The Guns of Fort Petticoat (1957)

Columbia Pictures
Directed by George Marshall
My rating: 2 stars out of 4
IMDb
(VHS, GoodTimes)
(Encore)

Audie Murphy deserts his Cavalry post when accused of insubordination. He heads south to Texas to warn the remaining residents, all women and children, of an impending Indian attack. He organizes them into a military unit and prepares to hole up in a mission. The attack eventually comes and the women hold their ground, at least when not having emotional breakdowns. A couple of them fall in love with Audie. Having defended the mission, Audie goes back to his Cavalry unit to face a court martial. The women show up in force to back up his story in an eye-rolling conclusion.

Wyoming Mail (1950)

Universal-International
Directed by Reginald Le Borg
My rating: 3 stars out of 4
IMDb
(Encore)

Solid western with Stephen McNally a prize fighter recruited to become a postal inspector in the wild territory of Wyoming. Bandits are holding up trains and stealing the mail. The clues lead to a territorial prison and its corrupt warden. McNally goes undercover in the prison to befriend gang members. On the outside, he gets into the gang and learns their plans for the next train job. He's given away by an Indian, but finds a way to stop them in an exciting climax. Alexis Smith is the romantic interest, and she's got a few surprises as well.

Seminole (1953)

Universal-International
Directed by Budd Boetticher
My rating: 2.5 stars out of 4
IMDb
(Encore)

Childhood friends Rock Hudson and Anthony Quinn grow up to be on opposite sides of an Indian war in Florida. Rock is a newly commissioned officer at a remote Army outpost and Tony the chief of the local Seminoles on the war path. Rock clashes with his spit-and-polish commander on the Army's strategy of confrontation. The heart of the movie is a long trek through rugged swamps where the Army platoon suffers a harsh defeat to the superior Indians. In an attempt to make peace, Tony travels to the fort but is imprisoned instead. Rock is blamed for his murder, and is court martialed. In a weak ending, he is saved at the last minute from a firing squad. Colorful entertainment from Universal-International in vivid Technicolor.

Strike Me Pink (1936)

Samuel Goldwyn
Directed by Norman Taurog
My rating: 1.5 stars out of 4
IMDb
(VHS, HBO)
(Turner Classic Movies)

Eddie Cantor plays a meek store clerk that buys a self-help book and record. His new-found confidence lands him a job managing an amusement park. Thugs bully him into installing their crooked slot machines, but he gets the last laugh in the Big Action Finale on a rollercoaster. It's a silly, episodic movie peppered with elaborate musical numbers with costar Ethel Merman, young enough to not be too annoying, yet. Cantor's schtick grows old pretty fast, though. Harry Parke as "Parkyakarkus" tries but fails to add much to the comedy.

The Illusionist (2010)

Sony Pictures Classics
Directed by Sylvain Chomet
My rating: 2 stars out of 4
IMDb
(Blu-ray/DVD, Sony)
(Starz)

I'm not a very big fan of Jacques Tati, his style of comedy relies heavily on sight gags and doesn't often translate well from the French. This animated feature film based on a Tati screenplay nails his mannerisms, to such an extent that my criticisms of the real Tati also apply here. It's a mostly silent film, just fragments of French, Scottish and English, relying on body language to tell its story of an aging magician and the Scottish girl he adopts. They travel from city to city, eventually settling in for an extended stay in a shabby London hotel. The girl becomes entranced by the clothes in shop windows, and Tati can't resist buying them for her, despite the fact he can't afford it. She gladly accepts the gifts, while he works nights at a garage to pay for them. She seems ungrateful and I just could not sympathize with her character at all. He eventually tires of her as well, and abandons her to a young man she meets on the street. They part, he hangs up his wand and the film ends, leaving us to wonder why we took this journey in the first place.

Bomba on Panther Island (1949)

Monogram Pictures
Directed by Ford Beebe
My rating: 1.5 stars out of 4
IMDb
(Turner Classic Movies)

Johnny Sheffield plays basically a teen Tarzan in a series of Bomba movies, complete with swinging vines and monosyllabic vocabulary. In this second entry, he is pursuing a rogue panther who killed his favorite pet monkey. I'm not sure Tarzan would have reacted the same way. He tracks the cat to a river island being cleared by some white men for their plantation. Bomba gets involved in a juvenile love triangle between the daughter of the plantation owner and a mysterious servant who may or may not actually be the human form of the panther. Ridiculous.

