Mike Hammer Time!

 

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MY GUN IS QUICK-1957-Mike Hammer (Robert Bray) meets a redhead (Jan Chaney) in a hash joint and soon after she winds up dead. Her missing ring leads him on a hunt to find her killer. The mute sweeper Jean (Terence De Marney) tries to help but he's thrown out a window. He meets Nancy (Whitney Blake), a woman who was involved in a scandal in Europe, whose butler Louis (Richard Garland) threatened Red in the hash joint. Some jewels stolen by Col. Holiday (Donald Randolph) are part of it. So is a stripper named Maria (Gina Core'). He butts heads with police Captain Chambers (Booth Colman) but they work together. A trio of French gangsters led by the hook handed LeRouch (Peter Mamakos) are also after the cache and beat up Mike. Pamela Duncan is Hammer's intrepid secretary, Velda. 

This is a pretty good, neglected version with the usual Hammer twist ending. Garland and Duncan both starred in Corman's ATTACK OF THE CRAB MONSTERS the same year. Two directors are credited, Victor Saville and George White.

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A Pair of Palances

 

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HOUSE OF NUMBERS-1957-Arnie Judlow (Jack Palance) is in San Quentin after killing a man. His wife Ruth (Barbara Lang) and his twin brother Bill (also Palance) plan to help him escape. It's a little complicated and dangerous, playing on the twin aspect. They switch roles and Bill meets cellmate Frenchy (Timothy Carey with a hearing aid) while Arnie builds a hiding place at night. Later, Bill leaves the prison and Arnie plans his escape. He breaks out but nosy prison guard Hank Nova (Harold J. Stone) makes too many educated guesses. Edward Platt is a helpful warden. 

Far-fetched but enjoyable film noir with Palance good in the dual role. Earlier director Russell Rouse had written D.O.A. (1949) and directed THE THIEF (1952), a movie with no dialogue and WICKED WOMAN (1953) starring his wife, Beverley Michaels. He later directed THE OSCAR (1966), sometimes named one of the worst movies ever made. Hey! Nobody's perfect!

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Shoot It

 

SHOOT IT BLACK, SHOOT IT BLUE-1974-A corrupt cop (Michael Moriarty) shoots an unarmed purse snatcher. A student Lamont (Eric Laneuville) doing a film on insects films it. The victim’s wife decides to sue and hires lawyer (Paul Sorvino). The cop searches the city for Lamont but the victim's brother has his own plan. Art Ellison, who played the minister in CARNIVAL OF SOULS is a bartender. Dated, misguided talky trash from director Dennis McGuire (his only directorial effort).

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Chan

 

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CRIME STORY-1993-A police inspector Eddie Chan (Jackie Chan), who may be suffering post trauma, becomes involved in the kidnapping of a real estate magnate (Kar-Ling Law) and his ailing wife (Auyeung Pui San), planned by Detective Hung (Kent Cheng), a corrupt cop. There are some incredible stunts and sfx, especially in the finale but this is much more serious than Chan's usual serio-comedy outings. Directed by Kirk Wong (with an assist by Chan).

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Takeshi

 

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VIOLENT COP-1989-Azuma (Beat Takeshi; MERRY CHRISTMAS, MR. LAWRENCE) is the title character, a hot-headed cop with a mean violent streak who is always in trouble with his superiors. While battling drug dealers, he uses all the wrong methods to arrest criminals: violence, planting evidence, intimidation. He also has trouble with his drug addicted sister. 

This was former comedian Takeshi's directorial debut and it's not for everyone. His methodical direction suddenly explodes with brutality. He went on to improve his technique as director and editor with his next two films.

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Lions In Central Park

 

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CENTRAL PARK-1932-Unemployed Rick (Wallace Ford; he was in FREAKS the same year) meets would be actress Dot (Joan Blondell) in Central Park. Meanwhile, Smiley (John Wray), the ex-zookeeper who went crazy and was committed, escapes from the insane asylum and feeds his replacement to a lion. The lion escapes. Charlie (Guy Kibbee), a police officer with bad vision is blamed. Dot gets involved with what she thinks is a police operation but it's actually gangsters posing as cops to steal some charity money. Rick discovers the scam but can't get the police to believe him. All the wrong people get arrested but in the end, all 4 story lines are wrapped up. 

