“Only Angels Have Wings” 1939 takes place in the fictional South American town of Barranca. There is danger, romance, and drama surrounding Barranca Airways a struggling business with fatalistic pilots, money worries, unpredictable weather, few planes, and difficult human relationships. Director Howard Hawks creates excitement much as he did with “Red River” 1948 (Episode 71), “The Thing from Another World’ 1951 (Episode 59), and many other excellent films. The cast includes Cary Grant as...

“Bicycle Thieves” also known as “Bicycle Thief” 1948 is an Italian drama that presents a Rome family struggling with unemployment, poverty, and the aftermath of World War II. Director Vittorio De Sica captures this subsistence life with exceptional use of black and white cinematography, melancholy music, on location street scenes, untrained actors, and devastating events. The movie won an Academy Award (Special Award) as did Mr. De Sica’s 1946 film “Shoeshine”. Lamberto Maggiorani plays...

Our podcast covers time travel movies. “Time After Time” 1979 from Director Nicholas Meyer transports us to H.G. Wells and his search for Doctor John Leslie Stevenson known as Jack-the-Ripper. Malcolm McDowell is H.G. Wells, Mary Steenburgen plays Amy Robbins who assists Wells, with Jack-the-Ripper played by David Warner. “Somewhere in Time” 1980 by Director Jeannot Szwarc is the timeless love story between Elise Mckenna and Richard Collier. It unfolds at the Grand Hotel on beautiful...

“Sextette” 1978 is Mae West’s last film and showcases her talents and one liners. The movie is a wedding day mash-up of oddball characters, funny situations, antics of ex-husbands, an international peace conference, musical numbers, and a potpourri of stars. Director Ken Hughes created this big budget smorgasbord that sank at the box office. Mae West is Marlo Manners/Lady Barrington the new bride of sixth husband Sir Michael Barrington played by Timothy Dalton. Sir Michael is also a secret...

We incorrectly said Robert Wise never directed a western. Mr. Wise directed these westerns - “Two Flags West” 1950, “Tribute to a Bad Man” 1956, and “Blood on the Moon” 1948. We apologize for our oversight. The creativity of Mr. Wise is seen throughout “Blood on the Moon”. Robert Mitchum as Jim Garry rides into a conflict involving Robert Preston as Tate Riling who has a scheme to profit from a cattle swindle effecting John Lufton played by Tom Tully, reservation food prices, and U.S....

“The Lion” 1962 is a family/adventure film set on an animal preserve in Kenya. Director Jack Cardiff relies on excellent movie making skills to fill the screen with beautiful scenes of Africa and wildlife. Mr. Cardiff‘s experience includes Cinematographer for films such as “Black Narcissus” 1947 (Episode 98) and “The African Queen” 1951. William Holden is Robert Hayward a Lawyer who travels to Africa at the request of his former wife to help face the challenges of their eleven-year-old...

“Mogambo” 1953 is a romance-adventure film set in Africa. Thank you to Patreon listener Arthur who recommended we include the movie in a podcast. Director John Ford built the film around African locations and music from African tribes. The film has many elements found in the 1932 movie “Red Dust”. Clark Gable is Victor Marswell the experienced guide who leads the safari to ultimately observe Gorillas in their natural setting. The safari group includes Grace Kelly as Linda Nordley who falls...

“The Fog” 1980 is a horror-drama set in the California coastal town of Antonio Bay. Director John Carpenter co-wrote the screenplay and created the music for this exciting story. A luminous, eerie fog rolls into town bringing with it the ghosts from 100 years ago seeking revenge for their brutal murder and theft of their gold. Adrienne Barbeau is Stevie Wayne the radio host who early on deals with the fog, Ty Mitchell plays Stevie’s son Andy, Jamie Lee Curtis is Elizabeth Solley a...

“Cry, the Beloved Country” 1951 is based on Alan Paton’s 1948 novel depicting several aspects of Apartheid in South Africa. Director Zoltan Korda persevered to make this film with intertwined stories of race relations, poverty, beliefs of diverse people, murder, a trial, status quo, yet a glimmer of hope. The movie, made in South Africa over 70 years ago, is a testament to strength and commitment. Canada Lee plays Stephen Kumalo the black minister searching for his son and other family...

“King Solomon’s Mines” 1951 is the second film version depicting the danger and romance facing a group as they search for a missing husband and lost treasure in Africa in 1897. A 1937 movie was first to depict the story. For the 1951 film Directors Compton Bennett and Andrew Marton built the movie with much of it filmed in Africa. Deborah Kerr is Elizabeth Curtis who must locate her husband missing while looking for treasure. Allan Quatermain played by Stewart Granger is the well-known...

Thank you to one of our Patreon members for recommending “Bombshell” 1933 for this podcast.  Director Victor Fleming has created a fast-paced comedy.  Among Mr. Fleming’s many successes are “The Wizard of Oz” 1939 (Episode 144) and “Gone with the Wind” 1939. The talented Jean Harlow plays Lola Burns.  Lola is “fed up” with the never-ending stories orchestrated in the press by Publicist E. J. “Space” Hanlon played by Lee Tracy.  Lola’s father played by Frank Morgan and her brother played by...

In “Les Diaboliques”, translated The Devils, Director Henri-Georges Clouzot gives us a prize winning eerie drama that is one of the best in the genre. As the story unfolds both the mistress and the wife of a mean and controlling husband work together to accomplish his murder. The movie takes manytwists and turns leading to one of the best finales in film. Véra Clouzot plays the husband’s wife Christina, Simone Signoret is mistress Nicole, the dreadful husband Michel is played by Paul...

