Suddenly! (1954)

The highest of stakes as a sleepy small town becomes the scene of a planned assassination of the President of the United States!

Not a lot happens in Suddenly but all that changes when the President is due to leave his train there. Federal agents swarm over the place including one team which goes to a house overlooking the railway station owned by former agent Pop Benson (James Gleason) and his daughter Ellen (Nancy Gates). 

However, the team led by Baron (Frank Sinatra) are not federal agents after all but assassins who want to use the house to commit their crime!

This is a great film, tense and gripping as the ruthless and brutal Baron will stop at nothing to commit their mission, being willing to hurt or even kill anyone, men, women and children! 

Kindergarten Ninja (1994)

A very strange film, made very cheaply as an anti-drugs film. Somehow it works, kind of.

In heaven, Bruce Lee (Anthony Chan) has been told he will only become an angel if he does a good deed on Earth. That good deed is to rehabilitate the bad boy football player Blade Steel (Dwight Clarke). 

Blade introduces him to a blind martial arts instructor (George Chung) to teach him karate, together they must battle a drug dealer (Juan Chapa) who is targeting kids at the school Blade is teaching at as part of his punishment for drink driving!

So, that is the crazy storyline. Do not expect much sense or depth from the plot as the film is played largely for laughs (which are not always generated intentionally) and can be pretty witty at times. The film is fun, frequently zany and with a lot of fight scenes, some of which are not that bad in a 1970s kung fu style. 

Strange People (1933)

The premise of this murder mystery is good but unfortunately the execution lets it down.

Twelve people turn up at a dark house on a stormy night one by one, let in by a butler (who has tied up the real one!) We discover that these twelve people know each other, they were the jurors on a trial which apparently sent an innocent man to the gallows. They have been gathered together by Hale Hamilton to demonstrate how someone can be wrongly convicted on circumstantial evidence, a murder is staged but is everything actually fake?

The idea of this film is good but it can be a hard going watch at times. Most of the characters have less dimensions than a piece of string and the dialogue is pretty weak at times. However, this does have all the tropes of a Golden Age dark house mystery including hidden passages and female screams on cue! Not the worst film but it could have been a lot better.

Malibu Express (1985)

A private detective who drives a Delorean and is accompanied by a country music soundtrack, well that is certainly different, but is it any good?

Private detective Cody (Darby Hilton) is tasked to discover who is helping the Russians steal advanced computer technology from a Silicon Valley firm. He does this by infiltrating the home of Lady Chamberlain (Niki Dantine) who has filled her home with oddballs and stereotypes. A complicated and rather meandering plot ensues...

Unfortunately, the plot is a bit incomprehensible at times as more focus is shown on muscular torsos and cleavage in bikinis than explaining what is going on. However, the film is light hearted and doesn't take itself seriously at all and an amiable watch though ultimately inessential. The 1980s technology shown throughout does add a great nostalgic air to proceedings.

One of My Wives is Missing (1976)

A highly enjoyable TV movie with a delicious twist.

Newly wed Daniel Corban's (James Franciscus) wife has gone missing, the local cop Inspector Levine (Jack Klugman) isn't that interested at what he thinks is just a lover's tiff. 

Then Corban's wife turns up... but Corban says it isn't her! This Elizabeth (Elizabeth Ashley) seems genuine though, she knows the answers to all the questions but Corban is insistent it isn't her. There is something darker going on but maybe not quite what you may expect...

This is a terrific film with a very surprising twist. When you think back at earlier events in the film, the twist just about remains plausible. A well-paced drama, with a great cast, that has layer upon layer. 

Invisible Avenger (1958)

The Shadow returns, and this time he can become invisible again...

The Shadow, Lamont Cranston (Richard Derr) goes to New Orleans to investigate the death of a jazz man. Somehow, the death is mixed up with a Latin American country's exiled leader and a possible revolution. To combat the bad guys, The Shadow can make himself invisible (though the effect is somewhat ruined by the evil laughter he has to do at the same time for some reason) and control men's minds...

This actually was the pilot for a TV series about The Shadow who last appeared in films in the 1940s (though without any special powers). The pilot wasn't taken up so it was turned into a rather uneven film. 

It is a decent enough B movie, well paced and with plenty of action, the story delving more into the mystic than earlier films where The Shadow was basically a bloke with a hat! Mark Daniels plays Cranston's spiritual guide Jogendra.

