This time of year, it seems like everybody’s trying to make you spend your money. Pre-holiday this, Black Friday that, spend the night at Walmart to save five bucks on a ten-dollar toaster. It’s pretty disgusting.
That said, I really think you should take advantage of VCI’s annual Holiday Sale.
As an example, you can get Silver Lode (1954), one of my favorite 50s Westerns, for just $2.40. If you haven’t seen this film, please go get one.
VCI boasts a number of cool 50s cowboy pictures, along with more Allan Dwan stuff (Slightly Scarlet, etc.), their Forgotten Noir series and tons of cool British films (ever seen Genevieve?). Good stuff.
Thanks for the heads up and the recommendations. I’ve actually wanted to Silver Lode for quite a few years now—I love Dan Duryea.
It’s a cool film with a great cast: Payne, Duryea, Harry Carey, jr., Stuart Whitman, Alan Hale, Jr., Morris Ankrum. I’m not a big Lizabeth Scot fan, however.
If you haven’t seen much of Allan Dwan’s 50s work, you can pick up a lot of it during this sale — Slightly Scarlet is not to be missed.
Thanks for mentioning that extra title! I’ve never heard of Slightly Scarlet. Got lots of Western movie watching to do this week, and half of them are thanks to you!
Some very good stuff–terrific Lippert. Wish they’d do more Westerns.
If I didn’t already have a lot of this stuff, I’d go nuts.
For the record, the seven Allan Dwan/Benedict Bogeaus movies 1954-1956 all Technicolor on which John Alton was cinematographer and Van Nest Polglase was art director (didn’t look to see if VCI has put all of these out but seems like they would):
Silver Lode, Cattle Queen of Montana, Passion,
Pearl of the South Pacific, Escape to Burma, Tennessee’s Partner
Slightly Scarlet
Like a lot of movies of the period kind of intended for double features and matinees, there is a lot of beauty to be found in that group. I’m with Toby on Silver Lode, which is especially strong, but Tennessee’s Partner is almost as good. Slightly Scarlet is a relatively rare example of true Technicolor film noir and coming along pretty late for that too–even if this James M. Cain adaptation (it’s from Love’s Lovely Counterfeit) were a less striking movie than it is, I trust that I’m not alone in feeling that Arlene Dahl and Rhonda Fleming in the same movie is just too good to miss.
Thank you so much for mentioning Tennessee’s Partner, Blake! I didn’t even finish watching the theatrical trailer—I knew I had to have it. Ordered that one along with Slightly Scarlet and Silver Lode. Thanks, gents!
Man, you’ve got a great weekend in your future.
Tennessee’s Partner is quite good. Its cinematography and art direction is the best of the bunch, I think. I’m so happy VCI got around to a widescreen version of it. It makes all the difference.
SLIGHTLY SCARLET is amazing. One minute we are in Ross Hunter
Land, with gorgeous redheads in skimpy outfits parading around in
lavish apartments.The next moment we are plunged into “Noirland”
where brutal thug Solly Caspar (Ted de Corsia) holds court over his
empire always in total darkness.
Arlene plays an alcoholic kleptomaniac nymphomaniac;whats not to like!
Dwan had a lot of trouble with the censor on this one.
The censored scene where Arlene waits for her lover (Payne) on the
couch but Ted turns up instead is intact in the VCI edition.
To me Payne is the unheralded king of Film Noir just look at his track
record: LARCENY,THE CROOKED WAY,KANSAS CITY CONFIDENTIAL,
99 RIVER STREET,HELLS ISLAND,HIDDEN FEAR.
Slightly Scarlet is one of my favorite noirs, which is really saying something since there are so many great ones.
Allan Dwan, and this batch of films, made me a John Payne fan.
As we are on an Allan Dwan kick has anyone seen his last film
MOST DANGEROUS MAN ALIVE;which according to imdb was the last
Benedict Bogeaus production.
This was a rare foray into sci-fi for Dwan and I have never been able
to track a copy down.I wonder who now owns the rights.
In any case its pretty near the top of my most wanted list.
I’ve seen THE MOST DANGEROUS MAN ALIVE–used to play on TV and it’s very good. Really, Dwan was usually good–he forgot more about making movies than most directors ever learn.