Director John G. Adolfi was known for his collaborations with actor George Arliss.

More TV

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GIRL IN GOLD BOOTS-1968-Buz Nichols (Tom Pace), shady criminal type meets Michele (Leslie McRae), a waitress at a greasy spoon working with her drunk father (Victor Izay). They hit the road and go to Las Vegas where Buz says his dancer/sister Joanie (Bara Brynes) will get Michele a job. Along the way, they pick up Critter (Jody Daniels), a philosophical hippie, trying to escape the draft. A love triangle develops. Later they meet sis Joanie who works for the sleazy self-important club owner Leo McCabe (Mark Herron). He also supplies Joanie with pills and plans to replace her with Michele. Meanwhile, Buz pushes dope for McCabe and Critter washes floors. Buz gets involved in stealing drugs from a jail and then murder and Joanie has a breakdown. Critter brings all the sleazy thugs down, romances Michele and returns to be drafted while crooning a song. 

Funny low budget love story/crime drama from co-producer/director Ted V. Mikels who made the infamous ASTRO-ZOMBIES the same year (also with Pace). Mikels regular William Bagdad also has a role. Lead actress McRae was also in Mikels' BLOOD ORGY OF THE SHE DEVILS (1973) and HELL'S BLOODY DEVILS (1970) and THE FEMALE BUNCH (1971), both for Al Adamson, GUESS WHAT HAPPENED TO COUNT DRACULA (1971) and DEATHRACE 2000 (1975). Grimy bad guy Mark Herron was married to Judy Garland at the time.

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Soloman

 

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SOLOMON KING-1974-Ex-CIA agent Soloman King (co-director/co-writer Sal Watts) and his brother Manny (real life brother (?) James Watts) run oil wells in the Middle East but the evil Hassan (Richard Scarso) takes over the country. The king goes into hiding and his daughter the princess escapes to the US. King takes the princess in to protect her. With the help of a corrupt agent, Hassan sends an assassin to kill the princess. Honkies try to hire black brothers to work for Hassan. Later after the princess is killed, King recruits his ex-Green Beret buddies to bring down Hassan. 

Terrible acting and direction. The fight scenes are some of the worst ever! No negative of this could be found. Some wiseguy restored it from 35mm copy. The print looks great, which is the best part of this movie. Star Sal Watts was a successful clothing store owner in California and appeared in only one other film, BIG TIME in 1977. He died in 2003.

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Rookie

 

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POLICE ROOKIE-1940-Criminal "The Dutch Man" gets off again. Veteran cop Mike Hannigan (Richard Homans) goes undercover to find "the big boss" who's running things. He finds some evidence in a warehouse and is shot but chases off the gunmen. Back home, with his wife (Mary Gordon; Mrs. Hudson in the Universal Sherlock Holmes series), and their son Stevie (Gordon Jones), they have a fight over Stevie not wanting to go to the police academy. Stevie's friend Joe Kelly (Craig Reynolds) stops by and Mike is killed when a bomb blows up his car. Stevie and Joe decide to join the police department and catch Mike's killer. Mike passes the exam but Joe fails. 

Mike gets into hot water with his boss later on while investigating on his own. Following a lead to a nightclub, he meets a talkative floozy (Veda Ann Borg) while Joe kind of romances Mike's girl (Joyce Compton). Mike eventually discovers his dad's killer but almost makes a big mistake. It ends kind of tragically. 

This low budget crime drama was directed with speed by the super-fast Sam Newfield. One of 14 movies he directed in 1940! PRC (Newfield's brother Sigmund Neufeld produced most of their films) originally released POLICE ROOKIE as I TAKE THIS OATH. The title was changed upon a re-release. Of course, star Gordon Jones later played “Mike the cop” on the Abbott & Costello TV show. A few well-known character actors appear: Keene Duncan, Arthur O'Connell and Harry Harvey.

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Lorre on the Tube

 

 (mubi)

SCREEN DIRECTORS PLAYHOUSE-"No.5 Checked Out"-1956-Mary, a deaf woman (Teresa Wright; PRIDE OF THE YANKEES, SHADOW OF A DOUBT) left alone by her father (Ralph Moody) in an off-season lodge is unaware that two men she's allowed to stay in a cabin are bank robbers. One guy, Barney (William Talman) was just the driver but his partner Willie (Peter Lorre) killed a man. Barney kind of falls for Mary but Willie has other plans. It ends tragically and a little abruptly. 

