81% (2) Men in War 102 min, Approved, [Action, Drama, War] [Anthony Mann] [15 Apr 1957]Ratings & Reviews: IMDb Reviews: 73%, Rotten Tomatoes: 89%, External Reviews
Awards: 1 nomination.
Actors: Aldo Ray, Phillip Pine, Robert Keith, Robert Ryan
Writer: Philip Yordan (screenplay), Ben Maddow (screenplay), Van Van Praag (novel)
External Links: Rotten Tomatoes IMDb Language: English Country: USA
Plot: In Korea, on 6 September 1950, Lieutenant Benson's platoon finds itself isolated in enemy-held territory after a retreat. Soon they are joined by Sergeant Montana, whose overriding concern is caring for his catatonic colonel. Benson and Montana can't stand each other, but together they must get the survivors to Hill 465, where they hope the division is waiting. It's a long, harrowing march, fraught with all the dangers the elusive enemy can summon. Who will survive?
Rotten Tomatoes: Anthony Mann, best known for his intelligent Westerns and hard-boiled crime films, directed this unflinching look at the realities of war set against the backdrop of the Korean conflict. Lt. Mark Benson (Robert Ryan) is the leader of a platoon that has just been given orders to advance to Hill 465, where they are to join awaiting troops and advance on the territory. While Benson and his men are weary, they have little choice but to comply. Needing a transport for their weapons, Benson and his men commandeer a truck, only to discover that it's not empty -- Sgt. "Montana" Williamette (Aldo Ray) has been ordered to escort a colonel (Robert Keith) suffering from extreme battle fatigue to a field hospital for examination and treatment. While Benson's loyalty is to his troops and his mission, Montana refuses to turn over the truck; the colonel is one of the only men he's been able to rely on during his stretch in the Army, and he is determined to stand by him in his time of need. Either way, the men find themselves frequently confronted by danger, and their numbers are decimated when they're ambushed by enemy troops. The supporting cast includes L.Q. Jones, Nehemiah Persoff, and Vic Morrow, who five years later would confront the dark side of war on a weekly basis as star of the TV series Combat. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi
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78% (2) The Lineup 86 min, Approved, [Crime, Drama, Film-Noir] [Don Siegel] [11 Jun 1958]Ratings & Reviews: IMDb Reviews: 74%, Rotten Tomatoes: 83%, External Reviews
Awards: 1 nomination.
Actors: Eli Wallach, Mary LaRoche, Richard Jaeckel, Robert Keith
Writer: Stirling Silliphant
External Links: Wikipedia Rotten Tomatoes IMDb Language: English Country: USA
Plot: In San Francisco, two police inspectors are on the case when a rogue taxi driver, with the help of a rogue porter, manages to steal the suitcase of an antiques collector before running down a cop, whose dying gesture is to shoot the cabbie dead. The inspectors discover that a statuette in the suitcase contains heroin. Meanwhile, a psychopathic gangster, his malignant mentor and their dipsomaniac driver have the job of picking up the other heroin shipments, hidden in the luggage of unsuspecting travelers. All goes well until they attempt to retrieve the heroin stuffed in a Japanese doll. A little girl and her lovely young mother have the doll, but when the crooks take possession of it, they find that the heroin has mysteriously vanished.
Rotten Tomatoes: A steamship docks in San Francisco, and as one of the passengers, Philip Dressler (Raymond Bailey), is waiting for a cab after clearing customs, a baggage handler suddenly grabs one of his cases and throws it into a taxi, which takes off. In the ensuing getaway, a police officer is killed, but not before he gets off a shot that takes the fleeing cab driver's life. What Lieutenant Ben Guthrie (Warner Anderson) and Inspector Al Quine (Emile G. Meyer) can't figure out is why two men are suddenly dead within a matter of seconds, all for a seemingly inexplicable baggage snatch. The truth begins to come out when an examination reveals that a small ornamental statue in Dressler's case is loaded with half a million dollars in pure heroin. Then the bodies start turning up -- beginning with a baggage handler at the docks. Guthrie and Quine uncover a plan by a drug syndicate to use innocent, unsuspecting tourists visiting the Far East as unknowing drug couriers -- and now that the original method of retrieval at the docks has unraveled, thanks to the wheelman being an addict who got himself killed, another method is improvised. Enter a pair of hitmen from out of town, Dancer (Eli Wallach), a soft-spoken psychopath with a perfect memory and not a trace of conscience, and his philosophical mentor and "handler," Julian (Robert Keith). Taken around San Francisco by their mob-employed driver, Sandy McLain (Richard Jaeckel), a juicehead who's not quite as good a wheelman as he thinks he is, the hitmen start collecting the latest shipment of heroin from three new arrivals: a ship's crew member who knows too much for his own good, a wealthy husband and wife, and a woman and her young daughter. They calmly go about their business, Dancer and his silenced pistol taking care of any "problems" while Julian runs interference and discusses issues of grammar and speech with him, and adds to his collection of "last words" from Dancer's victims -- until the last shipment turns up missing. It seems the little girl (Cheryl Callaway) found the bag of white powder hidden on the doll her mother bought her, and used it to powder the doll's face....Now Dancer and Julian have to disrupt the planned drop to "The Man" (Vaughn Taylor) to explain the short count, and to do that they have to keep the little girl and her mother (Mary Laroche) alive, at least long enough to tell their story. Meanwhile, Guthrie and Quine keep getting closer, following the trail of bodies and putting together a description of the two killers. But can they find them before the kidnapped mother and daughter join the other victims?
