Slammer Girls

 

 (imdb)

GIRLS IN PRISON-1956-Prison pastor Rev. Fulton (Richard Denning) tries to help Ann Carson (Joan Taylor; EARTH VS. THE FLYING SAUCERS the same year)), in the slammer for a crime she didn't commit. She's in a cell with no nonsense Jenny (Adele Jurgens, in one of her last movie roles), nutty Dorothy (Phyllis Coates) and lesbian Melanee (Helen Gilbert). The matron (Jane Darwell; Ma Joad in THE GRAPES OF WRATH (1940)) seems pretty ineffectual but Fulton still wants to help. Old time actress Mae Marsh plays Grandma Edwards. Meanwhile, a bank robber (Lance Fuller) threatens Ann's con man father (Raymond Hatton) trying to find some still missing money everyone thinks Ann has. 

Typical 50's moral drama directed by Edward L. Cahn who also made THE SHE CREATURE (also with the acting challenged Fuller) and SHAKE, RATTLE AND ROCK! the same year, both penned by GIRLS screenwriter Lou Rusoff who also wrote IT CONQUERED THE WORLD for Roger Corman in '56. Denning, Jurgens and Hatton had all been in Corman's THE DAY THE WORLD ENDED the year before. Alex Gordon was one of the producers along with Samuel Z. Arkoff and James Nicholsen. Music by Roland Stein.

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Bud and Lou and Me and You

 

 

 (wikipedia)

ABBOTT & COSTELLO MEET THE INVISIBLE MAN-1951-Bud Alexander (Bud Abbott) and Lou Francis (Lou Costello), new graduates of the Dugan Detective School, take on the case of Tommy Nelson (Arthur Franz; in THE SNIPER the next year)), a boxer accused of killing his manager. Nelson goes to his girlfriend Helen's (Nancy Guild; CAGLIOSTRO (1949)) house where her uncle, Dr. Gray (Gavin Muir) is working on the invisibility formula originally invented by John Griffin. Gray won't inject Tommy with the formula because it will drive him crazy. When no one is looking Tommy injects himself. Lou sees him fade away but no one believes him. Detective Roberts (William Frawley; just starting TV's "I Love Lucy") thinks Lou is crazy and takes him to a psychiatrist but Lou makes him fall asleep. Later they help Tommy clear his name. Lou becomes Louie the Looper, a boxer and challenges Rocky Hanlon (John Day), the boxer owned by gangster Morgan (Sheldon Leonard; also in the team's HIT THE ICE (1943)) who sends his moll Boots (Adele Jurgens; later in Corman's THE DAY THE WORLD ENDED (1955)) to set Lou up for a dive. Lou fights Hanlon with invisible Tommy helping him. Lou has some trouble when Tommy is knock unconscious. Syd Saylor, Bobby Barber, Milt Bronson and Herb Vigran have bit roles. 

Good sfx with a comical if kind of weird ending. One of 9 Abbott & Costello movies directed by Charles Lamont, who also started doing The Ma & Pa Kettle series around this time. The comedy duo made COMIN' 'ROUND THE MOUNTAIN (also directed by Lamont) the same year.

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Who Doesn"t?

 

 (imdb)

I LOVE TROUBLE-1948-PI Stuart Bailey (Franchot Tone) investigates the past of the wife named Jane (Lyn Merrick) of a "public figure" (Tom Powers). It leads to a night club run by Keller (Stephan Geray) & Reno (John Ireland). After he's threatened and slugged, Bailey meets a woman (Janet Blair) who says she's Jane's sister. This leads Jim to Caprlllo (Eduardo Ciannelli) and young wife Ligia (Janis Carter) and their shady chauffeur Martin (Donald Curtis). Later he's beaten up by Reno and his henchman (Raymond Burr). Bailey escapes their clutches and suspects Jane of murdering an ex-con cook (Sid Tomack). Glenda Farrell is his secretary and Adele Jergens is a helpful showgirl. 

OK typical film noir with Tone giving a good performance as the cool PI. Screenwriter Roy Huggins later created the TV show “77 Sunset Strip”. This is one of the last movies made by director S. Sylvan Simon (ABBOTT & COSTELLO IN HOLLYWOOD (1945)) who died suddenly of a heart attack in 1951.

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Fighting Trouble

FIGHTING TROUBLE-1956-The Bowery Boys redux! 

Now billed as "Huntz Hall and The Bowery Boys" second billed Stanley Clements joins the cast (replacing Leo Gorcey) as Stanislaus "Duke" Covelske. They (along with David (Gorcey) Conlon as Chuck and un-billed Danny Welton as Danny) live in a boarding house run by Miss Kelly (Queenie Smith) who keeps referring to Sach as a genius (which tells you her state of mind). 


To (what else?) raise money Sach and Duke try to get an incriminating picture of a gangster (Thomas B. Henry) for a newspaper publisher. Naturally Sach winds up impersonating a hit man but screws everything up! Adele Jurgens (in at least her third BB appearance) is Henry's moll. Also with Tim Ryan, Laurie Mitchell and Paul Brinegar. 


Ellwood Ullman once again was the screenwriter. Director George Blair began his film career in 1944 but by the mid-fifties was working more on TV (he directed many first season episodes of SUPERMAN). He later made THE HYPNOTIC EYE. The jazzy score is by Buddy Bregman.


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Blues Busters

BLUES BUSTERS-1950-More Bowery Boys craziness when Slip (Leo Gorcey) promotes Sach (Huntz Hall) as the new singing sensation (with a dubbed voice) after he has his tonsils removed. Louie's sweet shop is turned into The Bowery Palace night club where he plays to sold out business. Craig Stevens (future Peter Gunn star) and Adele Jurgens (also in BLOND DYNAMITE) are rival club owners trying to sabotage their success. Phyllis Coates (future first Lois Lane on TV's Superman) is also on hand as Slip's girlfriend (something he didn't usually have in the series) who tap dances.

Little Louie (Bernard Gorcey) and the rest of the usual gang (Billy Benedict, Buddy Gorman and David Gorcey) are there too. Gabriel Dell usually cast as their level headed friend has a more comical role in this one.

Old One Shot, William Beaudine directed this one and Charles Marion penned it.

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Blonde Dynamite

BLONDE DYNAMITE-1950-Typical Bowery Boys comedy. When an escort agency rejects Slip (33 year old Leo Gorcey) and Sach (31 year old Huntz Hall) as escorts they decide to start their own agency. They trick Louie (Bernard Gorcey) into going on vacation and turn his sweet shop into their own escort service. Meanwhile their friend Gabe (Gabriel Dell) who works at the local bank gets blackmailed by gangsters thanks to his girlfriend (Adele Jurgens). With two of the other regular "boys" while Buddy Gorman steps in (taking Bennie Bartlett's place) as the new Butch. John Harmon is one of the gangsters. 

Director William "One Shot" Beaudine's film career started in 1915! Screenplay by Charles Marion. 

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