If memory serves, Bogeaus also produced Dwan’s ENCHANTED ISLAND from Herman Melville’s TYPEE, which was maybe even better (but I haven’t seen this in years), though these two were made later after that group on which Dwan had John Alton.
Another John Payne fan here. Along with Dwan, Phil Karlson especially seemed to value him and made three of the titles John cited, which include at least one of my favorite Karlsons 99 RIVER STREET.
Thanks for making me aware of the sale, Toby! And to Blake for discussing some of the films available. Just ordered a few things including PASSION for my Yvonne DeCarlo collection and TROUBLE IN THE SKY, an aviation drama with a great cast including George Sanders. More good viewing ahead!
Happy Thanksgiving,
Laura
Laura,
Thank you for highlighting Lesley Selanders COW COUNTRY on your
blog some time back. (Toby,sorry to go off subject…….yet again!)
The scene where Peggie Castle (one of my fave B actresses) tears
Robert Lowery to shreads with her whip was pretty heavy stuff for its time.
Selander frames Peggie in a series of close ups and I have never seen
an actress handle a whip that well in a movie……..ever!
In the early stages I remember thinking Peggie seems a bit wimpy for
a heroine in a Selander movie;was I ever wrong!
Lowery plays a total rotter and bears the scars throughout the rest of
the film.The film is a lot of fun. I always thought Selanders films became
more violent around about the time of SHOTGUN but having caught some
of his earlier stuff I realise how wrong I was.
The fight between Rod Cameron and Jeff York in SHORT GRASS is just
about the most brutal I have seen in a Western. They were a well matched
twosome;both very tall with York an ex-boxer to boot.
Also caught Selanders THE HIGHWAYMAN recently and its fun to see
him do a Swashbuckler.Again quiet violent with torture scenes involving
hot irons.The film does follow the tragic tone of the classic poem;’but
is quiet romantic too.Likeable Phillip Friend should have been a much
bigger star than he was;he seemed to fall into B movie hell when he returned
to England after several films in America.
Hi John! Thanks much for your feedback on COW COUNTRY. Really liked that one and glad to know you enjoyed it too. Castle just about steals that movie.
Saw SHOTGUN for the first time last year — love the cast but I remember being quite disconcerted by some of the violence. Poor Zachary Scott! That film is part of VCI’s Darn Good Westerns Vol. 2, to be on topic!
I’m trying to catch up with more of Rod Cameron’s films so I’ll keep my eyes open for SHORT GRASS. Cameron is in a Selander film in VCI’s Darn Good Westerns Vol. 1, PANHANDLE, which I need to watch. That set also has OPERATION HAYLIFT, a little Bill Williams-Ann Rutherford docudrama I thoroughly enjoyed.
I think the only thing I’ve seen Philip Friend in is the most enjoyable BUCCANEER’S GIRL w/Yvonne DeCarlo. Glad to know a bit more about his career. I see THE HIGHWAYMAN costars Wanda Hendrix who’s turned up in some of my recent viewing.
Best wishes,
Laura
Hi again Laura,
Two Rod Cameron/Lesley Selander films to watch out for are BELLE
STARRS DAUGHTER and DAKOTA LIL.
BELLE STARRS DAUGHTER is excellent with George Montgomerys stern
rather unlikable lawman pitted against Camerons charming but ruthless
outlaw.DAKOTA LIL I have yet to source a decent copy of,and I believe
Cameron is again the bad guy.
Cameron is an actor I have come to appreciate more and more these days.
Always been a huge Montgomery fan and wish he had made more films
with Selander.
Phillip Friend made a couple of films with George Sherman while in
America;the excellent SWORD IN THE DESERT and SPY HUNT.
Sherman used him agaih in the British made SON OF ROBIN HOOD.
He is most amusing as a villian who has lost the taste for violence.
Sadly the recent Fox MOD is pan and scan.
A low point in Mr Friends career was the dreadful horror film THE VULTURE
also a (very) low point in the careers of Robert Hutton,Broderick Crawford
and Akim Tamiroff.
His son Martyn is one of the UKs top television directors.
Blake,if you are still out there;all roads seem to lead back to George Sherman;
caught TARGET UNKNOWN…………really excellent. I do not normally
like war films but this one was unusual and gripping. Am I the only Mark
Stevens fan out there.
