TV Movie Gone Wrong

 

 (the moviedb.org)

THE LEGEND OF CUSTER-1968-This TV movie/pilot is based on the life of General George Custer, the arrogant, self-possessed Indian hater (Wayne Maunder) later known as the man who led his troop of solders to slaugh-ter at The Little Big Horn. Here he's only a Colonel because he's been suspended from being a General for one year due to insubordination. He's under the command of General Terry (Robert F. Simon) who wants Custer to clean up the 7^th Calvary. One of the fort's scout California Joe (Slim Pickens) is his old friend. A postal worker, Tymen (William Mims) is selling guns to the Indians who go on a rampage stealing gold and cash from white men to pay for the weapons. 

This is a real spin doctoring story (“suggested by” Larry Cohen) with the fool hardy disgraced General trying to save the west by provoking the vicious native Americans. He later somehow meets up with Crazy Horse (Michael Dante) to escape The Blackfoot tribe. They have a knife fight in a cave and eat raw worms. Custer preaches peace but Crazy only wants war. Norman Foster and Sam Wanamaker are the credited directors. Also with Mary Ann Mobley and Rodolfo Acosta.

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Chan Goes Everywhere

CHARLIE CHAN IN PANAMA1940--A suspicious bunch gather in Panama. Jolly author Cliveden Compton (Lionel Atwill), school teacher Jennie Finch (Mary Nash), local club owner Manolo (Jack La Rue), Godley (Addison Richards), Dr. Grosser (Lionel Royce), a grouchy, fez wearing German Halide (Frank Puglia) and a guy named Cabot (Kane Richmond) that Manolo has one of his employees Kathie (Jean Rogers) spy on.

In Panama City Godley visits a hat maker who happens to be Charlie Chan (Sidney Toler) undercover. Godley has secret info on a saboteur/assassin named Reinhardt (no one knows what he looks like) but he smokes a poisoned cigarette and dies before revealing his info. Chan must stop Reinhardt from harming the Navy fleet before it uses the canal. No. 2 son Jimmy (Sen Yung) is kind of a pain but the identity of the killer is a lulu! Norman Foster directed this enjoyable installment, no doubt enhanced by the presence of the always entertaining Lionel Atwill.

 Next up: CHARLIE CHAN'S MURDER CRUISE.

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The Magic of Chan

CHARLIE CHAN AT TREASURE ISLAND-1939-While flying from Hawaii to San Francisco the intrepid phony Asian detective (Sidney Toler) and number 2 son Jimmy (Sen Yung) investigate the murder of Chan's friend, a writer who just completed his new novel. A suspicious insurance agent (Douglass Dumbrille) steals the manuscript. After breaking the bad news to the writer's wife, CC is “kidnapped” by the SF police because their chief (Donald MacBride) is an old friend of his. He meets another old friend Pete Lewis (Douglas Fowley), a reporter who introduces Chan to The Great Rhadini (Cesar Romero), a famous magician/illusionist who's mind reading assistant is Lewis' girlfriend Eve Cairo (Pauline Moore). Through them Chan learns about Dr. Zodiac, a magician/guru who seems to be involved in some recent murders (including the writer who received a mysterious radiogram that mentioned Scorpio). The trio decide visit the doc at his headquarters. After a seance like demonstration he threatens them with a gun and they leave. Zodiac talks in a deep voice (Gerald Mohr) and looks like someone in disguise. Later Eve gives an exhibition of her psychic powers and kind of convinces Chan they are real. After investigating and the discovery that Dr. Z is wearing a disguise, Rhadini challenges Dr. Z to a contest which he accepts. An elaborate stage show is performed and eventually after another murder the real identity of  Dr. Zodiac is revealed. He'd gathered much info on people who came to him for a reading and was using blackmail. 

One of three Chan mysteries Norman Foster directed. He also made 5 in the MR. MOTO series. In 1943 he'd work with Orson Welles on JOURNEY INTO FEAR and IT'S ALL TRUE. 

The one up: CHARLIE CHAN IN THE CITY OF DARKNESS.

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Back to Chan

CHARLIE CHAN IN RENO-1939- In “the biggest little city in the world” Mrs. Russell (Kay Linaker) runs a hotel for couples getting divorce. “This 1939. We're modern.”, says one character. The obnoxious Mrs. Bentley (Louise Henry) insults everyone and is asked by the owner to leave. She's killed instead and Mary Whitman (Pauline Moore; in CC IN HONOLULU the year before) is found over the body with blood on her hands. It just so happened Bentley was going to marry Mary's almost ex-husband Curtis (Kane Richmond; later in CC IN PANAMA). When Mary is arrested for the murder Curtis asks Charlie Chan (Sidney Toler) for help. Rather dumbly, especially for him Chan wires son Jimmy (Sen Yung) in LA that he will visit him on his return trip. Naturally Jimmy sees this as an opportunity to help “Pop”. He borrows a friend's car and drives there. However on the way he falls victim to two phony hitchhikers who steal the car and Jimmy's clothes! He winds up in a police line up that Chan, the police chief (Charles Brown) and a dopey sheriff (Slim Summerville) are looking at. Chan investigates all the suspects including the owner Mrs. Russell, her hostess (Phyllis Brooks), an oily doctor (Ricardo Cortez; also in MR. MOTO'S LAST WARNING the same year), Birk (Robert Lowery; also in MR. MOTO IN DANGER ISLAND the same year)), a broke young man and Mr. Bentley (Morgan Conway; future Dick Tracy). An Asian maid (Iris Wong) (and Jimmy's love interest) helps out too. This was one of four Chan mysteries directed by Norman Foster who also found time to direct 6 “Mr. Moto” entries.