The Return of Daniel Boone (1941)

Columbia Pictures
Directed by Lambert Hillyer
My rating: BOMB
IMDb
(Encore)

Bill Elliott plays "Wild Bill" Boone, the grandson of Daniel Boone. However, any resemblance to the frontier hero ends there, as Wild Bill plays his usual macho cowboy character. He's in some dusty town rooting out a corrupt mayor and his henchmen. His fight scenes are sped up in an attempt to inject some life to the proceedings. Dub Taylor threatens to take over the picture as a dumb sidekick being pursued by a pair of hick twin girls. He also performs some terrible musical numbers. One of the more intolerable B westerns I've seen in some time.

The Lone Wolf Meets a Lady (1940)

Columbia Pictures
Directed by Sidney Salkow
My rating: 2 stars out of 4
IMDb
(Turner Classic Movies)

A murder is committed and necklace stolen. The police suspect the owner of the necklace, pretty Jean Muir, when the key to her apartment is found on the body. She accidentally runs into the "Lone Wolf" on the street, literally, and he is persuaded to help her find the real killer. The Lone Wolf apparently is a reformed jewel thief, but his motivations are unclear. Is he after the jewels himself or just helping the girl? A rival thief gets involved, as do the police who are clueless. Comedy relief is provide by the Lone Wolf's manservant, an irritating British chap who is never funny. The revelation of the killer is quite unsatisfying and the plot overly confused.

Run of the Arrow (1957)

RKO Radio Pictures
Directed by Samuel Fuller
My rating: 2.5 stars out of 4
IMDb
(Turner Classic Movies)

Rod Steiger is a defeated Confederate rebel looking for a country. He goes west and becomes a Sioux Indian which satisfies him for awhile. However, when he has to fight and kill Americans, even the hated Yankees, he has second thoughts. Charles Bronson, with a sculpted physique, is an Indian chief. Unusual themes, realistic setting and characters set this apart from the standard western.

King Richard and the Crusaders (1954)

Warner Bros.
Directed by David Butler
My rating: 1.5 star out of 4
IMDb
(VHS, Warner)
(Turner Classic Movies)

Traitors attempt to assassinate King Richard in the deserts of Africa. Thanks to his loyal bodyguard they fail. Meanwhile an Arab king, their enemy, sneaks into their ranks. The three of them spend most of the movie fighting over Virginia Mayo, the English queen, who appears completely out of place and baffled that she was cast in this movie. There are endless scenes of elaborately costumed people talking on studio-bound sets. Only the exteriors and the far too brief action scenes liven it up, but even those are marred by close-ups done with back projection on obviously fake horses. George Sanders is King Richard, who delivers his lines with high school aplomb, and Rex Harrison is the Arab king, in heavy mascara and a wig. Based on a Sir Walter Scott novel.

Penelope (1966)

MGM
Directed by Arthur Hiller
My rating: 2.5 stars out of 4
IMDb
(Turner Classic Movies)

Natalie Wood is a ditzy wife who sticks up her rich husband's bank in order to get back at him for neglecting her. She tells the story to her psychoanalyst mostly in flashback. Peter Falk is in full Columbo mode as a police detective. Jonathan Winters has a throw away scene as a lecherous college professor. Natalie has fun in an easy role, and she looks great in her designer fashions and underwear.

TRON: Legacy (2010)

Walt Disney Pictures
Directed by Joseph Kosinski
My rating: 2 stars out of 4
IMDb
(Blu-ray/DVD, Disney)
(Starz)

Garrett Hedlund returns to "the grid", the same place his father ventured over a quarter of a century ago. He finds dad still there, an aging zen master living on a set left over from the ending of 2001 with a girl who is the sole survivor of a new race. Dad, son and girl must get to "the portal" before it closes to return to the real world and prevent a rogue program from taking over. The Big Action Finale is stolen straight from the Death Star ending in Star Wars. And TRON? He's there, but only says a few words, almost an afterthought. It's like one long video game, with martial arts style fighting, a mumbling hero, girls in tight leather pants, zen cliches and too much borrowed from other films, especially Star Wars.

