Tonight's Movie: The Shining Hour (1938) - A Warner Archive Blu-ray Review

The MGM melodrama THE SHINING HOUR (1938), directed by Frank Borzage, was just released on Blu-ray by the Warner Archive Collection.

This film, scripted by Jane Murfin and Ogden Nash from a 1934 play by Keith Winter, is frankly overcooked and silly...and yet, it's 76 highly watchable minutes.

I first saw the movie in 2010 and was curious what I'd think returning to it after 14 years. I landed in pretty much the same place: Joan Crawford is engaging, and Margaret Sullavan and Melvyn Douglas are sympathetic, while Robert Young and Fay Bainter play absolute rats.

That said, the movie is over and done very quickly, and it's such a marvelous exemplar of MGM glamour, from the Adrian costumes to the Franz Waxman score to the shimmering black and white cinematography of George Folsey, that it really begs to be seen by fans of the cast and the era.

Crawford plays a glamorous New York nightclub dancer who agrees to marry Henry Linden (Douglas), a gentleman farmer from Wisconsin. She doesn't love Henry but she's very fond of him and wants to get married and live a quieter life.  Little does she know...

While Henry's sister-in-law Judy (Sullavan) welcomes Olivia to the family home, his sister Hannah (Bainter) and brother David (Young) are anything but pleasant. David's feelings eventually change from hate to attraction, to Judy's dismay, but Hannah's behavior grows worse and worse.

It's strongly implied that Hannah's attachment to her brothers is what might be termed "unnatural," and she causes no end of trouble. She's tolerated David's marriage to Judy, the local girl he grew up with, but she's determined to devastate Henry's relationship with Olivia for no logical reason whatsoever.

As I noted in my original 2010 review, it's rather amazing that the movie ends with Hannah pouring coffee rather than being taken to jail or a psychiatric hospital, as she's really that disturbed!

Crawford, on the other hand, is at her most "movie star appealing" in this; indeed, it's one of the films which changed my feelings about her from dislike to admiration. Despite my dissatisfaction with much of the plot, the film is worth seeing for her and the previously mentioned MGM glamour.

The supporting cast includes Allyn Joslyn, Hattie McDaniel, Charles Coleman, Frank Puglia, Frank Albertson, Granville Bates, George Chandler, and Bess Flowers, spotted as a nurse near the end of the movie.

This film was previously released by the Warner Archive Collection on DVD.  The new Blu-ray print is a 2024 1080p HD master from a 4K scan of the best preservations elements available. It looks very good.

Extras consist of the trailer; a radio program, GOOD NEWS OF 1939; and the cartoons PORKY'S FIVE AND TEN (1937), LOVE AND CURSES (1938) and THE SNEEZING WEASEL (1938).

Thanks to the Warner Archive for providing a review copy of this Blu-ray. Warner Archive Blu-rays may be ordered from Movie Zyng, Amazon, and other online retailers.

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...is taking this weekend off.

The column will return next Saturday, July 6th.

In the meantime, be sure to check out the Criterion Collection summer sale!

For recent links of interest to classic film fans, please visit my June 22nd column.

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Criterion Half-Price Summer Sale at Barnes & Noble

The annual Criterion Collection half-price sale at Barnes & Noble begins Friday, June 28th.

The B&N website says the sale will run through July 28th.

Enjoy shopping in this year's sale!

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Tonight's TV: Columbo (1974): "Publish or Perish," "Mind Over Mayhem" - A Kino Lorber Blu-ray Review

I think Season 3 of COLUMBO, available on Blu-ray from Kino Lorber, might be the overall strongest season to this point.

"Publish or Perish," written by Peter S. Fischer and directed by TV great Robert Butler, was absolutely tremendous fun.

Jack Cassidy, the villain from the early episode "Murder By the Book," returns as a publisher who murders a famous writer planning to leave for another publishing company. Deliciously, the murdered author is played by Mickey Spillane!

The author's agent is played by Mariette Hartley, who wears a very "mod"-looking red hat in a lunch scene at Chasen's.

The episode was very well plotted and had one of the best "gotcha" climaxes I've yet seen. I really enjoyed it, start to finish.

The supporting cast included Jacques Aubuchon and Gregory Sierra.

Like the next episode, this was filmed by William Cronjager.

I also really enjoyed "Mind Over Mayhem," though it had its silly aspects, including a murder scheme which involved Robby the Robot (or a reasonable facsimile thereof).

