Mary Gordon) head. So it’s no surprise when one of the men working for the Land Development Company is accidentally killed in a fight with the Dalton boys and Ben is charged with murder. When they bring him into court for a speedy trial, the movie which had been pretty tame up to now, goes into high gear.

The second half of the film’s 82-minute length is one action sequence after another executed by a team of veteran stuntmen including Eddie Parker and Bob Reeves. There’s a breakout from the courthouse, an attempted lynching, a rescue of Emmett Dalton by Tod on buckboard, and a sequence of the four Daltons stealing a stagecoach, pursued by a posse of about 20 men. The Daltons jump off the front of the coach, unharness the horses pulling the stage and lead the posse on a merry chase. This is followed by several more high action scenes, including the Daltons leaping off a mountainside onto a passing train and later jumping their horses off the moving train. Yakima Canutt shows up in archival footage jumping a horse off a cliff into a river.

Director George Marshall and screenwriter Harold Shumate used Emmett Dalton’s biographical novel as the basis for the film—a book that was considered a complete whitewash of the Daltons—to create what is basically an entertaining B-western that has as very little to do with the actual Dalton gang. Do Randy and Kay find happiness? What do you think?

The Blu-Ray disc bonus features include audio commentary by film historian Toby Roan and the theatrical trailer for the movie. Picture and sound are good. While it’s not a restoration, the black and white photography of Hal Mohr looks clean and textured.

In “The Virginian,” the title character (Joel McCrea), who apparently does not have a real name and Steve Andrews (Sonny Tufts) are best buds, working as cowhands on a cattle ranch in Medicine Bow, Wyo. They’re having a fine old time until Molly Wood (Barbara Britton) arrives by train. She’s the new school teacher and when she sees the Virginian herding some cows off the train tracks, she likes what she sees. But Steve wastes no time moving in and offers to take her luggage to the hotel. While Steve is lugging suitcases. Molly is startled by a Brahma bull, and the Virginian rides to her “rescue.” The two cowboys spend the rest of the movie trying to outmaneuver each other.

In “When the Daltons Rode,” the main complication was the battle between the Daltons and the Land Development Company. Here instead of land grabbing, the problem is cattle rustling. Cattle have been disappearing off the ranches around Medicine Bow and the Virginian suspects a man named Trampas (Brian Donleavy) is the one behind it all. Well, why wouldn’t he? He not only wears a black hat, he dresses in black from head to foot. The Virginian’s also a bit suspicious of his friend Steve who lately seems a bit too friendly with the man in black. The plot draws these lines of tension to a final confrontation when The Virginian must choose between friendship and adherence to the Code of the West and possibly losing Molly’s affections. The penalty for rustling is hanging.

This is the movie where Trampas calls the Virginian a name and the Virginian draws his gun and tells him “Smile when you call me that.” To which Trampas replies: “With a gun against my belly, I always smile.” Personally I thought it sounded better when Gary Cooper said it to Walter Huston in the 1929 version made by Victor Fleming, but McCrea and Donleavy aren’t bad. “The Virginian” has been filmed at least five times, going all the way back to a silent version in 1914 by Cecil B. DeMille, starring Dustin Farnum. Based on a classic western novel by Owen Wister, The Virginian was made into a TV series in the 1960s, which is still running today on cable.

Kino Lorber’s Blu-Ray of “The Virginian” is very good in terms of picture and sound, with colors bright and details sharp and clear. An audio commentary by author/film historian Lee Gambin and actress/film historian Rutanya Alda is provided on a separate soundtrack. The theatrical trailer is also provided.

By Hank Reineke

There are times I wish my failing memory could serve me better, and here’s one example. I have a vague memory of staying up one night – circa 1980, I guess - to catch Roger Moore on one of those late night talk-shows. I was a huge James Bond fan and, as such, always desperate to mine any news, no matter how trivial, on any upcoming oo7 adventure. This was, of course, in the pre-internet era when insider information was relatively scarce outside of a morsel or two shared in fanzine or with a subscription to Variety. (As an aside, today I often wish there was less information available when a film is still in still production). In any event, don’t recall if Moore shared any information that night on the next scheduled Bond opus For Your Eyes Only (1981). I do clearly recall him discussing Andrew V. McLaglen’s ffolkes (better known in the United Kingdom, where the film was originally released, as North Sea Hijack).

In this new suspense-thriller Moore shared he would co-star with actors James Mason and Anthony Perkins. That night Moore attempted a small joke, first noting – factually - that the film was based on a Jack Davies novel titled Esther, Ruth and Jennifer. He explained that Universal had – perhaps understandably - balked on putting the film out under that title. This original title was, to be fair, a film publicist’s nightmare. The former Saint reasoned (and I’m paraphrasing here), “Could anyone imagine the promotional posters and newspaper advertisements: “Roger Moore, James Mason and Anthony Perkins in Esther, Ruth and Jennifer?” Well, Moore’s joke got a laugh that night, anyway. Decades later Moore would recall in his memoir that Universal actually balked as they thought the original Davies title sounded “too biblical.” Moore, never one to waste a punchline, would recall in his memoir, “I’ve yet to come across a Jennifer in the Bible.”

