Trail of the Silver Spurs (1941)

The Range Busters (Ray Corrigan, John King and Max Terhune - with Elmer the dummy of course) are on a secret mission for the US government on the trail of gold robbers. They arrive at a ghost town which isn't quite as empty as it at first seems. Gold mine owner Dan Nordick (Milburn Morante) and his daughter Nancy (Dorothy Short) are still living there despite being menaced by "ghosts" trying to scare them off...

It isn't a ghost though but the more substantial menace of notorious killer The Jingler (I. Stanford Jolley) who is hiding out in the hotel and wants to get the Nordicks out of there. Things hot up with Max and Elmer concoct a plan to fake a gold rush...

Rather confusing but decent enough "wild west" fun - though when the film is supposed to be set is a mystery considering at one stage they refer to the Civil War then suddenly the film features automobiles! The Range Busters are in "disguise" which means they have switched their normal horses for nags but the rest of their fancy outfits are unchanged!

Alias Mary Smith (1932)

Although made on the budget of three bucks this is a very decent crime drama. "Mary Smith" (Blanche Mehaffey) has her purse snatched and this brings her to the attention of both the police and playboy Buddy (John Darrow) who takes a liking to her.

For some reason Mary is a bit reluctant to give her details. All is revealed when a lawyer is found dead and Mary was the last person to see him alive.

Suspicion falls on her when her real name is revealed to be Joan, the dead lawyer having prosecuted her brother who ended up in the chair...

The actors, on the whole, made the most of the non-existent budget, some of the dialogue is snappy. The leads make for a reasonable but unexciting couple. A neat bit of early forensic science (CSI 1932) helped prove the real murderer.

Woman on the Run (1950)

A sharp little noir. Troubled artist Frank Johnson (Ross Elliot) witnesses a gangland killing and fearful of being next decides to run away instead of staying around with a target on him. Not only are the police now looking for Frank but his wife Eleanor (Ann Sheridan), who has a rather curiously detached relationship with Frank, is too.

With the help of a newspaperman (Dennis O'Keffe) Eleanor looks for Frank, now knowing he is seriously ill with a weak heart. The police (Robert Keith) will stop at nothing to get Frank to give himself up, even restricting him getting the drug he needs to stay alive...

Sheridan makes this film with her snappy dialogue. The direction is sharp and fast moving. There is also a twist, a huge twist. It's revealed about half way through the film and adds to the tension of the film greatly. A low-key but excellent film.

What Price Crime (1935)

A very passable low-budget crime drama. A gang of criminals is knocking off government warehouses. A clue points to local bigwig Douglas Worthington (Noel Madison) so the FBI decide to sent in Agent Grey (Charles Starrett) undercover in Worthington's nightclub. A somewhat strange way Grey gets to infiltrate Worthington's club is to become a promising boxer whom Worthington ends up becoming the manager of. Cue extended fight scene to eat up some screen time.

One complication is that Worthington's sister Sandra (Virginia Cherrill) has the hots for Grey and her feelings are definitely not one-way...

The film has plenty of night touches to raise it above the (many) other B-movie crime movies of the period including a rather fascinating opening scene with the warehouse robbery shown mostly in silhouette. Starrett and Cherril also work really well together.

Silver Dream Racer (1980)

Nick (David Essex) is a hot-headed young mechanic and motorbike racer though lacks a decent machine to compete with the delightfully arrogant and big headed Yank Bruce McBride (Beau Bridges). However after his brother dies in a motorbike accident Nick gets his hands on the prototype bike his brother had built. Its pretty hot stuff and silver. All he needs is the backing to compete at Silverstone...

So Nick is the classic underdog who battles against the odds to fight the favourite. Along the way he has to get over the fears of his girlfriend Carol (Sheila White) and somehow gain the finance he needs. Julie (Cristina Raines), who is linked to McBride in a vague way, helps out here.

So the story isn't that innovative, though certainly has a few shocks including the ending which simply has to be seen to be believed. The performances are as good off the track as well as on including from Essex. There is a good supporting cast including Harry H Corbett, Diane Keen, Clarke Peters and Nick Brimble.