The episode was cowritten by Steven Bochco, Dean Hargrove, and Roland Kibbee, with a terrific cast including Jose Ferrer, Jessica Walter, Robert Walker Jr., and Lew Ayres.

I particularly liked that Ferrer, as the murderer, shows less obvious impatience with Columbo, at least much of the time; he's more subtle than some of the more flamboyant murderers Columbo tangles with, and their final scene sharing cigars reminded me of the ending of "Any Old Port in a Storm."

Walter brings a nice edginess to her role as the murder victim's much younger wife, and the odd-looking Walker fits right in to the crazy story, which was directed by actor-director Alf Kjellin.

The final Season 3 episodes promise to be just as interesting, with Ida Lupino and Johnny Cash in one and the marvelous Richard Kiley in the other.

This set has brought me great pleasure since I began watching a few months ago. A new set is coming from Kino Lorber next month, Columbo: The Return.

Previous COLUMBO review posts: "Murder By the Book" (1971), "Death Lends a Hand" (1971), "Dead Weight" (1971), "Suitable for Framing" (1971), "Lady in Waiting" (1971), "Short Fuse" (1972), "Blueprint for Murder" (1972), "Etude in Black" (1972), "The Greenhouse Jungle" (1972), "The Most Crucial Game" (1972), "Dagger of the Mind" (1972), "Requiem for a Falling Star" (1973), "A Stitch in Crime" (1973), "The Most Dangerous Match" (1973), "Double Shock" (1973), "Lovely But Lethal" (1973), "Any Old Port in a Storm" (1973), "Candidate for Crime" (1973), "Double Exposure" (1973).

Thanks to Kino Lorber for providing a review copy of this Blu-ray set.

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Tonight's Movie: Man's Castle (1933) - A Sony Blu-ray Review

I've wanted to see MAN'S CASTLE (1933) for many years, inasmuch as Loretta Young is my favorite actress.

I've held off watching its showings on Turner Classic Movies, as I had read that the version long available was edited.

I've hoped to one day see the original "pre-Code" version, and that dream has now come true thanks to Sony releasing a Blu-ray with the film restored to its full length of 79 minutes. Previous versions ran around 66 minutes and were not only edited but changed the storyline.

It's possible that this version is even slightly longer than the original theatrical release; rather than "reinvent the wheel," I'd like to direct my readers to Glenn Erickson's very interesting explanation of how the restoration was cobbled together from three different prints which were censored in differing ways.

MAN'S CASTLE stars a luminous 20-year-old Young as Trina, a homeless young woman taken in by Bill (Spencer Tracy) to share a Depression-era shantytown shack.

Bill is verbally abusive, although to some extent his gruff exterior and unpleasant words bely a softer interior. His inner sentiments are demonstrated not only by taking Trina in but by unexpected gestures such as buying her the stove of her dreams.

Still, Trina puts up with a lot from Bill, persevering in her growing love for him despite all discouragements...but will a baby prove to be the end of the line for the ostensibly freedom-loving Bill?

For me this film was all about Young and the always-magical romanticism of director Frank Borzage (HISTORY IS MADE AT NIGHT). In conjunction with Young, Borzage manages to suffuse the film with a lovely, hopeful tone, which is rather remarkable given that Tracy's Bill is such a lout.

Young is sometimes filmed by cinematographer Joseph August through a hazy lens, but one can't help feeling that really wasn't necessary. Young simply glows as the determined, loving Trina, who in taking on a relationship with Bill is perhaps braver (or more foolish?) than she at first appears.

Trina gradually transforms their humble living space into a real, warm home. Bill itches to be free, but keeps returning to the comforts Trina offers. Time and again Trina puts aside her own needs to encourage Bill that he's not only everything she wants, he's also a free man...until she finally explodes with pent-up emotion.

Knowing Young was briefly hung up on the married Tracy offscreen gives her role as a woman in love with a commitment-shy man an added layer of poignance.

Although I tolerate him in a couple films (i.e., PAT AND MIKE), generally speaking I'm not a fan of Spencer Tracy, an apparent minority opinion which I've shared frankly here in the past. He may be believable as something of a louse here, but the character certainly doesn't endear Tracy to me any more than in the past.

MAN'S CASTLE was written by Jo Swerling from a play by Lawrence Hazard, but in the end it's basically CAROUSEL (or, if one prefers, LILIOM) with a better ending. Man scoffs at commitment, girl loves him anyway, man is thrown off kilter by impending baby and commits robbery. I'm surprised I don't recall reading this comparison in the past.