But still a nice little suspense drama co-written and director by Ida Lupino. Make up by Jack Pierce. Eastman Kodak presented the TV version Screen Directors Playhouse which ran on NBC for 32 episodes from October 1955 to June 1956 (although the last few episodes ran on ABC). It was produced by the Hal Roach Studios. 

In 1953, co-star Talman played the psycho killer in THE HITCHHIKER, also directed by Lupino. In 1957, he began a long run on TV's "Perry Mason" as prosecuting attorney Hamilton Burger.

 (imdb)

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Crime Drama

 

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CAGE OF EVIL-1960-Inspector Melrose (John Maxwell) narrates the story of police detective Scott Harper (Ron Foster), a hot-headed jerk, disgruntled at being passed over as he investigates a robbery of diamonds that involves murder. (Robert Shayne plays the owner) His partner Murray Kerns (Harp McGuire) is a little better. Harper winds up falling in love with Holly (Patricia Blair from THE BLACK SLEEP (1956)), the girlfriend of Romack (Howard McLeod), the gangster who staged the robbery. Harper and Holly plot to kill him and keep the diamonds and Harper winds up killing his partner. It ends in Mexico where he finds out once again crime doesn't pay. 

Another crime drama that seems like an overlong TV show by the Robert Kent-Edward L. Cahn-Orville Hampton team after they stopped making horror movies. Several actors appear in un-billed small roles: Ted Knight, Greg Martell, Henry Darrow and Eve Brent.

Star Foster was in THE WALKING TARGET (directed by Edward L. Cahn) the same year. He made appearances in many TV shows and was later in THE HOUSE OF THE DAMNED (1965).

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Vaughn's Debut

 (tcm)

 

NO TIME TO BE YOUNG-1957-Three immature losers can't face reality. Robert Vaughn (screen debut) is Buddy, a wise ass mamma's boy who wants to run away because he's afraid when he's drafted. He's also dating one of his college teachers Mrs. Dexter (Dorothy Green). Bob (Roger Smith) works in a grocery store and wants to marry waitress Gloria (Merry Anders) but he's partially responsible for her broken back. Stu (Tom Pittman) is a failed writer who lied to marry his wife. After much drama and Freudian plot twists they decide to rob Bob's place of business. Despite some reluctance on Bob and Stu's part, they go through with it but Buddy shoots the store manager. The trio fracture and Bob and Stuff are arrested. Buddy loses the money (while dancing…) and crashes a stolen truck. It's unclear whether he dies or not.1940's Superman Kirk Alyn has an unbilled role. 

Director David Lowell Rich later directed the 3 Stooges in HAVE ROCKET-WILL TRAVEL. He did a lot of TV later but occasionally did a big screen film (MADAME X (1966), THE CONCORDE: AIRPORT '79 (1979)). Vaughn starred in TEENAGE CAVEMAN the following year.

 (imdb)

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J'Accuse....My Parents

 

I ACCUSE MY PARENTS-1944-Over aged high school student Jimmy Wilson (Robert Lowell) wins an essay contest about this wonderful parents and home life but surprise! Jimmy's mom (Vivienne Osborne) is a lush and his father (John Miljan) is a callous louse who likes to gamble. They fight a lot and have wild cocktail parties. When mom shows up at school drunk Jimmy drops out and gets a job as a shoe salesman. His first customer is Kitty Reed (Mary Beth Hughes), a nightclub singer and it's love at first sight. 

After getting the brush off from his folks he visits Kitty at the club. There she introduces him to her boss Mr. Blake (George Meeker) who is actually sweet on Kitty. They celebrate Jimmy's birthday together. Later Jimmy goes to work for the sleazy Blake making dubious pick ups while romancing Kitty. When Jimmy is driving the getaway car during a robbery/killing, he finds out exactly what he's doing for Blake who tries to eliminate him. 

