Death Journey (1976)

The first in a series of blaxploitation films about ex-cop Jesse Crowder, OK but seems to lack a certain something.

Jesse Crowder (Fred Williamson) is hired to escort star witness Finley (Bernie Kuby) from Los Angeles to New York for the trial of a mobster boss. Now of course the simple way would be to just take a flight but instead Crowder decides to drive across the US. 

Almost immediately the mob are after his ass in a seemingly endless series of fights with hapless henchmen. Somehow Jesse manages to get Finley safely across the US, and bed a series of young women (of course!)

The film is what it is, a decent action film with a series of action set pieces and competent if not overly ambitious action choreography. The film is enjoyable, not brilliant. It could do with a bit more pizazz, maybe a bit more 1970s cheese.

Boston Blackie's Chinese Venture (1949)

The fourteenth and final film in the Colombia Boston Blackie series, and another fun tale.

Boston Blackie (Chester Morris) is an obvious murder suspect after the proprietor of a laundry is found dead just after Blackie was seen leaving the premises. However, as Blackie begins to investigate the crime (well officially Inspector Farraday (Richard Lane) is investigating the crime but of course Blackie is the one who does it really!) he begins to uncover an incredibly complicated conspiracy involving smuggled diamonds, fake tours of Chinatown and a movie theatre...

So, this is a fine film with a complicated fast moving plot which packs a lot into an hour long run time. It maybe tries to pack in a little too much perhaps. The fake tour of Chinatown with it's staged "Oriental intrigues" is hilarious. 

Round Numbers (1992)

A strange little drama set in the diet industry, insert weight loss related pun here.

Judith (Kate Mulgrew) suspects her husband is cheating on her with a model (Hope Marie Carlton) at the local health spa. She decides to go to the spa and see what is going on, confront the model and gain some revenge. However, she finds the spa a bizarre cult-like organisation packed full of strange characters and an endless and unfulfilled desire to be "better" by the inmates. Judith's desire for revenge changes to something else...

A satire on the obsession with the body beautiful though you may find this film rather slim pickings. It is a pleasant enough watch, though the social commentary is rather skin deep and could have done with some bulking up. 

If you are a fan of Kate Mulgrew you will enjoy seeing her in this Earth bound film though others may need to weigh up whether this film is for them or not.

Murder in Greenwich Village (1937)

A rather messy and confusing murder mystery.

Advertising photographer Steve Jackson (Richard Arlen) spies a young woman in her underwear jumping off a fire escape. The woman, Kay (Fay Wray) is a heiress, who accepts Steve's help though won't say much about what she was doing. 

Later on it transpires that an artist in the apartment Kay was seen escaping from is found dead. While the police are sniffing around Steve and Kay pretend they are engaged (despite a more hate-hate than love-hate relationship). Meanwhile the brother of the dead artist, Morgan (Marc Lawrence), a gangster, is also looking for the murderer of his brother, and he doesn't intend to take any prisoners...

So, this sounds like a promising murder / crime drama. Unfortunately it is not, the film is stuffed full of eccentric characters and is more comedy than crime drama. The actual crime indeed does not seem to be that important for most of the film! The film is watchable though frustrating.

It (1927)

The film that turned Clara Bow into a superstar and created the concept of the "It girl", but is it any good?

What is "It"? A concept beyond beauty, a quality that draws people to them, a charisma that people find irresistible. 

Shop girl Betty (Bow) has a crush on her handsome boss Cyrus (Antonio Moreno). Unfortunately Cyrus is engaged to Adela (Jacqueline Gadson) who is in his social class while Betty is not of course. Betty finally gets Cyrus to take her on a date, to the joys of Coney Island! Cyrus falls in love with Betty (who has It!) but circumstances throw some hefty obstacles in the way of true love...

So, an important film and it is indeed very enjoyable, after all Clara Bow was the It girl and had a magnetic quality on screen. The story is light and fast paced, the comedy is fine if a little too cute at times. Without Clara the film probably wouldn't have worked quite as well but thats why some are stars and most are not.