nightwalker
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Posts posted by nightwalker
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Great line (Jon Hall to Nazis): I pity the devil when you boys start arriving in bunches!
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PITFALL certainly qualifies in the noir category. I mean, here you have a guy (played by Dick Powell) who's happily married, with an attractive wife, a child, a nice house in the suburbs, and a job, which, while it may not be the most exciting in the world, enables him to provide nicely for his family and to afford most anything he wants, and he's still not happy. In fact, when we first meet the character, even though he seems to be living the "American dream" as it was in the post World War II years, he also seems to be feeling bored and even somewhat smothered or stifled by his life.
In other words, he's a perfect noir protagonist, ripe for all sorts of noir unpleasantness to come into his life, which it will, in time-honored film
noir fashion
*****SPOILER ALERT****
so that, by the film's end, Powell's character has disgraced himself and his family, nearly been sent to prison and been involved in the possible death of sleazy private eye Raymond Burr.
In this sense, the film seems almost a noir counterpart to THE WIZARD OF OZ. There, you'll recall that Dorothy learns, by film's end, not to go looking for her heart's desire any further than her own back yard, as she says, because if it's not there, she never really lost it in the first place.
Powell's character learns the exact same lesson through a series of circumstances which will probably cost him his home, his standing in the community, and his position at the office (at film's end, it's possible he'll take a transfer and simply move himself and his family to another town). It's only because of his wife's character and willingness to forgive him that he doesn't lose her and his son as well.
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Re THE THIRTEENTH HOUR:
It's from 1947 and is the last film in the series to star Richard Dix. It's Dix's last film as well.
Directed by B meister William Clemens, it's the story of a small trucking company owner (played by Dix), who has just successfully defeated a policeman in a competition for roadside diner owner Karen Morley's affections. The two announce their engagement, the cop and Dix have a quarrel (they've been feuding for some time over Morley), then the cop turns up dead. Did Dix do it? As the Whistler himself might ask, "Will fate be kind to him?" Hey, no spoilers here!
It's not the best film in the series, but it's pretty good and well worth seeing.
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HIDE-OUT was remade as I'LL WAIT FOR YOU (1941) with Robert Sterling & Marsha Hunt. Perhaps this is what you saw.
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Actually, in a sense, you are all correct.
The executive producer of the series, Norman Felton, had considered the possibility of "UNCLE" movies from the beginning in order to generate extra revenue.
Two first season episodes, "The Vulcan Affair" and "The Double Affair", although stand-alone episodes, were expanded with some additional footage being shot, and released theatrically both in the U.S. and abroad, the first as TO TRAP A SPY and the second as THE SPY WITH MY FACE.
These proved successful enough that Felton realized that it would be profitable to continue releasing "UNCLE" movies. Up to this time, the procedure had been to expand one-hour episodes, but it was realized then that it would be simpler to re-edit two-part episodes into features for release, so that's what was done from that point on. Thus, these episodes were essentially designed as movies that would be shown first on TV.
Knowing that they were going to be doing this enabled the show's creators to push for a bigger budget for guest stars, such as Joan Crawford and Jack Palance.
The first three features were released both in the U.S. and overseas. Due to complaints that audiences were being charged to see something they had already seen on TV for free, the remaining five features were released only overseas, where most of the TV versions had not yet been seen.
According to VARIETY, in just the first three years of this practice, the "UNCLE" movies grossed over $12 million. In other words, episodes that had cost about $150,000 to make were grossing $2.5 million each in theaters.
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You're welcome.
And welcome to the boards.
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Yeah, I know, it's as disillusioning as when Claude Rains found out there was gambling at Rick's Cafe Americain.
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Also Lon in TAP: I'll kill you, alligator man!
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Another possibility is 1949's THE JUDGE STEPS OUT, with Alexander Knox.
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Money.
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Yeah, and "Gordy the Ghoul" on KOLCHAK: THE NIGHT STALKER.
I think he was also THE MUNSTERS' mailman once, or something, too.
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I believe you're thinking of the series "Nash Bridges", starring Don Johnson, which originally aired from 1996-2001.
The yellow car was a '71 Hemi Barracuda, and he was head of the SIU dept. of the San Francisco Police.
The show has been aired in recent years on the USA channel.
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I got my copy of THE JUGGLER from a place called Darker Image Video.
You can e-mail them at darkerimagevid@webtv.net.
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That was it. You didn't really get a good look at the monster, but it seemed to be animal-like, possibly a werewolf, and it had claws. It chased the girl into the water and held her under.
Then when the director yelled "Cut!" she popped up and gave the actor some grief for holding her under too long!
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And, when Kharis comes home after an evening with his buddies in the swamp, he'd have to hear:
"No more mire gangers, EVER!"
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Don't worry, Bronxie, I'm sure they'll show it again. Or, once you get settled in & obtain some modern technology so you can record, you might be able to trade for it.
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Well, I don't know that I'd call it pretty bad. I will concede that it's no classic (as Karloff's earlier Frankenstein films for Universal are).
On its own terms, I thought it was "okay."
The scariest scene in the whole movie, I thought, was the opening sequence, which then turned out to be a scene from the movie the filmmakers were shooting at Karloff's castle!
I thought the idea of having Karloff's character being a survivor of a concentration camp was interesting & offbeat: having the doctor also, in his own way, be a victim as well.
Neat "twist" ending regarding the face of the monster under the bandages, too!
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I can see it now:
Dr. Frankenstein: Ygor, the villagers are setting fire to the castle!
Ygor (Percy): But master, a man's gotta do something to keep warm!
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Hi, Bronxie:
Yes, several of Sangster's films seem to have been influenced by the Clouzot film. When you can, you might want to check out (in addition to NIGHTMARE), FEAR IN THE NIGHT (1972) with Joan Collins & Peter Cushing, MANIAC (1963) with Kerwin Matthews. These films all concern "love gone wrong - maybe" as did LES DIABOLIQUES.
Other Sangster films worth watching would include THE ANNIVERSARY (with Bette Davis), WHOEVER SLEW AUNTIE ROO?, HYSTERA, and PARANOIAC.
Hope your birthday was happy. I just celebrated one myself!
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I thought it was pretty good, Bronxie.
It actually put me in mind of Val Lewton's films stylistically, and the plot in particular had some similarities with THE SEVENTH VICTIM, although that film didn't really feature a (seen) supernatural menace.
Basically, George Macready, playing a pretty good guy (for once!) lies dying. His wife, in desperation, expresses her willingness to bargain with "anyone" who would save his life. Along comes Rose Hobart as a devil-worshipping hypnotist who does just that. Trouble is, after he recovers, hubby just "isn't the same" any more. And Rose isn't through with him just yet, either...
Decent little "B" epic, clocking in at just about an hour with nice atmosphere & decent production values.
Sorry you missed it, Bronxie. I think you would have liked it (but then, I was wrong about FOOTSTEPS IN THE DARK).
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I was a little let-down by the ending.
Up until then, there was some really good, mysterious atmosphere for the build-up to the resolution of the mystery, but the actual resolution was a bit
disappointing. Still, a good film most of the way and worth seeing.
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To quote John Wayne: "I'd hate to have to live on the difference."
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That would be the 1941 version of THE BLACK CAT. Hugh Herbert was the li'l ole antique maker. The film also starred BRODERICK CRAWFORD, BASIL RATHBONE and BELA LUGOSI.
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You're welcome.
And welcome to the boards.
40's Comedy Need Title
in Information, Please!
Posted
STAR SPANGLED RHYTHM, Paramount, 1942, with Victor Moore as Pops, and Eddie Bracken & Betty Hutton.