Beyond The Curtain. 1960

 

Starring: Richard Greene

A flying officer rescues a stewardess whose plane has been forced down in East Germany.

Iron curtain, spy thriller with Eva Bartok perfectly cast. Pretty decent thriller from beginning to end to be honest.    7/10

Practically Yours 1944

Starring: Claudette Colbert

A war hero comes back after being supposed dead, and finds himself with a fiancee he never met.

Brilliant idea of a guy professing his love for his dog and it being mistaken for a woman of the same name, despite a great two leads, never held up to its promise. Very dated.     4/10
 

Christmas On Ice 2020

 

Starring: Abigail Klein

A former figure skater and a former hockey player work together to void the mayor from closing the local skating rink.

A Hallmark style movie. Very easy on the eye, pleasant to watch without ever making me laugh. So many of this type of movie but this is better than many with a well cast, convincing small group of actors.  7/10

Priest Of Love 1981

 

Starring: Ian McKellen

The last years of D.H.Lawrence, when his books were banned and he was seeking warmer climes to help his TB.

I'm not sure how true this characterisation was to the real Lawrence, but what an unpleasant man he came across as. Difficult to find any sympathy towards him despite this being an interesting movie.      6/10

Waco 1966

 

Starring: Howard Keel

A gunfighter is hired to straighten out a corrupt town.

Not bad but I feel that whenever you get big-hitter like Keel & Jane Russell, the movie somehow loses realism. Traditional Western elements all included.   5/10

Snowball Express 1972

 

Starring: Dean Jones

An insurance accountant inherits a dilapidated skiing hotel in the Colorado Rockies

Typical Disney movie, colourful, goofy humour with all coming right in the end. Henry Morgan stole the show for me. All quite enjoyable.    7/10

The Painted Hills 1951

 

Starring: Lassie

An intrepid dog comes to the rescue when a boy's life is put at risk by the greed inflamed by a gold strike.

Gotta have a Lassie film on the Sunday morning Blog, a little pedestrian to be honest with no surprises.    4/10

Convicted 1950

 

Starring: Glenn Ford

When a prison informer is killed, one convict knows who did it.

Decent prison drama, makes you conscious of how your life can change if you make one carless mistake. Well acted, prisoners were very convincing and you could understand the conflict going on in Glenn Ford's head.       7/10

Bedelia 1946

 

Starring: Margaret Lockwood

A psychotic woman is discovered to have poisoned three husbands.

Well acted, decent little drama. Although Lockwood is good, I would have liked to have seen a few more hints within her of the psychotic behaviour, all a little one-paced.     6/10

Springtime In The Rockies 1942

 

Starring: Betty Grable

Romances blossom on a mountain holiday.

A bit flat to be honest with only the occasional pleasant dance number. Best moments were the images of Lake Louise, the most stunning place I have ever visited.    3/10

Tropic Zone 1953

 

Staring: Ronald Reagan

In a banana port a man wanted by the police saves a plantation from being taken over by crooks.

Adventure, drama and romance in a banana plantation, all rather good fun, Ronald Reagan really wasn't a bad actor at all.    6/10

Raw Deal 1948

 

Starring: Dennis O'Keefe

A convict is helped by his girl friend to escape, and the police chase them across country.

I like a good prison escape drama, some decent scenes in this one although at times it is a little hammed up. All comes to a somewhat predictable conclusion but not bad.   5/10

Jack The Giant Killer. 1961

 

Starring: Kerwin Matthews

Demon Pendragon kidnaps the princess of Cornwall but she is rescued by a farmer's son.

Great fun to be honest, reminded me very much of The Arabian Knights. Loads of magic and weird mounters, only occasionally the fantasy was a side too much. Loved the leprechaun who talked in rhyme.  7/10

Devils Of Darkness 1964

 

Starring: William Sylvester

A vampire disguises himself as a French count and preys on young girls.

Cheap budget horror, plenty of red, black and white throughout. Poor script, poor acting and yet it still kept me amused. 5/10

One-Way Ticket 1935

Starring: Lloyd Nolan

A convicted bank robber falls in love with the warden's daughter.

A love story more that anything else, the girl only looks about 14 which made for slightly uncomfortable viewing. Had a different slant to most prison break movies which is always a plus in my book.   5/10
 

Don't Panic chaps. 1959

 

Starring: Dennis Price

British and German units are sent to set up observation posts on the same Adriatic island, and agree to sit out the war in comfort.

Great cast, all very tongue in cheek and likeable. Not to be taken seriously at all, but so glad I got to see this one.    7/10

Cattle Drive 1951

 

Starring: Joel McCrea

The spoiled teenage son of a magnate finds humanity and friendship with a cowhand during a cattle drive.