Terror on a Train (1953)

MGM
Directed by Ted Tetzlaff
My rating: 2 stars out of 4
IMDb
(Turner Classic Movies)

Slight drama of a train with a load of mines on which a saboteur has left explosives set to go off in the middle of London. The police evacuate the area and call in bomb expert Glenn Ford to find and defuse it. He's having marital problems with his French wife. Will it distract him before he can find the bomb? Honestly, I was kind of hoping she would show up on the train before it exploded.

A Very Private Affair (1962)

MGM
Directed by Louis Malle
My rating: 2 stars out of 4
IMDb
(VHS, MGM)
(Turner Classic Movies)

Brigitte Bardot basically plays herself: a reluctant sex symbol pursued by paparazzi. She starts dating Marcello Mastroianni and they head off to Italy to produce his play for a festival. Before long, the press show up and make their lives miserable. She is pushed to the brink in a tragic ending. It's nice to spend so much time with Brigitte, but flimsy plot, droll narration and flashy ending spoil it.

Shadow in the Sky (1952)

MGM
Directed by Fred M. Wilcox
My rating: 2 stars out of 4
IMDb
(Turner Classic Movies)

A war veteran is staying in the mental ward dealing with his irrational fear of rain, yes rain, which sends him under the nearest table to relive the horrors of some Pacific island. His sister, now married to his old war pal, comes to visit every so often. They mull over letting him come live with the family but worry about what will happen to the kids once the rainy season sets in. He passes the time by building a sailboat and falling in love with pretty Jean Hagen. Well, the rain does eventual come, but it turns out to be no big deal. It's supposed to be a sensitive character study of the lasting effects of war, but I found it awkward and even offensive at times in the way the man is treated by his family and friends.

Frontier Gal (1945)

Universal Pictures
Directed by Charles Lamont
My rating: 2 stars out of 4
IMDb
(Encore)

Sexy saloon hall owner Yvonne De Carlo has a rocky romance with outlaw Rod Cameron. He's in town seeking revenge for the killing of his partner, who happens to be Yvonne's fiance. There are plenty of breaks for songs and comedy. Little Beverly Simmons comes along and the movie gets a little too cute for its own good. A cliffhanger ending featuring a log over a waterfall is unconvincing.

Gunmen from Laredo (1959)

Columbia Pictures
Directed by Wallace MacDonald
My rating: 2 stars out of 4
IMDb
(Encore)

Robert Knapp sees his wife murdered by outlaws. Later, he is framed for a murder he did not commit by the same men and sent to prison. He escapes and heads for Laredo in seek of revenge. Along the way, he picks up an Indian girl and they fall in love. Knapp is a poor leading man, lacking charisma and acting chops.

Chase a Crooked Shadow (1958)

Warner Bros.
Directed by Michael Anderson
My rating: 3 stars out of 4
IMDb
(Turner Classic Movies)

Anne Baxter comes home one day to her remote Spanish villa to find a stranger claiming to be her dead brother. Soon he's taken over the household with a butler and girlfriend. She goes to the police, but he's got forged papers and covered every detail down to the tattoo. They are after a stash of diamonds she hid in a bank and soon resort to thinly veiled death threats. An excellent script with a plot twist I absolutely did not see coming. Producer Douglas Fairbanks appears on screen at the end to implore the audience not to give away the twist.

Fury of the Congo (1951)

Columbia Pictures
Directed by William Berke
My rating: 1.5 stars out of 4
IMDb
(DVD, Sony Screen Classics by Request)

Jungle Jim helps a native tribe escape from white hunters who are using them to track and kill the okongoes, fictional animals which appear to be miniature horses painted with stripes. Along the way, he fights a stuffed leopard, falls into quicksand, battles numerous sand storms and kills a giant desert spider that would make Roger Corman proud.

Cobra Woman (1944)

Universal Pictures
Directed by Robert Siodmak
My rating: 1.5 stars out of 4
IMDb
(DVD, Universal Vault Series)

Maria Montez gets two roles in this exotic island adventure story. The first Maria is kidnapped from her idyllic island life and taken to Cobra Island. Her fiance follows in a boat to rescue her, along with stowaway Sabu. The island is ruled by Maria's evil twin sister. He must find a way to overcome her bodyguards, a giant snake and an erupting volcano. If that wasn't enough, there are anthropomorphic monkey antics, Lon Chaney as a mute and numerous native dances.

