It is the dead of winter, a lone rider, Robert Horton, enters a small town. He books a room and a bath. While he is stripping down for the bath, a gunman, Richard Devon, breaks in and starts blasting. Horton just escapes with his life after knocking Devon down with a solid punch. He grabs Devon’s pistol and hurries down the back stairs. Once outside, two more men start firing at him. Horton returns fire and kills the two.
With only his pants on, and Devon’s pistol, he grabs a horse and flees into the foul weather. Devon recovers and follows Horton. He tracks down the half frozen Horton and puts two rounds from his Winchester into him, one in the shoulder and one in the head. He then leaves Horton to die.
A short time later, two prospectors come upon Horton. They sling him across the packhorse and cart him back to the nearest town. The two wonder if he might be an outlaw, so they stop at the local law to see if there is a reward. No luck there, so they drop Horton at the saloon.
The local doc, Noah Keen, is called to have a look at the unconscious and battered Horton. He removes the bullet from Horton’s shoulder and bandages the head wound, which turns out to be minor. It had simply knocked him unconscious.
Horton is then hauled upstairs and put to bed. Beverly Garland, the singer dancer at the saloon, tends his wounds. Horton comes around 3-4 days later and asks where he is. Doc Keen asks him how he feels etc and what is his name. Horton is unable to answer. He has no memory of who he is, or how he ended up being shot. Several more days go by and Horton swiftly regains his strength. His memory though is still drawing a blank. Needing to call him something, Doc Keen starts calling him Shenandoah, the name of Keen’s hometown.
A few more days pass and who should show up in the saloon? Gunman Devon of course. He knocks back a few drinks and starts making some unwanted moves on Miss Garland. When the barkeep steps up to stop the unwanted attention, Devon pistol whips the man.
Horton, hearing the screams of Garland, grabs a pistol from the Doc’s case and roars downstairs. Devon’s eyes go wide as he sees Horton, “You! I’ll kill you this time for sure!” Yells Devon as he goes for his pistol. Horton is faster off the mark and drills Devon in the chest, killing him.
Horton walks up to the corpse and looks at Devon. “He knew me.” He whispers.
So starts the tale of, A Man Called Shenandoah. The series then follows Horton as he searches for clues as to who he is, and what he was.
This is a pretty brisk moving episode that was directed by Paul Wendkos. Wendkos directed the noir, The Burglar. This is a great looking series that features some wonderful looking opening and closing credits film work. (b/w)
Collier and Gaynor have just returned to town to report to MacLane. They have been on a fruitless chase for the manager of the local bank. The man had pilfered the bank funds and vanished.
Also hitting town, are the hands off a just completed cattle drive with their pay burning a hole in their pockets. One of the men, Steve Forrest, heads straight to the bank. He is finished with the life of a cow-hand. He has been saving his pay for the last 10 years. He intends to buy a ranch and raise cattle himself.
Forrest finds the bank padlocked and a closed sign on the door. He asks a passing man what is going on. Forrest is devastated when he hears the news about the manager. He heads off to talk to the law. “Nothing we can do till, or if we catch the man.” Collier tells Forrest. “We just got back from 3 days on his trail with no luck.” Forrest hangs his head and wanders out and down the street.
Three of Forrest’s fellow cowpunchers, Gary Walberg, Warren Oates and Robert Culp are living it up at the saloon. Booze, girls and some poor gambling skills soon have all their pay gone. All three end up in the town jail on drunk and disorderly.
Released the next morning, the three head for the stables. They see Forrest sitting under a tree staring at the ground. They ask Forrest if he needs hands for his new ranch. Forrest tells them about the manager and the stolen funds. ” I don’t want to spend another 10 years to save up four thousand dollars. There must be a way to do it.” The 4 men all sit and wish aloud for better times. The oldest, Walberg, recalls his days years before when he rode for a bit with the Dalton boys robbing trains etc.