Not that often that you find a young lad like this taking the lead in a movie. Does a really good job, not overly high on excitement but extremely watchable with an excellent performance by young Dean Stockwell.     8/10

Twenty-One Days 1937

 

Starring: Laurence Olivier

A barrister's brother accidentally kills a man and lets an old eccentric take the blame.

Very dated but fascinating to see Olivier, Vivien Leigh & Leslie Banks in their prime.   4/10

The Drifter 1988

 

Starring: Kim Delaney

An attractive, ambitious career woman gets flat tire on a lonely road and impulsively picks up an enigmatic hitchhiker, but after spending the night with him, she can't make him understand she doesn't want to continue their relationship.

Not a bad thriller, good tension built, although it went slightly weird at the end.    6/10

Improper Channels 1979

 Starring: Alan Arkin

A father runs into administrative trouble when he takes his injured daughter to hospital.

Very 1970's. Although this is over-exaggerated, there is a serious message filtering through that admin often is given more emphasis than the health of a patient.    5/10

A Small Town In Texas 1976

 

Starring: Susan George

An ex-convict returns to his home town seeking revenge on those who framed him.

Very Dukes Of Hazard with a bunch of cheesy car chases. Characters are not particularly likeable, thank goodness for the stunning Susan George. Movie went very quickly so I must have been engaged with it.     6/10

Malachi's Cove 1973

 

Starring: Donald Pleasence

In 1880 Cornwall, a 14-year old girl lives by selling seaweed.

A great sense of time. Little happens to be honest and yet this is strangely watchable. Cornwall is the true star with the magnificent view of the cliffs and the power of the sea.   8/10

It Always Rains On A Sunday 1947

 

Starring: Googie Withers

An escaped convict takes refuge in his married mistress's house in East London.

Decent thriller which is quite atmospheric and well acted with the East End nicely captured. Exciting ending, one little scene with two railway trucks and the points I absolutely loved. Jck Warner was as disappointing as ever.   6/10

You can't cheat an honest man 1939

 

Starring: W C Fields

Trials and tribulations of a circus owner.

Some nice parts including scenes with lions and an elephant giving a shower, WC Fields was irritating, the show was stolen by the ventriloquist dummy.   5/10

A Diary For Timothy 1945

 

A baby is born as the war ends, and the narrator ponders its future.

Documentary short of fascinating historical interest.     6/10

Offbeat 1960

 

Starring: William Sylvester

An MI5 undercover man finds himself sympathising with a gang of robbers and falling in love with one of them.

Decent crime thriller with a nice different take, loads of time spent on the planning and execution of the jewel robbery which added well to the plot. All quite satisfactory.     7/10

A Night At Earl Carroll's 1940

 

Starring: Ken Murray

When gangsters kidnap stars of Earl Carroll's nightclub, the restaurant staff put on their own show.

Sorry, but I never got engaged with this at all. Humour just wasn't funny and songs never did it for me either.   1/10

Napoleon And Samantha 1972

 Starring: Michael Douglas

When his old guardian dies, a small boy and his girl friend run away with their pet lion.

Absolutely charming. Bid names like Michael Douglas and Jodie Foster and the grandparents from The Waltons. Sometimes you need a film that looks great and makes you feel good. The undoubted star was the lion.      9/10

The Teckman Mystery 1954

 

Starring: Margaret Leighton

An author commissioned to write the biography of a dead airman finds him very much alive and his own life in danger.

Fairly routine thriller of its time that gets a little too complicated for its own good but has some nice moments.   5/10

Finger Of Guilt 1956

 

Starring: Richard Basehart

An American film producer in England is plagued by a strange girl who claims to have been his mistress.

Has a quite cheap look to it and wasn't terribly interesting despite some good looking performers.    4/10

Dead trigger 2017

 

Starring: Dolph Lundgren

A mysterious virus has killed billions and turned many others into bloodthirsty zombies. Unable to stop the virus, the government develops a video game, "Dead Trigger," that mirrors the terrifying events that curse the world.

Fairly dreadful movie to be honest, I never understand the fascination with zombie movies. Quite what the lovely Autumn Reeser was thinking about is beyond me.    3/10

Man About The House 1974

 

Starring: Richard O'Sullivan

Two young women, their male flatmate and their landlords combine forces to prevent the terrace from being razed for redevelopment.

TV shows normally do not translate to the big screen at all, I watched this for nostalgic reasons and thoroughly enjoyed it. Had a decent plot, was not over-long and made me laugh in a few places. Bonkers cameo at the end from Spike Milligan was priceless.    8/10 

A Game Of Death 1945

Starring: John Loder

Cheap remake of The Most Dangerous Game

Made guy on an island takes in a shipwrecked man and then hunts him for sport. I actually rather enjoyed this, all a little over the top but quite good fun.     7/10
 

The Castaway Cowboy 1974

 

Starring: James Garner

In 1850, a Shanghaied sailor on Hawaii helps a lady potato farmer to turn her land into a cattle ranch.

