Another Cheapo Western

 

 (themoviedb.org)

WACO-1966-In Emporium, Wyoming, Sheriff Kelly (Richard Arlen) tries to keep law and order but is shot in the back. Councilman Gates (John Agar) wants the mayor (Robert Lowery) to hire convicted killer Waco (Howard Keel) to clean up the town which is controlled by Joe Gore (John Smith) and his partner in crime Rile (DeForrest Kelly). Waco's old flame, Jill (Jane Russell) is now married to preacher Sam Stone (Wendell Corey). 

Waco helps the mayor's daughter (Tracey Olsen) and roughs up some rowdy ranchers. He helps reform the drunken deputy (Gene Evans) but later, Waco decides to take over the town. He sends for his friend gunfighter Ross (Brian Donlevy). However, when Ross backs out, the whole town decides to defend their territory. 

Ben Cooper is a would-be deputy. Terry Moore works in the bar. Also with Fuzzy Knight. Director RG Springsteen who made many westerns in the  30's and 40's was already working in TV by the time of this low budget production. Singer Howard Keel had starred in THE DAY OF THE TRIFFIDS in 1963.

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Gore Comedy

 

THE UNDERTAKER AND HIS PALS-1966-In this slapstick gore movie, Doc and Spike, two psychotic greasy spoon diner owners kill women and serve their parts to customers. It's full of phony gore and stupid comedy bits with cartoon sound effects. (One victim is Sally Lamb and they serve her leg. Leg of lamb, get it?) A prissy obnoxious Undertaker (Ray Dannis; also in TV Mikels' THE CORPSE GRINDERS) helps them and tries to rack up business for himself. One scene has a woman beaten to death with a chain. A nosy black delivery guy is axed in the head. Another woman is cut open but this scene is actually real operation footage. Scenes of the undertaker in drag were cut and now there's only one quick scene during the comical end credits. Harry Glass (James Westmoreland using the name Rad Fulton), a PI, looks for them after his girlfriend Sally Poultry is killed. 40's Batman star Robert Lowery has one scene as a customer who pies Spike. It's the only movie directed by TLP Swicewood (also the screenwriter). Westmoreland was later the stupid hero cop in DON'T ANSWER THE PHONE.

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Sayonara Mr. Moto

MR MOTO IN DANGER ISLAND-1939-While recovering in Puerto Rico from an appendectomy, Mr. Moto (Peter Lorre) investigates the smuggling of stolen diamonds. He gets help from pro wrestler Twister McGirk (Warren Hymer) who talks like Slip Mahoney. Suspects include a diamond merchant Sutter (Jean Hersholt), Col. Castle (Charles D. Brown), Commissioner Gordon (Richard Lane), Lt. Bentley (Robert Lowery), Commissioner Madera (Leon Ames) and La Costa (Douglas Dumbrille). Castle's daughter Joan (Amanda Duff) tries to help after her father is accused of murder. When Moto is accused of being an infamous Japanese criminal, he and Twister lam it. Later they are taken into the confidence of the crime gang. Renie Riano is a blond haired librarian and Willie Best is a frightened boat driver.]

This was the last of the 8 Mr. Moto movies made by 20^th Century Fox between 1937 & 1939. It is also the second Moto script to be rewritten from an unmade Charlie Chan script (because of Warner Oland's death). Herbert I. Leeds also directed the Charlie Chan mystery CITY IN DARKNESS (with Sidney Toler) the same year.

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Charlie In The Big Apple

MURDER OVER NEW YORK-1940-On a plane en route to NYC for a police convention, Charlie Chan (Sidney Toler) meets his old friend Inspector Drake of Scotland Yard (Frederick Worlock). Drake is on the trial of a saboteur named Narda and his Hindu servant Ramullah (Lal Chand Mehra) who seem to have vanished so he’s been following Narda’s wife. Drake seems like a future victim especially after being invited to a party given by the smarmy and suspicious George Kirby (Ricardo Cortez). Then when Chan is met by Inspector Vance (Donald MacBride), No. 2 son Jimmy (Sen Yung) shows up! Sure enough, Drake is murdered in Kirby's study, killed by a odorless gas. There are many suspects of course including June Preston (Joan Valerie), an actress, chemist David Elliot (Robert Lowery) , Ralph Percy (Kane Richmond), a guy named Richard Jeffery (John Sutton), a pompous Englishman Herbert Fenton (Melville Cooper) and Patricia West (Mariorie Weaver)and Narda’s wife who turns out not to be a collaborator.

