[*A to Z of Movies*]

ALWAYS (1989)

[TCM and Other Sources for Classic Film]

Thursday October 6, 2022

Carole Lombard on TCM

fools for scandal

vigil in the night

in name only 

swing high swing low

the gay bride

mr. and mrs. smith

nothing sacred 

to be or not to be

[TCM schedules]

Thursday October 6, 2022

[Movies by Number]

AND THEN THERE WERE NONE (1945)

[Actor/Movie Association Game]

Sterling Hayden

[*A to Z of Movies*]

X THE UNKNOWN (1958)

[Actor/Movie Association Game]

AND THE ANGELS SING (1944)

[*A to Z of Movies*]

TOO LATE FOR TEARS (1949)

[Neglected films...how would you define a film that's neglected?]

27 minutes ago, Fading Fast said:

⇧ "The Dollar Bills," very funny. 

ALBUQUERQUE was the 40th film the Bills made at Paramount. The previous 39 were 'B' films, all of them moneymakers. They would make many more films at Paramount from 1948 to 1955, most of those were 'A' films...all moneymakers except one, which was not an outright flop but barely broke even. 

So with 99% of their productions showing a profit, it's easy to say William Pine and William Thomas were Paramount's most successful producers during this period. 

Pine died in 1955 after they had signed a deal with United Artists. Their last three pictures, released after Pine's death were largely guided by Thomas before he retired. The UA releases were also hits.

My favorite Pine-Thomas flick is CARIBBEAN (1952) which I previously reviewed in this thread. 

[Actor/Movie Association Game]

THE KENTUCKIAN (1955)

[Actor/Movie Association Game]

PETE 'N' TILLIE (1972)

[Neglected films...how would you define a film that's neglected?]

Today's neglected film is from 1948. It has never aired on TCM.

Producers William H. Pine and William C. Thomas were known for low-budget action fare. They churned out a lot of hits at Paramount in the early 1940s. Typically their pictures cost anywhere from $300,000 to $400,000 to make and usually doubled their money back. Around the Paramount lot, these two guys were known as the Dollar Bills.

After the war, they were eager to increase their efforts at the studio and try at least one big-budget item each year. ALBUQUERQUE was the first expanded ‘A’ feature for the duo. The budget was a little more than $700,000, twice what was normally allocated for their productions…as a result of the extra capital, they were able to hire freelancer Randolph Scott, a name familiar to audiences for his work in the western genre.

If it seemed like they were going to have another hit on their hands, well that’s exactly what happened. ALBUQUERQUE was a success with audiences, grossing over $2 million…which means it earned as much as three low-budget hits would have earned. There was no turning back for the Bills…they signed a new deal with Paramount, to make three ‘A’ budget movies annually, usually action-adventure yarns or westerns. Their next picture, EL PASO (1949), starring John Payne and Sterling Hayden had a larger budget and was another smash hit.

The reason these films worked with moviegoers is because they told simple character-driven stories. They were filmed in color, in the case of ALBUQUERQUE the new Cinecolor technology was used…and they were made on location, in the hills of California or somewhere in Arizona. The exterior action sequences for ALBUQUERQUE were shot in Sedona standing in for New Mexico.

Mr. Scott has two leading ladies in this picture. One is lovely Catherine Craig (real-life wife of Robert Preston). She plays a woman who is running a competing stagecoach line. Scott is initially employed by his wealthy uncle (George Cleveland) who owns the other line. Cleveland seems a bit miscast here as a tyrannical entrepreneur who resorts to whatever means necessary to run Miss Craig out of business. Usually Mr. Cleveland turns up as kind-hearted characters.

In addition to his nephew, Cleveland’s payroll includes a crooked sheriff (Bernard Nedell) and a henchman who likes to go around causing trouble. The henchman is played with gusto by scene stealer Lon Chaney Jr. who seems to be enjoying his work!

Scott tangles with Chaney and realizes his uncle is corrupt. So he leaves the family operation and goes over to work for Craig and her brother. Now the tables are turned, and it’s uncle who is going to be run out of business!

Complicating matters is another woman (second-billed Barbara Britton) that has been hired by Cleveland. Her job is to gain Scott’s confidence and undermine him, so that the uncle will emerge victorious in this battle to the finish.

There are some exciting hauling scenes. Plus some fine comic relief provided along the way by George ‘Gabby’ Hayes as a trusted old sidekick of Scott’s. This is not a deep film that comments on postwar society. Nor is it a moody western that taxes the brain. It’s just a good old-fashioned oater with a lot of talent put into it that makes it a fine way to spend 90 minutes when you have nothing better to do.

[ClassiCategories]

two thousand five hundred seventy-ninth category

Civil War soldiers

TWO FLAGS WEST (1950)
THE RED BADGE OF COURAGE (1951)
GLORY (1989)

[WHAT IS IN A NAME?]

Twiggy

Next: Ruth Adrienne McClure

[The Initial Link--Crack the Initials of the Actor... You'll Get the Gist of It.]

Olivia Poulet

Next: J.J.

[What title has this word in it?]

WALK DON'T RUN (1966)

Next: Baby

[Actor/Movie Association Game]

ANNIE (1982)

[*A to Z of actresses and actors*:)]

Xavier, Michael

[*A to Z of Movies*]

RUSH HOUR (1998)

[Movies by Number]

9 TO 5 (1980)

[Character's name in the title]

MARY REILLY (1996)

[What title has this word in it?]

THE ONE AND ONLY GENUINE ORIGINAL FAMILY BAND (1968)

Next: Meet

[Movie Titles That Make a Statement]

MEN DON'T LEAVE (1990)

[What title has this word in it?]

MY FORGOTTEN MAN (1993)

Next: Mountain

[Actor/Movie Association Game]

Marie Windsor