Storm Over the Nile (1955)

Columbia Pictures
Directed by Terence Young and Zoltan Korda
My rating: 2.5 stars out of 4
IMDb
(DVD, Sony Screen Classics by Request)

British soldiers are called to Egypt to fight in a war. One of them resigns his commission and is branded a coward. Later he goes to Egypt undercover as a mute native to prove his bravery. He saves one of his former friends who survives a bloody battle by leading him across the desert. The location shooting and epic battle scenes are highlights, but it's certainly no Lawrence of Arabia.

The Glass Key (1942)

Paramount Pictures
Directed by Stuart Heisler
My rating: 2 stars out of 4
IMDb
(VHS, Universal)
(Turner Classic Movies)

Confusing story of politics, murder and romance revolving around Alan Ladd. His role is rather vague: he's not a detective, but rather seems to be on the payroll of political hopeful Brian Donlevy, although even there his loyalty is in question. Veronica Lake is Donlevy's girl, well sort of, but has eyes for Ladd. Her brother is murdered and suspicion falls on Donlevy. Ladd takes it upon himself to uncover the truth. William Bendix may have the best role as the muscle for a gangster out to get Donlevy. Melodramatic and at times obvious, this noir is vastly overrated.

The Social Network (2010)

Columbia Pictures
Directed by David Fincher
My rating: 2 stars out of 4
IMDb
(Blu-ray, DVD, Sony)
(Starz)

A socially inept computer nerd at Harvard accidentally invents Facebook and becomes a billionaire. Along the way he screws over as many friends as possible. Dramatic highlights include a hacking contest and endless talk about computer coding. He idolizes then befriends the slimy founder of Napster and moves to California where his immaturity is on full display. Predictably, it all ends in greedy lawsuits. Fincher's talent is once again wasted on a dull topic.

The Spanish Sword (1962)

United Artists
Directed by Ernest Morris
My rating: 2 stars out of 4
IMDb
(Turner Classic Movies)

Medieval soap opera has Ronald Howard as a knight rooting out a rebellion lead by the brute Nigel Green. His fiance June Thorburn follows him to the rural town where she spends far too much screen time trying to convince him to give up. Action scenes are poorly staged, with many obvious fake sword strikes under the armpit of opponents. Even the final fight between Howard and Green is slow and anticlimactic.

40 Guns to Apache Pass (1967)

Columbia Pictures
Directed by William Witney
My rating: 2 stars out of 4
IMDb
(Encore)

Audie Murphy is a Cavalry Captain, leading his platoon on a mission into Apache territory to retrieve new guns for a desperate outpost. His men consist of misfits, including a pair of greenhorn brothers. Some of them turn traitor and plan to sell the guns for money. Audie takes it upon himself to stop them and save the fort. The film lacks style and is predictable in every way.

Target Zero (1955)

Warner Bros.
Directed by Harmon Jones
My rating: 2 stars out of 4
IMDb
(Turner Classic Movies)

Richard Conte leads a platoon through Korea. Along the way they pick up pretty Peggie Castle who works for the UN. She mostly helps nurse the wounded, and inevitably falls in love with Conte. Their battlefield romance is not very convincing. Neither is the final action sequence, which is marred by some shoddy special effects and filmed in Colorado, a poor substitute for the jungles of Korea. The supporting cast includes early roles for Charles Bronson and Chuck Connors.

Killers of Kilimanjaro (1959)

Columbia Pictures
Directed by Richard Thorpe
My rating: 2 stars out of 4
IMDb
(VHS, GoodTimes)
(Turner Classic Movies)

Bland African safari adventure with Robert Taylor leading a group of Brits into the interior to build a railroad. They encounter wild animals and unfriendly natives while being pursued by a competing railroad who wants them dead. Anne Aubrey provides romantic entanglement and Anthony Newley unfunny comic relief.

Riders of the Northwest Mounted (1943)

Columbia Pictures
Directed by William Berke
My rating: 1.5 stars out of 4
IMDb
(Encore)

Russell Hayden is a Canadian Mountie dealing with fur thieves. Dub Taylor is a trapper and provides comic relief. Adele Mara provides the romantic interest. Bob Wills gets a speaking part and plays songs with The Texas Playboys. Nice location photography at Big Bear Lake, California, standing in for Canada.

