Reviews (13)

STORYBOOK CLASSIC.
The film opens in a rough pub on the sea coast. Cooper meets drunken Barrymore who has a great secret in the form of a treasure map of an island in the Caribbean where there is supposedly trove left by a well-known pirate...A beautiful production, good music by Herbert Stothart, and a strong Mahin script all come together to make this a respectful filmed version of Stevenson's story. Jackie Cooper had been a child star, and here at the ripe old age of 12, he began to demonstrate his manhood in this film. Beery, who was known to chew the scenery with his hamminess, was kept in check (more or less) by the great director Victor Fleming. Few people got along with the frankly rude and gruff Beery in real life, and little Cooper was no exception (they had made THE CHAMP together in 1931). Although Fleming's direction is perhaps a bit flagging in spots, it must be noted that this man directed two timeless and legendary films: GONE WITH THE WIND & THE WIZARD OF OZ. Shot four times previously as a silent, this first talkie version of the classic Stevenson tale perhaps pales slighty when compared to the 1950 Disney version - in production values and authentic English actors - but this version has enough going for it to merit viewings for young and old alike.

I wish this black and white movie was on DVD!
I watched this version of Treasure Island in black and white on one of those classic movie channels and I liked it and thought Wallace Beery was a great Long John Silver, the rest of the cast was great too, including Jackie Cooper as Jim Hawkins, Lionel Barrymore as Billy Bones and Charles "Cic' Sale as Ben Gunn. I liked the movie so much I searched Amazon.com hoping to find it on DVD but unfortunately it hasn't been transferred to DVD and I was disappointed to find that the video that has the movie in black and white seems to be out of stock and it appears that the colorised version is the one that is being sold new and I wish they would restore the old black and white film instead of just colorising it. I could buy a used black and white video but I would really rather have the movie on DVD!

Treasure this Version
I enjoy most versions but to me this is the best. The great cast, sets, music, screenplay, and directing made it a wonderful adaptation of the Robert Louis Stevenson book. A pity it wasn't done in color only because I think it would gain more recognition with todays youth. Many still appreciate this wonderful adventure with pirates, sailing, and treasure hunting. The battle scene at the stockade is very exciting. One of the best family movies you can find these days. Any fan of Disney adventure movies will probably enjoy it.

Like really living it
I liked this movie way more than Pirates of the Carribean. It makes you feel like you are really watching actual Pirates. OK so they are not as hot as Johnny Depp..but this movie scared me and and gave me a feeling of adventure.Why are modern movies so boring? I loved this movie!!

The best Ben Gunn ever!
The often ovelooked character, Ben Gunn is the true hero of Treasure Island. "Nobody minds Ben Gunn," yet he'd done them all, including the fearsome Long John Silver. Sure, he's strange, but "a man who has been three years biting his nails on a desert island, Jim, can't expect to appear as sane as you or me. It doesn't lie in human nature."

Charles 'Chic' Sale creates the best image of Ben Gunn in the history of cinema. His Ben Gunn is hilarious and believable. The scene near the end with a huge wheel of cheese is a great find. Very inspirational performance, and definitely an influence on the Ben Gunn Society...

Overall the film is good too, pretty well rooted in the book. Some new dialog falls in quite nicely with the source, and Jackie Cooper delivers a few great lines, like the parodical "says them, says he, says I." The relationship of Jim Hawkins and Long John Silver is the main emphasis of this production, and the ending diverges a bit from the book, but that doesn't spoil the story. Another winner from the great Victor Fleming. ... Read more

Amazon.com essential video

In one of those plot devices so dear to writers of romantic comedy (in this case, the venerable Norman Krasna, of Wife vs. Secretary and Mr. and Mrs. Smith), financier Charles Coburn goes undercover as a shoe salesman in a Manhattan department store that's a tiny part of his portfolio, hoping to discover why the employees hate him so much. He has the luck to be assigned to the counter next to Jean Arthur, rasping out one of her inimitable hard-nosed working-girl-with-a-heart-of-gold performances, who befriends Coburn and introduces him to her boyfriend (Robert Cummings)--the leader of the labor unrest. Directed by the stodgy Sam Wood (King's Row), the film flirts with '30s radicalism but settles for prudent class reconciliation: turns out that all the employees want is a little bit of gratitude and respect. Coburn got his first Academy Award nomination for his gruff but ultimately lovable coot (and won the Oscar two years later, opposite Arthur in The More the Merrier), a part he was to play for much of the rest of his career. Some startling deep-focus effects suggest that cinematographer Harry Stradling may have been spying on Citizen Kane, shooting just down the hall at RKO. Ultimately, though, it's Arthur who gives the film its authenticity and tremulous charm. --Dave Kehr ... Read more

Reviews (7)

Charles Coburn steals the show once again!
The star of this video is Charles Coburn and not Jean Arthur: the comic old goat steals the movie once again, as he did in "The More the Merrier," and other comedies from this era. But the supporting cast is superb: the comedic Jean Arthur, Bob Cummings from the early TV sitcom, "Love that Bob," Spring Byington, who starred in George Kaufman's "You Can't Take It With You," and Edmund Gwenn, Kris Kringle himself of "Miracle on 34th Street."

