Dr Cyclops (1939)

 Dr Cyclops (Dir: Ernest B Schoedsack, 1939). 

Legendary King Kong (1933) co-directors and producers Ernest Schoedsack and Merian C Cooper reunite for this unusual shocker, based on a story by Henry Kuttner. Co produced by Dale Van Every, Dr Cyclops was released through Paramount Pictures. 

Fans of mythical beasts will be disappointed to learn that the titular Doctor Cyclops is not an actual cyclops and has two working eyes, although failing sight demands that he wear some rather thick lens spectacles which earns mad scientist Dr Alexander Thorkel (Albert Dekker) his nickname. Thorkel has been in the depths of the Peruvian jungle for some years working on a secret experiment. Fellow scientists Dr Robinson (Janice Rule) and Dr Bullfinch (Charles Halton) are duly dispatched to his remote lab as Thorkel's assistants, teaming up with donkey supplier Bill (Thomas Coley) and Peruvian handyman Pedro (Frank Yaconelli) en route. On arriving, the gang are dismayed when the less than welcoming Doc Thorkel asks them to leave. Eager to learn why the doctor is so secretive, the gang do some snooping and are surprised to learn he has discovered a rich vein of pitchblende ore, containing uranium and radium. The demented doc is using the ore to shrink living creatures and promptly downsizes his curious colleagues. The gang must return to normal size and thwart the doctor's evil plans, but not before battling with oversized jungle foliage and enduring some close calls with enormous crocodile and a kingsized kitty cat. 

As the doc, Albert Dekker cuts a particularly imposing figure, especially in comparison to his shrunken co-stars. Token female Janice Logan has the requisite lung capacity for screaming at everything but why Frank Yaconelli, as Pedro, is forced to spend the entirety of the feature in an adult diaper is anybody's guess! The rest of the not exactly starry cast are never less than proficient in a movie which, let’s be honest, is more about thrills and special effects than the performances. 

Speaking of which, the 80 year old effects in Dr Cyclops hold up beautiful. Hailing from a pre-digital age they rely mostly on forced perspective and oversized props. This can at times lead to movie feeling a little studio bound but it is a visually impressive spectacle nonetheless. The movie has the distinction of being the first horror flick to utilise the three-strip Technicolor process. The muted colour pallet, which utilises every shade of green imaginable, is eerily atmospheric and lends the movie an off-kilter, almost queasy ambiance. 

Produced just prior to the the outbreak of WWII, a sense of the impending world conflict prevails throughout the feature, be it intentional or not. Considering forthcoming events and the race to produced the atom bomb which would eventually bring an end to the War, the narrative is eerily prescient. Notable as an early example of the ‘science gone wrong’ movie, Dr Cyclops addresses the notion of atomic mutation a good decade and a half before the genre classics such as Them! (Gordon Douglas, 1954) and The Incredible Shrinking Man (Jack Arnold, 1957). 

Dr Cyclops' lasting influence on popular cinema is undeniable. From The Incredible Shrinking Man through schlock favourite Attack of the Puppet People (Burt I Gordon, 1958) to blockbusters Honey, I Shrunk the Kids (Joe Johnston, 1989) and Marvel’s Ant Man (Peyton Reed, 2015); all owe a debt to this innovative precursor. While not quite in the same league as cinematic masterpiece King Kong, it is still a excellent addition to Schoedsack’s oeuvre. Exciting and at times campily fun, the movie is a weird and wonderful treat from Hollywood’s golden age. 

 

Escape to Witch Mountain (1975)

Escape to Witch Mountain (Dir: John Hough, 1975).

A family friendly, sci-fi suspense from Walt Disney Productions. Based upon the 1968 novel by Alexander Key. 

Tony (Ike Eisenmann) and Tia Malone (Kim Richards) are two orphaned kids with ESP. Where they got their powers and where they come from is a mystery but makes them outcasts among their peers in the children’s home. Their powers attract unwanted attention from powerful but crooked businessman Aristotle Bolt (Ray Milland) and his assistant Lucas Deranian (Donald Pleasence). Posing as the Malones’ uncle, Deranian adopts the pair with the intention of exploiting them. Escaping from the clutches of Bolt and Deranian the kids stowaway aboard the motor home of curmudgeonly widower Jason O’Day (Eddie Albert) who eventually warms to them and agrees to take them to Witch Mountain, a mysterious place which is somehow connected to Tony and Tia’s past. 