Needless to say the old light-bulb goes on in Forrest’s head. They should all pull a payroll robbery of a train. Walberg and Oates are game though Culp is a tad reluctant. The other three finally talk him into joining the enterprise.
They know the regular Friday train carries a payroll on it. They plan on stopping the train at a small station outside of town. They stop the train and hold the engine crew under guard. Forrest forces the conductor to call the payroll guard to open the freight car door. He does, but has a rifle handy, which he pulls on Forrest. Forrest drills the man right through the head.
He then tells the conductor to open the safe. It turns out though that only the guard knew the combination. The four-some now decide to blow open the safe.
Oates is not at all happy with how things are now going. A robbery, OK, but murder? He grabs Culp and suggests that Culp, Walberg and himself beat the feet. Culp says it is too late as murder has been done.
The blast rips open one of the safe doors. All that is there is a bag of coins. The paper money is still locked inside. Bad luck on top of bad luck as they used all their explosives. They take the coins and ride off. A day’s hard ride later they stop at a small town general store. They need food and supplies.
The owner, Dub Taylor, senses something is wrong and says so. Forrest belts him and grabs up the supply sack. They race for their horses to scurry out of town. Taylor however gives Oates both barrels of a shotgun before Oates is out of range. Everything continues to go downhill as far as the robbers are concerned. The townsfolk hear of the robbery and the $5,000 reward offered by the railroad for the capture of the bandits. First, a wire is sent to the Marshal’s office. Then a posse rides out to “collect” the reward.
The posse loses interest in catching the bandits when two of them are shot dead. The brisk exchange of gunfire also results in the death of robber Walberg. Collecting the dead, the posse heads home. They meet Marshal’s Collier and Gaynor on the road and point them the right way.
The badly wounded Oates is slowing the remaining men down. Collier and Gaynor quickly catch up which results in another exchange of rounds. This time Forrest catches a round. Culp is bent over Oates as he mumbles, “I thought it would be fun to be an outlaw.” Oates then dies.
Culp yells out to the Lawmen that he gives up. The wounded Forrest staggers off in the other direction. He looks out over the countryside and says, “All I wanted was a piece of land.” Then he drops to the ground, dead.
After burying Oates and Forrest, Culp says to Collier, “All we got was $120 in coins for the four of us. $30 each, the same as we make working cattle every month.”
Great episode with an outstanding guest star cast. Change the era to 1948-55 and make it about truckers or such, and it would be a cracker-jack noir. (B/W)
The episode takes place in the frontier town of, Pawnee Kill. Two brothers, Lee Marvin and Kevin McCarthy are the town’s Sheriff and Doctor. Marvin is the no nonsense, quick with the gun type. McCarthy thinks that Marvin is just a bit too much of a shoot first, talk later type.
Marvin’s wife, Jean Howell is in bed ready any hour to have the couple’s first child. While McCarthy is checking on Howell, shots are heard from down the street. Howell of course is worried for her husband. McCarthy grabs his bag and heads to see what happened.
He finds Marvin and his Deputy, William Challee, standing over the body of a local thug. The dead man is in the employ of a local land baron, Ted de Corsia. McCarthy looks the man over and declares him ready for Boot Hill. He has words with his brother over the shooting. Could Marvin not have just arrested the man? Marvin just looks at his brother and shakes his head.
The dead man’s brother, gunman, Claude Akins, soon rides into town. He also works for de Corsia. Marvin knows that this is going to end up with further bloodshed. Akins joins de Corsia in the town saloon for a few shots of whiskey before he heads off to go after Marvin.
McCarthy takes it upon himself to try and stop the fight. He joins de Corsia and Akins for a drink in the saloon. He tells the two men they can talk out their problems with no need for any blood-letting. De Corsia and Akins agree to a meeting. McCarthy heads to Marvin to explain the agreement.