Glenda Farrell plays Fay, a club performer inexplicably hung up on Bill, and the film plays out in part as a battle for Bill. Will he stay with the trusting Trina, head for Europe with seductive Fay...or ditch them both for freedom and hop a train?

The film ends on an optimistic note, though I'm not certain that it was actually earned and completely believable.

Marjorie Rambeau and Walter Connolly are excellent in supporting roles as shantytown residents, playing an alcoholic floozy and a minister turned night watchman, respectively. They each have moving moments, especially when Connolly's character gives Trina his wife's dress for a wedding. Arthur Hohl is another shantytown inhabitant with bad plans.

Despite my dislike of Tracy's character, MAN'S CASTLE is compelling and very much worth seeing in order to watch the superb Young in a Borzage film; I recommend it, especially now that it's available in the original cut.

Sony's Blu-ray print is from a 1080p HD source. For a 1933 film, it's outstanding in both looks and sound, and all the more reason to get this Blu-ray.

There are no extras on the disc. Viewers should also be aware this disc is a rarity in that it doesn't have a menu; put the Blu-ray in the player and the movie starts.

Thanks to Allied Vaughn and Sony for providing a review copy of this Blu-ray. MAN'S CASTLE may be purchased from Movie Zyng, Amazon, and other online retailers.

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Tonight's Movie: The Hour Before the Dawn (1944) - A Kino Lorber Blu-ray review

It's been a great few weeks for fans of Alan Ladd and Veronica Lake, with a trio of never-on-DVD films released on Blu-ray by Kino Lorber.

The newly released Paramount Pictures movies are Ladd's THUNDER IN THE EAST (1952); Ladd and Lake's long-missing final film together, SAIGON (1947); and Lake's World War II spy thriller, THE HOUR BEFORE THE DAWN (1944).

THE HOUR BEFORE THE DAWN was written by Michael Hogan from a Lester Samuels adaptation of a novel by W. Somerset Maugham. Maugham is seen under the opening credits.

The film is a relatively short 74-minute story about the Hetherton family, who live in rural England. Jim (Franchot Tone), a teacher, has been uninterested in shooting since a childhood accident, and when England enters the war he registers as a conscientious objector, going to work for the war effort on a farm.

Jim's brother Roger (John Sutton) is in the RAF, while Roger's wife May (Binnie Barnes), a former actress, returns to performing to entertain the troops.

The family is rounded out by Jim and Roger's father, General Hetherton (Henry Stephenson); Roger and May's son Tommy (David Leland); and Tommy's governess Dora (Lake), an Austrian refugee.

As an alien from an enemy country, Dora is about to be ordered out of the area, which houses RAF bases. Instead, she marries Jim and becomes a citizen.

Unfortunately, there's a problem: Dora is actually an enemy agent helping the Germans.

I found this film entertaining start to finish, thanks to an interesting story and excellent cast. It's an engaging 74 minutes which flies by, though to an extent the short running time may work against fleshing out the characters.

While I quite enjoyed it, it's an imperfect film which could have been better. The central flaw lies with Lake's character, which is not written with any depth; while to an extent Lake's enigmatic persona works well here, between the script and the performance there isn't much there.

I say this as someone who thoroughly enjoys watching Lake and am trying to see all her films; I enjoy her while recognizing her character here is more a token of Nazi evil than a fully rounded persona with some nuances.

The rest of the cast is fine, with Tone apt casting as the pacifist teacher.  Sutton and Barnes have nicely fleshed out supporting roles as a couple whose lighthearted bickering covers their deep feelings for one another.  Stephenson, as always, is terrific, especially when defending Jim's right to his point of view, though he doesn't agree with him.

THE HOUR BEFORE THE DAWN was directed by Frank Tuttle and filmed in black and white by John F. Seitz. The score was by Miklos Rosza.

The supporting cast includes two members of the large Severn family of child actors, Raymond and Ernest. There's more on Raymond and the Severn family in my review of THE SUSPECT (1944) from the same year.

The cast also includes Philip Merivale, Nils Asther, Mary Gordon, Harry Cording, and Donald Stuart.

Kino Lorber's Blu-ray is a new HD master from a 2K scan of the 35mm original fine grain. Most of it looks very good, though sharp-eyed viewers will occasionally notice some lines or softness. Especially considering that this movie has been hard to see for decades, I'm quite happy with the presentation.

