Author Archive: Retro

In Edwardian England, alcoholic Uncle Willie (Donald Wolfit) is an embarrassment to his family. Head of the household father (Cecil Parker), decides to set Willie up as the manager of a bicycle shop, hoping to impress visiting American heiress Virginia van Stuyden (Dianne Foster). The surprise for everyone comes when Uncle Willie’s little shop begins to prosper.

Romantic adventure filmed on location in Austrailia. Lawford and Boone star as two desperate crooks trying to swindle a ranch from its owner. Filmed in breath taking Technicolor.

A tense, compact crime picture (not really a noir, but they’re calling everything noir these days) about a man framed for a robbery he didn’t commit, and how he goes after the bad guys at a Mexican resort. John Payne plays the put-upon leading role in his usual keyed up, hyper-virile node, and while I would not call him a charming actor, he was capable in the kind of modest tale. Coleen Gray is his love interest, and proficient in a thankless role. The trio of bad guys,–Neville Brand, Jack Elam and Lee Van Cleef–are as manna from heaven in this sort of film, and are, as always, fun to watch. Preston Foster’s easygoing warmth is nicely utilized in a major role. His somewhat vague personality and amiable nature make him a more agreeable personality than the putative hero of John Payne. Phil Karlson directed the film with his trademark paranoid edge, and the high [...]

Excellent cast in exciting WWII drama. A demanding iron-handed battleship commander wins the respect of his crew when he guides them out of a tight spot with the enemy.

Film noir piece in which small Time ex-con gets framed for a robbery. He then goes about searching for the real robbers, only to find that there are many shades of grey in the world of cops and robbers.

Parish priest tries to reform street punk Paul Baroni–nicknamed “Monk” because of his disfigured face–by teaching him how to box and involving him in church activities. All goes well for a time. Produced by Jack Broder. Dir. Wallace Fox.

A vicious loan shark ring has been preying on factory workers. When several workers at a tire factory suffer violence at the hands of the loan sharkers

Portrays Foster as a shy bookkeeper who writes songs in his spare time, and is in love with a pretentious singer whose sister eventually becomes his muse and inspiration. Includes the Foster staples: “My Old Kentucky Home”, “Swanee River”, “Camptown Races”, “Oh! Susannah”, “The Old Folks at Home”, “A Ribbon in Your Hair”, & “I Still See Her in My Dreams” Dir. Allan Dwan

Based on and screenplay adapted from a Hugh Brooke story that appeared in “The Saturday Evening Post” and was not a novel: Lieutenant Elizabeth Smythe, a U.S. Military hospital-ship nurse, and Marine Corporal Michael J. “Chicken” Dolan, are the only survivors when a hospital ship hits a mine in the South Pacific during World War II. The two spend months alone on a deserted island and, in spite of the age-difference, fall in love…and for other obvious reasons. Their peaceful existence is shattered when an airplane crashes on the island and the only survivor, William Peck, also falls for Elizabeth. Back in civilization, after being rescued by a passing Navy-ship, they all see each other in a different light and have different reactions than expected.