Before He was A Friend To All Children

 

 (imdb)

GAMMERA THE INVINCIBLE-1966-A trio of Japanese scientists, Dr. Hidaka, his assistant Kyoko and reporter Aoyagi are exploring the Arctic. When the Russians accidentally drop a bomb nearby, it unleashes a giant turtle from the ice. An Eskimo chief gives them an ancient stone carving and tells them about Gammera, a legend who is “evil and very frightening”.  At US army headquarters, Gen O'Neil (Dick O'Neil) tries to figure out if there really is a giant turtle roaming around. Cut to a NY TV show hosted by a guy (John Baragrey) who looks like Gore Vidal and a discussion between two doctors (Allan Oppenheimer & Mort Marshall). It's pretty funny. At a meeting in DC headed by the secretary of defense (Albert Dekker), Gen Arnold (Brian Donlevy) explains that large turtle footprints were found near a shipwreck. 

Back in Japan, a little brother Toshio loves turtles and is doing bad in school. He's forced by their father to free his turtle but meets a bigger one, Gammera who invades their village. Toshio almost falls to his death but Gammera saves him. Later it's discovered that Gammera can fly and eats fire to survive. After trying to freeze him fails, Gammera attacks Tokyo. Young people refuse to leave a dance club until the building comes down. Toshio gets in the way of destroying “his friend” a couple of times. Gammera really does appear invincible but with the help of Prof. Murase they send Gammera to Mars. Toshio says “Sayonara Gamera”...

Director Noriaki Yuasa went on to direct many more of Gammera (Gamera) adventures for Daiei Studios and making the only real rival to Toho's Godzilla. The added American scenes by Sandy Howard are pretty laughable.

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Darro & Moreland

CHASING TROUBLE-1940-Jimmy (Frankie Darro) and Jefferson (Mantan Moreland) deliver flowers for an obviously shady florist. When Jimmy finds out his friend Susie (Marjorie Reynolds; later in THE TIME OF THEIR LIVES with Abbott and Costello) has lost her boyfriend (and job) he decides to find her a new one. He thinks someone named Bill Jones would be perfect. Among other things, Jimmy considers himself a handwriting expert. Saboteur Morgan (Alex Callam) convinces Jimmy he's a G-man and makes Jimmy one too so Jimmy can keep an eye on reporter Pat Callahan (Milburn Stone) who's investigating a murder which Morgan committed. Morgan's assistant is Phillips (Tristram Coffin). Naively Jimmy tries to set Susie up with Morgan. Later Jimmy figures out he's a spy and he and his gang have set a bomb at an airplane factory. Callahan winds up in the hospital but a traffic cop (Joe Devlin) helps him get out. Despite the racial subservient role Jeff is a lot wiser than Jimmy, suspecting trouble and questioning his partner's misguided motives. Director Howard Bretherton made UP IN THE AIR with the Darro-Moreland team (they made 8 together for Monogram Pictures).

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