It's in black and white and the drama never quite works but the setting has novelty: 1850s San Francisco, dealing with the activities of the vigilantes trying to clean up San Francisco. There was also a pro vs anti slavery background to all this in real life which is completely overlooked but I liked how the final shoot out was on a beach.
Yvonne de Carlo is the female lead, a shady lady, clearly sexually experienced, mistress to the baddy - who is allowed to turn good and get the guy. He is Joel McCrea, handsome, virile and affable as ever - after seeing de Carlo line up against some pretty weak male talent it was nice to see her teamed with someone worthy of her.
Sidney Blackmer is a good villain and I enjoyed Florence Bates as a jolly inn keeper prone to shanghaiing drunks - though this did feel as though it belonged in another movie. I really liked Richard Erdman as McCrea's sidekick - couldn't put my finger on when I remembered him so gave him a google; he was the camp leader in Stalag 17 and also played Leonard in Community.
Thursday, November 16, 2017
Wednesday, November 15, 2017
Movie review "Tomahawk" (1951) *** (warning: spoilers)
A bit of a surprise - I didn't know much about this Western, it doesn't have a great rep, but it was intelligent and different. Its very much from the post Broken Arrow school of liberal Hollywood westerns with Van Heflin - offbeat but effective casting - as Jim Bridger, a real life Indian scout, trying hard to prevent war between Sioux and whites.
The real villain in this is Alex Nicol, an ambitious cavalry scout who hero worships Chivington and was part of the famed Sandy Creek Massacre quite bloodily described here (Heflin's Indian wife and child were killed in it). He and other gung go whites are clearly the baddies and the Sioux quite sympathetic - though not terribly personalised. Indeed it's so anti-picking-on-the-Indians (talking about all the treaties the white man has broken I wondered if the writers were blacklisted).
It's not heavy on action - battle scenes are threatened more than delivered. However there is a strong sense of tension because violence is always threatened. And the ending is a genuine surprise - the whites fight off the Indians, but only due to superior technology... and the result it the fort gets knocked down so its a tactical victory for Red Cloud.
Heflin's nervy intensity suits the role - as does his craggy, tormented face. Yvonne de Carlo is wasted as "the girl" - a girl keen on Heflin. Her part could've been cut out of the movie - something you couldn't often claim for de Carlo in her heyday. There's good support from people like Preston Foster and Jack Oakie - Rock Hudson is it in too, briefly.
The real villain in this is Alex Nicol, an ambitious cavalry scout who hero worships Chivington and was part of the famed Sandy Creek Massacre quite bloodily described here (Heflin's Indian wife and child were killed in it). He and other gung go whites are clearly the baddies and the Sioux quite sympathetic - though not terribly personalised. Indeed it's so anti-picking-on-the-Indians (talking about all the treaties the white man has broken I wondered if the writers were blacklisted).
It's not heavy on action - battle scenes are threatened more than delivered. However there is a strong sense of tension because violence is always threatened. And the ending is a genuine surprise - the whites fight off the Indians, but only due to superior technology... and the result it the fort gets knocked down so its a tactical victory for Red Cloud.
Heflin's nervy intensity suits the role - as does his craggy, tormented face. Yvonne de Carlo is wasted as "the girl" - a girl keen on Heflin. Her part could've been cut out of the movie - something you couldn't often claim for de Carlo in her heyday. There's good support from people like Preston Foster and Jack Oakie - Rock Hudson is it in too, briefly.
Monday, November 13, 2017
Movie review - "Fort Algiers" (1953) **1/2
Yvonne de Carlo had her own money in this film, so its interesting to see the sort of movie she felt obliged to provide to her fans - to wit, an action-adventure tale set in the third world, with de Carlo in a series of skimpy outfits playing a spy.
On those terms its enjoyable - at the time critics yawned and they may still do but it's the sort of movie Hollywood doesn't make any more so I liked it. It's interesting being a contemporary tale about the French Foreign Legion - the French are battling off Arabs (led by Raymond Burr) who are supported by unspecified foreign powers (presumably communist though the movie doesn't come out and say this - I remember a Tarzan film which did a similar thing).
The movie had the same producer as Outpost in Morocco which means it could use some of that film's impressive location photography - shots of genuine Arab faces and impressive cavalry charges. There are some effective foreign legion bits such as the opening massacre, and Arabs charging at a fort at the end, and being repelled by makeshift explosions. I also liked how de Carlo's character propelled a lot of the action.
It's a shame the movie isn't in colour and doesn't have a more interesting leading man than Carlos Thompson, who was from South America. He's okay looking but lacks flair, warmth and vivacity - also it's annoying he's playing an American. The script was creaky in places - such as revealing the explanation of why Thompson and de Carlo broke up and over-relying on Burr's character being dumb.
De Carlo and Burr are perfectly cast and there's solid support from old reliables like John Dehner.