Phantom of Chinatown (1940)

This is the last of the Inspector Wong movies though Wong was not played by Boris Karloff this time but Keye Luke. An East Asian lead character being played by an East Asian actor was rather novel for the time. This also seems to be a prequel as Wong and Captain Street (Grant Withers) appear to meet for the first time.

Dr Benton (Charles Miller) has returned from an expedition to Mongolia where he has apparently found a secret tomb by an ancient Chinese emperor and a scroll that reveals a mysterious secret. Benton is killed by poison during a presentation. Wong and Street begin the investigation assisted by Chinese agent Win Len (Lotus Long). They discover that the secret, now missing, scroll reveals the location of a massive oil deposit...

And it is all rather enjoyable. A neat little mystery with plenty of suspense and misdirection. There is the added fun of the actor who was usually Charlie Chan's bumbling "number one son" leading a detective case!

Predator (1987)

For the blog's four hundredth review another of our all-time favourite films...

Dutch (Arnold Schwarzenegger) is leading his elite team of special forces in the South American jungle on a CIA mission with Dillon (Carl Weathers) when they come under attack. However its not a human that is stalking them and taking them out one by one. It's something not of this world...

Predator has a rather simple premise and plot: humans are hunted by an alien with some nifty stealth gear and laser guns who takes scalps of his conquered prey. The hero (Arnie of course) eventually is left alone to deal with the hunter in an epic showdown and settle the interstellar conflict between human and alien in the traditional Kirk manner: with his fists.

What makes the film sing is the great cast ensemble including Jesse Ventura (who goes around carrying a Gatling gun!)

Despite the science-fiction underpinning the film is mostly a straight ahead war action film with some great twists. The film has plenty of humour despite the blood letting, some of it rather cheesy (such as when Dutch impales a bad guy with a knife to a wall and he tells him to "Stick around!") but in the context of the film and delivered so dead-pan it works. The sfx also stand up remarkably well for a film from the late 1980s.

North of Arizona (1935)

Jack Perrin is a cowboy (also called Jack to avoid any confusion on set no doubt) and takes a job at George Tully's (Al Bridge) ranch.

Unfortunately Jack's new colleagues are outlaws and he ends up breaking up a robbery being committed by them. Jack is framed for the robbery...

Jack breaks out of the gaol and enlists some friendly Indians to help clear his name and bring the real villains to justice. Oh and get the girl (Blanche Mehaffey) too.

Its all a bit by the numbers and full of B-movie western cliches. There is plenty of action (not all of it that good if we're going to honest) but the film is lacking a spark. Average at best.

Gangs, Inc. (1941)

Rita Adams (Joan Woodbury) is a naive young girl with a difficult life (ex-convict father, no job et cetera) who takes the rap for her useless boyfriend Harold (Phillip Trent) after a hit-and-run. After a spell in the state pen she discovers the truth about her beau and sets out on a life of crime...

She becomes a mysterious "blonde beauty" and rises up the ranks in the mob led by Jack La Rue. Meanwhile Alan Ladd is an undercover agent who has infiltrated the mob. When he is ready to bring them down unfortunately Rita is ready to go straight...

It is a rather complicated plot and unfortunately tries to pack too much in to a rather short film. It is complete nonsense but is an enjoyable fast-moving romp.

Hong Kong Nights (1935)

A 1930s Oriental romp so you know to expect dated stereotypes, though isn't too bad compared to some films...

This is a decent if unexceptional crime drama involving weapon smuggling into HK. Gil Burris (Cornelius Keefe) is the mastermind behind the smuggling and two US customs agents (Tom Keene and Warren Hymer) are tasked to bring Burris to book. One complication is Burris' girl (Wera Engels), they all have the hots for to various degrees. She is of course naive and innocent of Burris' evil doings until Keene comes along...

Another complication is Burris' honourable henchman Wong (Tetsu Komai) and his good luck amulet which ends up saving Keene's life...

It is though a rather run-of-the-mill adventure film. Fairly fast moving and usually makes sense, but not always! Once things get going the action is solid.

