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Synopsis:
In Depression-era Georgia, a deluded farmer named Ty Ty (Robert Ryan) insists that his sons Buck (Jack Lord) and Shaw (Vic Morrow) dig holes in search of hidden treasure on their property, despite justified concerns from his sharecropper (Rex Ingram) that they should be spending their energy tilling the soil instead. Meanwhile, Ty Ty hires an albino “diviner” (Michael Landon) to try to determine the actual location of the treasure; Ty Ty’s daughter “Darlin’ Jill” (Fay Spain) flirts with the rotund would-be sheriff (Buddy Hackett) of the town; Buck worries that his gorgeous wife (Tina Louise) has eyes for the husband (Aldo Ray) of his sister Rosamund (Helen Westcott); Ty Ty reluctantly requests supplemental funding from his well-to-do son Jim Leslie (Lance Fuller); and Will (Ray) wants nothing more than to turn on the lights of a local factory that has been quiet for years.

Genres, Themes, Actors, and Directors:

• Aldo Ray Films
• Anthony Mann Films
• Deep South
• Family Problems
• Farming
• Gold Seeking
• Marital Problems
• Rex Ingram Films
• Robert Ryan Films

Review:
Anthony Mann directed this adaptation of Erkine Caldwell’s notoriously racy 1933 novel, with a script credited to Philip Yordan but purportedly penned by blacklisted screenwriter Ben Maddow. In her big-screen debut, Tina Louise of “Gilligan’s Island” fame instantly shows her appeal as a kind and sexy female always willing to lend a hand around the property:

Ryan, meanwhile, is all earnestness and goofy grins as the deluded father of the family (how in the world are they actually surviving?):

His imprisonment of an unwitting albino (Landon is unrecognizable) is painfully awkward to watch (though I guess we’re meant to… laugh?):

There’s “comic relief” provided through Hackett’s mega-crush on Spain:

— who also has the hots for Landon:

— but this humor falls terribly flat; and the central subplot about Ray’s intention to open the local mill back up is severely underdeveloped (I didn’t understand its initial closure was due to wage cut protests until I read more about the novel):

What we’re mostly watching for in this film are the inevitable tensions building between Louise and Ray, who do indeed come across as hot and steamy with one another:

The film’s primary selling point is its visual beauty, with stunning b&w cinematography by Ernest Haller:

Overall, however, this film about familial tensions and power plays hasn’t really held up well — but given that it was apparently one of Mann’s personal favorites, fans of his work will of course want to check it out.

Notable Performances, Qualities, and Moments:

• Tina Louise as Griselda
  
• Ernest Haller’s cinematography
  

Must See?
No; skip this one unless you’re curious. Listed as a Cult Movie in the back of Peary’s book.

Links:

• IMDb entry
• TCM Article
• DVD Savant Review
• Time Out Capsule Review

Synopsis:
When a black singer (Ava Gardner) is kicked off her show boat for passing as white, her role is taken over by the daughter (Kathryn Grayson) of the boat’s captain (Joe E. Green), whose disapproving wife (Agnes Moorehead) is none too happy. Meanwhile, Grayson falls for a big-time gambler (Howard Keel) who marries her and whisks her away — but will Keel’s luck last forever?

Genres, Themes, Actors, and Directors:

• Actors and Actresses
• Agnes Moorehead Films
• Ava Gardner Films
• Gambling
• George Sidney Films
• Howard Keel Films
• Kathryn Grayson Films
• Marital Problems
• Musicals
• Play Adaptations

Review:
MGM’s Technicolor remake of Oscar Hammerstein and Jerome Kern’s 1927 stage musical — itself based on Edna Ferber’s best-selling novel — is colorful escapist fare (it was the second highest grossing film of the year), dodging the storyline’s most challenging aspects (i.e., miscegenation) in favor of a melodramatic soaper. It’s certainly beautiful to look at:

… and we get to hear beautiful renditions of some of the show’s most famous songs, including “Ol’ Man River” (sung by William Warfield):

… “Can’t Help Loving’ Dat Man”:

… “Make Believe”:

… and “My Bill”:

… but the storyline has been completely whitewashed (see the Adaptation section of Wikipedia’s entry for a detailed comparison with James Whale’s 1936 version). The remaining narrative is not all that compelling; when Grayson falls for a career-gambler (Keel):

… what kind of life does she expect to lead other than one that inevitably becomes volatile? Meanwhile, Gardner’s Julie (as show fans know) simply turns increasingly alcoholic and despondent, which is no fun at all. Fans of the musical will of course want to check this version out, but it’s not must-see viewing for all film fanatics.

