Action is initiated by McQueen and guest-star Donovan (Imogene Coca's real-life husband) seeking a three-man outlaw gang to settle a previous business between Donovan and bad-guy, guest-star Bellaver. Along the way, they discover the outlaws have robbed a stage and committed a murder. VERY disturbingly, the attractive lady passenger (established earlier in the episode when McQueen does a double-take to look at her) is missing. Later, when the outlaw's hideout (an abandoned mining shaft in a cave) is discovered, McQueen and Donovan hear the faint (and eerily pathetic) voice of a woman asking for help. They quickly discern it's the frightened voice of the missing stagecoach passenger being held against her will by the three ruffians. This is not a case of ransom. She's, without a doubt, been gang raped. After McQueen and Donovan kill the lowlife outlaws and are safely back in town, the abducted lady is never referred to again. This, despite her featured so prominently on screen and, via voice-over, off screen. Producers must have abandoned the abduction and implied rape, and written her out (I suppose) to appease sponsors not wanting a beautiful (but obscure) actress (Jackie Russell) subjected to indignities -- in October 1959 episodic TV.
Reviews
10 Reviews
Island of Lost Souls
(1932)
Haunting.
28 October 2016
First saw this on KHOU-Houston's old Late, Late Show when I was 14. I remained haunted by it from that night forward. I read the novel, "The Island of Dr. Moreau" in college. If you're reading the reviews, you know the plot and probably the denouement. Let me just say that Laughton's performance will chill you to the bone and the under-lit sets add to the nightmarish quality. The film being made in 1932 black-and-white actually enhances this nightmarish affect. Yes, there have been at least two remakes. The one with Burt Lancaster as Moreau is a huge disappointment; the one with Marlon Brando is better and very watchable. However, both pale next to Laughton's b/w version. Watch it and be among those who are haunted.
The Steel Lady
(1953)
Fondly remembered '50s adventure
16 June 2016
If, as a boy, you came across this as a random showing on local TV, it stayed with you. There's something about the desert setting; the discovery of treasure; and the bonding of protagonists sharing a common urgency against a defined enemy, that stays with you. I remember watching with my older brother. I'm 65 at this entry. Older brother is dead now. But when I think of this modestly budgeted movie (which I've only seen twice), I remember it fondly for it's adventurous setting and my brother explaining things about the tank and it's machine gun.
Today, it might be easy to dismiss this film as a low-budget time-filler. But don't. Watch it. It will bring about a sense of comforting simplicity. You'll want to be inside that old Afrika Corps tank. You'll want to be with the cast. You'll want to help them make decisions to help save their lives. Keep watching and let your imagination drift inside that old tank. Join them ... and vanish into 1953, when we believed and trusted our government.
Today, it might be easy to dismiss this film as a low-budget time-filler. But don't. Watch it. It will bring about a sense of comforting simplicity. You'll want to be inside that old Afrika Corps tank. You'll want to be with the cast. You'll want to help them make decisions to help save their lives. Keep watching and let your imagination drift inside that old tank. Join them ... and vanish into 1953, when we believed and trusted our government.
Juke Girl
(1942)
Misleading title belies earthy drama
13 April 2016
Warning: Spoilers
OK, I'm pretty far down on the list of previous reviewers, but I just saw this last night (April 12, 2016) on TCM as the second of a Ronald Reagan-Ann Sheridan double-bill following their pairing in "King's Row." So, by now readers already know the plot about the adversarial relationship between farmers and exploitive fat-cat (in Cat-Tail) vegetable buyer. The credit roll inside a jukebox rendering and jazzy musical score is wildly misleading. (Don't change channels; keep watching.) This movie is a surprisingly gritty story. I'm not going to summarize the storyline. If you're reading the reviews, you know the story by now. Here's what I want to point out: THE SET. When characters walk along the honky-tonk, "good times" strip to relieve the harsh realities of their dreary existence, check the names of the saloons. Somebody at Warner Bros. has a lot of fun naming these places: Muckeye's, Little Zombie, Goons, etc. All in all, an enjoyable film. The best dialogue is (surprisingly) between Sheridan and multi-talented Richard Whorf. Yes,credibility is stretched very far in the plot.