 An hysterical but politically incorrect scene involves a police lineup of local Hindi men where a phony mystic is played by Shemp Howard! They find Narda’s servant but he’s killed. His curio shop turns out to be a front for making poison gas! This method seems similar to the M. O. of the the kiiler in MR. WONG DETECTIVE (1938). Eventually Charlie gets all the suspects on a moving plane and reveals the real killer (Narda with plastic surgery). Jimmy is really a pest in this. Clarence Muse has one scene as stereotypical scared suspect. 

Director Harry Lachman directed DEAD MEN TELL the next year.

https://moviemeltdown.blogspot.com/2015/07/chan-returns.html

Mr. Wong: https://moviemeltdown.blogspot.com/2017/07/mr-wong.html

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Chan On The Sea

 CHARLIE CHAN’S MURDER CRUISE-1940-Charlie Chan (Sidney Toler) is ready to spank no.7 son Willie (Layne Tom Jr.) for going through Pop’s mail to find a bad report card but is interrupted by a visit from his old friend Inspector Duff of Scotland Yard (Montague Shaw). He’s on the trial of an international killer known only as “The Strangler” and has narrowed the search down to 10 people all on an around the world cruise ship. Unfortunately before they can act Duff is strangled to death in Chan’s own office! Charlie meets archaeologist Prof. Gordon (Leo G. Carroll), tour director Dr. Suderman (Lionel Atwill), Richard Kenyon (Robert Lowery), a murdered passenger’s nephew, the hypochondriac Pendelton (Leonard Mudie) and the smug Mr. Ross (Don Beddoe). Also thrown in is a quick to hysterics socialite Suzie (Cora Witherspoon) and her secretary Paula (Marjorie Weaver), who Kenyon is sweet on. Then there's the Amish looking Mr.& Mrs. Walters (Charles Middleton and Claire Du Brey). She’s psychic and implicates Kenyon in the murder of his uncle. Meanwhile a mysterious bearded beggar hangs around. The killer leaves a bag of 30 silver dimes with each of his victims. A weird hobby horse race figures into the plot. Jimmy (Sen Yung) hangs around as a steward and gets into trouble. 

Eugene Forde directed this easy to take mystery with a good cast.

Followed by CHARLIE CHAN IN THE WAX MUSEUM.

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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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Queen Of What?

QUEEN OF THE AMAZON-1947-Boring nonsensical basement budget adventure made up mostly of animal stock footage and African tribes dancing. Jungle guide Gary Lambert (Robert Lowery) leads an expedition looking for some white guy. Jean Preston (Patricia Morison), the guy's fiance goes along as do Col. Parker (John Miljan), Gabby (J. Edward Bromberg) and Monroe (Keith Richards). They find the guy among a female tribe of warriors led by Zita (Amira Moustafa). The guy (William Benge) actually likes living with the tribe and wants to marry the queen! Trouble plagues the group (lion attacks, mysterious murders) and it turns out the comic relief cook is actually the mastermind of a ivory poaching ring! 

Director Edward Finney only directed 5 films but produced over 40. Mainly westerns. In 1949 star Lowery would play Batman in the serial BATMAN AND ROBIN.

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Rondo

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

HOUSE OF HORRORS-1946-Universal's second outing featuring the famed Rondo Hatton as the murdering “Creeper” (after the Sherlock Holmes entry PEARL OF DEATH). He's rescued from a watery death by mad sculptor Marcel (Martin Kosleck; usually a Nazi in many films in the '40's) who wants him as a model for his greatest masterpiece. At night Rondo does his rounds (Virginia Christine plays his first victim), breaking the spines of women but he also takes time to kill a pompous art critic (Alan Napier) who ridiculed Marcel's work. A commercial artist Steve Morrow (Robert Lowery; future Caped Crusader in the BATMAN & ROBIN serial 3 years later)) comes under the suspicion of a deluded police lieutenant (Bill Goodwin). Morrow's girlfriend Joan (Virginia Grey, a busy actress in the '40's)) is another critic who discovers the secret alliance. When Rondo discovers Marcel might betray him it all goes down the drain. Rondo gets shot in the finale but doesn't seem to die (probably because Universal plan to use the character again). Joan Fulton (later Shawlee) appears as a doomed model and the great Byron Foulger is an almost buyer of one of Marcel's statues until dissuaded by Napier.

 

HOUSE OF HORRORS isn't seen much today and would probably totally forgotten if not for the presence of the Rondo Hatton who does an impressive job of trying to be sinister but in fact often comes off as a sorrowful guy done in by his natural appearance (of course in real life the actor was afflicted with acromegaly). Perhaps this was director Jean Yarbrough's intention but since the Creeper's pastime is coldly breaking the backs of innocent people I doubt it. The fast but fairly competent Yarbrough would also direct Hatton in his final feature THE BRUTE MAN later in the year. Universal had planned to exploit Hatton as a new horror star based on his affliction but he died later in 1946 before his final film was released.