Notable Performances, Qualities, and Moments:

• Fine Technicolor cinematography
  
• Several memorable musical sequences
  

Must See?
No, unless you’re curious to check it out.

Links:

• IMDb entry
• TCM Article
• Trailers From Hell Review
• NY Times Original Review

Synopsis:
In Apartheid-ridden South Africa, a rural black minister (Canada Lee) journeys to Johannesburg and receives help from a fellow minister (Sidney Poitier) in seeking out his sick sister Gertrude (Ribbon Dhlamini), his successful brother John (Edric Connor), and his long-lost son Absalom (Lionel Ngakane), who has impregnated a teenager (Vivien Clinton) and commits a crime that deeply impacts the lives of a white farmer (Charles Carson) and his wife (Joyce Carey).

Genres, Themes, Actors, and Directors:

• Africa
• Father and Child
• Priests and Ministers
• Racism and Race Relations
• Sidney Poitier Films
• Zoltan Korda Films

Review:
Director Zoltan Korda’s next-to-last film was this bold (for its time) adaptation of Alan Paton’s 1948 novel of the same name. The storyline begins by following a man (Lee) encountering close family members again for the first time in years, learning about the paths their lives have taken, and reconciling their choices with his own faith and beliefs:

Along the way, we’re shown some of the realities of Apartheid-era South Africa, with pervasive poverty and challenging dilemmas all around:

The crime at the center of the film is appropriately shocking, and leads us swiftly towards its second half, as the impact of systemic racism and crime on citizens from all walks of life is explored:

There are no easy answers, but thankfully, we see shifts-for-the-better occurring as a result of tragedy, with Carson coming to understand the power of the work his activist-son (Henry Blumenthal) had been engaging in before his death.

The fact that Lee and Poitier — in just his second film role after No Way Out (1950) — had to be smuggled into South Africa as “indentured laborers”, and endured bitterly harsh restrictions while there, speaks directly to the challenges inherent in making this film, which remains worth a look given its unprecedented exploration of issues otherwise untouched in mainstream cinema of the time.

Notable Performances, Qualities, and Moments:

• Canada Lee as the Reverend Stephen Kumalo
  
• Charles Carson as James Jarvis
  
• A powerful glimpse of Apartheid-era South Africa
  

Must See?
Yes, for its historical value and as a quietly powerful film.

Categories

• Historically Relevant

Links:

• IMDb entry
• TCM Article

Synopsis:
Shortly after Roman general Julius Caesar (Louis Calhern) returns home from battle, several conspirators — including Cassius (John Gielgud), Brutus (James Mason), and Casca (Edmond O’Brien) — plot to assassinate him in order to prevent him from becoming dictator; however, they don’t realize how vengeful Marc Antony (Marlon Brando) will become upon the death of his beloved mentor.

Genres, Themes, Actors, and Directors:

• Ancient Greece and Rome
• Assassination
• Deborah Kerr Films
• Edmond O’Brien Films
• George Macready Films
• Greer Garson Films
• Historical Drama
• James Mason Films
• John Gielgud Films
• Joseph L. Mankiewicz Films
• Louis Calhern Films
• Marlon Brando Films
• Play Adaptations
• Revenge
• Shakespeare

Review:
Marlon Brando impressed critics (and earned his third Academy Award nomination in a row) by transforming from mumbling Stanley Kowalski in A Streetcar Named Desire (1951) to assertive statesman Marc Antony in this faithful adaptation of Shakespeare’s historic play, directed by Joseph L. Mankiewicz on sets left over from Quo Vadis (1951). The first half of the storyline is the most powerful, as we see loyal Mason torn over his decision to participate in the assassination of his friend and leader:

… and Caesar ignoring pleas from his wife Capurnia (Greer Garson) to stay home, given premonitions she’s had:

The death scene itself, with one of the most famous lines in all of history (“Et tu, Brute?”), is well filmed:

… as is Antony’s famous response and speech to the masses: “Friends, Romans, countrymen — lend me your ears!”

Gorgeous Deborah Kerr barely registers as Brutus’s wife Portia — though that’s more a function of the storyline than her character, who essentially disappears:

The remainder of the narrative focuses on vengeance for Caesar’s death, though it’s surprisingly action-free (other than the Battle of Philippi). Viewers will likely be most curious throughout to listen for famous lines of dialogue and turns of phrase, including the following:

Caesar: “Cowards die many times before their death. The valiant never taste of death but once.”