The Disney live-action movies of the 1970s were often met with derision from critics and apathy from audiences. Without the guidance of company founder Walt Disney, the studio's output was becoming increasingly formulaic. Budget cuts were also noticeably taken their toll on the once polished Disney product. In the studio's history, this era is the one often regarded as a 'dark age'. Yet, the more I watch of the studio's 1970s movies, the more I feel the era is deserving of reassessment. There are some gems to be found in the back catalogue, including this excellent science fiction adventure. 

Something of a departure for both Disney and director John Hough; Escape to Witch Mountain is an intelligent, serious minded sci-fi with genuine moments of suspense. Disney had delved into the sci-fi market in the past, resulting in fantasy comedies such as The Absent-Minded Professor (Robert Stevenson, 1961) and Moon Pilot (James Neilson, 1962). ...Witch Mountain was something entirely different. Certainly there were moments of levity among the dramatics but this is no comedy and only in the final reel does the movie resort to the type of broad slapstick which gave Disney movies of the era a bad name. 

Previously associated with horror movies such as Twins of Evil (J Hough, 1971) and The Legend of Hell House (J Hough, 1973) director Hough seems an unlikely choice for the material but creates a tremendously atmospheric film and displays a steady hand as the action moves from sci-fi fantasy to mystery to cross-country (or at least cross-California) chase movie. The pacing is exemplary, with the children’s backstory and the reason for their powers revealed slowly to the audience as scraps of memories and hazy flashbacks are recalled onscreen. There are some genuine thrills as the pair escape Bolt and evade the authorities in their attempt to reach the titular mount. Darker moments are levitated by modest yet effective special effects and some animal action which should please younger audience members. Only in the final showdown between the kids and Bolt does the feature suffer from a somewhat jarring change of tone as it becomes markedly more comic and whimsical. However, this more typically Disney climax is a small concession to a movie otherwise distinguished by a darker tone than was usually associated with the studio. 

The film also benefits from a top quality cast. Ray Milland's pantomimic performance of baddie Bolt is contrasted nicely by Donald Pleasence's more nuanced and sinister performance as the seemingly benevolent Uncle Lucas. Eddie Albert is appealing as the gruff yet warm-hearted loner who takes the children under his wing and into his Winnebago. 

Cute kids are kind of a prerequisite in 70s Disney and Kim Richards, already familiar from TV’s Nanny and the Professor (1972-1973) and Ike Eisenmann certainly fit the mould. Not that this undermines their assured performances which match those of the seasoned adults. Their similarity in appearance, coupled with an appealing chemistry lends an authenticity to the portrayal of onscreen siblings; while their blonde hair and blue eye evoke memories of the decidedly more sinister ‘outsider’ kids of classic sci-fi shocker Village of the Damned (Wolf Rilla, 1960). 

Escape to Witch Mountain would provide Disney with a rare artistic and commercial success in a largely critically reviled era. Two further theatrical films would follow: Return to Witch Mountain (John Hough, 1978) and Race to Witch Mountain (Andy Fickman, 2009), plus the television outings Beyond Witch Mountain (Robert Day, 1982) and a radically re-worked remake Escape to Witch Mountain (Peter Rader, 1995). All are recommended viewing, but none quite top the appeal of the original. 

In Escape to Witch Mountain, Disney and Hough have crafted an exciting and intelligent sci-fi adventure that easily holds its own against the studio’s more polished productions. The movie still ranks among the very best of the Disney Studios’ live-action movies; a classic equally enjoyable for kids and grown-ups.

Scooby-Doo and the Curse of the 13th Ghost (2019)

Scooby-Doo and the Curse of the 13th Ghost (Dir: Cecilia Aranovich Hamilton, 2019).

Scooby-Doo Where are You! debuted on US TV network CBS in the late summer of 1969 and was an instant success for creators Joe Ruby and Ken Spears and producers Hanna-Barbera. In the 50 years since, Scooby-Doo, through various reboots and reruns, has rarely been off TV screens. In recent years the franchise has spawned a handful of live action feature films, the recent CGI reboot Scoob! (Tony Cervone, 2020) and an incredible 37 animated features produced for the home market. A recent entry in the feature film series is Scooby Doo and the Curse of the 13th Ghost. This Warner Bros Animation effort is the continuation and conclusion of the 1985 series The 13 Ghosts of Scooby-Doo. 