On those terms its enjoyable - at the time critics yawned and they may still do but it's the sort of movie Hollywood doesn't make any more so I liked it. It's interesting being a contemporary tale about the French Foreign Legion - the French are battling off Arabs (led by Raymond Burr) who are supported by unspecified foreign powers (presumably communist though the movie doesn't come out and say this - I remember a Tarzan film which did a similar thing).
The movie had the same producer as Outpost in Morocco which means it could use some of that film's impressive location photography - shots of genuine Arab faces and impressive cavalry charges. There are some effective foreign legion bits such as the opening massacre, and Arabs charging at a fort at the end, and being repelled by makeshift explosions. I also liked how de Carlo's character propelled a lot of the action.
It's a shame the movie isn't in colour and doesn't have a more interesting leading man than Carlos Thompson, who was from South America. He's okay looking but lacks flair, warmth and vivacity - also it's annoying he's playing an American. The script was creaky in places - such as revealing the explanation of why Thompson and de Carlo broke up and over-relying on Burr's character being dumb.
De Carlo and Burr are perfectly cast and there's solid support from old reliables like John Dehner.
Movie review - "The Gal Who Won the West" (1949) **1/2 (warning: spoilers)
Cheerful, dim musical comedy which was meant to be a vehicle for Deanna Durbin - and is typical of the weak material that star had in her latter career. It's better suited for Yvonne de Carlo, who was usually in thin films.
She's an opera singer who goes out West and is fought over two men - some random actors called John Russell and Scott Brady, neither of whom is particularly memorable. However old reliable Charles Coburn is on hand as the boys' grandfather.
It's lively and energetic and the colour is great. De Carlo seems to be having a fun time, playing basically a cheerful gold digger; she does a rendition of "Frankie and Johnny". It is a refreshing change to have a Western with the girl center stage, driving the action - being a bit mercenary about nabbing a rich husband, succeeding and not being punished.
The script - by Bill Bowers and Oscar Brodney - has a clever opening which tells the story of De Carlo's arrival in town from three different points of view. The whole thing is in flashback from the present day - we meet de Carlo in old age makeup. There are some clever lines and the piece have spirit.
The boys brawling over De Carlo gets depressing after a while - they're so vicious about it; these two literally want to kill each other. And neither of them is really worthy of her. The piece does keep you guessing who she will marry but that's not necessarily a great thing because she has no emotional connection with either.
In the end (spoiler) she marries Russell but Russell is a womanizer - and she mostly does it because she knows Brady will keep Russell in line. I did like however that they showed de Carlo in the present day, old and happy, so presumably it all worked out.
She's an opera singer who goes out West and is fought over two men - some random actors called John Russell and Scott Brady, neither of whom is particularly memorable. However old reliable Charles Coburn is on hand as the boys' grandfather.
It's lively and energetic and the colour is great. De Carlo seems to be having a fun time, playing basically a cheerful gold digger; she does a rendition of "Frankie and Johnny". It is a refreshing change to have a Western with the girl center stage, driving the action - being a bit mercenary about nabbing a rich husband, succeeding and not being punished.
The script - by Bill Bowers and Oscar Brodney - has a clever opening which tells the story of De Carlo's arrival in town from three different points of view. The whole thing is in flashback from the present day - we meet de Carlo in old age makeup. There are some clever lines and the piece have spirit.
The boys brawling over De Carlo gets depressing after a while - they're so vicious about it; these two literally want to kill each other. And neither of them is really worthy of her. The piece does keep you guessing who she will marry but that's not necessarily a great thing because she has no emotional connection with either.
In the end (spoiler) she marries Russell but Russell is a womanizer - and she mostly does it because she knows Brady will keep Russell in line. I did like however that they showed de Carlo in the present day, old and happy, so presumably it all worked out.
Sunday, November 12, 2017
TV review - "Lights Out - episode "Another Country"" (1952) **
Lights Out is a little remembered TV anthology - I'd never heard of it. It was based on a radio show and you can tell.
This runs for 22 minutes and is a simple effective story most notable for giving Yvonne de Carlo her TV debut. She's a mystery woman who turns up at a house attracted by Beethoven's music being played there by three people. It turns out she's a ghost of Beethoven's ex. That's not a bad little story - it does come across as silly here when we flash back to Beethoven.
It's very rickety. I didn't recognise any of the other actors. De Carlo acquits herself well - I was surprised she didn't do more ghost/horror stories, she suited them.
Occasionally an interesting name pops up on the credits for these and in this case its Richard Sylbert who did sets.
This runs for 22 minutes and is a simple effective story most notable for giving Yvonne de Carlo her TV debut. She's a mystery woman who turns up at a house attracted by Beethoven's music being played there by three people. It turns out she's a ghost of Beethoven's ex. That's not a bad little story - it does come across as silly here when we flash back to Beethoven.
It's very rickety. I didn't recognise any of the other actors. De Carlo acquits herself well - I was surprised she didn't do more ghost/horror stories, she suited them.
Occasionally an interesting name pops up on the credits for these and in this case its Richard Sylbert who did sets.