Whether you prefer the title ffolkes or North Sea Hijack, the story was, as discussed, based on the Davies’ novel Esther, Ruth and Jennifer (W.H. Allen, 1979, UK). Davies was actually somewhat new to novel writing, though his earlier novel involving terrorism, Paper Tiger (W.H. Allen, 1974, UK) was subsequently turned into a film in 1975 film starring David Niven and Toshiro Mifune. Davies seems to have turned to the craft of writing novels in the latter years of his life, though he had been steadily employed as a writer during most of his 80 years. He had churned out dozens upon dozens of screenplays from the mid-1930s through the very end of the 1960s and even a bit beyond that. As a child I was already familiar with two of the slapstick comedies he co-penned, though I certainly wasn’t aware of his contributions at the time. But we of a certain age will certainly recall with fondness Those Magnificent Men in their Flying Machines (1965) (for which Davies and co-writer Ken Annakin would receive Academy Award nominations) and Those Daring Young Men in their Jaunty Jalopies (1969).

Brought onto the project to direct the ffolkes project was Andrew V. McLaglen who too boasted an impressive resume of directorial duties (having already steered a dizzying amount of television westerns and contributing to such touchstone dramas as Perry Mason). He had grown up immersed in the ways of Hollywood’s film industry. His father, Victor McLaglen, was a celebrated feature film actor, having long been a favorite casting choice for the great John Ford. Indeed, McLaglen, the elder, would go on to win the “Best Actor in a Leading Role” Oscar for Ford’s 1935 film The Informer. McLaglen, the son, would learn nearly every aspect of the trade from an early age, starting out as an actor but finding himself more comfortable on the other side of the camera - often working as a director’s assistant or principal director. Though he had been especially involved in television work in the 1950s through 1965, he decided to try his hand at feature filmmaking. He did so for a decade or more with mostly modest to mixed success.

He returned to television work in the mid-1970s until 1977 when he signed on to direct a number of internationally financed features which would include the three films for which he is probably best remembered, at least among devotees of action films: The Wild Geese (1978), ffolkes (1980) and The Sea Wolves (1980). This trio of old-school filmmaking would, not coincidentally, feature a number of aging Hollywood stars. These were the actors who were no longer the hottest of commodities at the box office but were still well-respected and loved by generations of filmgoers: Richard Burton, Richard Harris, Stewart Granger, James Mason, Anthony Perkins, and Gregory Peck to name a few. The connecting thread to all three of these films was, of course, Roger Moore whose big-screen career had re-blossomed since the 1972 announcement of his being cast as the new James Bond.

Moore’s Rufus Excalibur ffolkes was the antithesis to the womanizing character he was usually tasked to play. An ex-Navy man, the often pompous – and bearded - ffolkes resided in a small castle just off the coast of Scotland, (Ireland, in reality). It was there he would exhaustively train a small hand-chosen band of elite commandos – dubbed “ffolkes fusiliers” – in the art of counter-terrorism. The hard scotch whiskey-drinking ffolkes professed a distinct chauvinistic distaste for woman (there’s an offhanded reference such animosity was the result of a failed marriage). He only expressed warmth, kindness and tenderness to his pet cats to whom he was doting and devoted. He also puzzled several colleagues – as it’s so out of character – when he would, on occasion, pull out a needlework canvas that he allowed he’d been working on for some “seventeen years.” When questioned about his unusual hobby, he coldly responded in his usual misanthropic manner, “It helps me to think… providing people don’t talk to me.”

His services are reluctantly activated when the British government are informed that a band of terrorists, disguised as members of the international press, have taken control of the Esther, a Norwegian supply ship charged with ferrying parts to two deep-sea ports-of-call: the drilling rig Ruth, and the production platform Jennifer, the latter platform of which sits in the North Sea and produces 300,000 barrels of oil for the UK per year. When the Esther reaches its destinations, the terrorists subsequently send in a stealth scuba team to plant limpet mines on the bases of both Ruth and Jennifer. The group’s unhinged leader, Lou Kramer, played with convincing, unpredictable mania by Anthony Perkins, is demanding the government pay him – within twenty-four hours - a ransom of 25 million GBP in five different currencies to not go through with the detonation. The terrorist has assessed that such destruction would bring the economy to the brink of ruin, cause an environmental catastrophe, and in doing so take the lives of some seven hundred men working on the platforms.

BY LEE PFEIFFER

The Warner Archive has released MGM's 1954 costume drama "Beau Brummell" on Blu-ray. The film had previously been made in 1924 starring John Barrymore as the real life 18th century British dandy whose name would go on to become synonymous with charismatic ladies men. The origins of both film versions had been the 1890 play by Clyde Fitch, which proved to be a popular production for actor Richard Mansfield. MGM had announced the film would be made in 1939 starring Robert Donat, but the onset of WWII put the project on hiatus. Plans to revive the film for Donat a few years later also fell through. Meanwhile, Kirk Douglas announced he would play Brummell in a movie titled "Beau" but this never came to fruition, either. Perhaps MGM could have viewed these aborted plans to bring the character back to the big screen as cautionary warnings, but instead the studio spent a bundle on the lavish color production which was filmed entirely in England at a variety of historic locations.