Virtually everyone of a certain age who enjoyed Saturday Morning Cartoons in the 1970s to 1990s will have an affinity for Scooby-Doo. The series was adapted and retooled many times in the course of its history. Premiering in September 1985, The 13 Ghosts of Scooby-Doo was its most radical re-invention to date. Ditching Fred and Velma from the gang, Mystery Incorporated team up with the mystical Vincent Van Ghoul in order to capture 13 ‘real’ spirits accidentally released from a magic chest by Scooby. While this was arguably the freshest version of the show since the original series, it drew criticism from those who accused the show of endorsing the occult. As a result the show was cancelled before the season end and the final pesky paranormal entities were never captured. 

Picking up the plot presumably some years after the series (but who knows as the gang never seem to age), the movie finds Mystery Inc on the verge of retirement following the bungling of a recent case when the gang are contacted, via a crystal ball, by old friend and associate Vincent Van Ghoul. Van Ghoul is eager to find the 13th missing spirit (not discovered before the show was cancelled) and the gang are once again on a ghost hunt. This time around there is no janitor in a rubber mask as the ghosts are real! Or are they? A skeptical Velma is out to prove to the gang that 'ghoul' is not always how it appears.

In a neat twist Daphne ditches her dumb blonde persona to lead the gang, as in the original 13 Ghosts... While Fred, who was absent from the original show, has a existential crisis when relegated to the backseat of the Mystery Machine. Vincent Van Ghoul, voiced by the great Vincent Price on TV, is here voiced by Maurice LaMarche, giving a creditable impersonation of Price. The character retains the late actor's physical appearance. Missing from the TV show, but not necessarily missed are gang members Scrappy-Doo, Scooby's annoying nephew and a granite voiced pre-teen Flim-Flam, who was thankfully retired with the series demise. 

Scooby-Doo and the Curse of the 13th Ghost is a good looking movie. Lacking the scope of bigger budget features but a step up from traditional Saturday morning fare; the bright colours and appealing character design somewhat make up for a lack of finesse in the animation department. That it is based on a largely overlooked TV show from 35 years earlier may suggest that this is aimed more at nostalgic grown-ups than younger Scooby fans. Yet there are enough of the requisite mild frights and goofy humour to please younger Doo devotees; a little knowledge of the original show would be a bonus but is not essential. A worthy addition to the ever growing franchise, the movie offers pretty solid family fun. It won’t change your life, but it should keep you out of mischief for 80 minutes. 

Stan & Ollie (2018)

Stan & Ollie (Dir: Jon S Baird, 2018).

The big screen biopic has had a resurgence in popularity in recent years. From the stories of British rock stars Freddie Mercury in Bohemian Rhapsody (Bryan Singer, 2018) and Elton John in Rocketman (Dexter Fletcher, 2019) to Hollywood's own golden age legends Judy Garland in Judy (Rupert Goold, 2019) and this biopic of beloved comedy duo Laurel and Hardy. 

Movies about the movies have long been a staple in Hollywood, but Stan & Ollie has a somewhat different approach to many of the biographical titles which have preceded it. Most notably, it ignores the the duo’s well documented heyday, being with the stars’ falling out over a contractual dispute with producer Hal Wallis in 1937. From here we jump to the early 1950s when the pair, reunited but still nursing wounds over the quarrel, embark on a comeback tour of the UK and Ireland. Here the tour is initially mishandled by promoter Bernard Delfont and the pair are playing to largely empty venues, although the duo are eventually afforded the warm welcome they deserve. Stan & Ollie chronicles the stars' strained relationships with each other and their partners, while also detailing their attempts to reignite a movie career. Eventually Hardy's failing health brings an abrupt halt to the tour but also signals a renewed reconciliation between the pair. 