Determined to find the employees creating a union problem in his store, Charles Coburn, the wealthy owner of the department store and business tycoon, goes undercover and poses as a clerk and works humbly behind the counter, and is abused and bullied by management until befriended by Jean Arthur, Bob Cummings, and Spring Byington....This movie is a fun indictment on capitalism--when such was allowed in Hollywood, prior to the blacklisting days of Joe McCarthy--and a call to more socialistic values. When would a business tycoon take his entire staff of store employees on a cruise to Hawaii just for the fun of it? Move over, all you CEOs....If only all such miraculous conversions could occur in the workplace within a span of 92 minutes!

Charles Coburn at his best with a great supporting cast!
The star of this video is Charles Coburn and not Jean Arthur: the comic old goat steals the movie once again, as he did in "The More the Merrier," and other comedies from this era. But the supporting cast is superb: the comedic Jean Arthur, Bob Cummings from the early TV sitcom, "Love that Bob," Spring Byington, who starred in George Kaufman's "You Can't Take It With You," and Edmund Gwenn, the lovable Kris Kringle of "Miracle on 34th Street."

Determined to uncover the union organizers who are creating unrest among the other employees in his department store, Charles Coburn, the wealthy owner of the department store and business tycoon, goes undercover and poses as a clerk and works humbly behind the counter, and is abused and bullied by management until befriended by Jean Arthur, Bob Cummings, and Spring Byington....This movie is a fun indictment on capitalism--when such was allowed in Hollywood, prior to the blacklisting days of Joe McCarthy--and a call to more socialistic values....When would a business tycoon take his entire staff of employees on a cruise to Hawaii just for the fun of it? Move over, all you CEOs....If only all such miraculous conversions could transpire in the workplace within a span of 92 minutes!

GOOD FUN FROM 1941.
A very funny comedy from 1941. Coburn is cast as John P. Merrick, the world's richest man, who decides to infiltrate one of his holdings - a department store - to ferret out union organisers who have targeted him as being responsible for the miserable conditions his employees work under. Merrick is subjected to many indignities by the management, finally ending up in the shoe department alongside Mary Jones [Jean Arthur]. Mary thinks Merrick destitute, takes pity on him and shows him the intricacies of the department. The old boy attends union meetings and carefully notes everyone there, but the abuse from the store's management becomes intolerable - then he meets Elizabeth Ellis [Spring Byington] - and has a change of heart... One of the most sparkling comedies from the 194O's, this film was deftly directed by Sam Wood and wonderful performances from the entire cast make for an enjoyable 92 minutes.

Jupiter comes down to Earth...
in this very funny story of how the richest man in the world decides to go undercover as a shoe salesman in a store he forgot he owned until labor agitators hang him in effigy. It's Charles Coburn's intention to infiltrate the labor movement and bring these "wrongdoers" to justice or at least unemployment. He doesn't bargain on what happens when he begins to rub shoulders with the hoi polloi, and how meeting with the peppy Miss Jones (Jean Arthur) will change his outlook on labor and ultimately life.

Jean Arthur is very appealing as this working class heroine, but it's Charles Coburn who runs away with the picture. His transformation from a Rockefeller-type cold as ice businessman into a tuna popover eating funlover is aces, especially in his dealings with the surprisingly unpleasant Edmund Gwenn as the manager of the shoe department. Ironic that Gwenn returned to the department store scene a few years later to buck authority himself as Kris Kringle in "Miracle on 34 Street". A point worth noting is that much of the dialogue concerns the misunderstanding about Coburn's true identity, and his consequently being abused as an older worker with limited skills in an emerging modern world. Although 60 years ago, this still rings true today, and gives us some food for thought.

This picture has only two things going against it: First is its terrible title. Not only does it not really make any sense given the plot of the film, but it later got co-opted as the title of a famous porn film, "Devil IN Miss Jones", so that even the librarian where I took this out gave me the once over, thinking I was taking out a smutty film. I'll bet few people ever do rent this movie because of its dubious monniker. The second thing that's not so hot is a police station scene where Robert Cummings tries (and fails) to be a Capra-esque "ordinary man" hero bucking authority by appealing to the Founding Fathers' principles. The scene is so bad it brings the movie to a complete standstill; I was afraid it would be downhill from there, but it picked up again. My advice is that should you ever rent or buy this film, as soon as Cummings enters the station, fast forward to the next scene to save yourself some grief.

Other than those two points, "The Devil and Miss Jones" is a real winner, and I still give it five stars for a funny script and Coburn's marvelous performance.

simply one of the best
this film has been one of my favorites for many years.it tells the story of a man who owns a bunch of department stores that are having labor troubles.he decides to go undercover to find out what all the fuss is about,and boy does he!he ends up being befriended by a countergirl,her friend and her boyfriend.at first he is quite skeptical there is a problem at all,but comes to realise that these are real people with real concerns who deserve better.the best scene is when they go to coney island together,and the countergirl tells him about her feelings about what real true love is.this scene never fails to bring tears to my eyes as her honesty just flows out of her.this film has comedy and social commentary that works equally well.highly recommended for romantic goofs or any jean arthur fan. ... Read more

Reviews (4)

Entertaining Golf the Comic Italian Way
This is more of classic Martin & Lewis! They play off each other so well. Here the goofy caddie (read Lewis) becomes the star golfer.

Songs are good, with That's Amore the headliner. Never realized that this song came from this movie.

Lighthearted stuff that is so pleasing a contrast to today's shocking, revolting plots. Very entertaining for the family.

Buy this one!
Really enjoyed Dean Martin's singing! Their acting was more believable in this movie. The 2 comedians looked like they really had fun on this film.