Stewart Granger plays the titular character and provides a delightful performance as a man who is driven by a passion to live a life of luxury and to be the toast of the town, so to speak. Through his charm, sarcastic wit and willingness to take on authoritative figures, he becomes the 18th century version of a pop culture sensation. When we first meet him, he is a respected officer in the British army on his way to an illustrious career. However, he dares to insult the Prince of Wales (Peter Ustinov), a vain, weak and childlike man who retaliates by stripping Brummell of his commission. Now destitute, Brummell and his loyal manservant Mortimer (James Hayter) continue to lives of privilege, even as the debts mount and the creditors threaten. Brummell's social status improves when the Prince unexpectedly reaches out to him and forms a close friendship. From Brummell's standpoint, it is an opportunistic way of making the weak heir-to-the-throne become reliant on his advice and counsel. Through the prince, Brummell becomes enamored of Lady Patricia (Elizabeth Taylor), who is alternately repulsed by his arrogance but also smitten by his self-assured demeanor. Brummell is determined to become her lover, despite the fact that she is engaged to Lord Edwin Mercer (James Donald), who is part of his social circle. Much of the film follows the "will she or won't she?" scenario regarding which man will ultimately prevail: the larger-than-life cad Brummell or the bland but noble-minded Mercer. Ultimately, when the Prince's father, King George III (Robert Morley) is removed from the throne because of mental disabilities, the Prince becomes king. However, a snarky remark by Brummell offends the new sovereign and results in a fracture to their friendship. Excluded from the royal court, Brummell is once again destitute and moves to France where he is stricken by a severe illness. In his final days, he is visited unexpectedly by the king and the two men share a sentimental reconciliation, thus allowing Brummell to die in peace.

"Beau Brummell" was promoted as an epic film by MGM, but aside from some occasionally impressive locations, most of the action unfolds on studio sets. The film was criticized for adhering too stringently to its origins as a stage production. It has also been slighted for being dull, as there are literally no action scenes at all. However, the film does possess plenty of sparkling dialogue, as Brummell dispenses bon mots and double entendres with equal abandon. Yet, it wasn't enough to salvage the production from a dire fate. Even a Royal Command Performance for Queen Elizabeth backfired when Her Majesty told her intimates that she didn't like the movie and, in fact, wrote to Winston Churchill that she resented seeing her ancestors depicted in such a clownish manner. Audiences were disappointed, too. Stewart Granger had found recent success as a man of action on screen in swashbucklers like "Scaramouche" and "The Prisoner of Zenda". Although he cuts a dashing figure as Beau Brummell, his fans didn't want to see him in drawing rooms matching wits with other snobby characters. Elizabeth Taylor, though stunningly beautiful, is largely wasted in an underwritten role and it falls to Peter Ustinov to steal the scenes through his marvelous performance as the manchild ruler of England. The movie has a pedestrian pace and at times it appears it exists to simply showcase the exquisite costumes and production design. It was also mocked for the sentimental ending that allowed for a tearjerker scenario to play out for what much of the story really is- a love story between two men. In fact, Brummell did die in poverty in France but the king never visited him there to reconcile their relationship for the simple fact that he predeceased Brummell by a decade. Despite all these flaws, I found the film to be consistently entertaining.

BY LEE PFEIFFER

The Warner Archive has released the 1965 film adaptation of Agatha Christie's oft-filmed Ten Little Indians.  It's hard to imagine that the scenario of a disparate group of exotic strangers being summoned to a chateau by a mysterious host once seemed like a fresh concept. Certainly, the concept already had moss on it when this film was made. However, there is something timeless and intriguing about such a story line, primarily because it generally affords a star-studded cast to interact. There are no superstars in this European version of the story, but the movie is packed with wonderful actors. This time around, the individuals are invited to an opulent chalet atop a snow-covered mountain top, accessible only by cable car. (The location is never specified, but the exteriors were filmed in Austria and the interiors were shot in Ireland.) The victims-to-be include square-jawed American hero Hugh O'Brian, sexy Brit Shirley Eaton, fresh from making a sensation in Goldfinger, exotic Israeli actress Daliah Lavi, one-time teen idol Fabian, Swiss actor Mario Adorf, German actress Marianne Hoppe and a wonderful array of great British character actors: Wilfred Hyde-White, Leo Genn, Dennis Price and Stanley Holloway. Each of these people has a secret they are hiding and all are accused of being responsible for the death of an innocent person by their unseen "host" Mr. Owen (the voice of an uncredited Christopher Lee). The crisply-photographed B&W production evolves predictably under the competent, if unexciting direction of George Pollock, who had helmed the hit Miss Marple films starring Margaret Rutherford. The film is more serious in tone than those popular mysteries, but there is still a good deal of witty byplay as the diverse people try to find out what secrets their companions are shamefully hiding. The gimmick of murdering them off one by one revolves around the old Ten Little Indians children's rhyme. There are also some decorative figurines of Indian braves that adorn the dining hall and one of them vanishes each time a person is killed. In the time-worn tradition of such thrillers, as the group is reduced in size, they vow to all stay together in the same room. This logical solution to thwarting the murderer among them is dispensed with regularly, as the women saunter off into dark basements and up ominous staircases to investigate strange noises. 

