21 Days Together (1940)

Despite the star power in this film it fails to shine that brightly. Larry (Laurence Olivier) is a wasteful young man with a highly successful lawyer (Leslie Banks) brother on the verge of being a judge. Larry is in love with Wanda (Vivian Leigh), though they both have a surprise when they arrive at Wanda's home and find her husband (Esme Percy) there! 

The husband is happy to leave his reluctant wife's life again in return for money. Larry flies into a rage and the husband dies by accident. Larry leaves the body in the alleyway and is persuaded by his brother not to admit his crime. Larry's resolve fails when he discovers an innocent former priest and now beggar (Hay Petrie) has been accused of the crime... Larry decides he will confess to save the beggar, but first he will enjoy 21 days of happiness with Wanda...

A decent film but little more. Leigh and Olivier give a rather soppy performance, though Banks is superb as the lawyer who has everything in his grasp but his wasteful brother could ruin it all for him. A little melodramatic though the scenes in Southend-on-Sea are excellent fun.

The Son of Tarzan (Serial) (1920)

Tarzan (P. Dempsey Tabler) and Jane (Karla Schramm) are now in London, though their son Jack (Gordon Griffith) dreams of being in the jungle like his father. He is discovered by Paulovich (Eugene Burr), his father's old enemy, and kidnapped. Jack is taken to Africa but there he escapes with the help of an ape, one of his father's old friends. Jack is given the jungle name Korak.

Korak grows into a man (Kamuela C Searle) in the jungle along with Meriem (Manilla Martan), whom he had rescued from Arab slave traders. Paulovich is still up to his devilish schemes and he lures Tarzan and Jane to Africa. The stage is set for a final showdown between Korak and Paulovich...

An interesting serial, Tarzan stays in the background for most of it leaving his son to drive the story which is just as well as the actor isn't the best Tarzan ever. Korak and Meriem do well throughout the many cliffhangers and plot twists. Unfortunately the serial can become a bit repetitive at times and could have done with a little more originality. A decent enough Tarzan portrayal though.

Duel (1971)

A simple and highly compelling film, one of Steven Spielberg's earliest full features. David (Dennis Weaver) is travelling across California when he overtakes an oil tanker, something snaps in the tanker driver's mind and he becomes obsessed with getting revenge on David and killing him in the ultimate road rage.

Nothing deters the tanker driver, he will even destroy a gas station in order to kill David. David knows that no one is going to help him in the isolated desert. He has to kill or be killed...

This is a simple film, built around the duel between David and the unseen (apart from his arm) tanker driver. Quite why the tanker driver loses it is never explored and the story is both simple and ridiculous but the film really works. 

One main reason is the abstract, and indeed pointless, nature of the menace makes it all the more sinister and dangerous.

Master Spy (1963)

A modest but intelligent spy drama. Distinguished physicist Turganev (Stephen Murray) demands political asylum at London Airport. The British agree and send him to a secure facility to continue his work. Turganev is assigned Leila (June Thorburn) as his assistant, at first he doesn't want her around but soon they forge a good relationship, Leila's chap Richard (John Carson) starts to get jealous.

However, there is more to Turganev than meets the eye. He likes to play chess with Skelton (Alan Wheatley), who is really his spy contact. Indeed, Turganev didn't defect after all and is really a spy sending secret information back to his homeland. When Leila discovers the plot, she is put into danger. Luckily Richard and the chap from MI5 save the day... However, there is a rather enjoyable twist at the end.

A highly enjoyable film that is well plotted and makes the most of a small budget with some good performance from a solid cast.

Alien Nation (1988)

An alien space craft filled with slaves lands in the US, a few years later these aliens - known as newcomers - are trying to integrate into human society with mixed results. Hard nosed cop Sykes (James Caan) dislikes the newcomers, especially after one of them kills his partner. However, when a newcomer joins the detectives, Sykes volunteers to take him on as a partner...

Sykes has an ulterior motive, he wants help from George (Mandy Patinkin) to find his ex-partner's killer. However, as this is basically a buddy cop movie with a bit of sci-fi added on they are soon getting drunk together. Meanwhile, newcomer Harcourt (Terence Stamp) is rising through the ranks in society but what link does he have to a number of killings in the city and a mysterious drug that can turn newcomers into vicious killing machines?

Although full of cliches, Sykes for example is almost a self-parody, the sci-fi edge to the story help make this a very good film. Quite gritty and violent but also with plenty of good humour.