Of course a movie like this succeeds or fails on the strength of the performances. I am happy to report that both Steve Coogan and John Reilly are excellent in their respective roles as Stan and Ollie. Not only do they look like the stars (with help from prosthetics) their studied physicality and vocal performances are spot on. In a narrative interspersed with comedy skits, the stars are entirely convincing as the comic legends; a recreation of a song and dance routine from the pair's classic Way Out West (James W Horne, 1937) is meticulously recreated. Standout among the supporting cast are Rufus Jones, excellent in the small but important role of Delfont and Shirley Henderson and Nina Arianda as the duo's wives Lucille Hardy and Ida Kitaeva Laurel respectively. 

The backstreet theatres and dive hotels of the initial phase of the tour are lovingly recreated in an evocative portrayal of post-War Britain. Plaudits to cinematographer Laurie Rose's muted colour pallet and soft focus photography which add immensely to the warmly nostalgic period atmosphere. 

While Stan & Ollie may appeal most to fans of the duo, the movie is strong enough to appeal to the most casual admirers. Indeed I would recommend the movie to anyone with the slightest interest in Golden Age Hollywood or the halcyon days of British variety theatre. Both Mr Coogan and Mr Reilly offer career best performances in their respective roles in this warmhearted, affectionate account of Hollywood's most fondly remembered comedy performers in the twilight of their careers. 

The Sheepman (1958)

The Sheepman (Dir: George Marshall, 1958). 

Glenn Ford had a terrific run of movies in the 1950s. Many of which were westerns, including this unusual oater with an excellent supporting cast. 

Ford stars as Jason Sweet, a stranger who arrives in cattle country with a flock of sheep which he intends to graze on public land. The cowpoke townsfolk disapprove mightily of this and let Sweet know, in no uncertain terms, that they want him gone. But the tough talking, milk drinking Sweet means business. Picking a fight with town heavy "Jumbo" McCall (Mickey Shaughnessy) and making an enemy of shifty cattle baron "Colonel" Steven Bedford (Leslie Nielsen); meanwhile giving the glad eye to Bedford's intended Dell Payton (Shirley MacLaine). 

The antagonistic anti-hero Sweet is a perfect role for Ford, who is superb as the wiseacre sheepman. Not necessarily a name you associate with the western genre, Shirley MacLaine brings a kooky charm to the role of Dell, Sweet's ally and unlikely love interest. Later known for comedy, it can be a little disconcerting seeing Leslie Nielsen in a straight role, particularly one with the ambivalence of the crooked Colonel. Once you accept that he not gonna spend the movie pulling funnies, he is completely believable in the role. The supporting cast is populated with familiar faces including a neat comic performance from Mickey Shaughnessy as big lug "Jumbo", and legendary character star Edgar Buchanan also as old-timer idler Milt Masters, Sweet's only other ally among the disgruntled townspeople. 

The Sheepman is an enjoyable western, enlivened by a legendary cast. While not an out and out comedy, William Bowers and James Edward Grant’s clever screenplay has a rich undercurrent of humour while George Kennedy’s stylish direction keeps things moving at a pace. Shot in Technicolor and CinemaScope by cinematographer Robert Bronner, it is one of those beautiful big screen movies that Hollywood once upon a time seemingly churned out. It probably losses a little something when viewed on TV but is still a handsome movie. 

Offbeat and entertaining, The Sheepman is a distinctly different flavour to other 1950s horse operas. While not one of Mr Ford’s best remembered movies, it certainly a title worth seeking out. Especially if, like me you have a soft spot for vintage Technicolor westerns.

The Apple Dumpling Gang (1975)

The Apple Dumpling Gang (Dir: Norman Tokar, 1975). 

Comic western from Walt Disney Productions which provides a starring role for a pre-Incredible Hulk Bill Bixby. 

Three orphans, the unwitting wards of gambler Russell Donovan (Bill Bixby), attract the attention of prospective adoptive parents when they strike gold in former mining community of Quake City. To protect the kids from gold-digging townsfolk, Donovan arranges a sham marriage with stagecoach driver Dusty (Susan Clark) with a plan to adopt the youngsters; meanwhile the children's money grabbing legal guardian John Wintle (Don Knight) gets wind of their windfall. Determined to remain in the care of Donovan and Dusty, the trio, assuming the name The Apple Dumpling Gang combine forces with second rate bandits Amos (Tim Conway) and Theodore (Don Knotts) aka The Hash Knife Outfit. Together the gang plot to stage a bogus burglary which would allow Amos and Theodore to keep the nugget while deterring the self-serving Wintle. The clumsy crims are making a fine mess of thing when real life robbers turn up to alleviate the loot from the city bank.  