Fear in the Night (1946)

A modest but thrilling psychological thriller with a Noir edge.

Vince (DeForest Kelley in his first film role) wakes from a horrible dream where he killed someone. However, he doesn't think it was a dream when traces of blood are found on his clothes and he also had a strange key, which he thinks it to a cupboard he put the body! Vince is highly troubled by it all and goes to his police detective brother-in-law Cliff (Paul Kelly) for help. When they find the house which Vince saw in his dream and discover there was a murder that took place there a few days ago it looks like Vince is in a jam but what really happened?

This is a superb film, often quite dark and chilling. As the story progresses it does look Vince may be doomed though an unexpected twist later on leads to something even darker going on.

Noah's Ark (1928)

An epic tale which links the Biblical story with the harrowing incidents of the First World War.

A mixed group of people are travelling on the Orient Express in 1914 including a couple of American tourists Al (Guinn Williams) and Travis (George O'Brien) and a German girl Marie (Dolores Costello). The story switches to 1917, by now Al and Travis are American soldiers on the Western Front. They save Marie from being shot as a spy... but what has all this got to do with Noah's Ark?

The story switches to the time of Akkad, whose King has defied God who sends a flood to wipe out mankind, though Noah is tasked with building a big boat. An epic part of the film (though the flood scene was maybe a little too epic, three extras died in the filming and dozens more were injured, Costello also caught pneumonia!) The film has a strong anti-war message, unfortunately the message was unheeded just over ten years later...

The film is a transitional silent film with some sound scenes. Unfortunately, the dialogue does not add a great deal to the film. The film is a solid watch, the flood scenes (basically an extended dream sequence) are compelling, though what a price was paid.

Cruise Into Terror (1978)

A surprisingly good slice of horror cheese on the high seas.

A small cargo ship prepares to make a trip to Mexico, though Captain Andrews (Hugh O'Brian) and first mate Simon (Dirk Benedict) have real concerns about the engine holding up. The passengers are a motley collection of stereotypes (well this is a TV movie after all) including a troubled vicar (John Forsythe) and a driven archaeologist (Ray Milland) who is convinced the Ancient Egyptians made it to Mexico!

After a series of strange incidents including mysterious technical failures, the ship makes it to the location of an Egyptian burial site. A sarcophagus is raised from the sea bed. However, the priest warns that they may have raised the son of Satan from the depths...

This is a great film, good old actors putting in decent performances with a plot that maybe isn't too original but has enough meat on it to work. There are a few genuinely creepy moments too.

Savage Beach (1989)

A sometimes cheesy but highly enjoyable tits and guns romp on a Pacific island paradise.

Two DEA agents, Donna (Dona Spier) and Taryn (Hope Marie Carlton) - who apparently have to always wear skimpy outfits - are marooned on a remote Pacific island after technical failure of their aircraft. They are alone on the aircraft... apart from a Japanese soldier (Michael Mikasa) who was left behind to guard stolen gold from the Philippines.

By coincidence the US Navy and a gang of thugs are also after the gold and land on the island after discovering where the gold is using some funky 1980s computers. Lets see who gets the gold in an extended action set piece...

Not high art for sure but an enjoyable film. The actresses in the film were former Playboy models, and on the whole they do a decent enough of acting, as well as showing plenty of cleavage. Very over the top, frequently ridiculous and not to be taken seriously. Great fun!

King of the Bandits (1947)

Part of the long-running Cisco Kid series of films.

The Cisco Kid (Gilbert Roland) is travelling through Arizona with Pancho (Chris-Pin Martin), he discovers that someone is conducting robberies but disguising themselves as the Cisco Kid to shift the blame! 

The Kid retrieves some stolen loot but ends up captured himself by the US Army. The Kid and Pancho manage to escape and then go after the real villain Smoke Kirby (Anthony Warde)...

A fun romp of a film which doesn't take itself very seriously, Roland plays the Kid rather tongue in cheek throughout and also is very charismatic.

Get Christie Love! (1974)

A sassy cop drama with a blaxploitation feel which led to a TV series.

Christie Love (Teresa Graves) is a copy sent undercover to find the evidence to break up a drug gang led by Paul Stevens. According to intelligence, the crime boss' squeeze Helena (Louise Sorel) knows where the ledger is to provide the needed evidence. Christie discovers though that Helena with her photographic memory is the ledger. She finds a way to get Helena to play ball by tracking down her long-lost son...