The film is curiously lacking in any genuine suspense, but it's glorious to revel in the sight of some legendary British actors trying to upstage and outwit each other in this deadly cat-and- mouse game. The story is consistently entertaining and the star power is more impressive today than it was back in the day. The climax of the film is surprising, if a bit of a stretch. It's all accompanied by a hip jazz score by Malcolm Lockyer that sometimes seems a too jaunty and upbeat for a tale revolving around serial murders. For sex appeal, O'Brian gets to walk around shirtless while Eaton has two (count 'em, two) opportunities to strip down to her bra and panties, reminding us why her early retirement from the film industry deprived young men of countless unrealized fantasies. 

The Warner Archive region-free DVD is a crisp, clean transfer with only a few minor artifacts evident. There are some nice bonus features including a "Who-dunnit" gimmick that was obviously inserted into some prints of the film before the real murderer is revealed. The angle is worthy of an old William Castle horror flick as bombastic graphics and film clips are used to remind viewers of who was murdered and how they met their demise. The clip challenges them to take this 60 second slot to discuss with other audience members who they feel the culprit is. It's a hokey, but wonderful touch. There are also trailers for this movie and the Miss Marple films, as well. In all, an irresistible treat.  

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BY LEE PFEIFFER

Although Great Britain had emerged as victors in WWII, the aftereffects of the war had an immediate and substantial impact on British society. In addition to massive damage to cities and infrastructure, the necessities of life were in short supply, resulting in an extended period of rationing. Although the population was eager to flock to cinemas as a distraction from the harshness of reality, the British film industry suffered as well. Consequently, the post-war years were largely characterized by low-budget movies often shot in haste with minimal production values. However, necessity proved to be the mother of invention, as some of these Poverty Row productions provided a fertile training ground for estimable talents both in front of and behind the cameras. Kino Lorber has released a much-welcomed second set of such films titled "British Noir II", containing five modestly-budgeted gems.

The films included in the set are:

"The Interrupted Journey" (1949) Directed by Daniel Birt. This micro-budget production opens with John North (Richard Todd) and his mistress Susan Wilding (Christine Nordern), who is also in a strained marriage, sneaking away to take a nighttime train in order to start a new life together. John's wife Valerie (Carol North) has been pushing him to give up his career as a failed writer and to take more conventional employment. Susan is married to Jerves Wilding (Alexander Gauge), an ogre of a man. On board the train, however, John begins to have second thoughts about deserting his loving and loyal wife. When Christine falls asleep, he pulls the train's emergency brake and jumps off near his house. Minutes after returning home, there is a terrible disaster when the train he had been aboard is hit by an oncoming locomotive on the same track. Blaming himself for the resulting carnage and many deaths, John has to keep a poker face even as he and Valerie help tend to victims of the crash. The next morning, an investigator for the railroad (Tom Walls) appears to inform John that he has been linked to Susan, who died in the crash. Shockingly, he informs John that she had been murdered by a gunshot prior to the accident and John's name was mentioned numerous times in her diary. Valerie put two and two together and confronts John about his affair. Meanwhile, he appears to be the prime suspect in Susan's murder. Despite the low production values, this intelligent mystery/thriller works well for most of its running time, thanks to the fine performances. Director Daniel Birt ratchets up the suspense but he is almost undone by a late, bizarre plot twist that is gimmicky and not very believable. When the story gets back on track, John confronts Susan's husband, who he suspects might be behind her murder. As played like a poor man's Sidney Greenstreet, Alexander Gauge overdoes the obnoxious, obese drunk to the point that you expect to reach over and put a lampshade on his head. Despite these flaws, the movie is impressive because of the more intriguing aspects of the script. 

"Time is My Enemy" (1954) Directed by Don Chaffey. Based on the play "Second Chance", the film opens with Barbara Everton (Renee Asherton) living a content life as wife and mother. She was widowed when her scheming, ne're do well husband Martin Radley (Dennis Price), was reported to be killed during the war, though his body was never found. She is now living a life of comfort with her successful husband John (Patrick Barr), as they both dote on their young son. Barbara's dream world turns into a nightmare with the shocking appearance at her house by Martin, who admits to having feigned his death and assumed a new identity. He's now the leader of a band of robbers who are wanted by the police for a bank job that has gone awry, resulting in the death of a security guard. Dennis demands that Barbara give him the sum of 4,000 pounds (ludicrous by today's standards, but a large amount in 1954) so that he can flee the country. If she refuses, he will make it known that he is still alive and that Barbara's marriage to John is invalid, thus making her a tainted woman and afflicting her young son as the product of an unmarried couple. The plot has plenty of surprising twists including another murder and Barbara's frantic attempts to raise the money without divulging the dilemma to her husband. Well-directed by Don Chaffey, who would go on to direct "Jason and the Argonauts", the movie is most compelling when Dennis Price is on screen. He's in the grand tradition of erudite villains who remain polite even as they are threatening someone's life.