The early 1970s saw a plethora of comedy westerns hit cinema screens, from James Garner starrers Support Your Local Sheriff! (Burt Kennedy, 1969) and Support Your Local Gunfighter (Burt Kennedy, 1975) to Mel Brooks' blockbuster Blazing Saddles (M Brooks, 1974). The Disney Studios jumped on the genre bandwagon with The Apple Dumpling Gang and scored a much needed hit in the process. 

Closer in spirit to the Garner movies than Brooks' satire, The Apple Dumpling Gang afforded Bill Bixby a rare opportunity as leading man in a feature film. Mr Bixby makes for an appealing lead and is well supported by Susan Clark as the spiky Dusty. The two make a believable romantic pair in, surprisingly, the sole Disney feature appearance for either. The movie is significant as the first of many pairing of comedy duo Don Knotts and Tim Conway. I must admit to finding their broad style of humour a little bit of an acquired taste. I do enjoy their performances here, however, and prefer it to later movies in which their shtick was growing visibly tired. This is a Disney movie so expect some winsome kids. The trio here are cute without becoming too cloying, the youngest of all, Stacy Manning, contributing a particularly charming and naturalistic performance in her only movie.

Shot on locations including the Disney lot, the Golden Oak movie ranch and the Los Padres and Deschutes National Forests, The Apple Dumpling Gang is a good looking western, not overly hampered by obvious studio locations. Only a runaway mine cart sequence and an otherwise exciting rapids climax exposes the use of back projection which plagued many 70s era Disney productions. 

The Apple Dumpling Gang is a highlight of Disney’s so-called 1970s 'dark age'. Of course, it relies on the same formulae  Disney had been utilising in their live action comedies for about 15 years. Yet over-familiarity doesn't hamper the movie too much. In fact it lends it an old fashioned charm which is probably more appealing now than when the movie was released. While not particularly sophisticated the broad humour of The Apple Dumpling Gang does provide some big laughs. It would be churlish to over critique a movie whose aim is to provide lighthearted entertainment and ultimately succeeds in doing so. It is, perhaps, a little longer than it needs to be. But its kooky, knockabout good humour means it doesn't outstay its welcome.

Such was the movie’s success it spurred a minor franchise; inspiring a sequel The Apple Dumpling Gang Rides Again (Vincent McEveety, 1979), The Wonderful World of Disney episode Tales of the Apple Dumpling Gang (E W Swackhamer, 1982) and the short lived TV series Gun Shy (1983). With the Disney Studios’ current obsession with revisiting past glories I wouldn’t be at all surprised if The Gang returned in some iteration as a Disney+ exclusive. However, any remake or reboot will have difficulty living up to the shear amiability of the original. 

The Ghost and Mr Chicken (1966)

The Ghost and Mr Chicken (Dir: Alan Rafkin, 1966).

The Ghost and Mr Chicken is a family friendly comedy/horror from Universal Pictures, with the accent firmly on smiles rather than shocks. 

Something of a throwback to haunted house comedies of an earlier age - the Bob Hope vehicle The Cat and the Canary (Elliott Nugent, 1939) springs to mind - The Ghost and Mr Chicken finds nebbish newspaper typesetter Luther Heggs spend the night in a haunted house in an attempt to further his career as as a journalist. Becoming a local celebrity, he lands himself a subpoena when property owner Mr Simmons (Philip Ober) challenges Heggs' claims of ghostly goings on in the abandoned abode.

Don Knotts was best known for his role of Barney in TV’s The Andy Griffith Show (1960-68); The Ghost and Mr Chicken features several of the cast of that show and at least three cast members of Bewitched (1964-1972). Add to this studio locations familiar from The Munsters (1964-66) and you have the inescapable feel of a 1960's US TV sitcom. Some may feel the lack of big name movie stars and the obvious backlot locations detract from the cinematic authenticity of the piece. Yet, watching this on the small screen 55 years after it was made it gives the movie a kind of warm familiarity that I feel adds to its period charm.

