Mr. Mean (1977)

Blaxploitation goes to Italy, and has a cool old time.

Mr Mean (Fred Williamson), a former gangster, is hired by the Mafia in Italy to do a hit... on one of their own in Ranati (Stelio Candeli) who has bought shame on the Mafia (apparently) by indulging in the wrong kind of criminal activities. Mean is successful in his task of course but then he finds himself the target of a Mafia hit...

Williamson made this film whilst making another film, keeping it's existence a secret from the other's film's producers. Honestly, it does show. It is all rather ineptly made and frequently confusing. However, despite that it is a fairly entertaining film (though some scenes do drag) that certainly has plenty of 70s cool and some decent funky tunes. Williamson plays a good tough and butch role.

The Mysterious Miss X (1939)

This is an often silly but enjoyable murder mystery with some interesting twists.

Actors Keith Neville (Michael Whalen) and Dan Casey (Chick Chandler) are heading to New York after performing in a crime play. They stop off in a small town and immediately get involved in a murder that takes place in their hotel. Keith manages to get out of being a suspect when the honourable if unimaginative local police find his play props and think he really is a famous detective from Scotland Yard!

Reluctantly acting as a detective to try and avoid trouble, he ends up getting in deeper than he is comfortable with and gets involved with local girl Julie (Lynne Roberts), whose father is also a suspect in the murder. Much complicated and red herring filled crime drama follows.

This is a perfectly reasonable crime B-movie, the concept of actors accidentally becoming real detectives is an interesting one. There is a fair amount of humour but it just about strays the right side of the line between enhancing and destroying the plot. Whilst the film is mostly well trodden territory, the film is well worth your time.

Doctor in Clover (1966)

Traditional British comedy in a hospital, maybe this is like a prototype Grey's Anatomy?

Dr Grimsdyke (Leslie Phillips) is released from prison (where he was the prison doctor not a convict!) He is immediately snatched up by Sir Lancelot Spratt (James Robertson Justice) to work in his hospital. Grimsdyke is fairly uninterested in this, though interested in French physiotherapist Jeannine (Elizabeth Ercy) a lot! 

Meanwhile, a new matron (Joan Sims) has arrived at the hospital and has begun a reign of terror. Sir Lancelot thinks the iron maiden can be melted with a love interest and gets Grimsdyke to try and hook her up, though he didn't think that he would be the one Grimsdyke would get Matron interested in!

So, this is a silly comedy in the great British way. We get lots of farces, a little bit of innuendo and plenty of light humour. It is all nonsense of course but very silly inoffensive fun. Don't expect much in the way of medical realism, do expect people being accidentally injected up the backside.

Philo Vance's Secret Mission (1947)

Philo Vance returns with this enjoyable adventure.

Philo Vance (Alan Curtis) is hired by a publisher to advise him on some new crime novels he wants written, though the publisher Jamison's (Paul Maxey) partner Morgan (Frank Fenton) is against the plan. However, there is more Jamison wants. He instructs his secretary Mona (Sheila Ryan) to bring Philo to his house where he will reveal to Philo who murdered a former partner in the firm. When Philo and Mona reach Jamison's house they find him slain...

This is a decent if not exceptional murder mystery and includes little you haven't seen before in hundreds of films like this. A complicated and fast moving plot with plenty of red herrings. The resolution is well worked out and brings things to a satisfying conclusion. Worth while if no where near mind blowing.

Aladdin (1990)

Well this is rather awful, though unintentionally hilarious.

A TV movie made by Disney of the classic Aladdin tale. Aladdin (Brent Sudduth) is playing with his kite when he sees the Princess Mei-Ling (Susan Egan) and falls in love. However, he lacks the vital necessity for the Emperor (I.M. Hobson) to allow him to marry her - a lot of money. Luckily for Aladdin a mysterious magician (Richard Kiley) says he can help Aladdin with that. The magician also claims he is Aladdin's uncle, though this seems rather suspicious.

He takes Aladdin to a cave where the boy is sent to get a lamp. Trapped in the cave, Aladdin rubs the lamp and releases the genie (Barry Bostwick) who grants the boy a number of wishes...

Well the tale is very familiar of course and is told here with a remarkable lack of budget and a fair amount of camp. This film is a musical and the songs are all pretty corny though undeniably catchy. Wholesome family entertainment, though not very good but it should make you laugh. Mercifully it is pretty short.