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77% (2) Woman on the Run 77 min, Not Rated, [Crime, Drama, Film-Noir, Thriller] [Norman Foster] [04 Feb 1951]Ratings & Reviews: IMDb Reviews: 74%, Rotten Tomatoes: 80%, External Reviews
Actors: Ann Sheridan, Dennis O'Keefe, John Qualen, Robert Keith
Writer: Alan Campbell (screenplay), Norman Foster (screenplay), Sylvia Tate (original story)
External Links: Rotten Tomatoes IMDb Language: English Country: USA
Plot: Frank Johnson (Ross Elliott), sole witness to a gangland murder, goes into hiding and is trailed by Police Inspector Ferris (Robert Keith), on the theory that Frank is trying to escape from possible retaliation. Frank's wife, Eleanor (Ann Sheridan), suspects he is actually running away from their unsuccessful marriage. Aided by a newspaperman, Danny Leggett (Dennis O'Keefe), Eleanor sets out to locate her husband. The killer is also looking for him, and keeps close tabs on Eleanor.
Rotten Tomatoes: Though it is Ross Elliot who witnesses a gangland rubout in Woman on the Run, the film is told from the point of view of Elliot's wife, played by Anne Sheridan. When Elliot goes into hiding, the police approach Sheridan and ask her aid in locating her husband. She is reluctant at first, since hers is a marriage in name only, but her conscience is aroused when she learns that Elliot is suffering from a potentially fatal heart ailment. Reporter Dennis O'Keefe offers to go along with Anne in her search for Elliot. He's a real friendly reporter. Real, real friendly, and helpful, too. So guess who the "hit man" hired to by the mob to kill Elliot turns out to be?
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75% (2) The Wild One 79 min, Not Rated, [Drama] [Laslo Benedek] [01 Feb 1954]Ratings & Reviews: IMDb Reviews: 69%, Rotten Tomatoes: 81%, External Reviews
Actors: Lee Marvin, Marlon Brando, Mary Murphy, Robert Keith
Writer: John Paxton (screenplay), Frank Rooney (based on a story by)
External Links: Rotten Tomatoes IMDb Language: English Country: USA
Plot: Cop-hating Johnny Strabler is recounting the fateful events that led up to the "whole mess" as he calls it, his role in the mess and whether he could have stopped it from happening. The Black Rebels, a motorcycle gang of which Johnny is the leader, cause a ruckus using intimidation wherever they go, with their actions bordering on the unlawful. On the day of the mess, they invade a motorcycle racing event, at which they cause a general disturbance culminating with one of the gang members stealing a second place trophy to give to Johnny. Despite not being the larger winning trophy, it symbolizes to Johnny his leadership within the group. Their next stop is a small town where their disturbance and intimidation tactics continue. Some in town don't mind their arrival as long as they spend money. Harry Bleeker, the local sheriff, doesn't much like them but is so ineffective and weak that he doesn't do anything to stop them, much to the annoyance of some of the other townsfolk, who see the gang as being a criminal element not to be tolerated. Johnny is attracted to the innocent Kathie Bleeker, the waitress at the local café, who is initially intimidated by Johnny and the gang. His feelings change when he learns she is Sheriff Bleeker's daughter. The actions of the gang escalates when the Beetles, a splinter group of the Black Rebels, arrive in town. As things start to get out of hand between the gangs, some of the townsfolk, such as Charlie Thomas who is in his own right a bully albeit one of the "establishment", decide to take matters into their own hands. But Kathie may make Johnny change his beliefs, especially about what is happening this day in the town.
Rotten Tomatoes: Johnny and his vicious biker gang invade a small, sleepy 1950s California town. The leather-jacketed young biker seems hell-bent for destruction until he falls for Kathie, a good girl whose father happens to be a cop. Unfortunately for Johnny, his one shot at redemption is threatened by a psychotic rival, Chino, plus the hostility and prejudice of the townspeople. All their smoldering passions explode in an electrifying climax!