Of course we all know that de Corsia and Akins have no intention of holding up their end. De Corsia has another of his men, Christian Pasques, hide in an alley. His job is to back shoot Marvin when he comes. McCarthy, watching out of a window, realizes that he has set his brother up to be killed. McCarthy grabs up a Winchester and steps out into the street. He pots Pasques with a single shot while Marvin outdraws Akins and his boss, de Corsia.
The Doc and the Sheriff then attend to Miss Howell for the delivery of a new bouncing baby.
This one is an excellent western with top work from both sides of the camera. Marvin does a nice turn as a Lawman in a change of pace bit for him. Both Akins and de Corsia have the villain thing down pat.
Former big screen man, Don Weis, moves things along at a brisk pace. One time Oscar nominated, John L Russell sits in the cinematography chair. He was nominated for his work on Hitchcock’s Psycho. Here Russell uses plenty of low angle shots and gives the episode an almost film noir look.
The story was by veteran writer Thomas Thompson whose best known work is probably 1958’s Saddle The Wind. The screenplay was cranked out by N.B. Stone, who wrote two of my favorite big screen dusters, Man With the Gun and Ride The High Country.
Gordon Gates
Riding the High Country 
Thank you for your work on this … love this era of television westerns … will defiantly look into these three
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Thomas
There is so much to chose from that I doubt I’ll ever run out of episodes to write about. The casts, writers, directors and cinematographers in some of these episodes are very impressive.
Gord
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Very interesting read, Gord. I have never seen the G.E. Theatre episode but I have DVD sets of both the other series and like both a lot.
Following his departure from his star-making role in “WAGON TRAIN” in 1962, Robert Horton was lured back to do another TV western in 1966, with good results. Sadly his lost identity was never resolved when the series ended after 34 episodes but it is worth watching nonetheless.
“OUTLAWS” was shown here in the UK around 1961-2 and became a favourite of mine. The first series was centred around the outlaws and how they became such, with the marshals led by Barton MacLane in the background.
When Series 2 came back on, MacLane left and Don Collier was promoted to full Marshal, the action then centreing more on the law officers. Don Collier was excellent.
Sadly, there has never been a restoration of the series. It really cries out for it.
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Jerry
“A Man Called Shenandoah” is a series I picked up about 10 years ago in a trade. Watched the entire series in about a week I enjoyed it so much. I agree with you that a second year with an ending to his search would have been nice.
OUTLAWS – Same thing here, They made 50 episodes and I managed to lay my greedy paws on about 40 episodes back in 2013. A nicely put together series. Now all I need is to find the 9-10 episodes I’m missing.
G.E. THEATRE is sort of a hit or miss kind of thing. There will be a top flight episode followed by a less than stellar example. I have somewhere around 100 of the 300 plus episodes made. Every so often I find a new one hidden away on a disc. I do love these little gems. You collect as well so you know what I mean.
Gordon
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Thx! I want to watch these as these are some of my favorite actors!
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Yes, I think this – the casting as well as the behind the cameras personnel – is a big part of what makes this era of television so fascinating. I’m nowhere near as well up on it as Gordon or indeed as some of the other commenters and contributors on this site, but I do find the talent involved in making these short dramas to be a major draw.
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Gord, My “OUTLAWS” set luckily has all 50 episodes. There are 3 TV western series that I badly want to see restored and issued on DVD: –
1) “OUTLAWS” (1960-62) was a strong adult-oriented western drama that deserves to be seen.
2) “BOOTS AND SADDLES” (1957) a 39 episode series about the 5th Cavalry, no big stars but main role taken by fine character actor John Pickard and largely filmed at Kanab, Utah.
3) “COLT .45” (1957-60) a solid 30 minute action western from WB. I keep hoping Warner Archive will treat us with a DVD set.
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Not exactly household names, JC. I remember GE Theater but the other 2… I will have to look them up.