"The Vicious Circle"  (aka "The Circle") (1957) Directed by Gerald Thomas. One of the best titles in this collection stars John Mills as Dr. Howard Latimer, a successful physician with an upscale lifestyle who is engaged to beautiful Laura James (Noelle Middleton). However, his life is disrupted when he becomes the key suspect in the murders of two women, both of whom he barely knew. The fine script by Francis Durbridge uses the tried-and-true Hitchcock formula of making the protagonist an innocent swept up into a fantastic and deadly plot that becomes increasingly bizarre as he tries to find out who is framing him and why. It all leads to any number of suspects, false identities and deadly situations. The budget for this film was adequate enough to allow for on location filming in London and director Gerald Thomas takes full advantage of shooting at such sites as the Thames, Cleopatra's Needle and the Embankment, thus giving the production a glossier look than many other "B" movies of the era. John Mills is in excellent form throughout and there are marvelous supporting performances by Ronald Culver as as the dapper, dry-witted police inspector who is closing in on our hero and Wilfred Hyde-White, in full lovable, tweedy character mode as a man of mystery. The film is thoroughly engaging throughout.

"Time Lock" with young Sean Connery (right) in an early role.

"Time Lock" (1957) Directed by Gerald Thomas. Another gem from director Gerald Thomas, this time collaborating with producer Peter Rogers, with whom he would go on to make the classic "Carry On" comedies. "Time Lock" is a tense, believable thriller based on a Canadian TV production written by Arthur Hailey ("Airport"). The film retains the Canadian setting, though it was shot entirely in the UK. Another microbudget production, "Timelock" is arguably the best title in this British film noir collection, even if this particular movie hardly merits being included in the noir genre.The plot is simple: a young couple and their six-year old son are inside a bank where the father works. The young boy wanders into the bank vault and is accidentally locked in. The vault cannot be opened until the timing mechanism is enacted automatically 48 hours from the time of incident. Knowing the boy will suffocate by then, the police, bank manager and a local welding company all work frantically to try to bore through the seemingly impregnable wall, with time slipping quickly away. Ultimately, only one man is deemed to be able to save the day: bank vault security expert Pete Dawson (Robert Beatty), but he is in a remote region on holiday and can't be reached. Director Thomas builds the suspense slowly until it reaches a full boil. The performances are all believable and the film's supporting cast includes young Sean Connery as a welder on the rescue team.

"Cosh Boy" (1953) Directed by Lewis Gilbert. Although virtually unknown in the United States where the film was ridiculously titled "The Slasher" (no one is slashed in the film), this early directorial effort by Lewis Gilbert has won considerable appreciation from UK film critics over the years. It's another claustrophobic production this time dealing with juvenile delinquency. In an outstanding performance, James Kenny plays Roy,  a 16 year-old punk who reigns as a gang leader in a working class neighborhood. He's being raised by a single mom, who he can manipulate at will and turn into an enabler for his abhorrent behavior. Only is grandmother is wise to the fact that behind the innocent demeanor is a sociopath. The film explores how Roy holds sway through bribes and intimidation to ensure that his mates remain his unquestioning servants. He puts on the persona of a gentleman to woo his classmate, Rene (Joan Collins) into dating him but she learns quickly enough that she will pay a terrible price for what she mistook to be a loving relationship. "Cosh Boy" is expertly made, never melodramatic and paints a picture of working class boys in the aftermath of WWII who grew up fatherless due to the war. Director Lewis Gilbert would go on to far more prestigious productions but the seeds were sown in modest films such as this- and his talent is quite evident. (Kino Lorber has released a stand along Blu-ray edition of the film under the title "The Slasher". Click here for review.)

The quality of the prints used for the transfers are all over the place. Most are satisfactory though "The Interrupted Journey" shows a good deal of wear. Of course these were films that were largely neglected over the decades and one must assume that Kino Lorber used the best elements available. The only bonus extras as some trailers. However, one would hope that a Blu-ray upgrade might be on the horizon. If so, it would be appropriate to have commentary tracks accompanying these films primarily to discuss the wealth of young talent that emerged in titles such as these.

"British Noir II" is highly recommended.

