Machine Gun McCain (1969)

A stylish and brutally bleak gangster film. McCain (John Cassavetes) is released on parole and is immediately involved in a new plan to rob a casino in Vegas by his son (whom he barely knows). The plan is actually the brainchild of Adamo (Peter Falk) who runs the Mafia on the West coast but wants to muscle in on Vegas and the East coast's territory...

Although Adamo is scared off by the mob, McCain - who by now has hooked up with young lovely Irene (Britt Ekland) - is going to go through with the job. An ingenious heist occurs involving plenty of home made bombs and a fake firefighter uniform. McCain ends up with two million dollars, but his plan to get away with it could do with some work, especially as the mob are now on his ass...

An excellent gangster crime drama with some great performances especially Peter Falk's. Amid the glamour and style of late 1960s San Francisco (which the Ennio Morricone soundtrack really sets off) is a crushing inevitability and doom about the proceedings as the bodies pile up. You may rip off a casino but ripping off the mob is the highest stakes of all. 

His First Flame (1927)

Harry (Harry Langdon) is determined to marry Ethel (Natalie Kingston) with whom he is head over heels in love. His uncle the Fire Chief (Vernon Dent) tries his best to stop Harry from marrying but to no avail. However, it turns out that Ethel is just after Harry's money (her sister Ruth Hiatt is the one really with the hots for Harry) and his heart is broken. He spends the night at the fire station in despair then a building catches fire and Harry has the chance to be a hero and find love after all...

A simple and fairly charming little comedy. There is some good humour, some of it quite dark at times too. The final set-piece in the burning building gives ample opportunity for crazy stunts and visual gags.

City That Never Sleeps (1953)

An unforgettable Noir crime drama. Johnny (Gig Young) is a reluctant job who hates his job and his life. In fact he plans to start anew. 

After a final night shift he is going to quit the force, work for crooked lawyer Biddel (Edward Arnold) and shack up with a stripper called Angel Face (Mala Powers)! Well it is good to have a plan, unfortunately nothing really goes to plan that night for Johnny.

The events slowly unfold that night in Chicago as Biddel's scheme for Johnny (arrest the upstart Hayes Stewart (William Talman) and dump him over state lines) falls apart and Johnny suffers a terrible loss. All the while he is being shadowed by a rather strange Sergeant (Chill Wills). 

This is a rich Noir full of suspense though played with a light touch and a touch of the mystical, sharp dialogue and quirky oddities. It includes a man who's job is to pretend to be a robot in a club window!

Undercover Agent (1939)

A reasonable little film. Postal inspector Bill (Russell Gleason) is suspended from his job - in a rather odd manner (he foils a crime but uses his official gun). He finds out about a gang and their scam selling fake lottery tickets. He decides to go undercover and investigate the scam, and break it up (and thus get his old job back...)

One complication is his girlfriend Betty (Shirley Deane) or rather her alcoholic father Tom (J.M. Kerrigan) who always seems to get in the way. He is a rather annoying character, we first see him trying to pawn Betty's confirmation locket in order to buy booze!

The sometimes novel characterisations elevate this film above the mundane. The plot is basic and everything is all right in the end. And they all went home happily for tea (though Tom would rather something stronger!) 

Hangar 18 (1980)

An excellent science-fiction / conspiracy theory film if a bit crazy. A space shuttle mission goes wrong when a satellite the astronauts launch hits... something. That something being a UFO which lands in Arizona and is taken to a secret installation called Hanger 18. The President's man Gordon Cain (Robert Vaughn) doesn't want news of the discovery coming out so close to the election so everything is kept top secret, and for some reason the astronauts Steve (Gary Collins) and Lew (James Hampton) are blamed for the lost satellite and death of their colleague.

To be honest this seems a rather strange way to go about it, and as Steve and Lou understandably want to find out what is really going on they are soon leaving a trail of carnage and dead Feds across the US. Meanwhile at Hangar 18, the scientists are making some incredibly discoveries including about the origin of mankind...

A good fun film though somewhat marred by the bizarre actions of the US government and very inept way they go about it (though some might cynically say this makes the film authentic!) The investigation of the alien ship is excellent. The politics less so.