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All sound great – and love Robert Culp. Thanks 😀
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Culp shows up on all sorts of western series of the era. He even had his own western series, TRACKDOWN, which ran for 71 episodes during 1957-59. Culp plays Texas Ranger Hoby Gilman as he tracks down various killers, etc. Decent show of which I have seen 9-10 episodes.
Gord
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A trio of the type of television I am drawn to – nicely paced, interesting stories with actors I recognize.
I might replace some of my Christmas movies with some Have Gun – Will Travel and Gunsmoke, and Zane Grey Theater. (H’m, what else might I find in the rec room?)
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Patricia
LOL Never too late to change the holiday viewing choices. I have several more western episodes up for a look see myself. The virus scare has me staying away from family shin-digs so it looks like more time in front of the tv.
Gordon
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Speaking of holiday viewing choices, I usually have difficulty making up my mind and end up watching only a fraction of what I originally intended.
There will be some old favorites wheeled out for sure: The Bishop’s Wife, It’s a Wonderful Life, Christmas in Connecticut & The Man Who Came to Dinner for sure.
Yesterday I had my first mail parcel for ages and that brought Blu-ray editions of Inherit the Wind, Odds Against Tomorrow, a James Dean set comprising East of Eden, Rebel Without a Cause and Giant to my door, alongside DVDs of Criminal Court, Canyon River, Impulse & Raging Tide. Those, along with what I already have, ought to keep me occupied.
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Colin
Nice package of films to get in the mail.
Gordon
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A couple of packages actually – it’s just that they all turned up together.
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Colin,
I don’t know if you’ve seen “Odds Against Tomorrow” yet, but it’s a very impressive effort from Robert Wise. Belafonte, Ryan, and Begley are all terrific with Ryan once again brilliantly playing a hate-filled villain. There are nice location shots of the less glamorous sections of Manhattan and of the town of Hudson in upstate New York.
“East of Eden” is my favorite James Dean film. I love the Ferris wheel scene with Dean and Julie Harris. Beautifully filmed and scored by Ted McCord and Leonard Rosenman respectively.
I haven’t seen “Inherit the Wind” in over 50 years but Tracy’s and March’s performances are still vivid in my mind.
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Frank, I haven’t seen Odds Against Tomorrow for ages and decided to pick up the Blu-ray after mulling it over for a long time. I also want to look at some Robert Wise movies, hence my adding Criminal Court, as I’ve recently been sent a review copy of a book on Wise’s films by the author, Joe Jordan, who’s brought out an updated edition.
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I skimmed Jordan’s book on Amazon and it looks very interesting. I’ll have to get it from the library. Wise’s career moved in an unusual progression culminating in very successful blockbusters. I’ve seen a number of his films including the roadshow version of “The Sand Pebbles” which I enjoyed. I also saw “West Side Story” on the big screen. I really like his earlier films “The Set-Up”, “The Day the Earth Stood Still”, and “Blood on the Moon” as well as the films he did in the late 50’s: “Odds Against Tomorrow”, “I Want to Live”, and “Run Silent Run Deep.” I need to watch “Two Flag West” and “The House on Telegraph Hill”.
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I also hope to take another look at The Curse of the Cat People during the holidays. It’s one of the more unusual Val Lewton productions, and quite beautifully made.
Two Flags West remains shamefully undervalued and neglected, in my opinion. I wrote a piece about it here.
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“The Curse of the Cat People” — two thumbs up as they used to say.
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The only Christmas film I always make sure I see, is the M. Curtiz helmed, WE’RE NO ANGELS from 1955.
This Humphrey Bogart, Aldo Ray and Peter Ustinov film hits the spot every time.
Gord
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Yes, I like that too. Were it to hand, I’d probably give it a look as well. Another seasonal one I’d have watched if my copy weren’t at the other end of Europe at the moment is The Apartment.
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Colin
Would you believe I have never seen The Apartment. I have had a studio dvd for years but just never get around to it, I know, a slap on the side of the head is needed. Next time I go to the storage unit I’ll need to look for it.