The Raiders (1963)

Universal Pictures
Directed by Herschel Daugherty
My rating: 2 stars out of 4
IMDb
(Encore)

Generic Universal back lot production with Brian Keith leading a group of Texas cattlemen to Kansas to lobby for a railroad spur. Rejected, they turn to intimidation and violence to get what they want. Peripheral characters include western legends Wild Bill Hickok, Buffalo Bill Cody and even Calamity Jane with a whip. Keith is always watchable, but this is beneath his level.

Two Guys from Texas (1948)

Warner Bros.
Directed by David Butler
My rating: 1.5 stars out of 4
IMDb
(Turner Classic Movies)

Hollywood hokum starring Dennis Morgan and Jack Carson as traveling comedians stranded at a Texas dude ranch. They get romantically involved with owner Dorothy Malone and friend Penny Edwards. A subplot involves a pair of criminals who try to frame them for a bank robbery. The most entertaining part of the film is a short animated segment with Bugs Bunny.

Stagecoach to Dancers' Rock (1962)

Universal-International Pictures
Directed by Earl Bellamy
My rating: 3 stars out of 4
IMDb
(Encore)

Gritty little B western where a stagecoach ride turns into a desert survival story when one of the passengers comes down with small pox. Characters include a Chinese woman who deals with racism then comes down with the disease and another woman with aspirations to become a doctor. The men are mostly rascals, including Martin Landau as a manic gambler only out for himself. Then there are the ever-present Apache Indians and coyotes, who are heard but never seen. Consistently interesting with good black and white photography in a stark landscape make this a hidden gem.

Way Out West (1930)

MGM
Directed by Fred Niblo
My rating: 1.5 stars out of 4
IMDb
(Turner Classic Movies)

William Haines is a carnival barker turned gay cowboy in this fish-out-of-water story. The regular cowpokes beat him up incessantly and make him do menial chores, the result of a crooked gambling debt he owes them. Gay stereotypes are pervasive throughout the film. Haines' character is named "Windy", although he does romance pretty Leila Hyams.

Jour de Fête (1949)

Janus Films
Directed by Jacques Tati
My rating: 2.5 stars out of 4
IMDb
(Turner Classic Movies)

Jacques Tati is a postman on bicycle in rural France. He arrives in a small town on the day of their festival. He helps put up the flag pole, stops to drink a little too much wine and watches a film about the efficiency of the American postal system. He tries to emulate it without much success, but learns that fast is not always the best. It's basically a series of sight gags, occasionally amusing but rarely funny. The film is spruced up a bit by some hand coloring on select scenes, highlighting the colors of the French flag, a balloon, etc.

Battle of Rogue River (1954)

Columbia Pictures
Directed by William Castle
My rating: 2 stars out of 4
IMDb
(DVD, Sony Screen Classics by Request)

George Montgomery is the stodgy new commander at a remote Oregon Cavalry outpost dealing with Indians. Richard Denning helps out as a private citizen, though his loyalties are not to the post but rather the businessmen who are paying to extend the war and delay Oregon statehood. Martha Hyer provides some embarrassing moments as an unnecessary romantic diversion.

Ride the High Iron (1956)

Columbia Pictures
Directed by Don Weis
My rating: 3 stars out of 4
IMDb
(Turner Classic Movies)

Don Taylor is a soldier returning from Korea. His parents are immigrants living in a small town, his father working for the railroad. Taylor wants more out of his life, and after a brief stint doing manual labor for the railroad fails he goes to NYC. He works for Raymond Burr, a PR man who has more than he can handle with a couple of spoiled rich women he tries to keep out of the headlines. Burr takes a liking to Taylor and decides to transform him from a common man to a debonaire playboy with a new identity. At first he relishes his new persona, but when it begins to fall apart he must rely on his poor family and the rich girl he fell in love with to save himself. Overacted at times, but still a fascinating portrayal of a man struggling with his identity.

The Drums of Jeopardy (1931)

Tiffany Productions
Directed by George B. Seitz
My rating: 2 stars out of 4
IMDb
(DVD, Alpha Video)

Warner Oland is Russian mad scientist Boris Karlov. His daughter commits suicide over a prince and he vows revenge on the entire family. He sends them miniature monkeys from a valuable necklace as a warning. The royal family is forced to flee to America during the Bolshevik Revolution, but he follows them, taking one out on the ship over. The last remaining prince hides with an American girl and they fall in love. Oland pursues them to a remote cabin. It's a bit creaky, but does make occasional good use of shadows and fog.

