The Ace of Hearts (1921)

A deadly romantic affair involving that regular theme of the Interwar Period, the secret society.

A secret society plan to assassinate a man. The assassin is to be chosen by a game of cards, with he who is dealt the ace of hearts is to carry out the killing. Two men desperately want that card, Farralone (Lon Chaney) and Forrest (John Bowers), they also want the group's female member Lilith (Leatrice Joy). However, Lilith is only interested in the society's cause (whatever that is supposed to be). When Forrest draws the card of fate, Lilith suddenly decides to marry him to give him courage. Then things start to go wrong...

The film has plenty of suspense and leaves things to the audience's imagination at times. The set up is interesting though the story does begin to unravel a bit in the final act. The film is worth it though for some good performances and a bit of oddness.

Attack of the Giant Leeches (1959)

A rather awful and cheap monster movie that doesn't have much of a cheese factor to save it.

People start disappear in the swamps near a one horse town. The arrogant sheriff (Gene Roth) of course blames alligators or the more dangerous human species. However, a scientist (Tyler McVey) thinks that some kind of blood sucking creature is to blame. Meanwhile, cuckold Dave (Bruno VeSota) and his horny wife (Yvette Vickers) have had a falling out. He follows her to the swamp where she meets her fancy man. Dave chases them through the swamps until they become the latest victims of the monsters. Warden Steve (Ken Clark) goes in search of the monsters...

This isn't a good film by any means, it's rather slow and awkward. The monsters, though they do not appear that often, truthfully arn't the worst in monster movies of the era but the story is rather basic and the acting ranges between miserable and terrible. 

Pursuit to Algiers (1945)

Sherlock Holmes and Dr Watson are tasked to protect a European prince.

Holmes (Basil Rathbone) and Watson (Nigel Bruce) are supposed to be going on holiday but they are tasked with protecting the heir to a European throne. Ruthless agents of a foreign power want to stop (and kill) the heir. Holmes arranges a complicated plot of red herrings and diversions, even Watson is kept in the dark (though the Watson in this series is generally an amiable and loyal buffoon).

Holmes and Watson end up on a cruise ship bound for Algiers. The brutal gang include a circus knife thrower and a deaf mute man mountain and there are also some mysterious archaeologists. The ship's passenger list also includes singer Sheila (Marjorie Riordan) who performs a couple of songs. As does Watson!

Another enjoyable entry in the Rathbone-Bruce series of Sherlock Holmes set in the present day (well 1940s anyway). A crime-spy romp on a cruise ship with Sherlock Holmes, what more can you really want?!

Ambush in Leopard Street (1962)

A limited though not unappealing British crime drama.

Ageing criminal Harry (Michael Brennan) plans one final blag, stealing diamonds on their way to a jewellery. However, he needs to find out when the gems are on the move. He uses his brother-in-law Johnny (James Kenney) for a honey trap, seducing the lonely secretary of the jewellers Jean (Jean Harvey). The plan is flawless but Harry hasn't counted on local hard man Big George (Charles Mitchell) wanting to scoop the loot for himself...

A low budget film though with an interesting story which uses that budget well. The cruelty and inhumanity (and humanity) of the world of crime are well explored through fairly three dimensional characters. It could have been better with a bit more money behind it and a lot more pace but it's not bad by any means. 

Rebellion (1936)

A reasonable if not particularly interesting Western though notable for being an early starring role for a movie legend.

It is 1850 and California has joined the United States but law and order there is in the hands of brutal and corrupt men who oppress the Mexicans. The US send Captain John Carroll (Tom Keene) to investigate, he soon falls foul of Harris (William Royle) with an alcoholic judge (Robert McKenzie) in his pocket. Carroll links up with a rebel (Duncan Renaldo) and his sister Paula (Rita Hayworth) to persuade them to switch their allegiance to the USA...

An interesting Western, it lacks much in the way of action compared to other Westerns of the period. The film is mostly notable for being one of Rita Hayworth's (here billed as Rita Cansino) first starring roles.

Jackie Brown (1997)

Low key compared to some of his other films but this is one of Quentin Tarantino's best.

Jackie (Pam Grier) is an ageing flight attendant working for a budget airline, she's augmenting her salary with some less legal work on the side. She smuggles money for Ordell (Samuel L Jackson) but gets caught by the Feds in the form of Nicolette (Michael Keaton). He tries to get her to turn on Ordell.

Jackie meanwhile has a plan to get her hands on Ordell's ill-gotten gains and get the Feds to get rid of Ordell for her. She will also need the help of her bail bondman Max (Robert Forester)...

Influenced by blaxploitation movies and with an amazing soundtrack of mostly 1970s soul this is a very cool movie. Not as fast moving or violent as some of Tarantino's other films though has loads of cool dialogue and a great involving story. It also has a great cast also including Robert De Niro and Bridget Fonda.

Charlie Chan's Murder Cruise (1940)

Charlie Chan hunting a criminal on a cruise ship, what more could you want?

A notorious strangler has struck again and again and it is thought he is one of the passengers on a cruise ship that has docked at Honolulu. The strangler is being hunted by British policeman Duff (C. Montague Shaw) but after Shaw is murdered at Charlie Chan's (Sidney Toler) office, the famous Chinese detective joins the cruise ship and hunts for the criminal as the boat heads for California. The strangler could be one of a party of people on the boat.

There are a number of potential suspects though, could it be Dr Suderman (Lionel Atwill), Professor Gordon (Leo G. Carroll), Walters (Charles Middleton) or Pendleton (Leonard Mudie)? They all look suitable villainous in their various ways. Charlie Chan comes up with a fiendishly complicated ruse to trick the strangler to unmask himself...

Another entertaining entry in the long-running Charlie Chan series. At times Chan seems a bit lost as to whom the strangler is and his final plan does seem a bit risky!