Gord
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You should dig it out and watch it, Gord. It’s not really a holiday movie, although the events unfold over the holiday period, and the ending is sublime. It may well be Wilder’s best movie.
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I agree with Colin, Gord. “THE APARTMENT”. A comedy but with a black cloak surrounding it. And MacMurray showing what a good actor he was.
Not a personal fan of James Dean (I always feel about him the way I feel about Brando) but good films certainly. My mother took me with a friend and his mother to see “GIANT” on the big screen in 1956. I was no more than 9 years old – not really a kid’s film but I remember it as enjoyable if long. (I think Mum was a secret Rock Hudson groupie!).
Also completely agree with Frank about “ODDS AGAINST TOMORROW”. Tough, gritty and superbly acted.
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Jerry,
I’m not a James Dean fan either, although I thought he was fine in “East of Eden” playing off of Julie Harris and an excellent Raymond Massey. Allegedly, Dean got under Massey’s skin on the set and Elia Kazan used this off-screen animosity to heighten the conflict between Cal Trask and his father, Adam.
I’ve never watched “Giant” from beginning to end, but I always wished that Alan Ladd had taken the James Dean role of Jett Rink. George Stevens really wanted Ladd but Ladd’s wife (also his agent) didn’t want him to be third billed. I like Alan Ladd but he made a lot of mediocre movies after Shane. “Giant” would have given him the chance to work again with George Stevens (Shane). Who knows, maybe he would have garnered the Oscar nomination that eluded him throughout his career.
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I like Alan Ladd a lot, Frank – always have. But I think his great decade was the 1940s, he struggled to find the right material later. He also, of course, struggled with alcohol and it had a really detrimental effect on his appearance as the years rolled.
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I always amazed at the diverse roles Fred MacMurray played. He could go from being a total heel in the “Caine Mutiny” and “The Apartment” to an amiable and naive, if somewhat bumbling, character in “The Absent Mined Professor”, “Son of Flubber”, “The Shaggy Dog”, etc.
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And he was excellent in a series of westerns during the 1950s that showed him in yet another light, Frank. An actor I have always liked.
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I watched Quantez yet again the other night and it continues to impress me. I really must post something on that movie.
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He’s extraordinarily good too in Sirk’s There’s Always Tomorrow.
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Gordon,
Off topic, I know, but I just wanted to let you know that watched “The Bridge” (1959) last night. I thought it was absolutely brilliant. I can’t think of another WWII film that I have found more compelling. I believe it was the first film out of Germany that was critical of the insanity of the German war mentality. Moreover, I felt the sustained battle scene at the movie’s’ close was filled with realism and tension. Again, I watched “The Bridge” because of your positive review on IMDB.
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Frank
Again, glad you liked a pick taken from my IMDB list. I do try and go for the unknown in my film choices. I have more than a few German films I would recommend. Ask Colin to privately send you my e-mail if you wish to contact me for some deeper conversations on war films. I have no problem with that.
Gordon
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I’ll do that. Thanks. And any of the RTHC community are also welcome to get my email from Colin.
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Weekend films
1= ZERO HOUR -1957 Dana Andrews, Sterling Hayden
2- THE HUNT – 2020 H. Swank
3- 3 GODFATHERS -1948 Duke, John Ford
4- BUCCENEERS – 1956 episode one of the series
5 -FRAUD SQUAD -1969 uk episode one of series
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The Ford is a fine choice for the season.
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My recent watches: –
“I ESCAPED FROM THE GESTAPO” (1943) A wartime spy thriller from Monogram starring Dean Jagger and John Carradine. Enjoyed it.
“CRIMINAL LAWYER” (1951) starring Pat O’Brien and Jane Wyatt from Columbia. Rather well-plotted and acted drama and mystery.
“GIDEON’S WAY” (1964-66 TV series) A British police procedural series from ITC with all London locations. Based on the Gideon novels by John Creasey. I find this series never disappoints.