Chicago (1927)

Pathe Exchange
Directed by Frank Urson
My rating : 2 stars out of 4
IMDb
(DVD, Flicker Alley)

Phyllis Haver is Roxie Hart, a spoiled, manipulative, immature woman who murders her sugar daddy one day in a fit of rage when he leaves her. Victor Varconi is her husband, who at first takes the rap for her, but Roxie gives herself away anyway in another fit of jealousy. Her husband hires the best lawyer but has to stoop to theft to pay for him. A long trial follows, and Roxie once again uses her charms on the judge and jury, getting away with murder. We can only hope her husband has learned his lesson. Roxie's character is despicable and ultimately her charms become annoying, but apparently people can't get enough of this story, as it has been remade several times.

The Great Sioux Uprising (1953)

Universal-International Pictures
Directed by Lloyd Bacon
My rating: 2.5 stars out of 4
IMDb
(VHS, Questar)
(Encore)

Friendly doctor and veterinarian Jeff Chandler gets involved with horse thieves during the Civil War. The stock of the local Indian tribes proves to be a great source of profit for a gang of cutthroats passing for a legitimate business in a small town. Chandler tries to get the proof needed to stop them. Along the way he romances pretty Faith Domergue.

The Big Caper (1957)

United Artists
Directed by Robert Stevens
My rating: 2.5 stars out of 4
IMDb
(Turner Classic Movies)

Rory Calhoun and Mary Costa pose as an ordinary suburban couple. In reality he is a gangster planning to hold up the local bank. His gang includes a couple of interesting characters. First there is the "blast man", a middle aged, alcoholic pyromaniac. They try to pass him off as a drunk uncle, leading to some uncomfortable situations. Then there is the young bodyguard Roy, a bodybuilding surfer dude who pulls a knife on a dog. His scene with Mary Costa while playing a jazz record is priceless. The big caper eventually arrives, but the demented personalities involved cause it to disintegrate. A notch above the typical B movie heist film.

Cheyenne Roundup (1943)

Universal Pictures
Directed by Ray Taylor
My rating: 1.5 stars out of 4
IMDb
(Encore)

A ghost town gets gold fever and the sudden influx of people benefits Johnny Mack Brown and a handful of corrupt owners. Brown is killed in a gunfight, but don't worry his twin brother Johnny Mack Brown shows up to replace him. Tex Ritter runs for mayor, and together they clean up the town. Jennifer Holt provides the romance, The Jimmy Wakely Trio the music and Fuzzy Knight the comedy relief.

We Can't Go Home Again (1976)

Directed by Nicholas Ray
My rating: BOMB
IMDb
(Turner Classic Movies)

Nicholas Ray's swansong is a rambling, dated, pretentious experimental film. Projected images take up a fraction of the screen, occasionally overlapping each other, framed by a static picture. The impact is severely diminished by the limited space allotted to the action, such as it is. Mostly it's hippie student filmmakers attending political rallies, getting naked, shaving off their beard, and other assorted randomness. Nicholas Ray himself is omnipresent, supposedly directing this madness, giving himself the best line when he hangs himself for the finale: "I directed ten westerns and I can't even tie a damn noose!"

Scalplock (1966)

Screen Gems
Directed by James Goldstone
My rating: 2 stars out of 4
IMDb
(Amazon Instant)
(Encore)

Dale Robertson is the typical American entrepreneur in the old west: he wins a bankrupt railroad in a poker game then swindles his way to completing it. He does it all in style, with a private railroad car decked out in luxury and the women falling over him. This made-for-TV movie seems to glorify everything he stands for, never showing how it might effect the workers he never paid, the bank he ripped off, etc. Oh well, you can always try to spot future stars or guest stars of Star Trek.

The Plot Thickens (1936)

Radio Pictures
Directed by Ben Holmes
My rating: 1.5 stars out of 4
IMDb
(Turner Classic Movies)

Zasu Pitts takes a stab at the Hildegarde Withers character. Unfortunately Pitts is possibly the most irritating character actress in the history of cinema. Her dumb persona and fake drawl do not suit a character which is supposed to be smart enough to outwit a murderer and stay a step ahead of the police. All we are left with are pathetic attempts at comedy and a denouement that includes a midget in a mask.

