The Echo Murders (1945)

A rip roaring Sexton Blake adventure, don't expect half measures!

An explosion at a mine causes the owner (Julien Mitchell) to sack the manager (Dennis Price), his daughter's (Pamela Stirling) beau. The owner is being blackmailed by his secretary. The owner is murdered, suspicion falls on the ex-manager but Sexton Blake (David Farrar) is called in to investigate. He begins to unravel a complicated plot which eventually leads to Nazi fifth columnists in their underground lair.

This isn't a subtle film but Sexton Blake adventures were very much Boy's Own adventures which were all about daring do and death defying action rather than careful investigation. There is probably a little too much adventure packed into this film, at times it is hard to follow what is going on though it all leads up to the expected final battle. It is nonsense of course but i loved it, Sexton Blake adventures were my great-grandfather's favourite so i guess it's in the blood!

Hot Money (1986)

A rather strange comedy drama, the strangeness isn't quite enough to keep interest when things drag.

Tom (Michael Murphy) is released from prison, though he doesn't go straight. He becomes a deputy in a small town and ends up stealing a million bucks from an old lady! While the latin quoting sheriff (Orson Welles) has little idea what is going on, a couple of walking stereotype IRS men (the WWF wrestler IRS made for a more realistic tax man) turn up to investigate why an old lady had so much cash.

Tom makes plans with his girlfriend Jeanette (Ann Lange) to spend the loot in a suitably tropical location but he starts to have second thoughts about throwing the small town into so much turmoil...

This isn't a bad film with plenty of humour, much of it surreal. At times the film is a bit static and maybe a bit too laid back. You also will probably end up feeling sorry for what Welles was reduced to in his final years.

Beginning of the End (1957)

Monster sized radiation mutated insect horror!

Intrepid reporter Audrey (Peggie Castle) is on the case when the population of a small town mysteriously vanish overnight and just a pile of rubble is left. The US military are stone walling her, though don't know anything anyway. Audrey heads to an experimental agriculture facility where Dr Wainwright (Peter Graves) is supersizing fruit and veg using radiation. They discover that locusts have also been supersized and are now wrecking havoc!

So, a standard monster / big bug film with the usual tropes. The large insect scenes are quite laughable though the most is made of a tiny budget. It isn't that bad of a film though pretty generic.

The most interesting thing in the film really is Audrey using a car phone! In fact the service, which used VHF radio and needed an operator, had existed for a number of years when this film was made.

The Longest Drive (1976)

Although lacking originality this is an enjoyable Western.

Hatcher (Dan O'Herlihy) is in trouble, he needs to get his cattle to market but lacks a crew to do the drive. The Beaudine brothers (Kurt Russell and Tim Matheson), who are old friends, decide to help him and assemble a crew of misfits including an alcoholic cook, a retired gunslinger and a dude who who went to Yale (not that any of the cowboys know what that is!) 

The epic drive begins, although rustling is a bit of a problem the main issue is a lack of water along the trail and soon that pushes them all to the edge...

This is a great film really, although everything you probably have seen before in one form or the other. However, this fits together really well and the crew of misfits makes a good ensemble. The TV movie budget probably helps in this case as it means the emphasis is placed on the human characters not large scenic set-pieces.

The movie was later edited into two episodes of The Quest TV series.

The Phantom of Crestwood (1932)

An awkward mixture of common 1930s genres which somehow kind of works.

Jenny Wren (Karen Morley) gets Priam Andes (H.B. Warner) to invite three other men to his fancy coastal estate (which is very Dark House). There she reveals that she has had affairs with all four men and blackmails them all! However, soon Jenny is found dead but the culprit is a mystery. Could it be one of the four men? Could it even be Jenny's sister Esther (Anita Louise) or her fiancé?

Luckily Gary Curtis (Ricardo Cortez) is on hand to take over the investigation in lieu of the police. Who is Curtis? Well he is after some letters and has a suspect reputation but everyone seems happy to let him take over...

This film can be a bit hard going at times, the acting and dialogue at times being a bit stilted. The Dark House mystery with women's screams on cue are almost beyond parody. Of course there are some hidden passages, mysterious appearances and a big twist. There is no kitchen sink though, but everything else. Despite everything it is worth watching. Just about.

Some context may help. The film's origins was in a popular radio drama serial. This film was the only way to discover the ending of the tale!