Extras of this Special Edition consist of the trailer, mastered in 2K; a gallery of a half-dozen additional trailers for other films available from Kino Lorber; and a commentary track by Paul Talbot. The Blu-ray comes in an attractive cardboard slipcase.

Thanks to Kino Lorber for providing a review copy of this Blu-ray.

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Miscellaneous bits of news and fun stuff from around the Internet...

...The American Cinematheque is hosting a 70mm festival at the Egyptian and Aero Theatres from July 5th through August 4th, showing 39 films in 70mm. I'm very happy to have tickets to see the new restoration of NORTH BY NORTHWEST (1959) at the Egyptian in Hollywood next month, especially as I wasn't able to fit it into my schedule at the TCM Classic Film Festival in April.

..."Coming soon" to Blu-ray from Kino Lorber: Clark Gable and Doris Day in TEACHER'S PET (1958). And coming August 27th: THE LADYKILLERS (1955).

...Newly announced Region B Blu-ray releases from Powerhouse Indicator: YOU AND ME (1938), WHEN TOMORROW COMES (1938), YOU'LL NEVER GET RICH (1941), and THE LADY IS WILLING (1942). Most of these are available in the U.S., but of course a great deal of the Indicator appeal is all the new extras they produce for each disc! I'm especially excited about THE LADY IS WILLING, which I saw often on commercial TV as a child but haven't seen probably since the '70s.

...Robert Harris of Home Theater Forum recommends the new ClassicFlix Blu-ray restoration of MEET JOHN DOE (1941)...and while I'm at it, be sure to check out the latest ClassicFlix newsletter.

...Charlie Largent has reviewed the new Powerhouse Indicator Whistler set for Trailers From Hell.

...I enjoyed Jessica's review of Jessie Matthews in GANGWAY (1937) at Comet Over Hollywood. Another film for my ever-growing watch stack!

...Notable Passings: Donald Sutherland has passed away at the age of 88. He of course had a long, grand career; I already happened to have KELLY'S HEROES (1970) and SPACE COWBOYS (2000) in my watch stack, as I've been working my way through Clint Eastwood's filmography, and hope to watch them this summer in his honor, along with revisiting PRIDE & PREJUDICE (2005)...French actress Anouk Aimee, star of LA DOLCE VITA (1960) and many other films, has died at 92.

...For additional recent links of interest to classic film fans, please visit my June 15th column.

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Tonight's Movie: Black Tuesday (1954) - A Kino Lorber Blu-ray Review

Tonight I circled back to the Dark Side of Cinema XVII collection from Kino Lorber, which features three films starring Edward G. Robinson.

I very much enjoyed VICE SQUAD (1953) from this set several weeks ago, and then with three film festivals and many more discs arriving in the intervening time, this box was briefly pushed aside. I pulled it out tonight to watch BLACK TUESDAY (1954), and I'm very glad I did.

On the surface BLACK TUESDAY seems like it might be a standard prison escape drama, but it's creatively staged by director Hugo Fregonese and has some unique, memorable aspects.

One of the things which stands out is noticeable immediately, as a prisoner sings a striking, mournful tune over the opening credits. Also of note is the black and white cinematography by Stanley Cortez (NIGHT OF THE HUNTER).

Death row prisoners Vincent Canelli (Robinson) and Peter Manning (Peter Graves) are shortly going to be put to death, but Canelli's moll Hatti (Jean Parker) puts an audacious plan in motion to spring them from prison.

Manning is wounded by gunfire in the escape, but he's key to Canelli's plan, as he has $200,000 in stolen loot stashed away and no one else knows where it is.

Several hostages are taken during the breakout, including a reporter (Jack Kelly, MAVERICK), a prison guard's daughter (Sylvia Findley), and a priest (Milburn Stone), and when the police move in on the gang's hideout, Canelli threatens to start shooting his prisoners.

It's a brutal, violent 80 minutes in which the deranged Canelli kills with abandon; however, thanks in part to the movie's fast pace, it doesn't become too overwhelming to watch.

A couple sequences are absolutely brilliant, especially the location work when Hatti and Peter retrieve his stash out of a bank safe deposit box. Everything from the authentic locations to the nerve-wracking staging, as Peter starts bleeding in the bank, is marvelously done.

I'm still wondering, though, why Peter thought the key was hidden in a safe place...it was still there, but he was lucky.