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BY LEE PFEIFFER

The 1960 British crime film, "The Criminal", has been released on Blu-ray by Kino Lorber. Despite being burdened with a bland and unimaginative title (it was released as "The Concrete Jungle" in America), the production has many merits, not the least of which is an inspired cast of up-and-coming actors. Directed by Joseph Losey, the film opens in a dank prison where we find Johnny Bannion (Stanley Baker) about to be released on parole after doing a stretch in stir. Johnny is top dog in his cell block and his disarming personality is backed up by brute force when he is challenged. Upon arriving home, he finds his apartment filled with drunken men and willing women, all there to celebrate his return. Johnny doesn't waste any time planning his next caper: an easy robbery of a racetrack. He approaches his well-connected friend Mike Carter (Sam Wanamaker) to use his connections to get backing for the ambitious plan which will be carried out by Johnny and his loyal band of followers who hope to snare a jackpot of 40,000 pounds. He also has to contend with a messy romantic life. Maggie (Jill Bennett), the girlfriend he ditched, is determined to win him back but she is outmaneuvered by the seductive Suzanne (Margit Saad), a continental beauty who has already worked her way under the sheets. Johnny initially resists. He doesn't want any distractions from planning his new caper, but his resistance quickly fades. The robbery itself goes well but in the immediate aftermath there are betrayals and double-crosses as some of Johnny's partners attempt to relieve him of the proceeds. Johnny manages to bury the loot in an open field before he is re-arrested and sent back to the same prison. This time, he finds a hotter reception, with corrupt guards and a crime kingpin threatening his and Maggie's lives if he doesn't disclose where the money is hidden. Johnny makes a deal: in order to have his escaped arranged, he will dig up the money and hand the entire amount over to the kingpin's men, while at the same time taking revenge on those who double-crossed him. 

"The Criminal" is by no means a classic. There are some elements that don't quite jell, for example, the indication that Jill Bennett's character will play a vital role in the film, only to disappear early on. Additionally, the carrying out of the racetrack caper is done in a rather perfunctory manner with virtually no suspense. Also, Johnny makes a seemingly daft decision to bury his suitcase with the proceeds in a vast open field just off a roadway where any passersby could see him. He also never marks the precise spot where it is buried, thus making it rather difficult to ever locate it again. Nevertheless, the real value of the movie is in presenting a gritty, mature look at career criminals and the women who are attracted to them. The film offers some excellent performances led by Stanley Baker and Sam Wanamaker, but there are also impressive turns by Margit Saad's odd-but-fascinating "bad girl"; Patrick Magee as a corrupt prison guard and Gregoire Aslan as the crime lord who still rules his empire from prison. Other soon-to-be-familiar faces include Rupert Davies, Patrick Wymark, Nigel Green, Edward Judd, Murray Melvin, Laurence Naismith and Paul Stassino, who would go on to play an ill-fated Spectre agent in "Thunderball". Director Losey keeps the action moving at a brisk clip and is especially good at building tension between the disparate characters. The screenplay by Alun Owen (who would go on to win an Oscar for writing "A Hard Day's Night") rings true throughout with these British "goodfellas" socializing and backslapping with each other, even as they plan to deceive or kill their comrades.The jazz score by Johnny Dankworth and a sad song crooned throughout by Cleo Laine add immeasurably to the atmosphere. The film also presents a more mature depiction of sex than American movies of the era. Johnny's bedroom is adorned with a painting of a nude woman and his seduction by a naked Suzanne leaves little to the imagination, which was daring, given the restraints of censorship in British films during this period.

Kino Lorber offers an excellent Blu-ray edition that presents the film's B&W cinematography by Robert Krasker in a glorious manner. The release also features an excellent commentary track by film historian Kat Ellinger, who provides interesting background on Losey and Wannamaker, both of whom were Americans living in exile in England due to having been blacklisted. She also emphasizes that the film was made for today's equivalent of only $165,000, which was peanuts even in 1960, and how production designer Richard MacDonald worked wonders building the prison set and employing mirrors to make it look even larger. The release also includes the original trailer and trailers for similarly-themed KL titles.

"The Criminal" is another forgotten British gem that is now available in America. Recommended.

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BY LEE PFEIFFER

Casting young Robert Mitchum in a crime thriller opposite two beautiful leading ladies would seem to be a recipe for a successful film. However, "Foreign Intrigue" manages to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory by saddling the actors with a cumbersome, confusing screenplay. Mitchum is cast as Dave Bishop, an American personal secretary/press agent in the employ of Victor Danemore (Jean Galland), a mysterious rich man who lives lavishly on the French Riviera. When Danemore dies from a heart attack, Bishop becomes intrigued by the mysteries of the man's life and how little he actually knew about him. Even Danemore's young trophy wife Dominique (Genevieve Page) claims to have been a wife in name only and was, in fact, a "kept woman" intended to give Danemore a respectable social status. When Bishop is approached by an assortment of strange characters all of whom are concerned about secrets Danemore may have kept pertaining to their lives, he begins to investigate who his employer really was and why there is consternation in some circles regarding his death. In the process, Bishop not only becomes romantically involved with Dominique but also with Brita (Ingrid Thulin, billed here as "Ingrid Tulean"), a vivacious young woman whose father was being blackmailed by Danemore for reasons unknown. Bishop's investigation turns deadly as he gets nearer the truth with attempts made on his life by mysterious strangers. It turns out that Danemore had been blackmailing prominent European men who had been secretly in league with Hitler. Ultimately, Bishiop is kidnapped by intelligence officials who ask him to volunteer to unmask the collaborators on a mission that could cost him his life.