“The 39 Steps” 1935 is a spy movie with action taking place in the United Kingdom. Director Alfred Hitchcock packs the film with elements such as an innocent man on the run, a Hitchcock cameo, and the “MacGuffin” plot device important to the drama. These and other elements often appear in current films. Robert Donat is Richard Hannay the innocent Canadian thrust into espionage operations designed to steal plans for an advanced, silent airplane engine. Joining Mr. Donat’s excellent...

The comedy duo of Bud Abbott and Lou Costello fit the bill with their 1941 movies “Buck Privates” and “Keep ‘Em Flying”.  With wars raging in Asia and Europe, there were several films in 1940 and 1941 aimed at building support for a United States military buildup.

“Secret of the Incas” 1954 an adventure film that influences“Indiana Jonas and the Raiders of the Lost Ark” 1981. In “Secret of the Incas” Charlton Heston as Harry Steele has a hat, coat, and other things similar to those of Indiana Jones played by Harrison Ford in “Raiders of the Lost Ark”. Moreover, Harry uses a shaft of light in the tomb as does Indiana in the Map Room at the Nazi dig site. Nicole Maurey as Elena Antonescu and Thomas Mitchell as Ed Morgan add to the action in Peru. ...

“The Sound of Music” 1965 is a musical and drama film andamong our favorite movies. The creative talent of Director Robert Wise beautifully captures the von Trapp family story. We have reviewed many films directed by Mr. Wise including “The Andromeda Strain” 1971 (Episode 38), “Run Silent Run Deep” 1958 (Episode 117), and “West Side Story” 1961 (Episode 118). His films are excellent. The movie centers around the life of Maria played by Julie Andrews, Captain von Trapp played by...

”Seven Brides for Seven Brothers” 1954 is set in 1850 and brings together wonderful Western themed musical and dance numbers and the horrible kidnapping of six women. Stanley Donen was Co-Director of “On the Town” 1948 (Episode 2) and “Singing in the Rain” 1952 (Episode 20), but as Director of this movie the disconnect between music and behavior smash head-on. Jane Powell as Milly marries Adam Pontipee played by Howard Keel. Milly gains the respect of the Pontipee brothers. Russ Tamblyn...

“Paint Your Wagon” 1969 is a western – musical film. Director Joshua Logan faced multiple challenges including remote locations, cast members with differing ideas and styles, a ballooning budget, and studio anxieties. Mr. Logan needed his director experiences from films such as “South Pacific” 1958 (Episode 11) to complete this movie. Events occur at a gold rush mining camp full of lonely, wild miners. The huge cast is led by Lee Marvin as Ben Rumson the grizzled and hard drinking man of...

“Calamity Jane” 1953 is a fanciful western, musical, and comedy involving the lives of Calamity Jane, Wild Bill Hickok and many others in and around Deadwood, Dakota Territory. Director David Butler corrals together quite a group of characters for this light-hearted romp through the make-believe west with many fun songs.  In part the movie was inspired by the box-office success of “Annie Get Your Gun” 1950. Doris Day plays the wildly energetic Calamity Jane, Wild Bill Hickok is played by...

"Hondo" 1953 is a 3D western directed by John Farrow with John Ford directing the final scenes because Mr. Farrow had to leave to complete another film. The movie was shown in 3D, but many smaller theaters showed it in the traditional format. The story takes place in 1870 when the Army invalidates a treaty obligation that leads to a conflict with the Apache Nation. Hondo Lane played by John Wayne is a dispatch rider and scout for the Army who arrives at the remote Arizona homestead of...

Robert Siodmak had a long career making films in Germany during the Weimar Republic (1919-1933) before fleeing to France in 1933. He then left for the United States in 1940 when France fell to Germany. "The Spiral Staircase" 1946 is a showcase of his talents in directing this gothic horror tale of a serial killer who targets vulnerable women in a Vermont town. The cast in this suspenseful movie includes Dorothy McGuire as Helen the woman unable to speak, George Brent as Professor Warren a...

"Paths of Glory" 1957 is a World War I drama that somewhat reflects the Souain Corporals affair a true story of four French soldiers executed in 1915 for failure to follow orders. The soldiers were exonerated posthumously in 1934. Director Stanley Kubrick shows the nightmarish horror of trench warfare, brutal treatment of soldiers, and ultimately the corrupt leadership that leads to killing three soldiers. Kirk Douglas is Colonel Dax regimental commanding officer caught in the grinding...

"Crossfire" 1947 deals with anti-Semitism and murder. Director Edward Dmytryk creates a masterful movie taking us to a place where hatred, fear, and ignorance culminate in the senseless beating death of Joseph Samuels a decorated veteran played by Sam Levene. The film is based on Richard Brooks's 1945 novel The Brick Foxhole. Robert Young is Police Captain Finlay who uncovers the true reason for Mr. Levene's murder. Robert Ryan as "Monty" Montgomery delivers a frightening performance leaving...

"Touch of Evil" 1958 and 1998 Director's cut is based on the 1956 novel Badge of Evil. Orson Welles directed the movie, rewrote parts of the script, and played Hank Quinlan the corrupt and double-crossing Police Captain from Los Robles a U.S. border town. Car bomb deaths, drug smuggling, racial tensions, kidnapping, and the ultimate betrayal of a longtime friendship are woven into this mesmerizing tale as only Welles could tell it. Charlton Heston is Ramon Vargas high-ranking member of...