Hi Again Laura,
My last reply seems to have vanished possibly because I think I mis-spelt
my name!
Two other Rod Cameron/Lesley Selander films to watch out for are
BELLE STARRS DAUGHTER and DAKOTA LIL.
BELLE STARRS DAUGHTER is excellent with George Montgomerys stern
unlikeable lawman pitted against Rod Camerons charming but ruthless
outlaw.I have yet to source a decent copy of DAKOTA LIL and I understand
Cameron again plays the bad guy.
Cameron is an actor I have become to admire more and more these days;
always been a huge Montgomery fan.
I wish Montgomery and Selander had made more films together.
Phillip Friend while in America made two films with George Sherman
the excellent SWORD IN THE DESERT and SPY HUNT.
Sherman also used him in the British made SON OF ROBIN HOOD.
Friend is most amusing as a villian who has lost the taste for violence.
A low point in Mr.Friends career was the truly dreadful horror flick THE
VULTURE also a (very) low point in the careers of Robert Hutton,
Broderick Crawford and Akim Tamiroff.
Friends son Martyn is one of the UKs top TV directors.
Blake,if you are still out there; all roads seem to lead back to George
Sherman.Caught up with TARGET UNKNOWN……….really top-notch.
I do not normally go for war movies (unless directed by Walsh or Fuller)
but found this one different and packed with tension.Am I the only
Mark Stevens fan out there?
Getting back on topic……..well sort of;Blake mentioned ENCHANTED
ISLAND and I remember seeing it in the early Sixties on a double bill
with FROM THE EARTH TO THE MOON. On the huge screen at the Notting
Hill Gaumont. ENCHANTED ISLAND looked great..lovely color cannot remember too much else. Both films were Bogeaus productions I think
from the last gasp days of RKO but later picked up by Warners.
Another oddball Bogeaus/Byron Haskin picture was JET OVER THE
ATLANTIC;again I believe this may have been an old RKO project
held back from release for several years. I wonder if Warner Artchive own
ENCHANTED ISLAND;would really like to see it again.
I must say I enjoy the feedback from other people and pick up lots
of things for my wish list from this blog……thanks again Toby!
I am taking notes, John! Thanks so much for these great leads. Those Cameron titles sound interesting and ENCHANTED ISLAND and JET OVER THE ATLANTIC would both be right up my alley — for the cast of the former and the aviation theme of the second. (Speaking of Jane Powell, Broderick Crawford, and an aviation theme, I’m currently halfway through MAYDAY AT 40,000 FEET! She endures surgery while he suffers heart attack symptoms and gets shot. It’s kind of a kick though, in a ’70s AIRPORT kitsch kind of way…)
I like Mark Stevens — FROM THIS DAY FORWARD with Joan Fontaine, Harry Morgan, and Rosemary DeCamp is a really wonderful post-WWII readjustment drama he starred in. It’s a shame it’s so hard to find; since it’s from RKO I hope it will turn up on TCM or in the Warner Archive one day.
I also loved the Stevens noir/crime titles THE DARK CORNER and BETWEEN MIDNIGHT AND DAWN. Have seen most of JACK SLADE where his relationship with Dorothy Malone was strikingly…feral? It was something, that’s for sure! A talented man, who could also sing.
Best wishes,
Laura
Laura, many thanks for your feedback on Mark Stevens.
Someone is sending me a copy of LITTLE EGYPT which I am really looking
forward to. Apart from Stevens,film also stars Rhonda Fleming;another
actress I really like.
JACK SLADE is excellent but very violent for its time;Dorothy Malone
is fine as the woman who prefers the violent Slade to the more stable
(boring?) Paul Langton character;a decision she comes to regret.
Stevens Noir CRY VENGEANCE is again excellent but very grim and
violent.Olive Films have it on their list of films to release to DVD.
The film is a must for Don Siegal/Sam Fuller fans.
Skip Homier is outstanding as a psycho sadist hitman.
Joan Vohs equally fine as his alcoholic girlfriend.
Caught BETWEEN MIDNIGHT AND DAWN really excellent;Donald Buka
brilliant as a gangster.No grey shadings here honest,decent straight-
arrow cops clearing out the citys scum!