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69% (2) Love Me or Leave Me 122 min, Passed, [Biography, Drama, Music, Romance] [Charles Vidor] [10 Jun 1955]Ratings & Reviews: IMDb Reviews: 72%, Rotten Tomatoes: 67%, External Reviews
Awards: Won 1 Oscar. Another 1 win & 6 nominations.
Actors: Cameron Mitchell, Doris Day, James Cagney, Robert Keith
Writer: Daniel Fuchs (screenplay), Isobel Lennart (screenplay), Daniel Fuchs (story)
External Links: Wikipedia Rotten Tomatoes IMDb Language: English Country: USA
Plot: In 1920's Chicago, Ruth Etting wants to be a renowned singer, which is a far step away from her current work as a taxi dancer. Upon walking into the dance hall and seeing her, Chicago gangster Marty Snyder immediately falls for Ruth, and works toward being her lover, which he believes he can achieve by opening up singing opportunities for her. Ruth is initially wary of Marty, but makes it clear that she is not interested in him in a romantic sense. Regardless, he does help her professionally, and through his opportunities, which are achieved through intimidation and fear, Ruth does quickly start to gain a name as a singer, which she is able to do because of her talent and despite Marty's intimidation tactics. However, the greater her success, the more reliant she becomes on him. This becomes an issue in their relationship as she believes he can take her only so far before he becomes a liability, however he will never let her go that easily. The one person who tried and tries to get Ruth away from her unhappy life with Marty is Johnny Alderman, the musical advisor Marty hired for Ruth at the first gig he got for her, and who also loves Ruth himself.
Rotten Tomatoes: This film tells the true story of 1930s torch-singer Ruth Etting, here played by Doris Day. While working in a dime-a-dance joint, Ruth is discovered by Chicago racketeer Martin "The Gimp" Snyder. The smitten Snyder exerts pressure on his show-biz connections, and before long Ruth is a star.
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65% (1) Edge of Doom 99 min, [Drama, Film-Noir] [Mark Robson] [03 Aug 1950]Ratings & Reviews: IMDb Reviews: 65%, External Reviews
Awards: 1 win.
Actors: Dana Andrews, Farley Granger, Joan Evans, Robert Keith
Writer: Leo Brady (novel), Philip Yordan
External Links: Wikipedia Rotten Tomatoes IMDb Language: English Country: USA
Plot: A poor and alienated young man (Farley Granger) who is driven to murder when a priest refuses to give is deceased mother an expensive funeral. The film explores the crippling poverty that has prevented the youth from marrying or providing his mother with enough comforts, and has led to his crime. Dana Andrews plays the compassionate assistant of the slain priest who brings about the tormented killer's repentance.
Rotten Tomatoes: This film stars Farley Granger as a sensitive young man trapped in an impoverished slum existence. Granger becomes unhinged after his beloved mother dies. When an unfeeling elderly priest refuses to provide the woman with a lavish funeral, Granger savagely kills the man.
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65% (1) Drum Beat 111 min, [Adventure, Western] [Delmer Daves] [08 Apr 1955]Ratings & Reviews: IMDb Reviews: 65%, External Reviews
Actors: Alan Ladd, Audrey Dalton, Marisa Pavan, Robert Keith
Writer: Delmer Daves (screenplay), Delmer Daves (story)
External Links: Rotten Tomatoes IMDb Language: English Country: USA
Plot: President Grant orders Indian fighter MacKay to negotiate with the Modocs of northern California and southern Oregon. On the way he must escort Nancy Meek to the home of her aunt and uncle. After Modoc renegade Captain Jack engages in ambush and other atrocities, MacKay must fight him one-on-one with guns, knives and fists.
Rotten Tomatoes: Though heavily advertised as Delmar Daves' Drum Beat, this film owed its existence to producer-star Alan Ladd. The star is cast as a veteran Indian fighter Johnny MacKay, who because of his close relationship with the Medoc tribe is sent out to negotiate a peace treaty. Once he has arrived in Medoc territory, Johnny (Ladd) must contend with the misspent emotions of his childhood sweetheart Toby (Marisa Pavan), the sister of Indian chief Manok (Anthony Caruso). Jealous over Johnny's relationship with pretty Nancy Meek (Audrey Dalton), Toby has cast her lot with renegade warrior Captain Jack (Charles Bronson), who honors no treaties. Though the film has a Native American villain, Drum Beat is largely sympathetic to the plight of the Indian. Based on a true story, the film is distinguished by J. Peverell Marley's breathtaking exterior photography, and by Victor Young's ballad-like musical score.
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