***SPOILER ALERT*** Reagan steals a very nice truck and never held accountable.(Come on, he would have been locked up in the Cat-Tail jail on the spot.) Later, however, he IS arrested for a murder with the flimsiest of circumstantial evidence. This leads me to my biggest criticism: The characters act in a way that only serves the screenwriter's purpose - not their own characters.
***SPOILER ALERT*** Reagan steals a very nice truck and never held accountable.(Come on, he would have been locked up in the Cat-Tail jail on the spot.) Later, however, he IS arrested for a murder with the flimsiest of circumstantial evidence. This leads me to my biggest criticism: The characters act in a way that only serves the screenwriter's purpose - not their own characters.
Golden Earrings
(1947)
Impossible not to like this movie
5 February 2016
Warning: Spoilers
By now, if you're getting to my review, you already know the plot. Most of the interaction between excruciatingly handsome Milland (coming off his Oscar-winning triumph in "The Lost Weekend") and sexed-up, earthy Marlene is pretty darn funny. (Especially the scene when Marlene is scaling a fish where Ray has to sleep.) Then there's Murvyn Vye singing in his baritone voice the haunting title song is a show-stopper. There are two shocking scenes that remain in my memory: 1.) Milland pretending to tell someone's future by reading their palm, and suddenly realizing he actually can, for just an instant, foresee the person's upcoming death; 2.) Nazis torturing Milland's dying British colleague by holding a flame on the man's bare stomach. All-in-all a very watchable movie. However, ***SPOILER ALERT*** at the end, when Milland rejoins Marlene in Germany, there is an enormous suspension of disbelief, as the Nazis incarcerated and murdered all Gypsies (including children) they encountered in occupied Europe.
Unforgettable episode
7 August 2014
No need to offer a summary. Just look at the other posts; the science fiction plot is evident. What I want to call your attention to is a scene that comes in the middle of Act III when Jack Warden and Jean Marsh are cuddling under the night sky and admiring constellations with Warden pointing out and naming the stars. Bernard Herrmann's lilting music is playing just under the dialog. When Marsh's character (the robot, Alicia) looks up and says "God's beauty," you, the viewer, will be totally beguiled at the notion of man and robot - deeply in love - and the robot-girl affirming all creation as the work of a higher power. (The powerful irony being, of course, that she was created without a soul; her parents being chemistry and electrical wiring.)This beautifully written scene (for me, at least) is the apotheosis of The Twilight Zone series. It's here, in a desolate place that was once the depths of despair, the protagonist (Warden) goes beyond being physically connected (he and Alicia have been together for about 6 months at the time) to being spiritually connected. And you, the viewer will also be in love with the otherworldly, hauntingly beautiful Jean Marsh, about 25 years old at the time. If you see only one TZ episode, see this one.
Rosemary's Baby
(2014)
Only for the curious.
20 May 2014
Out of respect for Ira Levin's novel and Roman Polanski's film, my wife and I watched this two-part miniseries. On the positive side, I actually liked the Paris setting. (The 1967 novel and '68 film version were set in Manhattan). Because of its medieval history, Paris does seem like it would be more accessible for demonic activity. After that, forget it. We know Polanski is alleged to have been a pedophile, but he certainly knew how to plumb the dark corners of human endeavors in his films and his version of this story is far superior. And then there's the casting. Zoe Saldana is a very good actress - but she's no Mia Farrow. Farrow's frail, waif-like appearance perfectly suited a woman with a satanic pregnancy. And why was it necessary to cast an African-American actress? The director seems to be self-consciously reminding viewers that since Obama is president, the protagonist needs to have her race changed. The actor playing Guy, Rosemary's husband, is dull and vapid. However, Carole Bouquet, playing next door neighbor Margaux, is wonderful - sexy and seductive. Final word: Skip this version. Read the novel and watch the original film.