Terrific
Another one of my personal favorites.Along with The Stooge and Cinderfella.I love it when Dean sings That's Amore.But my favorite part is when Jerry's in the store on roller skates with all the dishes and stuff on the shelves!you just know it will all end up on the floor somehow.Hilarious!!

Yet another Martin&Lewis Classic!!
Dean Martin & Jerry Lewis have done it again with this timeless classic of a would-be pro golfer seeing what it's like on the pro tour. This film has some of the most timeless tunes ..."That's Amore" first appeared in this movie...

Buy it today....and enjoy it for a lifetime... ... Read more

Reviews (10)

Great Wartime Propaganda/Adventure!!
To enjoy this movie, you have to get past the wartime propaganda. If you can, this is a great escapist flick! Errol Flynn and Ronald Reagan carry the show, with superb supporting roles by Alan Hale and Raymond Massey. If you like war movies that were produced during WWII, this one should be at the top of your list!!

Flynn and Reagan get shot down and have to escape the Nazis
"Desperate Journey" is a comic book yarn brought to the screen by director Raoul Walsh during the early years of World War II. The story is about an RAF bomber crew that has a very international flavor: Flight Lieutenant Terrence Forbes (Errol Flynn) is Australian, Flying Officer Johnny Hammond (Ronald Reagan) is American, Sergeant Kirk Edwards (Alan Hale) is Scottish, Navigator Jed Forrest (Arthur Kennedy) is Canadian, and Sergeant Lloyd Hollis (Ronald Sinclair) is English. The boys take off in their Flying Fortress D-for-Danny for a bombing mission over Germany, wisecracking their way from the briefing until they are shot down. Being tracked by the Germans, who are led by Raymond Massey, the boys make their escape, engaging in acts of sabotage, killing Nazis at every opportunity, meeting up with the requisite pretty frauline (Nancy Coleman), all before stealing a plane and heading for home, although not without some losses to their meager numbers.

Certainly an outrageous adventure, so as long as you do not expect realism in your World War II movies you should enjoy "Desperate Journey" just fine. Reagan gets co-billing with Flynn and actually has the film's best scene: interrogated by Massey's German major who wants to know about the new RAF bomber engines, Reagan makes up a whole bunch of impressive sounding bull, knocks out the major, and then helps himself to the unconscious man's breakfast. Legend has it Flynn tried to steal the scene away from Reagan, but producer Hal B. Wallis promised Reagan he would get to keep this one (Remember, Reagan had worked with Flynn before on "Santa Fe Trail," and knew how the star worried about being upstaged by others). Final irony: By the time this film was released in 1942, Reagan was in the U.S. Army. Having finally starred in a major film for Warners Brothers, the war effectively derailed his acting career. He would make only one film in the next five years, when the Army assigned him to make "This Is The Army."

Fantasic movie
Fun, at times tong in cheek, action adventure picture that rolls just about everything one could ask for into one film. This 1942 movie is one of Flynn's best, right up there with his great ones like Adventures of Robin Hood and the more serious Objective Burma (done a few years after Desperate Journey and now on DVD). Very colorful characters, good looking visuals for the time, great tight directing by legendary director Raoul Walsh who directed a number of Flynn films included the above mentioned Objective Burma. Soundtrack is very Flynn like in nature fitting the movie perfectly. I'm not a big fan of Ronald Reagan's films, but some of his lines in this movie are classic. All in all this is a fun action packed film that was perfect for 1942 and still easily manages to entertain today. Desperate Journey needs a good DVD release!

a 1942 version of "Behind Enemy Lines"........wheres the DVD
My older sister allowed me to watch the new military flick "Behind Enemy Lines" with Gene Hackman and Owen Wilson. I liked it very much. Then I found this movie in a movie catalog. At first I was a bit skeptical, then I looked at it on Amazon and saw the reviews it recived and I was hooked on it because it had the same story line as B.E.L. I bought this movie and I loved every minute of it. Raymond Massey does a very good job as the German major. Errol Flynn, Ronald Regan, Alan Hale, and Arthur Kennedy do very good in their roles too. My favorite scene is where Alan Hale is spitting those little pebbles at Errol Flynn and the German soldier through his mouth, I wish I knew how he did it. I also wish that the movie industry would release this action-packed war movie and other hit movies, like Crash Dive, Air Force, Destination Tokyo, Flying Leathernecks, Wake Island, Action in the North Atlantic, Sink the Bismarck, Battle Cry, Hellcats of the Navy, Up Periscope, Torpedo Run, Submarine Sea Hawk, all in DVD format. I think all of the war movies that were made during the early 40s through the late 60s should be put in DVD format. If you want a good old-fashioned, rousing war movie, Desperate Journey is both a treat and a gem. Please release in DVD format.