Jimmy gets away and winds up working in a hamburger joint for nice guy Al (George Lloyd). Meanwhile Kitty sings a sorry ballad (it's one of three tunes she does) and searches for her boo. Jimmy decides to go back and make Blake turn himself in. He and Blake have a tussle over a gun and Blake is killed. Jimmy, telling his story in flashbacks to a judge gets off lightly, wins Kitty and gets to hear his parents lectured by the judge. 

This nutty innocuous morality tale (that's totally entertaining) from PRC was produced by Sam Katzman and directed by the workaholic Sam Newfield who made eleven other features in 1944 including NABONGA and THE MONSTER MAKER.

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The Beat

 

MURDER IS MY BEAT-1955-Cop Ray Patrick (Paul Langton; later in IT! THE TERROR FROM BEYOND SPACE) searches for nightclub singer Eden Lane (Barbara Payton), a suspect in the murder of Frank Dean. He tracks her to a snowbound cabin. He arrests her and after she's convicted he accompanies her to the state pen and she convinces Ray she saw Dean alive on a platform. He helps her escape and investigates but all his leads go cold. He also falls in love with her. Later Eden disappears. This part is actually a flashback told by Ray to his boss (Robert Shayne). Ray convinces his boss to help him. 

There's an interesting conclusion in this little film noir masterpiece by the one and only Edgar Ulmer. 

The film also features un-billed roles by Harry Harvey, William Fawcett and Hank Patterson. 

MURDER was written and produced by Aubrey Wisberg who also did the screenplays for THE NEANDERTHAL MAN (with Robert Shayne) and THE MAN FROM PLANET X. This was the last feature role for the notorious Barbara Payton who was once involved in a violent relationship with actor Tom Neal who ten years earlier had starred in Ulmer's classic DETOUR. A public fight between Neal and actor Franchot Tone in which Payton received a black eye helped sink her sagging career. She drank herself to death and died at age 39 in 1967.

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Who knows?

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THE SHADOW-1954-TV PILOT-Lame attempt to bring the famous crime fighter to TV with a run of the mill murder plot as a police detective seems hell bent on arresting a young man (William Smithers) for the shooting death of his girlfriend. A pompous music teacher (Alexander Scourby) is also involved. Criminologist Lamont Cranston (Tom Helmore) and girl pal Margo Lane (Paula Raymond) investigate. 

The Shadow only appears as a flash of light but does cloud men's minds, sinisterly cackles and says his famous phrase. Director Charlie Haas later became a fairly versatile prolific TV director (Mickey Mouse Club, The Millionaire, Bonanza) but also made off beat movies like THE BEAT GENERATION and GIRLS TOWN).

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Crime Drama

 

 (imdb)

CRIME WAVE-1953-Parolee Steve Lacey (Gene Nelson) and his wife Ellen (Phyllis Kirk) become entangled in the escape plan of his escaped con pals Doc Petty (Ted DeCorsia) and Ben Hastings (Charles Buchinsky Bronson's first film credit). Since Lacey is a pilot they want him to fly them to Mexico. Ridiculously surly cop Lt. Syms (Sterling Hayden) is on their trail unmercifully hounding Lacey . Un-billed Timothy Carey shows up midway holding Kirk hostage while the others hold up a bank. 

Gritty little film noir also has Dub Taylor, Jay Novello, Fritz Feld and Iris Adrian. Director Alex DeToth later used Kirk and Buchinsky in HOUSE OF WAX. Hayden, DeCorsia and Carey were all in Stanley Kubrick's THE KILLING in 1956.

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Lights! Camera! Action! Sound!

 

LIGHTS OF NEW YORK-1928-This is a crude early sound gangster crime drama that's only remembered today because it was the first full sound movie. It's not very good with wooden acting, terrible musical numbers and it moves at a snail's pace. 

The basic story is about a sleazy nightclub owner/bootlegger Hawk Miller (Wheeler Oakman) framing a naive barber Eddie(Cullen Landis) for the killing of a police officer. One character says "You might get indigestion from too much chicken". Miller's plan doesn't turn out like he wants it to and he winds up mysteriously shot. Eddie's partner Gene (Eugene Pallete) tries to help by giving a shave to the dead Miller. When the hard nosed Detective Crosby (Robert Elliot) is ready to arrest Eddie, Molly, Miller's girlfriend (Gladys Brockwell) admits to killing Miller. 