Very little of Mark Stevens on DVD so far!
Had more thoughts on THE HIGHWAYMAN and SON OF ROBIN HOOD.
Both films feature the aforementioned Philip Friend.Both were directed
by men more known for their Westerns;both having evolved from years
making B series Westerns.Both films feature torture by hot irons!
THE HIGHWAYMAN is darker,more Gothic; film is exceptionally well-lit.
SON OF ROBIN HOOD is more of a parody but is great fun.
In THE HIGHWAYMAN Selanders many years making B Westerns serve
him well in the films many chase scenes.
Its interesting how both directors handle the torture chamber scene.
Shermans version is far more stylish,he even brings humor into the mix
where Friend explains he no longer has the taste for this sort of thing.
Selander on the other hand goes for broke he is only interested in how
much he can get past the censor!
His scene is graphic and sadistic made all the more so by the fact that the
“victim” is frail Cecil Kellaway.
I like both films a lot;sadly the recent Fox MOD of SON OF ROBIN
HOOD is pan & scan.I do hope Warner Archive release THE
HIGHWAYMAN as I would love an upgrade.
I am breaking this down into sections as I have had marathon threads
vanish in the past.In this last installment I will concentrate on George
Sherman vs Lesley Selander regarding violence in their films.
One can view virtually any Sherman film from the Forties and Fifties
and know they are not going to be overly violent.
As I have stated before Sherman is more interested in emotional
violence as opposed to physical.
A perfect example is the excellent THE HARD MAN where Guy Madison
“breaks” nasty bully boy gunslinger Rudy Bond. Mind games in a gunfight…
thats what we get here.Only in later films like the splendid HELL BENT
FOR LEATHER (1960) did Sherman have to confirm to the ongoing
trend of Westerns becoming more violent. By the time Sherman made
his final film BIG JAKE the whole landscape had changed.
With Selander there was always a sadistic element creeping into his
films here and there. The brutal fist fight in SHORT GRASS,Peggie
Castle and her whip in COW COUNTRY and as Laura noted the very
sadistic scene where Zachary Scott is impailed to a tree by an arrow in
SHOTGUN.Not to mention the rawhide and rattlesnake scene with Bob
Wilke in the same film.
The fight in SHORT GRASS is worth mentioning as it is audience
manipulation at its finest.Nasty Jeff York not content with razing a womans
home to the ground;he has also physically abused the poor woman.
This is thankfully shown off-screen.The woman in question is not Cathy
Downs your typical Selander heroine,strident and a crack shot to boot!
The abused woman is older, meeker, less able to defend herself.
Rod Cameron notices the woman is bleeding at the mouth and hes not
having any of it. The buckboard is turned back. In the fight that follows
Cameron tears York to pieces;York however does get in a few of his own
licks.The fight is brilliantly filmed,the audience is left stunned.
They are a well matched duo both Cameron and York clocked in at
6ft 4 and York was an ex boxer to boot.
Mr York later cleaned up his act and became a regular in Disney
productions both in movies and TV.
A Warner Archive release of SHORT GRASS is a must!
You’ve been busy, John! Thanks for sharing all these excellent thoughts.
A big difference I see in Sherman and Selander’s films — and they’re two of my favorites — is in how they pace their films. Pace seem to be a major concern with Selander, and his pictures really move. It’s a fast, steady clip that rarely, if ever, lets up.
Sherman, and I’m thinking of The Lone Hand here, varies the pace as the film goes along. He takes his time when a dialogue scene needs it, or lets us rest on a beautiful landscape to really take it in. This lets us better connect with the characters, so we’re more invested when the action and violence kick in!
Thanks Toby;sometimes I feel guilty that I am taking over your blog;its
just that I love putting my thoughts down about people like Sherman and
Selander who as far as I can see do not get too much written about them
apart from here of course.
Very good point about how these guys paced their films.
I wonder what Selander was like to work with;I seem to recall somewhere
that he had a loaded pistol on set sometimes;dont know how true that
is.It would be so cool if somehow you could contact Coleen Gray;she
worked with Selander on the fine ARROW IN THE DUST.
Coleen has so many potential great stories about working with Hawks,
Karlson,Dwan ,Sherman,Kubrick plus studios like Fox and Universal
and of course Regalscope.