 

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Jalopy

JALOPY-1953-This time the Boys are involved in auto racing. For some reason a scientist (Leon Belasco) is experimenting in a lab in the back of Louie's sweet shop. In their first race with Slip (Leo Gorcey) driving, Sach (Huntz Hall) causes all the cars to crash (he goes after his lost hat). Later Sach and the scientist invent a super fuel. Of course a rival race car owner (Robert Lowery) wants the formula and sends his "moll" (Jane Easton) to get it. It doesn't help that Sach (naturally) can't remember how to make it again! 

JALOPY was directed by William Beaudine and sort of reminded me of HERE COME THE CO-EDS. Also with regulars David Gorcey (using the name David Conlon), Bennie Bartlett and Bernard Gorcey as Louie who (unfortunately) isn't given much to do in this weak Monogram entry (co-written by Tim Ryan).

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Zombies Rule Ok-Part 2

REVENGE OF THE ZOMBIES-1943-More WW2 /zombie fun from Monogram. John Carradine is Dr. Max Hendrich Von Alterman, a Nazi scientist working in his jungle lab to raise an zombie army that will win the war. He also has a zombie like wife (Veda Ann Borg) who strolls around. Gale Storm (the future MY LITTLE MARGIE TV star) is his secretary.

Cowboy star Bob Steele (the future Duffy on TV’s F-TROOP) plays an undercover agent. Robert Lowery who later played Batman in the second serial based on the comic book plays the male lead but once again Mantan Moreland steals the show! Hungarian born director Steve Sekely later made HOLLOW TRIUMPH and THE DAY OF THE TRIFFIDS.

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Westward Ho!

THE PARSON AND THE OUTLAW-1957-I don’t know how I do it but even when I’m on vacation I happen to run across some low budget movie not worth watching! The story is based on the legend that Billy The Kid was not killed by Pat Garrett but instead only “pretended” to die and started a new life.

Emotionless Anthony Dexter is Billy who now goes by the name of Bill and carries no guns. He is befriended by gunslinger Jack Slade (Sonny Tufts from CATWOMEN ON THE MOON) who works for The Colonel (‘40’s Batman Robert Lowery) who runs the town where Bill settles. B-movie actress icon Marie Windsor (also in CATWOMAN and Kubrick’s THE KILLING) is outrageous as a Mexican “floozy” who can’t made up her mind on who’s side she’s on. Former silent screen star Buddy Rogers (also the executive producer, in his last role) is The Parson who tries to clean up the town and fails miserably. When he’s killed and falls against a railing his shadow resembles Christ on the cross! In such an inept movie an image like that was quite a surprise!

Bob Steele (Duffy on TV’s F-TROOP), Jean Parker (from Laurel & Hardy’s FLYING DEUCES and Edgar Ulmer’s BLUEBEARD) and Richard Reeves (in a an un-billed role as Garrett) are also featured. The director of this stilted mess, Oliver Drake worked mainly in westerns but later made the more screwed up THE MUMMY AND THE CURSE OF THE JACKAL (what a title!). His last movie was something called ANGELICA: AMERICAN VIXEN in 1970. He died in 1991.

LAW AND ORDER-Universal-1932-This is it! The great Edward L. Chan’s first film as director! And John Huston wrote it! His father Walter stars as Frame “Saint” Johnson, “the killing-est peace officer that ever lived” who cleaned up Kansas and now just wants to settle down in Tombstone. He’s reluctantly recruited to become the new Marshall and take on the town’s corrupt sheriff and it’s resident horse rustlers/bullies/killers The Northrup Brothers. He gets help from his three buddies. Russell Hopton (who would commit suicide in 1945) plays his younger brother. Harry Carey Sr. is his itchy trigger fingered friend Ed who dresses like an undertaker. Veteran character actor Raymond Hatton is Deadwood. The group tries everything to rid the town of crime including banning the use of firearms. Johnson does convince a criminal (Andy Devine) he should be proud to be Tombstone’s first legal hanging! Look for Walter Brennan in bit role during the hanging scene! It all ends with a shootout where nearly everyone is killed and Johnson leaves disillusioned and bitter!

The Northrup Bros. are portrayed by Harry Woods (a veteran western villain who was in The Marx Bros. comedy MONKEY BUSINESS the year before), Ralph Ince (the actor/director, who’s brother Thomas died under mysterious circumstances in 1924) and Richard Alexander (Prince Barin in the first two FLASH GORDON serials).

LAW AND ORDER is an old fashioned, dusty, uncompromising western with no women characters to speak of. There were several subsequent films called LAW AND ORDER but this one’s the first!

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