Ronald Reagan and Errol Flynn sock it to the Nazis!
An amiable WWII propaganda fantasy starring Errol Flynn as the leader of a small group of Allied bomber pilots downed behind German lines, who are trying to get home, but can't help making monkeys of the Nazis and wreaking endless sabotage havoc before they do. Ronald Reagan, who I'll reluctantly admit was pretty charismatic, is Flynn's sidekick; also stars Colonel Klink, uh, I mean Raymond Massey, as the blustering SS officer who pursues them across the countryside after they escape his evil clutches. The film is notable for the extensive use of real German throughout, as well as the hopeful fiction of an anti-Nazi German underground which helps the men escape. Reagan gets to mow down dozens of German soldiers in the climactic final battle; I think this may have been one of those Hollywood films he mistook for reality in some speech he gave as President, talking about what he "did" during World War II. Anyway, this film is fast moving and enjoyable, even if hastily produced and improbably plotted. A goofy wartime action-fest. ... Read more

Description

Sheep rancher, determined to move his herds into cattle country, meets opposition from wealthy ranchers. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Solid Western from Flynn
The year was 1950 and Warner Bros. was looking to recapture their glory days into the foray of very big Westerns the studio produced during the 40s. MONTANA was one of Errol Flynn's last Hollywood films. He would make his last Western for Warner Bros. that same year ROCKY MOUNTAIN, based on a little known Civil War incident and one of my favorite Flynn films. In MONTANA Flynn is a sheepman who invades cattle country in Montana controlled by cattle ranchers Alexis Smith and Douglas Kennedy. Under Ray Enright's direction and under James R. Webb, Borden Chase and Charles O'Neal's scripting it has a feel of the empire building era that was prevalent in numerous Westerns. Flynn is smooth as usual but the film's greatest asset is the colour Cinematography by Karl Freund (Academy Award Winner for THE GOOD EARTH). Composer David Buttolph (THE HORSE SOLDIERS) provided the score.

Montana with Errol Flynn
Flynn is good as sheepherder in confrontation with cattle ranchers in the old West. Alexis Smith co-stars. ... Read more

Reviews (4)

Goodness Has a Lot to Do With It
This enjoyable comedy has always been one of my favorite Mae West pictures although it does not enjoy the fame or reputation of I'M NO ANGEL or SHE DONE HIM WRONG or even MY LITTLE CHICKADEE. The movie was based on a naughty hit play called PERSONAL APPEARANCE that starred Gladys George as a blonde movie queen with multiple men who finds herself stranded among her fans in the middle of the country. Sounds like a terrific springboard for a Mae West picture but the movie was made after the censor boards clamped down and cut nearly all of the racy dialogue which may well have been Mae Westisms in the first place!! Yet the movie has a lot to offer fans of classic movies, especially for it's glimpse into how movie-mad the American public was in the 1930's. Mae is delightful and her seduction of Randolph Scott is one of her more potent cinema encounters. The film also gives lie to the legend of West being so jealous of other women she never let other actresses shine in her films - the picture is loaded with excellent character actresses who have many scenes with Ms. West and Elizabeth Patterson even has some wonderful lines in scenes with La Mae and a delicious barb at Mae's expense: "In my day, women with hair that color didn't go out in the daytime!" Mae West even shares many scenes with another blonde - delightfully dingy little Isabel Jewell who at one point even does an impression of Mae's Paramount rival Marlene Dietrich in a scene with Mae talking about how much she loves movies! Mae even is unafraid to appear unsympathetic, at times acting quite bossy and self-centered as a spoiled movie diva. This is a really enjoyable if unusually conventional 1930's comedy film for a Mae West picture which is all the more reason it may find a greater audience than many Mae West romps.

WINNER, Most Enigmatic Title
That's because this movie has absolutely nothing to do with the west--it's set in PA. Except that there's some talk that big movie actress Mae West will take local rube grease monkey Randolph Scott back to Hollywood with her. Or--duh--maybe it's a play on her last name? Down to basics: Mae is this big movie star whose contract stipulates that she cannot marry for the next five yearrs. Her public relations man Warren William is there to make the contract stick, and so promptly dispatches any guy he thinks Mae will look twice at. Car trouble lands the two in a Pennsylvanian hick town filled with her hayseed fans, further complications when Mae takes a shine to local yokel Randy Scott. That's about it. Takes too long to get to the much better and rather satisfying wrap-up. Be that as it mae, Ms. West is always fun to watch with all her purring and undulations. Warren William is the comic relief this time round (oh, he's so much better as a scoundrel, as in "Skyscraper Souls" or "Employees' Entrance"--what a waste of talent); here he shows a little of that whatever it was that was so disturbing in great quantity in the gadawful "Satan Met a Lady". "Go West, Young Man" was okay for one viewing, but I don't advise a revisitation.

Tamed
After the failure of "Klondike Annie," Mae West tried something different: an adaptation of someone else's material. "Personal Appearance" was a stage play about a big star stuck in a small town, and in the early scenes of the film, she is fairly funny as she plays the star as vain, ignorant, and self-obsessed. This brief bit of satire is promising, but the film soon becomes the usual West vehicle, with various slickers and studs after the irresistable heroine. This is the rare West film with a strong supporting cast, and it passes fairly pleasantly, but the censors were at their strongest -- and Mae without double entendres isn't really Mae.