Jean Parker is a notable standout as Canelli's devoted girlfriend. Thanks to heavy makeup and a stellar performance by Parker, the haggard, ruthless Hatti looks and acts absolutely nothing like Parker's sweet Beth of LITTLE WOMEN (1933) two decades previously. For me her performance was the highlight of the film.

The cast is packed with great faces. In addition to those named above, the cast includes Warren Stevens, Russell Johnson, James Bell, Frank Ferguson, and William Schallert.

Kino Lorber's Blu-ray print is from a new HD master from a 2K scan of the 35mm fine grain. Picture and sound are excellent.

Disc extras consist of the trailer; two additional trailers for other films available from Kino Lorber; and a commentary track by Gary Gerani.

So far this set has two winners I really enjoyed. The last film in this collection is NIGHTMARE (1956), which I'll be reviewing at a future date.

Thanks to Kino Lorber for providing a review copy of this Blu-ray collection.

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Tonight's Movie: Saigon (1947) - A Kino Lorber Blu-ray Review

SAIGON (1947), the only film starring Alan Ladd and Veronica Lake not previously available for home viewing, has just been released on Blu-ray by Kino Lorber.

Ladd and Lake's other films for Paramount, THIS GUN FOR HIRE (1942), THE GLASS KEY (1942), and THE BLUE DAHLIA (1946), have long been available. Even VARIETY GIRL (1947), an all-star film in which they both appeared, has been released on VHS and DVD.

SAIGON has been out on a Region 2 DVD in Europe, but I'm not sure why it has not previously been released in the U.S.

In SAIGON Ladd plays Major Larry Briggs, who receives his release from army service along with his friends Captain Mike Perry (Douglas Dick) and Sergeant Pete Rocco (Wally Cassell).

The men are discharged in Shanghai, and rather than go back to the U.S. they decide to have a good time in Southeast Asia for a few weeks. Larry and Pete are aware that Mike is unlikely to live much longer due to a brain injury, but they keep the news from Mike. Mike doesn't have any family waiting back home, and his pals are determined to give him a good time.

Larry signs the trio up for a high-paying job flying a plane to Saigon for businessman Alex Maris (Morris Carnovsky), which will finance Mike's last few weeks.

When they're due to take off, Maris's secretary Susan (Lake) shows up at the airfield with a briefcase, but her boss is absent and shooting in the distance indicates he's unlikely to make the flight. The three men and Susan take off; it's a bumpy trip, but ultimately the quartet arrives in Saigon, where intrigue and romance await.

SAIGON, it must be admitted, is only so-so, especially compared to Ladd and Lake's three previous films. The movie's biggest problem is the repetitive script by P.J. Wolfson and Arthur Sheekman, based on a story by Julian Zimet.

The screenplay recycles the main points over and over, as Ladd and Lake bicker far too long while he nobly tries to let Mike romance her and various parties try to figure out if Ladd or Lake is carrying some of Maris's money.

Still, any time spent with Ladd and Lake is time well spent; they're compelling personalities, and they're also at the height of their physical appeal here, with Lake gowned by Edith Head. When they finally admit to feelings for one another late in the film, the chemistry is as combustible as always. Ladd and Lake were simply a marvelous team in every way, and I only wish it had been in the cards for them to make more movies together.

Among the supporting cast, Luther Adler is particularly enjoyable as a friendly police lieutenant, and it's also good to see character actor Griff Barnett in the opening scene. Dick is fairly bland as the good guy who crushes on Lake but doesn't know he's not long for this world, while Cassell registers believably as the army sergeant.

Although much of the film seems to have been made on a fairly low budget, at least until the characters arrive at a nice hotel, there's atmospheric black and white cinematography by John F. Seitz. This is a good spot to also mention I particularly liked the opening credits design which does a great job setting the film's mood.

This 93-minute film was directed by Leslie Fenton.

Kino Lorber's Blu-ray print is from a new HD master from a 2K scan of the 35mm original fine grain. Especially considering the poor quality of "grey market" prints which have long been the only way to see the film, the Blu-ray looks and sounds very good. Ladd and Lake fans will definitely want to pick it up.  The film may not be top-drawer Ladd and Lake, but it's good enough; I will definitely watch it again.

The film is presented as a Special Edition with cardboard slipcase; the trailer; a gallery of nine additional trailers for other films available from Kino Lorber; and a commentary track by Elissa Rose and the late Lee Gambin.