I must admit, I am not Mr Knotts' biggest fan. I don’t dislike him and he does contribute to many movies I enjoy, but I do find his brand of broad comedy a little grating on occasions. However, he is well served here with an amusing screenplay by James Fritzell and Everett Greenbaum and solid direction from Alan Rafkin which is neatly tailored to his slapstick sensibilities. All three were regular contributors to The Andy Griffith Show and it is clear that neither cast or crew of The Ghost and Mr Chicken have strayed far from their comfort zones here. Standouts among a large supporting cast are Joan Staley as love interest Alma and Skip Homeier as love rival Ollie. 2nd Darrin Dick Sargent also makes an appearance three years before he joined the cast of Bewitched. 

Big kids of my age and slightly older will be most familiar with Don Knotts from his many appearances in Walt Disney Productions' comedy movies of the 1970s, but this is the movie that provided his big screen breakthrough. In recent years it has become something of a cult favourite, yet outside fans of vintage US TV and Knotts fans in particular, its appeal may be a little limited.  

While The Ghost and Mr Chicken is not exactly laden down with big laughs, it is never less than amusing. It also has a kind of kooky charm that is easy to warm to. Low-key and a little lowbrow, it is likeable, harmless fun nonetheless.

The King and Four Queens (1956)

The King and Four Queens (Dir: Raoul Walsh, 1956)

With a title referencing star Clark Gable’s reputation as The King of Hollywood, The King and Four Queens is an offbeat western from legendary director Raoul Walsh. 

Clark Gable stars as smooth talking drifter Dan Kehoe who rides into the ramshackle, lawless town of Wagon Mound with the intention of relieving Ma McDade (Jo Van Fleet) and her four widowed daughter-in-laws (Eleanor Parker, Jean Willes, Barbara Nichols & Sara Slade) of $100,000 worth of stolen gold. Romancing each of the ladies in order to learn the whereabouts of the stash, it become apparent that the queens are using him as much as he is using them.

With it tough talking, gun totting matriarch, The King and Four Queens is a little reminiscent of cult western Johnny Guitar (Nicholas Ray, 1954). While it subtly plays with the notions of masculinity, director Raoul Walsh never takes his movie to the same levels of subversion as Ray’s weird and wonderful gem. 

Performances are strong from Gable and his female co-stars, particularly Eleanor Parker. It is amusing (and a little anti-feminist) to see the four man-hungry McDade women lusting after Gable, the first male to enter the house in two years! I get the feeling that this portrayal would be vastly different were the movie made in 2020! Yet it is presented with humour and sense of being just a little bit tongue in cheek. 

The King and Four Queens is a handsome movie, benefiting greatly from Lucien Ballard’s beautiful DeLuxe Color, CinemaScope photography, shot against dramatic Utah locations. It is quite a slow moving movie; not a great deal happens, but it is never dull. Its various twists unfold nicely and at just shy of 90 minutes it doesn’t outstay its welcome. A little known entry on the Clark Gable resume this may be, but it is a movie well worth seeking out. 

Alexander the Great (1956)

Alexander the Great (Dir: Robert Rossen, 1956). 

Richard Burton heads the cast in a historical drama chronicling the life and accomplishments of Alexander III of Macedonia. Part of the trend to entice audiences away from television, the lavish production was shot in glorious Technicolor and utilised the widescreen CinemaScope format. 

I have to admit to being a little disappointed with Alexander the Great. There is nothing essentially wrong with the movie. It is somehow just not as good as it should be. It is an impressively mounted production; the CinemaScope photography conveys a great sense of grandeur; it has a top quality cast. It is everything a historical epic should be. Yet it is also one thing an epic shouldn’t be, which is slightly dull. Certainly not boring, just a little static. You keep waiting for the next battle to begin, but the battles are few and far between. 

An impressive cast was assembled for the movie. Burton is suitably commanding as Alexander, while Fredric March is terrific as his father, Philip of Macedonia. Star-laden support comes from Claire Bloom, Stanley Baker, Peter Cushing and Niall MacGinnis. Oddly, none of them quite make the same impact, or perhaps more accurately are not given sufficient screentime to make the same impact, as either Burton or March. However, their presence does add a considerable amount of class to proceedings.