PERSONAL APPEARANCE
Zestfully tedious. Mae plays a movie star whose car breaks down in a hick town. She's invited to stay at the home of a young blond farmer in the form of Randolph Scott... One would expect Mae's impact on the unsophisticated folk she encounters - plus her allurement of the handsome young farmer - to be pretty darned amusing. Not so. Under the Legion of Decency's scrutiny, the star had become more statuesque and less outrageous and the pace of the play - on which the film was based - slowed down as Mae struck her glamourous signiture poses which were always kept front and centre by director Henry Hathaway. Based upon the successful broadway comedy PERSONAL APPEARANCE which starred Gladys George as Mavis, this rather toned-down version is an adequate yet unexciting vehicle for star West. Born August 17, 1893 in Brooklyn, Mae's dad was a small-time prizefighter named Jack West while her mother Mathilda was supposedly a great beauty in her day: a Lillian Russell type. While Mae was by no means a beauty, the amazing Hollywood expert beauty technicians made West look much more attractive than she was in the twenties: one can hardly believe she's the same person when photographs from the two decades are compared! ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Shirley Temple in the Great Northwest.
20th Century Fox tried to rework the plot of "Wee Willie Winkie" in this Shirley Temple flick. One key person missing from the picture was director John Ford. The product suffers without Ford's vision of humor, action, and sentiment. Don't get me wrong. Shirley Temple is still America's Sweetheart. She is the lone survivor of a wagon train massacre, and RCMP Randolph Scott comes to her aid. This time it's American Indians on the warpath. Shirley almost single-handed prevents war on the Canadian frontier, while charming everybody in sight. By 1939, Shirley was starting to show definite signs of growing up, dangerous in a child star. She has a crush on Scott and tries to keep him from mooning around a good-looking woman visiting the outpost. As usual, Shirley's "isn't that cute" antics are amusing. Her culture clashes with the deadpan Indian kid, Little Chief, are comic. There is even some Western style action-adventure. Victor Jory is menacing if somewhat cliched as a villainous Indian. The usual elements just don't jell as well as they did in "Wee Willie Winkie." As wholesome family entertainment, all Shirley Temple films are a success, regardless. This one is pleasant, but not Shirley's best. ;-)

Susannah of the Mounties
10-year-old Shirley stars with Randolph Scott in this powerful movie about a young girl, orphaned after a group of Native Americans kill the rest of her wagon train. She is then taken in to live with Randolph Scott at a military base. When a different group of Native Americans want to gain their trust their cheif gives his son to live with them. After learning to cope with the 'little cheif's' behavior, he and shirley become friends and together must save the life of a dear friend. This is not one of Shirley's best films with only one song. She shows her dramatic acting talent and is not always her sweet little self. Don't forget, this 1939 movie was after she was #1 in box office cumes and was only #5, soon to be pushed aff the top 10 list, completely. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Unused or underused Mickey Rooney
Mickey Rooney has been underused a lot of times in his career. And this film is one of these times. He was short and that was a shortcoming (the right word in this case). So his roles were often innocuous ones in rather insignificant films. He has a face, if not a mug, and it is expressive to the utmost. He even has eyes that are as mobile as two wild birds in a stormy sky. His body, and I mean all his body, every single spot of it, is able to take any stand, stance and position that is meaningful and gives some flesh to his character and to the action. And it never looks overdone. His voice is also interesting though it is hardly worked upon enough. And here he is reduced to a pun. He is small so the wheel is big, the game is big, but he is the game (both meanings) of the director. And he is in the car racing business so the wheel is generally one of a set of four and it is also the big race track of Indianapolis and its 500. The film is essentially the story of a young car driver who climbs to the top, i.e. Indianapolis 500. The rest is wrapping up to give some sense to the film and some feeling to the situation and the action. A father who killed himself in Indianapolis. A mother who is scared out of her mind by the race. A mechanic who was the friend of the dead father, is in love with the mother and finally marries her. The daughter of the sugardaddy of the team looks like a boy and plays mechanic, and of course she falls in love with the poor Bill, Mickey Rooney. And that's about all. Unlucky us who do not get what we deserve : a film with a plot and some thickness. It sickens more than it thickens most of the time.

Dr Jacques COULARDEAU

The Big Wheel gets the Green Light!
"The Big Wheel" is a must see for all racing fans. This classic story of a son living up to his fathers name and reputation is as relevant today as it was in the Forties.Mickey Rooney gives a fine performance in his own imitable style aided by a strong support cast including Thomas Mitchell, Michael O'shea and Mary Hatcher and starring the legendary Indianapolis Raceway as the backdrop. Even if you aren't a race fan you'll enjoy the classic racing footage that'll have you on the edge of your seat.5 cheers for "The Big Wheel". ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Unused or underused Mickey Rooney
Mickey Rooney has been underused a lot of times in his career. And this film is one of these times. He was short and that was a shortcoming (the right word in this case). So his roles were often innocuous ones in rather insignificant films. He has a face, if not a mug, and it is expressive to the utmost. He even has eyes that are as mobile as two wild birds in a stormy sky. His body, and I mean all his body, every single spot of it, is able to take any stand, stance and position that is meaningful and gives some flesh to his character and to the action. And it never looks overdone. His voice is also interesting though it is hardly worked upon enough. And here he is reduced to a pun. He is small so the wheel is big, the game is big, but he is the game (both meanings) of the director. And he is in the car racing business so the wheel is generally one of a set of four and it is also the big race track of Indianapolis and its 500. The film is essentially the story of a young car driver who climbs to the top, i.e. Indianapolis 500. The rest is wrapping up to give some sense to the film and some feeling to the situation and the action. A father who killed himself in Indianapolis. A mother who is scared out of her mind by the race. A mechanic who was the friend of the dead father, is in love with the mother and finally marries her. The daughter of the sugardaddy of the team looks like a boy and plays mechanic, and of course she falls in love with the poor Bill, Mickey Rooney. And that's about all. Unlucky us who do not get what we deserve : a film with a plot and some thickness. It sickens more than it thickens most of the time.