Note: Sharp-eyed readers may notice some sites list SAIGON's release year as 1947, while others list 1948. The reason is that there was a UK premiere in December 1947 which preceded the United States release in March 1948.

Sincere thanks to Kino Lorber for making this film available in the U.S. at long last!

Thanks to Kino Lorber for providing a review copy of this Blu-ray.

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Quick Preview of TCM in August: Summer Under the Stars

It's time for a preview of this year's Summer Under the Stars lineup on Turner Classic Movies!

We now have the list of stars to be honored this August, which I'm sharing below. The schedule itself is still a work in progress.

There are many interesting names on the schedule; I'm especially excited about the inclusion of 20th Century-Fox star Jeanne Crain, one of my all-time favorite actresses.

Here are the stars to be honored with 24-hour marathons in August: 

August 1: William Powell

August 2: Ida Lupino

August 3: John Wayne

August 4: Julie Andrews

August 5: Gordon MacRae

August 6: Jean Harlow

August 7: Peter Ustinov

August 8: Eleanor Powell

August 9: Montgomery Clift

August 10: Meryl Streep

August 11: Cary Grant

August 12: Anita Page

August 13: Jean-Paul Belmondo

August 14: Anne Bancroft

August 15: Joseph Cotten

August 16: Jane Russell

August 17: Jerry Lewis

August 18: Katharine Hepburn

August 19: John Gilbert

August 20: Jeanne Crain

August 21: Jose Ferrer

August 22: Bette Davis

August 23: Robert Shaw

August 24: Grace Kelly

August 25: Fred MacMurray

August 26: Donna Reed

August 27: Ossie Davis

August 28: Marlene Dietrich

August 29: Leo Gorcey

August 30: Ginger Rogers

August 31: Tony Curtis

Look for complete details and a link to the schedule to be posted here around August 1st!

Update: For a more detailed look at TCM in August 2024, please visit TCM in August: Summer Under the Stars Highlights.

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Miscellaneous bits of news and fun stuff from around the Internet...

...A couple weeks ago I posted the news that Jeff Arnold of Jeff Arnold's West had been diagnosed with inoperable cancer and was retiring from his blog. I'm very sorry to share the news that Jeff passed away on June 5th. I have read his blog for many years, and his insights on Westerns will be very greatly missed. I would often discuss Jeff's reviews with my dad, who passed away last year, and it seems very strange they're both now gone. The site will be maintained going forward by two longtime readers, Bud and RR.

...The Warner Bros. TV series THE ALASKANS (1959-60), originally due out on Blu-ray from the Warner Archive Collection on June 14th, will be released July16th.  (June 24th Update: The release date has now been moved to August 27th to accommodate the inclusion of additional material.)

...Following up on a story I shared last week, the Academy Museum has pledged immediate changes to its controversial exhibit on the film industry's founding titans, which was perceived by many to be anti-Semitic, focusing almost exclusively on their negative issues and not on their achievements.

...Coming soon from Kino Lorber: The Dark Side of Cinema XXII! It will include THE ENFORCER (1951), THE SCARLET HOUR (1956), and PLUNDER ROAD (1956). I saw THE ENFORCER at this year's Arthur Lyons Film Noir Festival and absolutely loved it, and I enjoyed THE SCARLET HOUR at a past Lyons Fest.

...Also coming soon from Kino Lorber: THE COURT-MARTIAL OF BILLY MITCHELL (1955) starring Gary Cooper.

...The July lineup on the Criterion Channel will include a 12-film Columbia Screwball collection and an 18-film Neo-Noir collection.

...Here's a lovely piece by Elisabeth Grace Foley on the music of her favorite Western, RIO GRANDE (1950).

...Coming to Blu-ray and DVD in July from Ignite Films (INVADERS FROM MARS): William Wellman's THE STORY OF G.I. JOE (1945). The Blu-ray includes a restoration featurette, a new interview with William Wellman Jr., a reconstruction of the trailer, and a commentary track by Alan K. Rode, who was interviewed by Ignite here. Visit Ignite's listing page for links for the trailer and a clip of the Wellman Jr. interview. This sounds like an extra-special release, and I'm hoping to review it in due course.

...I'll also be reviewing the new Sony Blu-ray release of Frank Borzage's MAN'S CASTLE (1933), starring Loretta Young and Spencer Tracy. In the meantime, here's a very interesting review by CineSavant Glenn Erickson, including some details on scenes restored to the print for the first time since the late '30s.