This is an enjoyable film with some good early 1970s soul and cool. Being a TV movie it is pretty restrained compared to the usual blaxploitation film but this helps with some intelligence in the plot which means Christie does some good detective work in the film instead of just beating people up with her dubious martial arts skills (though there is still some of that!) 

A good watch.

Mr. Moto in Danger Island (1939)

A fun Mr Moto adventure where he unlocks a complicated crime plot with the help of a professional wrestler.

Mr Moto (Peter Lorre) heads to Puerto Rico to uncover a diamond smuggling gang, on the way he befriends a pro wrestler Twister (Warren Hymer) who ends up assisting Moto. 

Someone high up on the island is behind the diamond smuggling plot and tries to get rid of Moto even more he can begin his investigation. Moto disguises himself as a Japanese criminal in order to try and infiltrate the gang and uncover the mastermind...

A good crime B-move with the usual fast moving action, well structured plot and red herrings. Interestingly, this was originally to be a Charlie Chan film set in Trinidad but changed to become a Moto story after the death of Warner Oland.

Fight to Win (1987)

Martial artists fight over ancient Chinese statues.

Sensei (Hidy Ochiai) has in his possession two of three ancient and valuable Chinese statues. Rival martial arts school boss Armstrong (Richard Norton) has another and challenges Sensei (who is suffering from ill health) to pit his champion against Armstrong's, the winner gets the statue. 

Sensei chooses Ryan (George Chung), who unfortunately gets badly beaten. With the re-match upcoming, Sensei brings in one of his old pupils Lauren (Cynthia Rothrock) to teach Ryan...

Well the plot isn't anything special but this is a perfectly decent late 1980s martial arts film which doesn't take itself too seriously. Chung and Rothrock have good interplay and the fight scenes hold up very well.

Diplomatic Courier (1952)

A tense early Cold War thriller.

Diplomatic Courier Mike Kells (Tyrone Power) is sent to central Europe to retrieve a package from a colleague. After he finds his colleague dead, he is dragged into a dangerous search for the package which contains details of a Soviet plot. 

It seems that Janine (Hildegard Knef), an associate of his dead colleague, may be a Soviet agent but what about Joan (Patricia Neal) who just happens to bump into Mike in most unexpected places...

An enjoyable film and an interesting period piece, set in Trieste when it was an independent city state and on the front line of the Iron Curtain. A Noir for sure on the brutal battlefield between the superpowers and a shattered continent still recovering from one nightmare and in danger of falling into another.

Death Force (1978)

A basic tale of revenge but with some interesting twists and some blaxploitation cool.

Doug (James Inglehart) is heading back to the US from a stint in Vietnam, though with his buddies Morelli (Carmen Argenziano) and McGee (Leon Isaac Kennedy) he has a sideline in crime. There is no honour amongst thieves though as Morelli and McGee cut Doug's throat and dump him in the waters around the Philippines. Morelli and McGee return to LA and begin a reign of terror as they take over crime in the city. McGee also tries to get in with Doug's wife (Jayne Kennedy)...

Doug though isn't dead, He is found washed ashore by two Japanese soldiers (Joe Mari Avellana and Joonee Gamboa) who don't know the war is over! They teach Doug in the ways of the Samurai, he uses these skills when he finally does return to LA and begins to take revenge...

A surprisingly good film even though the plot is fairly basic and the story sometimes doesn't really make a lot of sense. The Japanese veterans and the criminal double crossing adds some novelty, the violence is frequent and brutal.

The Silent Passenger (1935)

An enjoyable crime drama with some heavy use of the London North Eastern Railway.

Blackmailer Windermere (Leslie Perrins) is murdered by one of his enemies Camberley (Donald Wolfit) and stuffed into a trunk. Also looking for Windermere is Ryder (John Loder) who wants to stop his wife Mollie (Lilian Oldland) running off with Windermere! However, when he confronts "Windermere" whom he has never met he instead tangles with Camberley. 

Later on, the trunk and the body inside is discovered and Ryder is accused of murder, Camberley having framed him. Amateur detective Lord Peter Whimsey (Peter Haddon) is on hand to try and sort things out...