Anyone out there know these?
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I know the Gideon TV series, Jerry. It’s very enjoyable, but I’m a fan of all things ITC anyway. I’ve also been reading a bit of John Creasey this last year, mainly Inspector West stories though.
I’m now interested in Criminal Lawyer.
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Recommended, Colin.
I’ve read quite a lot of Creasey over the years. Good fun.
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Jerry
Seen the first two films and own the Gideon’s Way series. I like John Gregson who plays the lead as Police commander George Gideon.
I have a write-up on IMDB from Aug 2011 on the episode called THE TIN GOD. Derren Nesbitt and John (ALIEN) Hurt headline as a pair of prison escapees. Good stuff
Gord
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Yes, apart from Gregson (who I also like), Gord, there are the London locations and character casts. But the series is really consistent, with good editing and pacing throughout.
“The Tin God” is a really strong episode, isn’t it?
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About CRIMINAL LAWYER (1951)……..released by Columbia on August 23, I find interesting that a similar themed release by MGM, 1-week later on September 1, was “The People Against O’Hara” co-staring Spencer Tracy and Pat O’Brien. This time with criminal lawyer Tracy battling the bottle.
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The People Against O’Hara is an underachiever, but it is at least something; an interesting situation more than well played. Criminal Lawyer is just what? Crummy, shot on the cheap with players far above the material but balanced by Seymour Friedman’s direction far below.
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I think the only movie by Friedman I’ve seen was the final Crime Doctor picture, which I recall being a bit flat overall. I may have seen his Boston Blackie entries but that would be a long time ago and I can’t say for sure.
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Jerry
I agree, “THE TIN GOD” Is a truly excellent episode of the series.
i liked them all.
Gordon
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Weekend watching
1= ZERO HOUR -1957 Dana Andrews, Sterling Hayden, Linda Darnell star in this Hall Bartlett directed aircraft thriller. The crew of a airliner all get food poisoning. Ex ww2 fighter pilot, Andrews is forced to fly the aircraft. Everyone knows this one as the basis for the comedy AIRPLANE.
Not bad at all.
2- THE HUNT – 2020 H. Swank. Really did not know what to expect here but must admit I liked it. It is a another rehash with a few added twists and turns of the classic, THE MOST DANGEROUS GAME. This one is quite nasty and violent.
3- 3 GODFATHERS -1948 Duke, John Ford – This must be the 10th time I have seen this Ford film. It never fails to entertain, 3 cowboys rob a small town bank and nothing goes right from the start. John Wayne, Harry Carey Jr. and Pedro Armendáriz) and Ward Bond headline. Excellent duster.
4- BUCCENEERS – 1956 episode one of the series I recall watching this series here in Canada during reruns in the early 60s. This episode has a envoy of the English Crown sent to offer pardons to a group of pirates in the Bahamas. Ok low rent series which helped turn Robert Shaw into a star. Shaw though did not join the series till episode 3 of the 39 filmed.
5 -FRAUD SQUAD -1969 UK episode one of series. Patrick O’Connell, Joanna Van Gyseghem, and Ralph Nossek star as members of the Police Fraud Squad. This episode has the group looking into the books of a company for possible monkey business. Of course it turns out a crooked lawyer has been cooking the books for a charity the company had set up. A bit heavy on the stiff upper lip stuff but it does get the job done. I’ll need to get in a few more episodes before deciding if it is thumbs up as a series or not.
Gord
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As the song says. “Let it snow, Let it snow, Let it snow” Looks like a White Christmas here in Calgary. Looking out the window I cannot even see the end of the street it is falling so thick.
Gord
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All
Headline off the local news.
Massive winter storm drops as much as 70 cm of snow in Calgary and some parts of southern Alberta
(CBC/Radio-Canada)
It is getting deep out there. And that was just on Tuesday.
All the best of the season to everyone.
