The Chinese Cat (1944)

Another instalment in the Charlie Chan series, this time Charlie ends up in some genuine peril.

Manning (Sam Flint) is a businessman who was shot in his home. The police were unable to solve the crime. Manning's daughter Leah (Joan Woodbury) asks Charlie Chan (Sidney Toler) if he will take a look. Charlie is assisted by his number three son (Benson Fong) and a reluctant Birmingham Brown (Mantan Moreland).

The case is a mystery indeed but is linked to a mysterious "fun house" and Chinese cat statues hidden in bread which contain diamonds. Charlie soon raises the ire of a dangerous gang and gets firmly put into harm's way...

This isn't the best in the series but is a perfectly passable Charlie Chan film with a neat if not too complicated plot. Chan had a real downer on his son in this film and roasts him mercilessly throughout!

Battle Taxi (1955)

A decent film about the Korean War.

Stacy (Arthur Franz) is a helicopter pilot in the US air-sea rescue force, saving injured men and downed pilots from the brutal Communists. However, Stacy was an ex-fighter pilot jock and feels frustrated he isn't blasting around at the speed of sound. His daredevil attitude brings him into conflict with his commanding officer Edwards (Sterling Hayden).

Things come to a head when Stacy is injured himself while rescuing a pilot. With the Communists closing in, Stacy has to rely on Edwards to save him...

Not a bad film at all, though padded out with a lot of USAF stock footage (not a bad thing if you like your Sabres and Shooting Stars). The focus on the air-sea rescue force is an interesting one and gives the film a bit of novelty. 

Live and Let Die (1973)

Roger Moore makes his debut as Bond in this bonkers epic of voodoo, the occult and flares.

Bond has gone to New York to investigate why various agents have been bumped off and by whom. He heads to Harlem and stands out like a sore thumb but knows drug lord Mr Big has some connection, as well as a link to Dr Karenga (Yaphet Kotto), the head of a tiny corrupt Caribbean country. Karenga's island is a centre for the voodoo cult led by Baron Samedi (Geoffrey Holder), Karenga though gets his advice from the tarot card reader Solitaire (Jane Seymour) - though naturally her powers are diminished after Bond has had his way with her...

This is Bond goes blaxploitation and its terrific. The suave bow ties and tuxedoes of the 1960s have been replaced by flares and pimpmobiles. It is all complete nonsense of course but has some of the most stand-out stunts and action scenes in Bond history. It has an excellent henchman for Karenga in the shape of Tee Hee (Julius W Harris) with his metal arm...

The film also has a soundtrack by Wings, what is not to like about this film? One of the best in the series.

Cavalry (1936)

An interesting Western set just after the American Civil War.

The South has has lost the war. After his home is burnt down by bandits, Confederate Colonel Harvey (Earle Ross) and his niece Betty Lee (Frances Grant) head West as they assume Betty Lee's father General Harvey (William Welsh) is dead. 

However, the General is merely wounded and saved by Union officer Thorne (Bob Steele) and then promises to find the General's family. He is heading West anyway to protect a new telegraph line. Bad guy Leeds (Hal Price) wants to form his own nation out West and doesn't want the line, or anyone coming from out East. Harvey and Betty Lee are soon under attack by Indians recruited by Leeds...

A decent B-movie Western, the action is nothing too special but the Civil War setting gives the storyline a bit of novelty and depth.

Fate is the Hunter (1964)

A film with surprising depth and heart.

An airliner crashes shortly after take-off with a near complete loss of life. With no technical reason for the crash detected, suspicion falls on the pilot Jack Savage (Rod Taylor) who had a bit of a reputation and was spotted in bars the night before. 

His old war buddy Sam (Glenn Ford) is investigating the crash and doesn't believe Jack was to blame, as he unravels Jack's complicated life, he discovers more and more surprising facts about his friend.

This is a film that surprises you, it starts with a tense air crash and then develops in unexpected ways, with wartime flashbacks helping to reveal more and more about Jack's life. A very well constructed story with superb performances and multi-dimensional characters.