LIGHTS OF NEW YORK is one of the few feature films directed Bryan Foy, a former vaudeville performer with the famous family group “The Seven Little Foys”. He began in movies as a gag writer for Buster Keaton and began directing in the early 1920's, making mainly short films. Later he produced many shorts and after that several features including THE HOUSE OF WAX.

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Alcatraz!

EXPERIMENT ALCATRAZ-1950-Four inmates on “The Rock” are promised freedom if they agree to allow an experimental drug be injected into them. One of the bunch Barry Morgan (Robert Shayne) kills his friend Eddie (Sam Scar) after procuring a pair of scissors. Chief doctor Lt. McKenna (Joan Dixon) is kicked out and Dr. Williams (John Howard), head of the project sees it closed down against his will. Later Williams investigates Morgan and his auction house which is really a front for illegal gambling. After he gets beat up Williams and McKenna learn more about the relationship of Morgan and Eddie (they were suppose to be good friends but actually Morgan wanted him out of the way). Along the way they meet Max Henry (Frank Cady) a convict who collects postcards, Byron Foulger as a relator and Myron Healy as a reporter. Unfortunately Williams doggedly refuses to drop his investigation and Morgan kills him. It's up to Williams' friend Dr. Finley (Walter Kingsford) to set a trap to catch Morgan and avenge his friend's death. Kenneth MacDonald has a small role. 

This is another documentary style crime drama for the much maligned Edward L. Cahn who a few years later made some memorable low budget horror movies. Shayne, a familiar character actor was two years away from playing His most famous role as Inspector Henderson on TV's THE ADVENTURES OF SUPERMAN. 

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Dual Belas!

 BOWERY AT MIDNIGHT-1942-Prof. Brenner (Bela Lugosi) is a criminology teacher by day and at night he's Karl Wagner who runs a Bowery mission that's a front for robbery and murder. Sgt. Crawford (Dave O'Brien) investigates. Wagner's M.O. is to kill one accomplice at the scene of a crime. He recruits psycho killer Frank Mills (Tom Neal; he'd star in DETOUR in 1945) to help. Wagner's nurse Judy (Wanda McKay) doesn't suspect but her boyfriend Richard (John Archer) goes undercover as a bum to study the underprivileged and winds up dead. The nutty ending has an insane doctor resurrecting Wagner's dead victims who in turn kill him. Since Richard comes back to life he and Judy live happily ever after. When Richard is on the Bowery he meets two oddballs almost in a row. One is played by Pat Costello and the other by Bernard Gorcey! Wheeler Oakman, Victor Adamson and Snub Pllard have small roles.

Director Wallace Fox made several "East Side Kids" comedies (that were set in The Bowery) and directed Lugosi in THE CORPSE VANISHES the same year. After making PILLOW OF DEATH, one of the Inner Sanctum series of film at Universal he drifted into low budget westerns then went into TV (The Gene Autry Show, Ramar Of The Jungle). He dies in 1958.

https://moviemeltdown.blogspot.com/2020/01/vanishing-bride.html

Sam Katzman was the executive producer of this low budget quickie released through Monogram but it's not bad despite some lapses in reason!

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More Juveniles

 

BOY SLAVES-1939-Runaway kid Jesse (Roger Daniel) falls in with a gang of homeless juvenile delinquents led by weird looking jerk Tim (James McCallion). After they beat up a rich kid, the sheriff (Arthur Hohl) arrests them but a seemingly honest businessman Albee (Charles Lane) says they can work for him but it's just for illegal child labor. Albee's servant Annie (Annie Shirley) helps them but gets beaten for her trouble. When their plan to mail a letter telling of their plight fails, they rebel, beat up the foreman, start a fire and escape. 

Unfortunately Jesse is shot and killed. The rest and Annie hold up in a cabin. The adults try to use the kids for target practice but some cops arrive to defuse the standoff and Annie convinces them to give up. A judge (Ray Gordon) gives a heartfelt "apology" to the exploited kids and sends Albee to jail. The kids have names like Knuckles, Miser, Pee Wee, Atlas and Pinky and Olin Howlin is a cook. It's the only movie directed by screenwriter PJ Wolfson. 

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