Robert Rossen was a skilled filmmaker with classics including All the King's Men (R Rossen, 1949) and The Hustler (R Rossen, 1961) among his directorial credits. Alexander the Great was his only historical epic and one would have to conclude that this particular genre was not his forte. 

Alexander the Great is slightly less than the sum of its parts. There is much to admire about it, but it is simply not as inspiring as the greatest epics. Ultimately, it suffers from too much talk and too little action. Alexander the Not Bad might have been a more fitting title. That said, it is certainly worth a watch, especially for fans of big ol' widescreen spectacle movies. 

Meet the Stewarts

Meet the Stewarts (Dir: Alfred E Green, 1942). 

A domestic comedy from Columbia Pictures which provides an early role for future acting legend William Holden. 

Meet the Stewarts' paper thin plot concerns the matrimonial problems of working class Mike Stewart (William Holden) and new bride Candy (Frances Dee). Juggling a limited budget and disapproving families, Candy is determined to prove herself a dutiful wife, without the help of Daddy's income. 

At a youthful 23, William Holden seems a little young and lacking in gravitas to fully convince as the serious minded, working stiff husband. Frances Dee is better as the spoiled little rich girl, while the Wicked Witch of the West herself, Margaret Hamilton, makes a welcome appearance as a scatterbrained housemaid. 

In fairness to the cast, none are given much to work with; Karen DeWolf's screenplay is heavy on dialogue, but, unfortunately little of it particularly clever or witty. At its best the movie is pleasant and mildly amusing. At its worst the ‘humour’ is sexist and woefully dated. Some unfortunate allusions to wife beating are particularly unfunny. 

Alfred E Green's direction seems to involve little more than setting up the camera and letting the cast do their thing. A scrappily comic fist fight near the climax is neatly staged and is an obvious highlight. But, honestly, this provides the only big laugh in the entire movie. 

Meet the Stewarts is passable entertainment. I have seen far worse movies but few comedies as stubbornly un-amusing. It is worth watching to catch an early performance from future star Holden and for a glimpse at Margaret Hamilton sans cloak and broomstick, but little else. 

Sun Valley Serenade (1941)

Sun Valley Serenade (Dir: H Bruce Humberstone, 1941).

Produced by 20th Century Fox, Sun Valley Serenade was conceived as a star vehicle for popular figure skating champ turned film star Sonja Henie. Of greater significance, it also provided Glenn Miller and his Orchestra with a rare feature film appearance. 

As a publicity stunt, band pianist Ted Scott (John Payne) agrees to sponsor a Norwegian refugee. Expecting a child he is surprised when the emigre turns out to be attractive skating expert Karen Benson (Sonja Henie). Ted's band, including his fiancee Vivian (Lynn Bari) and bandleader Phil Corey (Glenn Miller) are due to begin a Christmas season at Idaho ski resort Sun Valley. Supposedly staying behind Karen, sneaks aboard the train to Idaho, with the plan to bust up Ted and Vivian and hook herself a husband to boot. Along for the ride is Milton Berle as the band's manager.

In the leads Henie and John Payne are likeable, albeit a little bland, while Milton Berle adds appeal as the comic relief. Preeminent bandleader Glenn Miller is no actor but his main purpose here is to provide the soundtrack and he serves up a doozie! A handful of his biggest hits accompany the light romance, including Moonlight Serenade, In the Mood and best of all Chattanooga Choo Choo. Band sequences are imaginatively staged by director H Bruce Humberstone and are less static than you might imagine; Chattanooga Choo Choo, however, is something extra special! What begins as a band rehearsal develops into an elaborately staged song and dance number, with vocals from the legendary Dorothy Dandridge and the the amazing athletic dancing of the Nicholas Brothers. The number is utterly joyous and easily the movie’s highlight. 

Built around Ms Henie, of course there are a couple of ice skating numbers shoehorned in. The finale, a dazzling ice ballet performed on reflective black ice makes little narrative sense but is pure spectacle! There is also some fancy ski slope action thrown in for good measure. 

Sun Valley Serenade is very much a movie of its time, but this is no bad thing. Mainly of interest to fans of the era swing music and Miller in particular, it has plenty to offer to more casual fans of golden age Hollywood movies. Released mere months before the US entered WWII, it is a quaintly charming record of an era which would all too soon be over. It’s featherweight stuff, certainly, but it is also a lot of fun! 