The film is mostly formulaic though has decent performances, including Haddon who plays Whimsey slightly irrelevantly. The final show down at a railway depot provides just enough peril to bring the film to a satisfying end.

The Crime Doctor's Diary (1949)

The last entry in the Crime Doctor series.

Steve Carter (Stephen Dunne) has been released from prison after serving time for arson against his employer - a radio DJ service, Dr Ordway (Warner Baxter) having testified that he was not insane. Carter is out to prove his innocence and wants Dr Ordway's help. 

However, soon Steve's former boss is found murdered, Steve is a suspect and goes on the run but Ordway suspects that someone else did the crime, and indeed the culprit when finally unmasked is most unexpected...

This is a fine crime B-movie and an excellent way to end the series with plenty of fast moving action and puzzles. Lois Maxwell stars as a person who ends up very central to the case.

George (1972)

Rather goofy hi-jinks starring a very large dog.

Regina (Linda Caroll) needs to send her dear George away before she gets married, so she sends George to her relative Jim (Marshall Thompson) who lives in Switzerland. Only, George isn't a child but a huge St Bernard dog! George causes havoc wherever he goes, costing Jim a lot of money. But eventually Jim and George are trapped in the snow, only George can save the day!

This isn't a good film by any means, being largely devoid of any meaningful plot except as a way to get from one ridiculous George mishap to the next but the sheer nonsense of the premise and the adorable nature of George makes the film highly enjoyable and hilarious.

The film was spun off into a TV series to continue George and Jim's adventures in the Swiss alps.

Government Agents vs Phantom Legion (Serial) (1951)

A shadowy gang is hijacking Uncle Sam's strategic cargo, call in the Feds!

After a spate of hijacks and thefts of lorries carrying strategic items, Government agents Hal (Walter Reed) and Sam (John Pickard) are bought in to foil the crooks. The crimes are being organised by a shadowy figure who only speaks behind a glass. We do see who it is, one of the logistic company bosses, in the final showdown after many cliff hangers...

This is a reasonable if not overly spectacular serial. It is rather restrained compared to some examples of the genre but is pretty well made throughout with some good cliff hangers, the best being the first one with the exploding rail car in a tunnel. 

Some of the secondary characters including Kay (Mary Ellen Kay) don't really get as much screen time as they probably deserve.

The Fighting Gentleman (1932)

An enjoyable, if fairly predictable, sporting drama.

Jack (William Collier Jr) is a mechanic who is at the fair with his girlfriend Jeanette (Josephine Dunn) and wants to impress her / win some money. He has the bright idea of taking on the fair's prize fighter, yet despite his bravado he is knocked out by a single punch! 

Undaunted, Jack decides he will become a professional boxer (of course!) However, despite success in the ring, Jack's love life is thrown into chaos by the arrival of gold digger Natalie Moorhead...

A pleasant film which breezes on by, though the story itself is a bit generic as a boxing/sporting story. That does not mean it isn't worth watching.

Coonskin (1974)

A very strange film, satirical and different but is it any good?

Mixing live action with animation, and everything seems rather random. This film includes a prison break (one of the would-be escapees is voiced by Barry White - yes that one!) as well as a number of wannabe gangsters who rise up the ranks in organised crime in Harlem...

A satire on mid-1970s America, blaxploitation films and race relations, though the satire is laid on as thick as an industrial digger. Maybe the film could have done with being a little more subtle. 

The mix of animation and live action is an acquired taste, though unfortunately not one i have ever acquired. It is certainly an interesting piece of work though i can't say i enjoyed it that much.

A film apparently intended to offend everyone, it will probably succeed.

Sherlock Holmes and the Secret Weapon (1942)

Sherlock Holmes battles Moriarty with a vital secret weapon at risk of being lost to the Nazis.

Dr Tobel (William Post Jr) has developed an advanced new bomb sight, Sherlock Holmes (Basil Rathbone) helps bring Tobel to the UK and away from the clutches of the Gestapo. It should all be simple and settled now right? 

Unfortunately not as Tobel has a rather lax attitude to his own personal safety, and the dreaded Professor Moriarty (Lionel Atwill) is after the bomb sight and is willing to sell them to the Nazis...

An excellent "modern" Sherlock Holmes tale, Basil Rathbone and Nigel Bruce as Watson bringing all the goods as usual. Fast moving plot and ingenious code driven action makes this film highly enjoyable.