Dr Jacques COULARDEAU

The Big Wheel gets the Green Light!
"The Big Wheel" is a must see for all racing fans. This classic story of a son living up to his fathers name and reputation is as relevant today as it was in the Forties.Mickey Rooney gives a fine performance in his own imitable style aided by a strong support cast including Thomas Mitchell, Michael O'shea and Mary Hatcher and starring the legendary Indianapolis Raceway as the backdrop. Even if you aren't a race fan you'll enjoy the classic racing footage that'll have you on the edge of your seat.5 cheers for "The Big Wheel". ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Successful drama yet also thought-provoking
We watched Challenge to Lassie on VHS 54 years after its release, and having also recently seen the latest Matrix and Lord of the Rings films.

What a contrast! There is something utterly charming about this simple, hour-and-15-minute film from another era without a single wasted moment or fancy SFX or eternal subplots

Lassie as a puppie is adorable (full disclosure: my husband and I have two shelties, one a gigantic near-twin of Lassie, with his honey coat and white blaze and flapping ears). As an adult, she acts quite like our shelties, who tug us by the wrist, whimper and bark and paw our knees to communicate. Sheepdog owners will recognize a lot of their intelligent companions in the 1949 movie version Lassie. This Lassie doesn't have the comically overblown talent of the TV version, so aptly parodized by Mad magazine (wherein Lassie fills out the tax returns for the ranch). She is instead quite clever in a way realistic to the various Scottish herding dogs.

Her master Jock is scrupulously honest; and Lassie a paragon of devotion.


"Challenge" also contains a little morality play demonstrating the legal principle that bad cases make bad law. After Jock's murder, a panel of Edinburgh judges want to put down the ownerless dog because technically no one can buy her the required collar and tag. Much like the Biblical mockery of the Pharisees as heartless technocrats, tenement children arrive to point out the absurdity of the court.

This is a little jewel of a movie -- as the earlier reviewer states it is good family entertainment but to a pair of adult viewers it also held its own as a quality film.

Saved By A Multitude Of Friends
CHALLENGE TO LASSIE is a fairly entertaining family film about Lassie's loyalty to her master even after the latter's death. The biggest danger to Lassie comes from the local law enforcement officials who want to kill her because she no longer has the proper license. Lassie gets all of the help she really needs from a group of concerned villagers, a nearby garrison of soldiers and a host of gutsy children.

Edmund Gwenn stars as the dog's chief advocate and a strong supporting cast includes Donald Crisp, Alan Webb, Alan Napier, Henry Stephenson, Sarah Allgood, Geraldine Brooks and Reginald Owen. Richard Thorpe is known as a competent director of many movies including IVANHOE and THE STUDENT PRINCE. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

Johnny Come Lately:Versatile Cagney at Work
It is not often in any James Cagney film that anyone else manages to steal more than a few scenes. Cagney did get top billing in JOHNNY COME LATELY, but he does not even make an entrance until way past the first reel. When the film begins, Grace George, who plays newspaper publisher Vinnie McLeod, is seen as the dramatic center. Her newspaper is going broke, mostly because of a local corrupt politician who is angry over the muckracking editorials of her paper. Along comes an erudite tramp Tom (Cagney), who promptly gets arrested for vagrancy but is saved from the chain gang by Miss McLeod who offers him a job as a reporter. At this point, I was not sure whether the film was headed for the land of romance (Marjorie Lord plays Miss McLeod's niece who breaks up with her boyfriend) or the gritty and sordid world of realpolitik journalism, sort of a pre-WW2 ALL THE PRESIDENT'S MEN. Part of the problem that director William K. Howard failed to resolve is that he could not set a consistent tone with which the audience would feel comfortable. Further, Howard hints at a romance between Lord and Cagney that fizzles out, leaving Cagney without much to do except go after the town bad guy. Still, Cagney manages to infuse JOHNNY COME LATELY with the vitality that his fans had come to expect. There is even a badly choreographed fist fight between him and Lord's boyfriend that ought never have happened, but director Howard obviously felt the need for the two to duke it out. Since Cagney was limited to muckraking, he shared center stage with a bravura performance by Marjorie Main, who plays brothel owner Mary McGregor, who whoops it up and rouses the town against the evil politician. For those who have a sharp eye for second tier actors, keep an eye out for Arthur Hunnicut, who later starred with Miss Main in the Ma and Pa Kettle film series. There is also Hattie McDaniel, who as Aida the maid, is again the brusque Mammy from her GONE WITH THE WIND days. JOHNNY COME LATELY is far from Cagney's best, but it is a tribute to his talents that he can make a grade B film seem far more interesting than it would have been without him.

MILD CAGNEY
The great stage actress Grace George (she looks like an elderly Billie Burke) is okay in her only film as Vinnie McLeod but one thinks she could have found a more suitable vehicle. As the itinerant journalist who's jailed for vagrancy, Cagney does as well as can be expected as Tom. Main steals the show as Gashouse Mary (her ex-husband was addicted to catsup!), and there is Margaret Hamilton and Hattie McDaniel (as Aida) in supporting roles. Marjorie Lord is pretty enough to look at yet strangely lacklustre and wooden. This rather feeble comedy-drama was produced by Cagney's brother William and although the period costumes are authentic, the script is lame. Based on the novel "McLeod's Folly" by Louis Bromfield, this film is pleasant enough, but it simply never catches fire.