Top Hat (1935)

Top Hat (Dir: Mark Sandrich, 1935).

From RKO Radio Pictures, Top Hat was the 4th of 10 pairings of the inimitable Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers.

Where to begin? The screwball plot is some trifle about mistaken identity (isn’t it always?), as Ginger, believing Fred is the philandering husband of a friend, rebukes his advances and marries her dress designer instead (or does she?). Topnotch support comes from familiar faces Edward Everett Horton and Helen Broderick are the real husband and wife, Erik Rhodes the cuckolded couturier and Eric Blore as an asinine but resourceful manservant. As convoluted as it sounds the whole thing works beautifully. But who in the audience is really here for the plot? What we are here for is Astaire and Rogers at their artistic peak dancing up a storm to one of Irving Berlin's greatest musical scores and happily that is what we get. 

Astaire's frequent collaborator Hermes Pan lends his expertise as choreographer as Fred dons top and tails for the exuberant solo Top Hat, White Tie and Tails; takes Ginger in his arms for the enchanting Isn't This a Lovely Day (To Be Caught in the Rain) and creates Hollywood history in the iconic Cheek to Cheek, arguably the duo's greatest dance routine. The musical finale The Piccolino is an impressively mounted spectacle, although a little less focused on Fred and Ginger than might be expected.

Dwight Taylor and Allan Scott's witty screenplay shines as brightly as the movie's stars while director Mark Sandrich is smart enough to know when to stand back and let the dancers take centre stage. The movie is played out on beautiful Art Deco sets shot in sparkling black and white. 

Top Hat is musical movie magic at its best, a genuine classic from Hollywood's golden age. Indeed, were it an actual top hat it would be made of the finest silk. But enough with the cliches; if you have seen Top Hat, I don’t need to tell you how great it is. If you haven’t seen it, I recommend you send it directly to the top of your 'to watch’ list. 

The Headless Ghost (1959)

The Headless Ghost (Dir: Peter Graham Scott, 1959). 

The Headless Ghost is a comedy horror with the accent firmly on comedy. 

Three exchange students Americans Ronnie (David Rose) and Bill (Richard Lyon) and Danish Ingrid (Liliane Sottane) spend the night in haunted Ambrose Castle. With the help of the spirit of the 4th Earl of Ambrose (Clive Revill) they must reunite the head and shoulders of Malcolm, the headless ghost of the title. Imagine, if you will, an episode of Scooby Doo Where Are You! sans the Great Dane but with real ghosts and you pretty much have The Headless Ghost in a nutshell. 

US producer Herman Cohen pioneered the teen horror genre with hit low budget exploitation flicks I Was a Teenage Werewolf (Gene Fowler Jr, 1957) and I Was a Teenage Frankenstein (Herbert L Stock, 1957). In 1959 he looked to the UK for this co-production released through Anglo Amalgamated at home and by drive-in specialists American International Pictures across the Atlantic. 

Made specifically as a 2nd feature, originally supporting Horrors of the Black Museum (Arthur Crabtree, 1959), The Headless Ghost is likeable B-movie nonsense, competently directed by Peter David Scott; shot in black and white and, unusually, Dyaliscope, a widescreen format originating from France. 

The performances from its leads are blandly appealing and refreshingly the teenagers are not depicted as juvenile delinquents as is often the case for the era. Its slender story is well served by a short 60 minute runtime and there are some genuine chuckles among the unintentional ones. The special effects are modest but do the job. 

The wonderfully exploitative poster art depicts a headless man hurling his noggin at the fleeing teenagers! Unfortunately, this scene never appears in the movie. In fact the ghosts of Ambrose Castle are a pretty benign bunch. There is an ‘erotic’ dance scene performed by a scantily clad 600 year old spectre, if that floats your boat; serving no other narrative purpose than 'titillation', it is as campily funny as it is inappropriate. 

Ultimately, The Headless Ghost is more Children’s Film Foundation than Hammer horror. Let’s be honest, it’s no masterpiece but it was never meant to be. It is an easygoing romp and not the waste of an hour I feared!