Bandido (1956)

United Artists
Directed by Richard Fleischer
My rating: 2 stars out of 4
IMDb
(Turner Classic Movies)

Dull actioner with Robert Mitchum a hired mercenary in Mexico. He spends more time romancing Ursula Thiess than fighting. Gilbert Roland is the leader of the Mexican rebels, he's got a short temper and an eye for the women, a shallow character whose favorite phrase is "aye chihuahua". Well, Mitchum makes a deal with him to get a supply of guns through a gunrunner, but when that falls through must run for his life with the girl. It all leads to the predictable Big Action Finale.

A Day of Fury (1956)

Universal-International Pictures
Directed by Harmon Jones
My rating: 2.5 stars out of 4
IMDb
(Encore)

Despite the title, this is a talky drama that examines the plight of a conservative western town coping with the arrival of an outlaw. Jock Mahoney is their sheriff, who owes a debt to the outlaw after he saves his life. Mahoney's fiance is an ex-saloon hall girl who knew the outlaw in her wilder days. There is also the judge and preacher who are struggling to save the town from the perceived threat. Dale Robertson is the outlaw, with a Reagan pompadour and swagger to match it.

Wind Across the Everglades (1958)

Warner Bros.
Directed by Nicholas Ray
My rating: 2.5 stars out of 4
IMDb
(Turner Classic Movies)

Location shooting helps this documentary-like study of a Florida game warden fighting poachers in the Everglades. Christopher Plummer is the awestruck high school teacher turned warden, whose appreciation of the wildlife is almost poetic. Burl Ives is "Cottonmouth", leader of a gang of poachers who live in shacks in the swamp. They follow his every command and he hovers over them like a swamp king. Plummer and Ives eventually duel, in a protracted game of chicken involving hard liquor during which their life philosophies are bared. Unusual to say the least, but dramatically uneven.

Red Light (1949)

United Artists
Directed by Roy Del Ruth
My rating: 3 stars out of 4
IMDb
(Turner Classic Movies)

George Raft seeks revenge on the killer of his chaplain brother. His only clue is a Gideon Bible stolen from the hotel room where he was shot. The Bible, which he thinks contains the name of the killer, is missing, so Raft hunts down all of the people that occupied the room after the shooting. Meanwhile, the killer, heavy Raymond Burr in one of his best performances, uncovers Raft's plan and secretly follows him. It all unfolds in a memorable ending on a San Francisco hotel rooftop involving a large neon sign, reminiscent of similar scenes Hitchcock would make famous years later. The religion is laid on a little too thick, complete with a chorus of angels, but highly entertaining and underrated thriller.

Riso Amaro (1949)

Janus Films
Directed by Giuseppe De Santis
My rating: 3 stars out of 4
IMDb
(Turner Classic Movies)

The story is set during the annual rice harvest of northern Italy, when thousands of women are hired for manual labor. A couple of jewel thieves decide it is the perfect place to hide from the police. Working among the poor, honest laborers, she starts having second thoughts. Meanwhile he lusts after the beautiful Silvana Mangano, leading to romantic complications and eventually tragedy. A bit overwrought at times, but it contains many poignant scenes of local color in the rice fields.

Murder on a Bridle Path (1936)

Radio Pictures
Directed by William Hamilton and Edward Killy
My rating: 2.5 stars out of 4
IMDb
(Turner Classic Movies)

Helen Broderick is the new Hildegarde Withers, but I did not notice any drop in quality. In fact, I liked this entry better than the older ones. A debutante is murdered while horseback riding in Central Park. The suspects include her friends and relations. Much of the plot takes place in a musty old mansion, giving it a creepy atmosphere missing from previous entries in the series. The confession by the murderer is also more dramatic than usual, and quite effective.

Murder on a Honeymoon (1935)

Radio Pictures
Directed by Lloyd Corrigan
My rating: 2 stars out of 4
IMDb
(Turner Classic Movies)

Edna May Oliver is back as Hildegarde Withers, schoolteacher turned sleuth. She flies to Catalina on vacation, but one of the other passengers is murdered en route. The suspects include a newlywed couple, a Hollywood director and the plane's pilots. Inspector Piper flies in from New York to help with the case, since there may be a mob connection. Run-of-the-mill mystery makes little use of its exotic location, although the banter between Withers and Piper can be entertaining.