Calpurnia: “Caesar, I have never stood on ceremonies.”

Antony: “Cry Havoc and let slip the dogs of war!”

Antony: “This was the most unkindest cut of all.”

Watch for Edmond O’Brien as Casca, who gets to speak the line, “It was Greek to me.”

Notable Performances, Qualities, and Moments:

• James Mason as Brutus
  
• Marlon Brando as Antony
  
• Fine cinematography and sets
  

Must See?
No, though it’s worth a look as a finely mounted Shakespearean production.

Links:

• IMDb entry
• NY Times Original Review
• TCM Article
• TV Guide Review

Synopsis:
Poor young Texan Audie Murphy (playing himself) initially struggles to get accepted into the armed forces, but soon becomes a decorated war hero.

Genres, Themes, Actors, and Directors:

• Audie Murphy Films
• Biopics
• Soldiers
• World War II

Review:
This Technicolor adaptation of Audie Murphy’s 1949 autobiography is an earnest if by-the-books depiction of how Murphy came to receive “every military combat award for valor available from the U.S. Army, as well as French and Belgian awards for heroism” — all by the age of 19 (!).

As the film opens, we see young Audie (Gordon Gebert) offering to quit school and work to help support his single mother (Mary Field) and large share-cropping family in Texas:

After the attack on Pearl Harbor, Murphy tries without luck to enter into the Navy and Marine Corps before finally being accepted into the Army.

Once he’s out on the battlefields of North Africa, Italy, and France, Murphy (who, for the record, was loathe to portray himself on film) quickly shows himself to be humble, beloved, and exceedingly brave:

As noted in the New York Times’ original review of this film, it “has the twin virtues of truth and Audie Murphy to support it” — and audiences at the time apparently agreed, making it Universal Studios’ top-grossing movie until Jaws (1975). Be sure to read TCM’s article for additional insights into the making of this film, as well as Murphy’s response.

Notable Performances, Qualities, and Moments:

• A fine tribute to Murphy’s modest heroism
  

Must See?
No; while it’s worth a look for its historical relevance, this one is only must-see for Murphy fans.

Links:

• IMDb entry
• NY Times Original Review
• TCM Article

Synopsis:
Disabled French artist Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec (Jose Ferrer) paints and documents the entertainment world of late-19th century Paris while drinking heavily and falling in love with a prostitute (Colette Marchand) who breaks his heart. Will Toulouse-Lautrec allow himself to fall for a genteel art-lover (Suzanne Flon) patiently waiting in the wings?

Genres, Themes, Actors, and Directors:

• Artists
• Biopics
• Christopher Lee Films
• Disabilities
• Historical Drama
• John Huston Films
• Jose Ferrer Films
• Peter Cushing Films
• Prostitutes and Gigolos

Review:
John Huston directed this visually stunning fictional biopic of famed French artist Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec, whose leg growth was stunted at an early age:

… and who developed a lifelong drinking habit while honing his artistic talents in the nightclubs and brothels of Paris:

Huston and his artistic team — including cinematographer Oswald Morris, color specialist Eliot Elisofon, costume and set designer Marcel Vertes, and art director Paul Sheriff — present a vividly magical recreation of Toulouse-Lautrec’s world, with scenes from his prolific paintings, posters, and drawings seemingly coming to life in front of our eyes:

The first half of the storyline centers primarily on Toulouse-Lautrec’s love affair with a feisty, insecure prostitute (Colette Marchand) whose poverty-ridden past has left her desperately cynical: “I’m scum. Real scum. That’s why you hang on to me.”

As Toulouse-Lautrec describes her later:

“Her past was too strong for her. The world she lives in is a jungle, where people prowl like wild animals. They go without eating when the game is scarce. And when there is a kill, they claw and bite each other over it. It is a world of cruelty and cunning. But it is free. I put chains on her; they only made her vicious… In the jungle they feel neither pity nor revulsion. The sight of me did not offend her as a woman… Her eyes were wide open. She loved me for what I am.”

While Marchand’s character appears to be fictional, it’s clear that she represents the “type” of woman Toulouse-Lautrec felt himself resigned to and worthy of. As a “mutant” creature rejected in some fashion by both his aristocratic parents (though his caring mother tries to reach out), he lived his brief life (dying from alcoholism and syphilis at the age of 36) among those who — like him — understood hardship, constant pain, and the need for escape. To that end, the best scenes, woven throughout, show Toulouse-Lautrec gaining inspiration from the world around him and turning this into his incomparable artwork.