Genuinely eerie one-of-a-kind Alfred Hitchcock Hour episode
20 May 2014
Saw this two nights ago (May 18, 2014) on MeTV and WHOA - I wasn't familiar with the episode and didn't know where it was leading the viewer. I felt four separate cases of chills crawl up my spine and settle on my neck. (There is something that's too creepy about lonely little girls interacting with their doll and invisible playmates.) The lead, Margaret Leighton, an actress trained on the British stage who won two Broadway Tony Awards, was spot-on convincing portraying the caring-but-baffled "spinster" aunt and primary caregiver of her overly imaginative young niece. There is strong character support from Juanita Moore (remember 1959's "Imitation of Life"). The story is set in early 1960's South (probably Lousiana or Mississippi) where racial segregation was the policy. And the fact that a young white blonde girl is so attached to her African-American doll only adds to the dissonance and disconnect between niece and her aunt. I'm not going into plot points; there are plenty spread across other reviews, but trust me, you won't easily forget this episode. (And, oh, that final fade-out.)
As good as it gets
28 April 2014
"The Unlocked Window" could be a writer's template for creating suspense and dread. Consider the elements involved: nurses in isolation, darkness, stormy weather - and a homicidal maniac whose victims are ... nurses. This (in my opinion) is the apotheosis of the Alfred Hitchcock Hour. No need to discuss the plot; it's obvious if you've read preceding comments. Let me just say that this episode wallops the viewer in a way you will never forget. And oh, that ending! My gosh, Dana Wynter was a beautiful woman. Most of us only know her as Becky Driscoll from "Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1956). But She was also memorable as Holly Keith in "Something of Value" (1957) as well as numerous TV appearances through the '70s.
Fascinating premise that just misses.
1 January 2007
The premise of the episode is certainly an intriguing one: Montana National Guard three-man tank crew becomes isolated in the Little Big Horn area during June 25, 1964, and encounters events convincing them they are moving back to June 25, 1876, the day of the famous battle.
Creates a good sense of mystery and a feeling of being pursued and overcome by powerful unnatural forces -- and that's not easy to do. (Sudden, freakish wind gusts coupled with lighting changes create strong psychological shifts among two characters.)
But - and this is a big "but" - the tank commander, actor Ron Foster, has a working knowledge of the battle down to the most minute detail, which demands a greater suspension of disbelief by the viewer than the characters being caught in an historical time warp. This is exacerbated by the ponderous and dispassionate way he dispenses his knowledge to his crew, and we the audience.
I have published articles on the battle, and I would be hard-pressed to reel off the kind of knowledge Foster dispenses with almost nonchalant ease. (Another issue: A couple of "historical" references seemed to be the invention of writer Rod Serling.) I know Serling must have been suffering writer's fatigue at this point in the series' run.
I can only imagine what he might have done with this fascinating idea had he scripted it during The Twilight Zone's first year. It could have been one of his 10 best.
As it stands, it is a "what might have been" episode that misses. Still, it's fun to watch.
*WATCH the credits at the end superimposed over the M3 tank so prominently featured in the episode. Look carefully: There are images of Prell shampoo and Crest toothpaste in the treads. (Proctor & Gamble must have been sponsors, and here we are some 50 years later and they're still getting advertised.)
Creates a good sense of mystery and a feeling of being pursued and overcome by powerful unnatural forces -- and that's not easy to do. (Sudden, freakish wind gusts coupled with lighting changes create strong psychological shifts among two characters.)
But - and this is a big "but" - the tank commander, actor Ron Foster, has a working knowledge of the battle down to the most minute detail, which demands a greater suspension of disbelief by the viewer than the characters being caught in an historical time warp. This is exacerbated by the ponderous and dispassionate way he dispenses his knowledge to his crew, and we the audience.
I have published articles on the battle, and I would be hard-pressed to reel off the kind of knowledge Foster dispenses with almost nonchalant ease. (Another issue: A couple of "historical" references seemed to be the invention of writer Rod Serling.) I know Serling must have been suffering writer's fatigue at this point in the series' run.
I can only imagine what he might have done with this fascinating idea had he scripted it during The Twilight Zone's first year. It could have been one of his 10 best.
As it stands, it is a "what might have been" episode that misses. Still, it's fun to watch.
*WATCH the credits at the end superimposed over the M3 tank so prominently featured in the episode. Look carefully: There are images of Prell shampoo and Crest toothpaste in the treads. (Proctor & Gamble must have been sponsors, and here we are some 50 years later and they're still getting advertised.)
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