Gordon
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Gordon,
I imagine everyone in your neck of the woods owns a snowblower. Having a large driveway myself, I’ve come to the conclusion that the snowblower is one of the greatest inventions in the history of mankind.
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Gord,
I’ll have to say ‘You’re welcome to that’!! I suppose it is a sign of global warming possibly that the UK does not experience the snowfall every winter that I remember growing up generally. I really cannot say I miss it.
Stay safe indoors, chum!
Jerry
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Merry Christmas everyone! Stay safe and healthy.
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Merry Christmas to you too, Chris. Be well.
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Colin and all the readers of this grand site a MERRY CHRISTMAS and a HAPPY NEW YEAR!
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Great to hear from you. Merry Christmas!
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Merry Christmas to everyone at RTHC!
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Merry Christmas, Frank!
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Merry Christmas to all who enjoy the chats at Colin’s terrific blog!
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To all you good folks here…….have a very merry Merry Christmas.. 🙂
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Last night (12/23) my wife and I began to quarantine for Covid-19. My wife babysits for one of our grandchildren and her mother tested positive for Covid-19. We’ll get tested on 12/26. What this means is that I will be engaged in a 14-day lockdown film festival. I kicked it off last night with “Johnny O’Clock” (1947) by Robert Rossen. I love all of Dick Powell’s “hard” movies and in this one, I think he is at his most cynical. Rossen provides excellent direction to all of the cast – Evelyn Keyes, Ellen Drew, Lee J. Cobb (as if he needed direction), Thomas Gomez, John Kellogg, and Nina Foch. I thought John Kellogg provided some nuance as Johnny’s envious henchman. I even liked Mabel Page as the nosy old neighbor and Phil Brown as the exasperated hotel clerk. I have to admit that I couldn’t keep my eyes off of Ellen Drew – she was extremely alluring. In a few years, she would play a preacher’s wife in Jacques Tourneur’s “Stars in My Crown”. Rossen’s script is quick and witty and he and Burnett Guffey devise a number of creative shots. If anyone would care to share their thoughts on “Johnny O’Clock”, I’d love to hear them.
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One of my all time favorites films. Agreed on all you have written. Powell strikes sparks.
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Yes, who would have guessed that handsome young crooner could about turn and change his career to make some of the best tough movies post WW2? But then of course Powell was a canny businessman who early on recognised the new mood after the conflict. The world had changed and so did he.
I love “JOHNNY O’CLOCK”. I also really like “CORNERED” and “TO THE ENDS OF THE EARTH”.
As for Ellen Drew – what an attractive and alluring actress, sadly underrated.
I’m with you, Frank and Barry – all the way!
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I also love “Cornered” as well as “The Ends of the Earth”.
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I’d love to see a decent copy of To the Ends of the Earth.
And to echo Jerry’s comments, be well and healthy.
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Here you go Colin this is a pretty nice one in HD.
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Thanks very much for that, Scott.
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Jerry, Ellen Drew is one of the few people for whom the term underrated really applies.
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👍
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About Dick Powell……it took me quite a long time to shake off his earlier boyish crooner image. Although I much enjoyed all those 30’s Warner musicals, I cringed every time Powell was featured. I would think, oh gee here he is again. It really wasn’t Powell himself that I disliked but the character he was always type-classed to play. He certainly was no man’s man that’s for sure. Anyway, a lot of people liked him which provided him a fairly strong fan base which helped him propel his latter transformation. Quite remarkable transformation it was…..from softy to tough good guy. Of course today, I now appreciate Dick Powell in all his entirety.
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I’m with you all too. I really love this movie “Johnny O’Clock”……a noir that delivers much style and panache. Everyone was terrific, especially Dick Powell that even seemed to elevate his character.
And Ellen Drew……I never knew she had it in her.
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By the way, Frank, I should also have said please stay safe, my friend. Oh….and enjoy your film festival too!!