What a wonderful story!
This movie has everything, what a great story! Cagney of course delivers another one of his best performance's. Alot of people don't realize that Cagney made alot of (otherthangangster) movies where he can make you laugh, cry and feel good all in one. This one is that type. I miss you MR. CAGNEY! ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Shirley Temple in the Great Northwest.
20th Century Fox tried to rework the plot of "Wee Willie Winkie" in this Shirley Temple flick. One key person missing from the picture was director John Ford. The product suffers without Ford's vision of humor, action, and sentiment. Don't get me wrong. Shirley Temple is still America's Sweetheart. She is the lone survivor of a wagon train massacre, and RCMP Randolph Scott comes to her aid. This time it's American Indians on the warpath. Shirley almost single-handed prevents war on the Canadian frontier, while charming everybody in sight. By 1939, Shirley was starting to show definite signs of growing up, dangerous in a child star. She has a crush on Scott and tries to keep him from mooning around a good-looking woman visiting the outpost. As usual, Shirley's "isn't that cute" antics are amusing. Her culture clashes with the deadpan Indian kid, Little Chief, are comic. There is even some Western style action-adventure. Victor Jory is menacing if somewhat cliched as a villainous Indian. The usual elements just don't jell as well as they did in "Wee Willie Winkie." As wholesome family entertainment, all Shirley Temple films are a success, regardless. This one is pleasant, but not Shirley's best. ;-)

Susannah of the Mounties
10-year-old Shirley stars with Randolph Scott in this powerful movie about a young girl, orphaned after a group of Native Americans kill the rest of her wagon train. She is then taken in to live with Randolph Scott at a military base. When a different group of Native Americans want to gain their trust their cheif gives his son to live with them. After learning to cope with the 'little cheif's' behavior, he and shirley become friends and together must save the life of a dear friend. This is not one of Shirley's best films with only one song. She shows her dramatic acting talent and is not always her sweet little self. Don't forget, this 1939 movie was after she was #1 in box office cumes and was only #5, soon to be pushed aff the top 10 list, completely. ... Read more

Reviews (5)

EARLY TECHNICOLOR GEM
Paul Whiteman was the most popular bandleader of the Roaring Twenties and his VICTOR records were best sellers; his JAPANESE SANDMAN and WHISPERING went way over the million mark in sales. Universal's entry in the all-talking, all-singing, all-dancing sweepstakes was KING OF JAZZ. The result was a garish (RHAPSODY IN TURQUOISE?) over-long mixed-bag, yet it's an undeniably entertaining item which, surprisingly, holds up much better than you'd expect. Cleverly, the film opens with Der Bingle crooning MUSIC HAS CHARMS over the credits and then commences with an amusing animated cartoon about Whiteman's scrapbook and how he became the famed King of Jazz. Despite its length and creakiness, KING OF JAZZ remains a fascinating vintage musical. As a member of The Rhythm Boys, Bing Crosby made his film debut in this production; but a drunk-driving charge landed him in jail during filming,and so the song SONG OF DAWN went to another crooner/actor of the day - John Boles. Boles recorded both IT HAPPENED IN MONTEREY and the above tune for VICTOR and they became hot sellers. P.S. For the Hungarian version(?!) - Bela Lugosi served as the host!

Real Taste of the 1920's
Though this movie was made in 1930, it is "all 20's" Enjoy the emerging Bing Croby of the Rhythm Boys and see his two partners in the group.

The video features the great Paul Whiteman, the originator of Symphonic Jazz. In 1930, there was no band leader more popular than he. Since I love 20's music, I really enjoy this video. My favorite scene is "Happy Feet." Some may appreciate, "Rhapsody in Blue," while others, "I Like to Do Things for You." This movie was one of the first made in color, and the sound has been restored fairly well.

On the negative side, some of the Vaudeville jokes in between musical numbers are off-color, something I do not appreciate.

If you love the Sweet Jazz sound of the 20's, you'll enjoy this!

Paul Whiteman Really Was the King!
Whether you're a big band buff, an early talkie buff, a Bing Crosby buff, or just looking solid entertainment, THE KING OF JAZZ is a wonderful film on all counts. TKOJ is a rare look at a surviving early talkie filmed in the two-strip Technicolor process. The various reels were obviously pieced together from several sources, some sequences being in pristine condition, others being worn. MCA deserves a lot of credit for restoring this masterpiece even though some material is missing (more on that later).

On the talent side, TKOJ proves why Paul Whiteman enjoyed such great popularity in the 20s and 30s, and why he remained personally popular long after he folded his band in 1940. A young Bing Crosby makes his debut in motion pictures as part of the Rhythm Boys and easily displays his future star power. Years later, Crosby would credit Whiteman for introducing him to the various forms of mass media, records, radio and movies, where Crosby would prove so enduring. As if to show the vicissitudes of fame, today TKOJ is marketed as a Bing Crosby film while Paul Whiteman is all but forgotten. But if that strategy gets people to watch, PW becomes a delightful re-discovery. It's interesting to note that one of Mr. Whiteman's latter day ideas would involve a him as a DJ in a television teenage record hop that eventually would be called American Bandstand. Mr. Whiteman's assistant was a young Dick Clark.

Having bought the VHS edition a long time ago, I'm eagerly awaiting the DVD release especially since MCA is really leading the pack on DVD releases of old movies. Recently, I read where a missing reel of TKOJ has been found so, hopefully, that reel will be incorporated to the DVD version making it bigger, better, and complete.

Classic Early Musical Revue
Of the several musical revue extravaganzas produced by various studios during the early years of sound, this one is the most imaginative, thanks to the stylish direction of director John Murray Anderson, and the evocative musical direction of Paul Whiteman. As a bonus, it's in early Technicolor. A film with enough charm and historical interest to sustain many a repeat viewing--I particularly liked the "Happy Feet" number!