Not sure I ever bought it as a period piece but the Hawaii locations were stunning. Garner was so easy to watch and perfect in roles like this. I actually really enjoyed it, thanks Disney Channel.  7/10

I Bury The Living 1957

 

Starring: Richard Boone

The honorary chairman of a cemetery seems to have the power to mark people for death.

All a bit ridiculous to be honest and I thought of the idea of replacing black pins with white about 30 minutes before the lead. Watchable as it was so unusual.    5/10

Scandal Sheet 1952

 

Starring: Broderick Crawford

An editor has to allow his star reporter to expose a murderer - himself.

What a decent thriller this is, you know who the murderer is from the start but to watch the net closing in around him was very well done. Not overlong in length too.   7/10

The Last Outpost 1951

 

Starring: Ronald Reagan

A Civil War colonel finds his brother fighting on the other side.

Any film with Reagan always sparks my interest, not a bad effort either, best in the closing fight scenes with the Indians.   5/10

How I Got Into College 1989

 Starring: Anthony Edwards

Dim student applies to go to the same difficult-to-enter college as the girl he loves.

Didn't really do it for me, all I little silly. I did like the sequence at the end as all the students were getting their acceptance/rejection letters, the twins scene my favourite.    4/10

Ask A Policeman 1938

 

Starring: Will Hay

In a small coastal village, incompetent policemen accidentally expose smugglers who are scaring the locals with a headless horseman legend.

Extremely dated and amazes me how much humour has changed since that time. The headless horseman carriage was a good effect.      4/10

Darby O'Gill and the little people 1959

 

Starring: Albert Sharpe

An Irish caretaker falls down a well and is captured by leprechauns, who allow him three wishes to rearrange his life.

All very Irish and a little difficult to understand at times. Great to See Sean Connery in this early role and the film looks great.     5/10

Jeu De Massacre 1967

 

Starring: Claudine Auger

An impoverished comic-book writer and his artist wife become involved with a wealthy young fantasist.

A very odd sub-titled movie and yet strangely watchable. If nothing else, it looked really good.    5/10

Scarlet Street 1945

 

Starring: Edward G Robinson

A prostitute is murdered by her client and her pimp is executed for the crime.

I've always been a fan of Edward G Robinson and this is another terrific performance. There's no fool like an old fool, loved the direction that this movie heads in, it was well filmed and neatly tied up at the end. Great start to 2022.    8/10

The Lemon Drop Kid 1951

 

Starring: Bob Hope

A gangster forces a bookie to find the money which he has lost on a horse through the bookie's incompetence.

Typical, fast-talking Bob Hope movie, some humorous scenes, the man was a genius.     5/10

Rio Lobo 1970

 

Starring: John Wayne

A Union Colonel near the end of the Civil War recovers a gold shipment and exposes a traitor.

I'm not a great fan of John Wayne, so quick on his cue bite he never really developed any unique characters. Loved the opening half hour, movie deteriorated after that and took a very long time to reach its shoot-out conclusion. Not bad though.      7/10

Springfield Rifle 1952

 

Starring: Gary Cooper

A Union officer gets himself cashiered, joins the confederates as a spy, and unmasks a traitor.

Not that interested personally in the American war aspect but there was enough action and fist fighting to keep me entertained.     6/10

Checkpoint 1956

 

Starring: Anthony Steel

A tycoon sends an industrial spy to Italy in search of new motor racing car designs.

A sort of poor man's James Bond set in the motor racing World. Locations are great, some excitement but let down by a poor script. James Robertson Justice, surprise, surprise, plays James Robertson Justice.    6/10

Fall Into Darkness 1996

 Starring: Tatyana Ali

Ann Price blames her best friend, Sharon Mckay for her brother's Jerry's death. She decides to set Sharon up for her murder, but there is an unexpected surprise.

Typical TV movie, weak plot and acting although to be fair, this is better than most. Ending which I guess was trying to add a twist, totally didn't work for me.    6/10

The Devil's 8

 

Starring: Christopher George

A federal agent on the trail of a moonshine gang recruits a gang of hardened convicts and arranges for them to escape.

An enjoyable watch and is the film is so bad. Shocking acting, poor production and every time there's a bit of action, which is a lot, the same bit of hillbilly music kicks in. Loads of fighting, shooting and explosions.     6/10

Compulsion 1959

 

Starring: Dean Stockwell

In the twenties, two Chicago students kidnap and murder a young boy for kicks.

Brilliantly acted and watched as a tribute to Dean Stockwell who passed away this week. Still relevant today with the rich thinking they have licence to do whatever they choose.    6/10

Cairo Station 1958

 Starring: Farid Chawki

A crippled newspaper seller goes mad through thwarted love.

Fascinating for seeing the hustle and bustle of Cairo station and people going about their everyday life, plot wasn't up to much though.     4/10