Sally of the Sawdust (1925)

Although the plot seems serious (girl disowned as she marries a circus performer, dies leaving a young girl who grows up to a dancer who gets into trouble with the law) this is a comedy!

Sally (Carol Dempster) is that girl who was bought up by the Professor (W.C. Fields) - actually a trickster and conman than a real prof. When the Professor feels that it is time to restore her to her true family her grandfather (Erville Alderson) really disapproves of her even without knowing who she is. To make matters more complicated she falls in love with Peyton Lennox (Alfred Lunt) the son of her grandfather's friend. Though she ends up jailed for the Professor's crimes...

W.C. Fields is great in this as is Carol Dempster. It is a funny film, though more light hearted than laugh out loud funny, but also with plenty of heart ably directed by the legendary D.W. Griffith.

The Sword and the Sorcerer (1982)

Evil Cromwell (Richard Lynch) enlists the help of a demonic sorcerer Xusia (Richard Moll) to help him conquer the world. The young son of one of the kings he slays makes off with a fancy (and massive) triple sword that can shoot blades. Years later the son (Lee Horsley) is back as a mercenary called Talon...

Meanwhile Princess Alana (Kathleen Beller) and her brother Mikah (Simon MacCorkindale) are the last hold outs against Cromwell. Though they end up his prisoner, can Talon save the day and the world?

It is rather goofy sword and sorcery nonsense, laying the blueprint for the likes of Hercules and Xena. Expect well oiled muscles and shiny swords indulging in well choreographed semi-comedic violence. Don't expect much plot line sense though it is a lot of campy fun.

Windjammer (1937)

Bruce Lane (George O'Brien) is tasked with handing a subpoena to Commodore Selby (Brandon Evans) who is taking part in a yacht race along with his lovely daughter Betty (Constance Worth) and ends up stowing away. When he is discovered he ends up in the centre of peril when the yacht gets lost in the fog, and ends up getting rammed by a gun running cargo ship run by Captain Morgan (William Hall) who seems a bit of a rum fellow...

Bruce is rather cocky in his role but also seems to be the only person on the yacht who isn't incredibly naive. However sooner or later they all get wise to Morgan and his ship and realise they are in great danger.

An entertaining yarn on the high seas in the (latter) days of sail. The scenes aboard ship are very well done. Overall the tone is fairly light, the main characters a bit pantomime but it suits the film.

The Frightened City (1961)

A tough British gangster film with Noir-ish touches. Waldo (Herbert Lom) is a crooked accountant who has a masterplan to form a huge crime syndicate by merging smaller firms in London with the help of Harry (Alfred Marks).

Paddy (Sean Connery) is hired as the main muscle (though in a refined menace rather than ultra violent sense) but soon he finds himself drawn into something more than he bargained for when they take advantage of him to get rid of a friend (David Davies) who has fallen out with the syndicate...

The story is a little predictable but is nicely done with a bit of early 60s London style and sleaze.

Sean Connery is great in this film, it has been said (who knows it may be true) this role helped to get him the James Bond gig the following year.

Crashing Through Danger (1936)

A drama and love triangle involving electric company linemen. Truly there was no subject untouched in the 1930s. Torchy (Ray Walker), Slim (Guinn Williams) and Eddie (James Bush) are three happy-go-lucky lads who work on the electric company power lines, fool about and chase after dames. Their supervisor Pop (Robert Homans) forever reprimanding them... though always with a tear in his eye.

Unfortunately on Pop's final day he is killed due to negligence by the trio. They decide to look after his daughter Ann (Sally Blane) though soon they all have the hots for her and the love rivalry splits up their friendship. Though when a storm strikes and the power to the hospital is in danger of being disrupted will they pull together again?

It is a pretty familiar plot if we are to be honest, the only novelty being the guys are electric linemen and not some other profession. Competent if not spectacular, one could say it might lack a bit of spark...