Three of a Kind (Not!)

THE BLOODY FIGHT-1972-Typical outrageous period piece with a school of Chinese martial artists batting some Japanese “kick boxers” to the death. Star Alan Tang was in many Kung-Fu quickies at the time and later co-starred in Al Adamson’s THE DYNAMITE BROTHERS. It’s no classic but it has funny dubbing and a crazy climatic fight where some of grunts and groans of the fighters sound like a Popeye cartoon!



THE FIRST AUTO-1927-Once again TCM shows why it’s one of the best cable stations around. They recently showed this interesting silent film that chronicles the rise of “the horse-less carriage” circa 1895. Russell Armstrong stars as the owner of several racehorses who scorns the new automobile his son (Charles Emmett Mack who was killed during the production) decides to race. It’s an interesting look at changing values brought on by the new invention even as sound was knocking on the Silent Era’s door.

Famous real life auto racer Barney Oldfield plays himself and the cast also includes Patsy Ruth Miller (THE HUNCHBACK OF NOTRE DAME), Gibson Gowland (Von Strohiem’s GREED) and William Demarest. Director Roy Del Ruth went on to make many movies including the first version of THE MALTESE FALCON, THE BABE RUTH STORY and THE ALLIGATOR PEOPLE.

HOMOCIDE-1949-Run of the mill crime drama featuring Robert Douglas (an English actor who had a role in THE FOUNTAINHEAD the same year) as a police lieutenant who goes undercover to find out why an ex-con (Richard Benedict) hanged himself after lying to a grand jury about a murder he saw (or didn’t see, I guess). He goes to a country lodge and romances Helen Westcott (who was later in ABBOTT and COSTELLO MEET DR. JEKYLL & MR. HYDE) as a helpful cigarette girl. Robert Alda is a shady bartender who winds up dukkin’ it out with Douglas in the desert. Warren Douglas & John Harmon play his accomplices who run illegal gambling. James Flavin is his boss. Former silent screen star Monte Blue (who made his film debut in BIRTH OF A NATION) is the local sheriff who doesn’t believe Douglas’ theory that the suicide was actually murder. Douglas is shot and beaten up twice but survives to see justice served.

Several familiar character actors appear un-credited in HOMOCIDE including George Chandler, Tristram Coffin, Frank Ferguson, Creighton Hale and Ian Wolfe.

It was also the last of three films by director Felix Jacoves (who died in 1951). He had previously been a dialogue director on many movies (including RHAPSODY IN BLUE, Robert Alda’s film debut). Screenwriter William Sackhiem later wrote RAMBO: FIRST BLOOD and produced many films and TV shows.

"Behind every successful man is a woman and behind her is his wife"-Groucho Marx

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