...Films coming to the What is a Western? series at the Autry in Los Angeles this summer include THE COWBOYS (1972) and FOXFIRE (1955). The latter film will be screened in 35mm and introduced by Jane Russell biographer Christina Rice.

...Notable Passings: Former Los Angeles Times sports columnist Mike Downey has died at 72. His wife Gail was the daughter of the late Dean Martin....Tony Mordente, who was in both the Broadway and film versions of WEST SIDE STORY, passed away at 88. He was A-Rab in the stage production and Action in the 1961 movie; he also served as a dance assistant on the film and is seen here rehearsing Natalie Wood...Actor Armando Silvestre has died at 98. The native-born Californian was a star of Mexican cinema who acted occasionally in U.S. films, including MYSTERY IN MEXICO (1948), which was filmed in Mexico; WYOMING MAIL (1950); APACHE DRUMS (1951); and TWO MULES FOR SISTER SARA (1970)...Actor Tony Lo Bianco has died at 87. His films included THE FRENCH CONNECTION (1971)...Japanese actress Yoshiko Kuga has passed away at 93. The Tinseltown Twins have written a lovely tribute to an actress who worked with many of the great Japanese directors. I enjoyed her work in Yasujiro Ozu's EQUINOX FLOWER (1958) and GOOD MORNING (1959)...Leonard Maltin has written a moving remembrance of composer Richard Sherman.

...For additional recent links of interest to classic film fans, please visit my June 8th column.

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Tonight's TV: Colt .45 - The Complete Series (1957-60) - A Warner Archive Blu-ray Review

One of the more intriguing Blu-ray releases this year comes from the Warner Archive Collection: COLT .45 - THE COMPLETE SERIES (1957-60).

COLT .45 was one of a number of Warner Bros. TV Westerns of the late '50s, airing alongside MAVERICK, LAWMAN, CHEYENNE, and several more. Like LAWMAN, it originally aired in a 30-minute time slot.

COLT .45 only ran three seasons, and as Toby Roan detailed at 50 Westerns From the 50s, star Wayde Preston left in the second season. Preston was replaced for a few episodes by Donald May as his cousin, then returned to the series later in its run.

Warner Bros. must have liked the "cousins" idea, given that MAVERICK would later introduce Roger Moore as Cousin Beau.

As longtime readers will know, MAVERICK is my all-time favorite TV series, a show I know inside and out. COLT .45 began airing just a month after MAVERICK, on October 18, 1957. Many of the sets and guest stars will be familiar to fans of not just MAVERICK but the other Warner Bros. TV Westerns.

As a fun aside, COLT .45's Preston is seen here second from right with several other Warner Bros. TV Western stars: LAWMAN's John Russell and Peter Brown, MAVERICK's James Garner and Jack Kelly, Will Hutchins of SUGARFOOT, and Ty Hardin of BRONCO.

As Episode 1 of COLT .45, "Judgment Day," began rolling I saw familiar behind-the-scenes names from MAVERICK in the credits, writers Roy Huggins and Marion Hargrove and director Douglas Heyes.

"Judgment Day" introduces viewers to COLT .45's concept: Christopher Colt (Preston) is a traveling salesman selling the new Colt .45 gun. However, that's just a cover for his main job as a secret agent for the army.

That initial episode set in Cottonwood, Arizona, wasn't particularly interesting, as Colt interacted with a town bully (Andrew Duggan) and a missionary (Erin O'Brien), but I was tickled to see former "B" Western star Bob Steele in a supporting role; Steele appeared on numerous TV Westerns of the era. Also on hand was young Peter Brown, who would begin a starring role on LAWMAN the following year.

Other episodes are more compelling; the second episode, "A Time to Die," guest-starred Wayne Morris, who had become an excellent character actor as of the '50s. It was an absorbing episode scripted by writer-actor Leo Gordon (MAVERICK's Big Mike McComb) which took advantage of the half-hour format to provide a dramatic, action-packed short story, with most of the scenes featuring Preston and Morris. Dan Blocker, a couple years before TV's BONANZA, was in the supporting cast. The episode made ample use of stock footage, but it's in great shape, which makes the transitions more believable.

The third episode, "The $3000 Bullet," featured two cast members from Budd Boetticher's 7 MEN FROM NOW (1956), Walter Reed and John Beradino (later of GENERAL HOSPITAL). Michael Dante of Boetticher's WESTBOUND (1959) was in the episode as well. Western fans will find themselves constantly making those types of fun connections.