"Foreign Intrigue" was the brainchild of producer/director/screenwriter Sheldon Reynolds, who had produced a successful TV series of the same title. He saw potential in spinning off the property to a feature film and shot the production on some exotic European locations in color, though the bulk of the movie was filmed in a studio. The story starts off on an intriguing note but soon becomes confusing with the addition of seemingly countless minor characters and red herrings. Even when the main mystery is solved, I found myself still uncertain as to certain characters' relationship to the plot and each other. Although the role of Bishop would seem tailor-made for Robert Mitchum, director Reynolds doesn't showcase the actor's trademark persona as a cynical wiseguy. He can handle himself well in the action scenes and Reynolds makes sure Mitchum has the requisite opportunity to parade around shirtless, but what is missing is the actor's "bad boy" image. His leading ladies are well-cast and Frederick O'Brady is marvelous as a Peter Lorre-like man of mystery but Mitchum and his co-stars suffer from the film's often slow pace. The movie picks up steam towards the finale but the climax is undermined by an absurd scene that is unintentionally funny. It involves Bishop meeting the villain one-on-one in the dead of night on a street in Vienna. Due to plot contrivances, virtually every other character manages to show up, making the secret meeting look like a convention. Adding to the absurdity is the fact that although the scene is set in one of the world's bustling cities, the landscape looks like the opening  of "The Omega Man" with nary a single living soul or moving vehicle seen anywhere. "Foreign Intrigue" will mostly appeal to Mitchum enthusiasts who will welcome the film's availability on Blu-ray. The Kino Lorber transfer is adequate but not overly-impressive, displaying some wear and quite a bit of artifacts. The only bonus features are the original trailer and trailers for two other KL Mitchum titles.

(Incidentally, although the film's credits state that Genevieve Page and Ingrid Thulin were "introduced" in this film, in fact, both actresses had a number of screen credits prior to appearing in "Foreign Intrigue". This was a common - if deceitful- marketing ploy frequently used by movie studios during the era.) 

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BY DOUG OSWALD

William Holden commands a newly formed commando group in “The Devil’s Brigade,” available by Kino Lorber on Blu-ray. On the heels of the successful “The Dirty Dozen” from the previous year, “The Devil’s Brigade” is based on the 1966 book by Robert H. Adleman and Colonel George Walton. It chronicles the true events of the 1st Special Service, a joint American and Canadian commando unit assigned to the United States Fifth Army. Inspired by true events, the movie follows the standard tropes of this type of action adventure men- at -war movie. A rag-tag group of soldiers are brought together for a mission, they initially mistrust each other, get into a fight, train together, get into another fight this time working together against another group, graduate from their training and then deploy on their mission to fight the enemy (usually Germans, Italians or Japanese). I recall seeing this for the first time on American broadcast television with commercials advertising “The American misfits and the proud Canadians…” The commando group starts training at an American base where the two groups learn to work as a single unit. The action switches to German occupied Italy in the second half as they battle the Germans in close combat action sequences.

The movie features a “Hollywood Who’s Who” cast of leading men and character actors: William Holden as Lt. Colonel Robert T. Frederick, the commander of the unit. Cliff Robertson as the Canadian commander, Major Alan Crown. Vince Edwards as the American commander, Major Cliff Bricker. The supporting cast gets even better with the American misfits and proud Canadians portrayed by: Claude Akins as Private Rocky Rockman, Richard Jaeckel as Private Omar Creco, Andrew Prine as Private Theodore Ransom, Richard Dawson as Private Hugh MacDonald, Luke Askew as Private Hubert Hixon, Tom Troup as Private Al Manella, Jeremy Slate as Sergeant Pat O’Neill, Jack Watson as Corporal Peacock, Harry Carey Jr. as Captain Rose, Michael Rennie as Lt. General Mark Clark, Carroll O’Connor as Major General Maxwell Hunter, Dana Andrews as Brig. General Walter Naylor, Michael Rennie as Lt. General Mark Clark, stunt man and future director Hal Needham as a sergeant. I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention Karl-Otto Alberty as the German officer interrogating Claude Akins. Fans of retro classics will remember him as the German tank commander in “Kelly’s Heroes” and the German officer who captures Richard Attenborough in “The Great Escape” and orders, “Hands UP!”

Holden give a stoic, yet one-dimensional, performance as the commander. This is a year prior to his iconic performance as Pike in Sam Peckinpah’s classic “The Wild Bunch” in 1969. While “The Devil’s Brigade” is not as highly regarded as that movie, or even “The Dirty Dozen,” it stands on its own as a minor classic in the genre. Richard Jaeckel steals every scene he appears in. Cliff Robertson is terrific as the Canadian commander, just a year away from his Academy Award-winning performance in “Charly.”  Vince Edwards was transitioning back to the big screen following his run on television in “Ben Casey” which was a very popular series in the first half of the 1960s. However, the abundant cast makes it difficult for anyone to really stand out as the face behind this movie, as Lee Marvin did in “The Dirty Dozen.”

Director Andrew V. McLaglen and William Holden on location in Utah. (Cinema Retro archives.)

Directed by Andrew V. McLaglen, a veteran director of many popular movies, the film looks and sounds terrific and clocks in at 130 minutes. Released in May 1968 by United Artists, it was filmed in widescreen Panavision on location in Utah. The Utah location doubles for the training base during the first half of the film and some of the action when the brigade get to Italy in the second half. From the appearance of the buildings, it appears to have been filmed on an active military base in Utah. The buildings look live in and may have been left standing from the WWII period, which was not uncommon. Much of the second half was filmed on location in Italy in actual WWII battle locations, using much of the same armaments used in countless other WWII-themed movies filmed in the 60s and 70s. The production value in the location filming really elevates this movie. Look through the windows in the interior scenes during the first half of the movie and you’ll notice that McLaglen ensures there is stuff going on outside, making the location come alive.

