Dateline Diamonds (1965)

A highly enjoyable crime caper which weaves in various real pop stars and DJs into mid-1960s Swinging London. Fairclough (William Lucas) is a prolific diamond thief, however he needs a way to get his spoils out of the country. He blackmails Benson (Kenneth Cope), the manager of up and coming group the Small Faces (pre Rod Stewart), to take the diamonds aboard the radio boat in the channel where it can be passed onto Fairclough's continental contact...

Meanwhile the police Tom (Conrad Philips) and Paul (George Mikell) are finding it hard to get going with their investigation, but then they get a break when Fairclough is caught in the background of a press photo of the Faces and some information from Tom's Faces fan daughter Gay (Anna Carteret)...

As a crime drama it is a bit basic, though competent (the scene which shows in detail Fairclough doing one of his blags is fascinating) but add the pop star cameos which include Kiki Dee and Kenny Everett it is a perfect time capsule of Swinging London and some pretty good tunes.

The Friends of Eddie Coyle (1973)

A gritty and low-key crime drama. Eddie Coyle (Robert Mitchem) is an ageing con who is facing another stretch in gaol. He is trying to bargain his way to freedom by selling information on a gang of bank robbers (including Alex Rocco) to Detective Foley (Robert Jordan). However he is also supplying guns to the gang!

Unfortunately for Eddie his friend Dillon (Peter Boyle) is a step ahead of him in dealing with the law and robs Eddie of his ultimate bargaining trip and way out of the life which has ground him down...

A tough and very believable crime drama set in Boston. This has to be one of Mitchem's best roles, he looks suitably worn down after a life of crime and playing both sides. The film goes in some unexpected directions but Eddie's demise has a crushing inevitability about it.

Who Killed the Cat? (1966)

A rather slow moving but enjoyable crime drama. After the death of her husband scheming widow Eleanor (Vanda Godsell) takes control of the house and decides it is time she made her three elderly renters (Mary Merrell, Ellen Pollock and Amy Dalby) pay more money in rent than they can afford, she also wants her step-daughter Mary (Natasha Pyne) to leave school and earn her keep...

Eleanor is rather vile, spreading poison about Mary's boyfriend. Poison of another kind of spread when Mrs Goldworthy's cat is found dead...

The film does not have a lot of action or suspense but is a rather interesting period piece. Although made in the 1960s it feels like it is set decades before. It plays out like a Golden Age murder mystery and is very entertaining if you like that sort of thing.

Slander House (1938)

A nicely light bit of romance dealing with the heavy business of weight loss. Helen(e) (Adrienne Ames) runs a beauty salon, dedicated to helping overweight rich ladies lose pounds (and also plenty of dollars). She is being wooed by Dr Stallings (George Meeker), who is nice but a bit dull. He is her ticket to high society though.

Then she meets Pat (Craig Reynolds), a bit of a wise guy perhaps but with something more about him. A more interesting love match but of course things do not go very smoothly, with various obstacles in the way including jealous love rivals and dangerous gossip in her salon...

An amusing little film which sends up the beauty industry (which often is rather absurd after all) with various stunts including a lady knocking herself out while exercising and a few mishaps involving loose animals in the salon. An enjoyable film for sure with decent performances, and plenty of humour, though not a lot of depth. Unlike the salon's clients, it could have done with a few more layers.

The Devil Bat (1940)

A fantastic and cheesy horror film. Dr Carruthers (Bela Lugosi) works as the chief scientist for a cosmetics company. He is bitter that the Heath and Morton families have grown rich off his work. Therefore he plots a terrible revenge: he uses dark experiments to create a gigantic bat and a shaving lotion which turns the bat crazy and thirsting for blood...

The giant bat begins it's reign of terror, killing the sons of Heath whom Carruthers has tricked into using the lotion. City reporter Johnny Layton (Dave O'Brien) has come to discover what is going on...

A ridiculous story but highly entertaining. The film has a lot of camp and silliness but Lugosi seemed to enjoy the role and played it with plenty of enthusiasm. The only thing that really lets the film down is the rather ropey looking "giant bat" but with a B-movie's low budget it is acceptable.