Watch for Zsa Zsa Gabor as Can Can dancer and singer Jane Avril:

… Christopher Lee in an unbilled cameo as Georges Seurat:

… and Peter Cushing as a competing love interest for a woman (Flor) hoping Toulouse-Lautrec will open his heart to her:

Notable Performances, Qualities, and Moments:

• Jose Ferrer as Henri Toulouse-Lautrec
  
• Colette Marchand as Marie
  
• Oswald Morris’s cinematography (with Eliot Elisofon’s color consultancy)
  
• Fine sets and costumes
  

Must See?
No, but it’s well worth a one-time look for the visuals.

Links:

• IMDb entry
• NY Times Original Review
• TCM Article
• Time Out Capsule Review

Synopsis:
In Ancient Greece, Queen Penelope of Ithaca (Silvana Mangano) is besieged by suitors — including persistent Antinoos (Anthony Quinn) — while awaiting the return home of her long-lost husband, Ulysses (Kirk Douglas). Meanwhile, amnesiac Ulysses prepares to marry a new wife (Rossana Podesta) while flashing back on memories of the Trojan War and being lured by the goddess Circe (also Mangano).

Genres, Themes, Actors, and Directors:

• Amnesia
• Ancient Greece and Rome
• Anthony Quinn Films
• Kirk Douglas Films
• Royalty and Nobility

Review:
Perhaps best known for sparking the “swords and sandals” peplum subgenre of Italian-American movies — beginning with the enormously popular Hercules (1958) a few years later — this adaptation of Homer’s epic poem The Odyssey will likely appeal to those who recall reading and studying this classic work in high school (my hand is raised). Douglas is well cast as adventurous Ulysses:

… and gorgeous Italian actress Mangano effectively toggles between two key roles (Penelope and Circe), easily convincing us she’s different women yet eerily similar in Ulysses’s mind.

Ulysses’s ongoing state of amnesiac confusion is nicely handled through the use of flashbacks; we understand that his entire journey back from the Trojan war has been somewhat of a blur, punctuated by moments of drama. (Those unfamiliar with the story may feel, appropriately so, like things are bouncing around a lot.) Scenes of note include Ulysses and his men outwitting the cyclops Polyphemus:

… Ulysses foolishly asking to be tied to the mast of his ship in order to hear the song of the sirens:

… Circe turning Ulysses’s men into swine:

… and Ulysses’s stealthy return home in the guise of a beggar:

The sets and cinematography (some by Mario Bava) are fine throughout. Fans of classic adaptations will likely want to check this one out.

Note: Quinn’s role as Antinoos is minor and doesn’t have much impact:

Notable Performances, Qualities, and Moments:

• Kirk Douglas as Ulysses
  
• Fine cinematography and sets
  
  

Must See?
No, but it’s recommended and well worth a look.

Links:

• IMDb entry
• DVD Savant Review (spoilers alert)
• TV Guide Review (spoilers alert)
• NY Times Original Review

Synopsis:
During World War II, a Marine Sergeant (James Whitmore) reflects back on his experiences with other new recruits in radio school, including an all-American athlete (Tab Hunter) who has a girlfriend (Mona Freeman) back home but engages in an affair with a lonely wife (Dorothy Malone) on base; a womanizing lumberjack (Aldo Ray) who falls for a kind widow (Nancy Olson); and a bookish young man (John Lupton) who befriends a beautiful woman (Anne Francis) during his regular outings on the Coronado Ferry. Will the men be given a chance by their Major (Van Heflin) to experience combat duty?

Genres, Themes, Actors, and Directors:

• Aldo Ray Films
• Anne Francis Films
• Dorothy Malone Films
• Fess Parker Films
• James Whitmore Films
• Nancy Olson Films
• Raoul Walsh Films
• Raymond Massey Films
• Tab Hunter Films
• Van Heflin Films
• World War II

Review:
This hugely popular wartime melodrama — directed by Raoul Walsh — was based on a novel by Leon Uris, who also wrote the screenplay. While it’s easy to see the film’s appeal for audiences at the time (who were just ten years out from their experiences actually living through the war), the storyline is little more than a soaper featuring various romantic entanglements and character arcs:

We see some of Heflin’s leadership challenges:

… and evidence of how well the men perform in battle when given a chance, but none of this can compare in intensity or thematic scope to other, better films on the same topics. Watch for Raymond Massey as a higher-up:

… and too-brief glimpses of Navajo “code talkers” (Jonas Applegarth and Felix Noriego) in action:

Notable Performances, Qualities, and Moments:

• The intriguing snippets of Navajo “code talking” at work
  
• Impressively filmed crowd scenes
  

Must See?
No, though it’s worth a one-time look for its all-star cast.