Next in the series: CHARLIE CHAN ON TREASURE ISLAND.

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A Vacation Forever

MR. MOTO TAKES A VACATION-1939-The (phony) Japanese detective gets involved in protecting an ancient relic called “The Queen of Sheba's Crown” in San Francisco's Chinatown. Moto (who also appears in disguises) is less suspiciously acting than usual and is shot at several times by a mysterious trench coated figure. Mr. Featherstone (GP Huntley), the English dandy shows up to get in the way and Moto surmises that Mataxsa, an international jewel thief might be after the crown despite the fact that he's suppose to be dead! Suspects include Hildebrand (Lionel Atwill) the museum curator, Stevens (John “Dusty” King), the guy who headed the expedition that found the crown and Manderson (Joseph Schildkraut), the expedition's sponsor. In their finale fight Moto and Mataxsa nearly wreck the museum! 

Norman Foster once again directed this, the last of 8 Mr. Moto films with Peter Lorre.

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Hello Moto

THE MYSTERIOUS MR. MOTO-1938-In the fifth entry of the series, the famed Japanese detective (played by non-Asian Peter Lorre) investigates “the league of assassins” for Scotland Yard by disguising himself as a timid turbaned servant to one of its members (Leon Ames). He gets involved with Anton (Henry Wilcoxon), an industrialist who's life seems to be threatened because of his secret steel formula and Anton's girlfriend Anne (Mary Maquire). Forrester Harvey and Lotus Long (later in the unheralded PHANTOM OF CHINATOWN) have roles and the film's director Norman Foster (who directed most of the MOTO series) has a bit role. There's a great fight in a bar and the climax is terrific!  

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Moto's Chances

MR. MOTO TAKES A CHANCE-1938-While the famous (phony) Japanese detective (Peter Lorre in his fourth outing as the Asian sleuth) is digging in some ruins in Ankor Wat he meets Victoria Mason (Rochelle Hudson) an aviatrix who was flying around the world until her plane crashed. After a rajah's (J. Edward Bromberg) wife dies mysteriously Moto (who acts as suspiciously as a murderer) investigates. Later he disguises himself as a high priest to save some reporters (Robert Kent and Chick Chandler) from death. Then a real local high priest causes trouble. Too much time is spent on the comic adventures of the reporters. It turns out Moto and Victoria are working for the same end: to smash an arsenal assembled for the high priest's planned revolution. 

Director Norman Foster (also an actor) made most of the entries in the Moto series as well as several Charlie Chan mysteries and is the credited director of Orson Welles' JOURNEY INTO FEAR.

 Lead actress Rochelle Hudson was a popular leading lady in films of the '30's and early '40's. After playing Natalie Woods' mother in REBEL WITHOUT A CAUSE in 1955 she left Hollywood for other endeavors. She worked sporadically in the 1960's but retired for good after her last film appearance in the low budget anthology GALLERY OF TERROR (aka RETURN FROM THE PAST) IN 1967. She died in 1972. 

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Mr. Moto

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

THANK YOU MR. MOTO-1937-Peter Lorre starred as Kentaro Moto, a Japanese sleuth created by writer James Marquand in eight “Mr. Moto” films between 1937-1939. This was the second one produced. The Moto character at least in films is very mysterious. Sometimes it's not even clear who he's working for. He almost seems like a free agent working toward his own gains (but in the end always on the side of good). In THANK YOU, the intrepid P.I. investigates a collection of ancient Chinese maps that may lead to the treasure of Genghis Khan. It starts off in the Gobi desert with Moto disguised as a Mongolian. Later he tries to help an art collector Eleanor Joyce (Pauline Frederick). Everyone it seems is after the priceless scrolls a prince (Phillip Ahn) and his mother have especially bad guy Sidney Blackmer. Co-star Thomas Beck who plays Eleanor's love interest was also in several Charlie Chan movies. Sig Ruman is an early victim and John Carradine is a art dealer with a weird accent. Director Norman Foster made other Moto films as well as several Chan entries and is the credited director of Orson Welles' JOURNEY INTO FEAR.

 

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