Saturday, November 11, 2017
Movie review - "Casbah" (1948) **1/2
Jean Gabin, Charles Boyer... Tony Martin. Martin is an amiable singer-actor probably best remembered today for popping up in a few Marx Brothers movies like The Big Store. This is a remake of Algiers with Martin as the thief Pepe Le Moko who is hiding out in the Casbah.
It's a quasi-musical: Martin sings a few songs and Yvonne de Carlo, who plays his girlfriend, sings one. It's in black and white, not colour though.
The female lead isn't de Carlo - that honour goes to Marta Toren, a Swedish actor who Universal briefly tried to push as a second Ingrid Bergman/Garbo. She isn't very good, with dull eyes and an unexciting presence - this was her first Hollywood film to be fair, though.
I thought de Carlo was wasted in her part but she's really good in it so may be not - the girl who loves Martin so much she betrays him. Peter Lorre is superb as the policeman determined to nab Martin and Thomas Gomez and Hugo Haas offer ideal third-world-backlot support.
Too much time is devoted to Douglas Dick (as an old friend of Martin's who betrays him), whose make up is distracting.
There's a hollow core in this film - I never bought that Toren liked Martin. I did buy he liked her and although Martin's miscast he tries. De Carlo, Lorre and Gomez are very good and the story still holds. It wasn't as bad as I thought it would be.
It's a quasi-musical: Martin sings a few songs and Yvonne de Carlo, who plays his girlfriend, sings one. It's in black and white, not colour though.
The female lead isn't de Carlo - that honour goes to Marta Toren, a Swedish actor who Universal briefly tried to push as a second Ingrid Bergman/Garbo. She isn't very good, with dull eyes and an unexciting presence - this was her first Hollywood film to be fair, though.
I thought de Carlo was wasted in her part but she's really good in it so may be not - the girl who loves Martin so much she betrays him. Peter Lorre is superb as the policeman determined to nab Martin and Thomas Gomez and Hugo Haas offer ideal third-world-backlot support.
Too much time is devoted to Douglas Dick (as an old friend of Martin's who betrays him), whose make up is distracting.
There's a hollow core in this film - I never bought that Toren liked Martin. I did buy he liked her and although Martin's miscast he tries. De Carlo, Lorre and Gomez are very good and the story still holds. It wasn't as bad as I thought it would be.
Movie review - "River Lady" (1948) *** (warning: spoilers)
Entertaining Universal Western, with the studio ponying up for some good production value (timber, a riverboat, saloons) and colour. It's not a bad story either, as riverboat lady Yvonne de Carlo pursues roughneck Rod Cameron, who is also desired by good girl Helena Carter, daughter of John MacIntire; dodgy Dan Duryea loves de Carlo.
Everyone's motivations are clear and strong and its all underpinned by emotion. Cameron isn't quite charismatic enough to make you (or me at any rate) believe that de Carlo and Carter would pant all over him but he's okay - and I guess his character has talent and ambition and a leader, which would be attractive.
De Carlo is ideally cast as a riverboat lady - she looks great and is in fine form, even singing a song. I wish more of the action had focused on her. De Carlo's characters generally got to keep the guy in her first few movies of stardom but as time went on she would lose them to other women eg Casbah, Calamity Jane and Sam Bass. Here she loses out to good girl Helena Carter.
Which is a bit sexist - especially all that stuff about Cameron being insulted a woman bails him out.
However Carter was a real surprise packet for me - lively, sparky, with some clever dialogue. She goes after Cameron actively, in part because its a rebellious act and she's clearly sexually attracted to him. Carter is pretty and has real personality on screen - I'm surprised she didn't have more of a career.
Dan Duryea is also very good as the shady man with a yen for de Carlo. I wish he'd been used more - actually the whole movie could've been better, it seemed to be building to a top rank melodrama that never happened. But it is colourful and fun.
Everyone's motivations are clear and strong and its all underpinned by emotion. Cameron isn't quite charismatic enough to make you (or me at any rate) believe that de Carlo and Carter would pant all over him but he's okay - and I guess his character has talent and ambition and a leader, which would be attractive.
De Carlo is ideally cast as a riverboat lady - she looks great and is in fine form, even singing a song. I wish more of the action had focused on her. De Carlo's characters generally got to keep the guy in her first few movies of stardom but as time went on she would lose them to other women eg Casbah, Calamity Jane and Sam Bass. Here she loses out to good girl Helena Carter.
Which is a bit sexist - especially all that stuff about Cameron being insulted a woman bails him out.
However Carter was a real surprise packet for me - lively, sparky, with some clever dialogue. She goes after Cameron actively, in part because its a rebellious act and she's clearly sexually attracted to him. Carter is pretty and has real personality on screen - I'm surprised she didn't have more of a career.
Dan Duryea is also very good as the shady man with a yen for de Carlo. I wish he'd been used more - actually the whole movie could've been better, it seemed to be building to a top rank melodrama that never happened. But it is colourful and fun.
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