Unfortunately, the movie was not a major hit during its initial release. Subsequent broadcast television, cable TV and home video releases have elevated its status over the years as a solid action adventure movie. The film is often compared to “The Dirty Dozen” which came out the previous year. There are definite similarities and this may have been part of the movie’s shortfall a the boxoffice. Also, the Vietnam War was raging and military movies were falling out of favor. It’s hard to know for certain, as movie audiences can be fickle. However, the “men on an impossible mission” genre remains popular to this day.

The Kino Lorber Blu-ray comes with an audio commentary by film historians Steve Mitchell and Steven Jay Rubin. The commentary is an entertaining trivia and  Mitchell and Rubin know their stuff when it comes to military movies. Rubin is an expert on the various armaments used in the film and has a knack for identifying Hollywood military weapon sound effects and the differences between the studio libraries. The audio commentary is compelling enough to justify watching the Blu-ray twice. The other extras are the trailer for this and other Kino Lorber Blu-ray titles.

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(For extensive coverage of "The Devil's Brigade", see Cinema Retro's Movie Classics Films of WWII special issue.)

BY LEE PFEIFFER

You can't judge a book by its cover and you can't judge a movie by its poster. Case in point: "Blood on the Moon", a 1948 western that was marketed with a poster depicting star Robert Mitchum in a ten-gallon hat along with an image of Barbara Bel Geddes wielding a rifle and a tag line that read "A Woman's Bullet Kills as Quick as a Man's!" At first glance, one would be forgiven for assuming the movie was yet another of the "Poverty Row" one-day wonders that flooded theaters in the 1930s. Indeed, the image of Mitchum has him somewhat resembling good ol' Hopalong Cassidy. However, looks can be deceiving and "Blood on the Moon" is actually a superior western, thanks in part to its director, Robert Wise, who had recently transcended from being a highly-acclaimed film editor to the director's chair.

"Blood on the Moon" is an adaptation of a serialized story by Luke Short that ran in the Saturday Evening Post. Robert Mitchum is cast as Jim Garry, a mysterious drifter who is invited to meet with an old friend, Tate Riling (Robert Preston). Riling informs Tate that he needs his abilities with a gun to aid him in a scheme. He has partnered with a corrupt local federal agent, Jake Pindalest (Frank Faylen)  who oversees an Indian reservation to ensure they can get the impressive cattle herd of rancher John Lufton (Tom Tully) at cut-rate prices. This they contrive to accomplish by having Pindalest terminate the long-standing contract by which Lufton sells his beef to the U.S. government, which in turn, uses the meat to feed the Native American population on the reservation. A side-swindle is that Riling wants to intimidate farmers to vacate land that they and Lufton occupy so that he can own the enormous acreage. Garry is not your typical white-hat cowboy hero, despite the fact that he favors wearing one. At first he accepts coming in as a partner on the scam and using his skills with a gun to drive off the farmers. However, when he witnesses the brutality Riling is using to further his goals, he changes his mind and ends up siding with Lufton. He's also come to the realization that Riling has been wooing one of Lufton's daughters, Carol (Phyllis Thaxter) as a way to wear down Lufton's resistance. Garry thinks this is particularly egregious. He also has a tense introduction to Lufton's other daughter, Amy (Barbara Bel Geddes), who is a sharp-shooting tom girl who tries to intimidate him by showing off her skills with a gun. As in all films in which the leading male and female characters start off with an acrimonious relationship, they ultimately fall in love. Garry's switching to the other side causes a rift with Riling and leads to a sensational knock-down, drag-out fight between that is a highlight of the film. (Mitchum and Preston choreographed the scene themselves and performed most of their own stunts.) Ultimately, the two old friends must square off in a final shootout that finds Garry, Amy and a local farmer, Kris (Walter Brennan), trapped in a cabin and surrounded by Lufton and his goons during an extended shoot-out that allows Amy to demonstrate her courage and skills with a rifle.

"Blood on the Moon" is a conventional western in some ways but what allows it to rise above the pack is the direction of Robert Wise, who gives the production a moody, film noir-like atmosphere, which is unusual for this genre. The film benefits from the creative B&W cinematography of Nicholas Musuraca, who makes nondescript shots of Garry riding in the moonlight look like frame-by-frame works of art. Mitchum is well cast as the protagonist, a complex man who is a bit of a scoundrel. Preston makes an excellent villain and Bel Geddes and Thaxter thrive in unusual roles for women in this era of filmmaking in that they are more than window dressing and are quite capable of humiliating the male characters. Walter Brennan also delivers a fine performance, cast in a role of a tragic farmer that is devoid of his usual amusing mannerisms. 

The Warner Archive region-free Blu-ray presents an excellent transfer and the original trailer. Recommended.

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