I checked out several more of the show's 67 episodes. I found that COLT .45 is more "standard Western fare" than the creatively written, engagingly performed MAVERICK or the particularly well-acted and mature LAWMAN, but I found COLT .45 enjoyable, especially as I like the "look" and casts of the Warner Bros. TV shows of that era.  I'll be continuing to watch this collection through to the final episode.

The guest stars will be familiar to anyone who has watched other Warner Bros. Westerns, with many familiar names turning up including Adam West (as Doc Holliday!), Kathleen Crowley, Ruta Lee, Robert Colbert, Mike Road, Kasey Rogers, Lee Van Cleef, Lisa Gaye, Andra Martin, Angie Dickinson, Joanna Barnes, Troy Donahue, Ray Danton, Jean Willes, Joan Vohs, Robert Conrad, Catherine McLeod, and many, many more familiar names and faces in roles large and small -- even Sandy Koufax?! Charles Bronson, too.

Given COLT .45's relatively short run and checkered production history, it strikes me as all the more remarkable that the Warner Archive Collection has made it available for home viewing, not to mention in such beautiful condition. The prints are remastered from 4K scans of the original negatives, and they look absolutely great. The boxed set contains each season in a separate plastic case, as seen here. There are no extras.

Those considering getting the set may also want to read the reviews by Glenn Erickson at Trailers From Hell, Toby Roan at 50 Westerns From the 50s, and Tim Salmons at The Digital Bits.

There's another very interesting Warner Bros. TV release coming soon from the Warner Archive Collection: THE ALASKANS (1959-60), a one-season series starring Roger Moore. I'm intrigued! (Update: Here is my review of THE ALASKANS.)

Thanks to Allied Vaughn for providing a review copy of this Blu-ray. Warner Archive Blu-rays may be ordered from Movie Zyng, Amazon, and other online retailers.

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Tonight's Movie: Take Aim at the Police Van (1960)

TAKE AIM AT THE POLICE VAN (1960) was recently shown by Eddie Muller on Turner Classic Movies.

The unusual title caught my attention, especially as I enjoy Japanese cinema. As it happens, I already had the film on DVD in the Criterion Eclipse Nikkatsu Noir collection, picked up in a past sale, so I pulled it out for viewing this week.

Very unexpectedly, the movie made a fascinating double bill seen back to back with another movie this week, TAKEN (2008). In both films the hero searches on a dark trail connecting him to seedy characters and ultimately the trafficking of drugged women.

In TAKE AIM AT THE POLICE VAN Daijiro Tamon (Michitaro Mizushima) is a prison guard. One night he's driving some inmates in a prison van which is ambushed on a deserted road. Two prisoners are shot and killed.

Although in reality there was nothing Tamon could have done, given that the shooters blocked the road with a large truck, he's held responsible and given a six-month suspension. Since the police seem to have no leads, Tamon decides to use his time off work to investigate the murders himself.

As Tamon follows leads trying to get to the bottom of the killings, more people disappear or die. He meets enigmatic Yuko (Misako Watanabe), who's running a mob-style business while her father is in the hospital. She seems to be an integral part of the story, along with former prisoner Goro (Shoichi Ozawa), who'd been a passenger in the van on the fateful night.

Whether Yuko will prove to be friend or foe and whether Tamon can solve the killings before he's killed himself are open questions...

I enjoyed this unusual detective film. I initially assumed that the suspended Tamon might prove to be something of a pathetic character, given that he's laid off for half a year for something which happened through no fault of his own, but instead Tamon proved to be sharp, savvy, and brave. He clearly has the respect of the police captain (Tatsuo Matsushita) he confers with, and one wonders a bit why Tamon was a police guard instead of a detective.

The story frankly isn't always easy to follow, to the point I rewound a couple scenes to make sure I was keeping the characters straight, but despite that issue, it's a fun watch -- an action-packed, brisk film which runs just 79 minutes. 

I also note that a couple scenes, including one with an arrow, are rather shocking for 1960.

In short, it was a very interesting, entertaining film, and I'm very much looking forward to exploring the rest of the Criterion set. DVD Beaver rated the overall set as "fabulous," and I've heard good things from others about this collection as well.

TAKE AIM AT THE POLICE VAN was directed by Seijun Suzuki and filmed by Shigeyoshi Mine. It was written by Shin'ichi Sekizawa based on a story by Kazuo Shimada.

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