Links:

• IMDb entry
• TCM Article
• Spinning Image Review

Synopsis:
In the Deep South, a street peddler (Jimmy Cagney) marries a schoolteacher (Barbara Hale) and has an affair with an adoring teenager (Anne Francis) while pursuing a career in politics and growing increasingly compromised in his ideals.

Genres, Themes, Actors, and Directors:

• Anne Francis Films
• Barbara Hale Films
• Deep South
• Jimmy Cagney Films
• John McIntire Films
• Lon Chaney, Jr. Films
• Political Corruption
• Raoul Walsh Films

Review:
It’s easy to see why both Jimmy Cagney and Raoul Walsh later preferred not to discuss their involvement in this clunker of a political melodrama, loosely based on the life of Huey Long (though by the time it was released, Robert Rossen’s All the Kings’ Men had already covered the same territory to award-winning acclaim). It comes across as a weird sort of vanity project, showcasing Cagney as a charismatic but poor peddler who somehow manages to sweep naive Hale off her feet:

… while maintaining the undying love of Francis (playing a bayou girl named “Flamingo”), who is upset to learn he’s gotten married and doesn’t consider that any kind of barrier to them spending their life together.

The crux of the storyline focuses on Cagney’s attempt to expose a local cotton company owner (Larry Keating) of cheating, and the trouble his friend Jeb Brown (John McIntire) gets into when things unintentionally turn violent.

Unfortunately, Cagney doesn’t seem to realize how addicted he is to power and success, eventually viewing his own political ascension as worthy of cheating and lying. The film is filled with ripe dialogue (“I’ll always be there waiting — belonging to you like a mule in a barn!”) and ludicrous scenarios that defy belief (i.e., the entire crocodile scene):

… but it all becomes morbidly fascinating during the final ten minutes or so, when we suddenly see events playing out in a fashion eerily reminiscent of recent American history.

Watch for Lon Chaney, Jr. as Francis’s dad:

… and Jimmy’s sister Jeanne in a pivotal supporting role as McIntire’s wife:

Notable Performances, Qualities, and Moments:

• Harry Stradling’s cinematography
  

Must See?
Nope; you can skip this one unless you’re curious.

Links:

• IMDb entry
• NY Times Original Review
• TV Guide Review (spoiler alert)
• TCM Article (spoiler alert)

Synopsis:
In 1830s India — as trade caravans mysteriously disappear and a high priest (George Pastell) leads his followers in deadly cultish rituals — a colonel (Guy Rolfe) for the British East India Company is disappointed to learn that his boss (Andrew Cruikshank) has appointed a family acquaintance (Allan Cuthbertson) rather than him to investigate the mystery. Will Captain Lewis (Rolfe) — with help from his supportive wife (Jan Holden) — be able to make any headway into solving the crimes?

Genres, Themes, Actors, and Directors:

• Cults
• Historical Drama
• Thieves and Criminals

Review:
Terence Fisher directed this historical adventure-horror film for Hammer Studios about the quest to capture a cult of Indian bandits known as Thugees, who terrorized travellers in the name of the goddess Kali. Unfortunately, lead actor Rolfe — probably best known by film lovers for co-starring opposite Robert Taylor in Ivanhoe (1952), and for starring as the title character in the non-GFTFF-listed Mr. Sardonicus by William Castle — isn’t all that charismatic:

Meanwhile, we loathe his priggish nemesis (Cuthbertson):

… and have mixed feelings about hissing at the bad guys given that they’re living under colonial subjugation.

The entire affair is exotic and atmospherically filmed, with several notoriously gruesome moments:

… but it will probably only be of interest to fans of this genre (or, of course, those wanting to see buxomy Marie Devereux as a cult follower who gets a kick out of seeing people tortured).

Check out DVD Savant’s review for Trailers From Hell for a much more in-depth analysis of this title, which was previously hard-to-find but is now available on DVD.

Notable Performances, Qualities, and Moments:

• Arthur Grant’s cinematography
  

Must See?
No, though Hammer fans will likely want to check it out.

Links:

• IMDb entry
• Trailers From Hell Review (DVD Savant)
• TCM Article
• TV Guide Review
• DVD Talk Review