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All
Just poured my first snifter of Cognac, and am about to light a cigar. Then it is turn on the tv and watch a hockey game. The ex is still stuck out of town this year. ( Probably could not get her broom to fly in the crappy weather) Having no one around is sure strange, but that is the new way of the world with the virus
waiting to pounce on everyone.
All the best to everyone and have a safe holiday!!!!!!
Gord
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A belated happy Birthday, Gord.
I spent Christmas Day eating and watching movies. I took in It’s a Wonderful Life on Blu-ray and it looked splendid, the the movie as a whole continues to touch me and I never tire of the idea of people pulling together and that perceived disappointments in life are really only steps along the path towards a deeper fulfillment.
Then it was the 1965 Ten Little Indians, because it has snow, and because it’s just a fun ride.
And I rounded the day off with Young at Heart – melodrama, romance, a handful of classic standards, Doris Day, Dorothy Malone and a soulful and troubled Sinatra.
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Gord’s line about the broomstick really made me guffaw!! Love it.
Colin, I completely agree about “IT’S A WONDERFUL LIFE”, a wonderful movie for me and one I have known since childhood. A great message of positivity from Frank Capra.
Really like “YOUNG AT HEART” too with a touching love story and some wonderful music from two of my favourite vocalists.
We watched “TIME LIMIT” (1957). Nothing Christmassy but a powerful pre-courtroom drama with great performances from the Richards Widmark and Basehart.
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Colin
Same to you on the birthday front. I had one too many cognac and felt a bit rough this morning. Then again it could have been the cigars. LOL After the hockey games I watched THE BISHOPS WIFE which I had not seen in many years. It brought more than a few smiles back.
Jerry
TIME LIMIT is a good film that never seems to get mentioned. Nice work from every one involved. Still snowing here.
All the best everyone!!!!!
Gord
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Folks
Tonight it is a few beers instead of Cognac, and only one cigar!!!! A couple of days late but WE’RE NO ANGELS 1955 is on the bill tonight along with the very first episode of Z-CARS from 1962. Also an episode of a new to me western series from 56, called, CAVALRY PATROL. It stars Sheb Wolley, Bing Russell, Dewey Martin, John Pickard, Paul Richards and Royal Dano. Written and directed by Charles Marquis Warren. By the way, the beers are going to be some NEWCASTLE BROWN ALE. One of the UK beers I enjoy along with DOUBLE DIAMOND.
Gord
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Gordon, a most wise change of sustainance, chum. I think I shall be joining you in a beer myself this evening, probably a favourite Edinburgh brew from Innis & Gunn.
I believe that episode of “CAVALRY PATROL” may be a pilot that never flew! Good cast.
Tonight’s movie is “THE WINSLOW BOY” (1948) a rather fine transfer of Terence Rattigan’s hit play (the screenplay was also by the playwright). Cedric Hardwicke, Robert Donat, Margaret Leighton, Basil Radford star.
Enjoy your Newcastle Brown tonight, Gord!!
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Jerry
Z-CARS is the one I want to see. Any series that ran for 800 episodes must have something going for it.
Episode one tonight.
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I was there, Gord, on 2 January 1962 for the very first episode of “Z CARS”!! I was 14 then and remember it quite well. Although its novelty today would not be apparent, it was quite a ground-breaking look at the British police for its time. It ran until 1978. In 1966 a spin-off series starring the two main CID detectives, Barlow and Watt, started called “SOFTLY, SOFTLY”. It, and its successors also ran for many years.
Be most interested in how Episode One looked to you.
I hope everyone had a good Christmas holiday. Happy New Year to all.
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On the subject of Beverly Garland I’ve been watching her in her 1957 TV series DECOY (the first cop show about a policewoman). She really was an extraordinarily good actress.
DECOY is a strange cop show for that era – very very character-driven.
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I’ve had it in mind to pick up a copy of this show on DVD for some time now, I’ve heard good things about it from a number of people. It keeps slipping my mind though.
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