The Toll of the Sea (1922)

The Toll of the Sea was one of the earliest Technicolor films and the first to gain a general release. The story itself isn't that special, being a variation of the Madama Butterfly tale though set in China and covers pretty familiar ground. The film was Anna May Wong's first starring role.

So Chinese girl saves life of half-drowned American (Kenneth Harlan), they fall in love, though he then returns to America without her (heartbreak). Though they obviously did the deed as she has his child. Later on he returns to China, only with an American wife in tow (more heartbreak).

If the story isn't special the film itself looks amazing. It was once thought lost but was restored after being rediscovered in 1985. At times it is more like a painting than a film, the reds and greens of the Chinese costumes and gardens so vivid.

Yellow Canary (1943)

A fascinating war time film involving Nazi spies and sympathisers. Anna Neagle plays Sally, a notorious pro-Nazi who is scorned by everyone from her own family down, who is sent off to Canada.

There she becomes involved with a Polish officer (Albert Lieven) while British officer Richard Greene keeps an eye on her.

However all is not what it seems, Sally is really a deep cover agent and Albert is the spy. Sally's mission is to penetrate a spy ring and foil a devastating Nazi plot. That and other twists elevate this film above standard wartime propaganda fare. There are some good performances too including from Margaret Rutherford who provides a bit of light relief.

The Kennel Murder Case (1933)

A wonderful attempt at a Golden Age murder mystery, complete with intriguing locked room puzzle and more suspects than you could shake a stick at! It stars William Powell as private detective Philo Vance, on hand to show the police what to do.

Archer Coe (Robert Barrat) is the victim, though as he was found in a locked room with a gun in his hand suicide is suspected. Though as the victim wasn't killed by a gunshot but rather a stab in the back suicide becomes unlikely. Unfortunately for Vance and the police Coe was rather unpleasant and had many enemies and people who would have had cause to kill him. His niece played by Mary Astor hated him for restricting her money, his secretary (Ralph Morgan) hated him for not letting him marry his niece. Even his servants had reasons to kill him!

The case is complex but by using fast editing and plenty of energy in the directing and performances a lot of story is packed into a fairly short film. The leads put on a good show backed up by some great supporting parts. A very good film indeed.

Smart Alec (1951)

This is a very strange film, the story (a murder and the subsequent investigation) is serious but it is performed with such an air of farce as to be completely ridiculous.

It stars Peter Reynolds as a smug young bounder who murders his rich uncle. He appears to be completely guilty but there is a problem: no bullet.

The crime story is actually quite innovative but the film is so full of ridiculous characters and nonsense it just can't be taken seriously. It does star a young Charles Hawtrey as a detective though which is interesting seeing him in a straight (well in theory) role.

Encounters in the Deep (1979)

The Bermuda Triangle where boats and people disappear without trace? Well that includes Miles' (Gabriele Ferzetti) daughter on a holiday. He funds Peters (Manuel Zarzo) and Scott (Andres Garcia) to mount an expedition to find just what is going on. Peters thinks it is extraterrestrials...

It sounds promising, unfortunately this Italian-Spanish co-production does not really go anywhere apart from aimlessly travelling around the sea and seeing underwater lights.

There is something strange going on but the motley crew on the boat seem pretty ill-equipped to handle it. A crew man is possessed and many strange things happen including a whole freighter vanishing, however only the ship's dog (who also seems the only one who can act in this film) seems to know what is going on. It is total nonsense of course, and lacks much in the way of coherence or suspense. The special effects are also laughable. I quite enjoyed it.