The Wrong Road (1937)

An odd little film, crime doesn't pay you see and this hammers the message home with the biggest hammer you can imagine. Jimmy (Richard Cromwell) and Ruth (Helen Mack) are college kids who decide that working for a living is not for them and instead still $100,000 from the bank Jimmy works at, intending to sweat it out and then live on the money they have hidden away when they are released.

However detective Mike Roberts (Lionel Atwill) is after the money and arranges for the couple to get out of prison on parole so they can lead him to the money. However the trail to the money isn't that smooth, especially when Jimmy's ex-cellmate Blackie (Horace McMahon) decides he wants a cut too...

It is an interesting story with some noir touches though the story line is pretty ridiculous. The couple are given every chance to give up the money but keep doggedly on the trail even though it turns them against each other.

Gigolo & Whore (1991)

Gigolo & Whore is a pretty low rent HK sleeze romp starring Simon Yam, Carina Lau and Alex Fong. It is also pretty fantastic.

Carina is a mainlander who has come to HK for her fortune, and seems to think the best way to do this is lying on her back. She comes to this conclusion after she meets Simon, HK gigolo par excellence, and her lunatic cousin who is already a "chicken" or prostitute. So Simon teaches Carina how to sell sex... the only snag being she's fallen in love with him.

Alex Fong, meanwhile, is depressed and Carina is called upon to wake him from his depression. This she does... but Alex falls in love with her. Then Simon realises he is in love with Carina after all. Yay!

So the story line is utter drivel. But why is this such a watchable film? For the late 1980s / early 1990s HK excess! This is a film of fast cars, booze, opportunity, sleaze and depravity. Its nostalgia for a time when you could arrive in HK with nothing and in a short time be drinking incredibly expensive brandy out of women's shoes. Which naturally happened a lot.

Hollywood Stadium Mystery (1938)

A prize boxer dies in the ring, but not because of his opponent's fists but because of poison. DA Bill Devons (Neil Hamilton) is on the case with detective novelist Pauline Ward (Evelyn Venable) hanging on to assist / perform her own parallel investigation... but also a potential suspect along with a few thousand other people in the audience.

Bill and Pauline also have a love-hate flirting thing going on throughout. They have some nice chemistry together.

The investigation continues at the stadium with various false leads and mysterious goings on. In many ways a standard murder mystery but the setting adds novelty. The film is pretty creative and nicely done, raising it above the usual B-film. Interestingly the poster for a Gene Autry film is a major plot point...

One jarring point is when murder suspect Edna (Lynne Roberts) is blacked up to keep her away from the clutches of the law but the film is easily good enough to forgive that.

Whispering Footsteps (1943)

Marcus Bourne (John Hubbard) is a bank clerk who returns from vacation to find that he has a startling resemblance to a murderer in a neighbouring town.

More murders occur and Marcus finds himself under suspicion from the police (Cy Kendall) and his fellow boarders. Though is given alibis by women who fancy him (which seems to be all of them).

The story is a bit plodding and basic with plenty of annoying and somewhat one-dimensional characters including Rose (Juanita Quigley) who screams at the slightest scare, Sally (Marie Blake) as a lonely librarian, Harry Hammond (Charles Halton) as a cardboard but lecherous bank manager and overtly horny Helene (Joan Blair).

Although a crime story the film is more about small town gossip and prejudice. It has some nice noirish touches though overall is somewhat rushed.

Think Fast, Mr. Moto (1937)

The first of the Mr Moto series of films starring Peter Lorre. Mr Moto joins an ocean liner headed for Shanghai and makes a friend of rich young Bob Hitchings (Thomas Beck), son of the liner owner. Criminal activity in the form of smuggling is taking place on the boat though Bob is pretty oblivious to it and only has eyes for Gloria (Virginia Field) - though she is involved with the criminals...

Mr Moto knows something is up though and uses his friendship with Bob to track down the gang led by Marloff (Sig Ruman). But who is the real mastermind behind the gang...

Although it gets a bit bogged down on board ship once we get to Shanghai the action hots up with Mr Moto having to evade various attempts on his life. Full of dated stereotypes of course but undeniably fun.