A fantastic video of Whiteman at his prime!
As acollector of vintage big band and jazz recordings, video is a new ground to me. However, it is also an important ground, and this film is a milestone in capturing classic jazz on video. The visual effects are stunning and quite way ahead of their time, and personally I loved the "Rhapsody in Blue" sequence in the video. If you love vintage big band jazz, this film is a must-see!! END ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Shirley Temple in the Great Northwest.
20th Century Fox tried to rework the plot of "Wee Willie Winkie" in this Shirley Temple flick. One key person missing from the picture was director John Ford. The product suffers without Ford's vision of humor, action, and sentiment. Don't get me wrong. Shirley Temple is still America's Sweetheart. She is the lone survivor of a wagon train massacre, and RCMP Randolph Scott comes to her aid. This time it's American Indians on the warpath. Shirley almost single-handed prevents war on the Canadian frontier, while charming everybody in sight. By 1939, Shirley was starting to show definite signs of growing up, dangerous in a child star. She has a crush on Scott and tries to keep him from mooning around a good-looking woman visiting the outpost. As usual, Shirley's "isn't that cute" antics are amusing. Her culture clashes with the deadpan Indian kid, Little Chief, are comic. There is even some Western style action-adventure. Victor Jory is menacing if somewhat cliched as a villainous Indian. The usual elements just don't jell as well as they did in "Wee Willie Winkie." As wholesome family entertainment, all Shirley Temple films are a success, regardless. This one is pleasant, but not Shirley's best. ;-)

Susannah of the Mounties
10-year-old Shirley stars with Randolph Scott in this powerful movie about a young girl, orphaned after a group of Native Americans kill the rest of her wagon train. She is then taken in to live with Randolph Scott at a military base. When a different group of Native Americans want to gain their trust their cheif gives his son to live with them. After learning to cope with the 'little cheif's' behavior, he and shirley become friends and together must save the life of a dear friend. This is not one of Shirley's best films with only one song. She shows her dramatic acting talent and is not always her sweet little self. Don't forget, this 1939 movie was after she was #1 in box office cumes and was only #5, soon to be pushed aff the top 10 list, completely. ... Read more

Reviews (7)

Charles Coburn steals the show once again!
The star of this video is Charles Coburn and not Jean Arthur: the comic old goat steals the movie once again, as he did in "The More the Merrier," and other comedies from this era. But the supporting cast is superb: the comedic Jean Arthur, Bob Cummings from the early TV sitcom, "Love that Bob," Spring Byington, who starred in George Kaufman's "You Can't Take It With You," and Edmund Gwenn, Kris Kringle himself of "Miracle on 34th Street."

Determined to find the employees creating a union problem in his store, Charles Coburn, the wealthy owner of the department store and business tycoon, goes undercover and poses as a clerk and works humbly behind the counter, and is abused and bullied by management until befriended by Jean Arthur, Bob Cummings, and Spring Byington....This movie is a fun indictment on capitalism--when such was allowed in Hollywood, prior to the blacklisting days of Joe McCarthy--and a call to more socialistic values. When would a business tycoon take his entire staff of store employees on a cruise to Hawaii just for the fun of it? Move over, all you CEOs....If only all such miraculous conversions could occur in the workplace within a span of 92 minutes!

Charles Coburn at his best with a great supporting cast!
The star of this video is Charles Coburn and not Jean Arthur: the comic old goat steals the movie once again, as he did in "The More the Merrier," and other comedies from this era. But the supporting cast is superb: the comedic Jean Arthur, Bob Cummings from the early TV sitcom, "Love that Bob," Spring Byington, who starred in George Kaufman's "You Can't Take It With You," and Edmund Gwenn, the lovable Kris Kringle of "Miracle on 34th Street."

Determined to uncover the union organizers who are creating unrest among the other employees in his department store, Charles Coburn, the wealthy owner of the department store and business tycoon, goes undercover and poses as a clerk and works humbly behind the counter, and is abused and bullied by management until befriended by Jean Arthur, Bob Cummings, and Spring Byington....This movie is a fun indictment on capitalism--when such was allowed in Hollywood, prior to the blacklisting days of Joe McCarthy--and a call to more socialistic values....When would a business tycoon take his entire staff of employees on a cruise to Hawaii just for the fun of it? Move over, all you CEOs....If only all such miraculous conversions could transpire in the workplace within a span of 92 minutes!

GOOD FUN FROM 1941.
A very funny comedy from 1941. Coburn is cast as John P. Merrick, the world's richest man, who decides to infiltrate one of his holdings - a department store - to ferret out union organisers who have targeted him as being responsible for the miserable conditions his employees work under. Merrick is subjected to many indignities by the management, finally ending up in the shoe department alongside Mary Jones [Jean Arthur]. Mary thinks Merrick destitute, takes pity on him and shows him the intricacies of the department. The old boy attends union meetings and carefully notes everyone there, but the abuse from the store's management becomes intolerable - then he meets Elizabeth Ellis [Spring Byington] - and has a change of heart... One of the most sparkling comedies from the 194O's, this film was deftly directed by Sam Wood and wonderful performances from the entire cast make for an enjoyable 92 minutes.

Jupiter comes down to Earth...
in this very funny story of how the richest man in the world decides to go undercover as a shoe salesman in a store he forgot he owned until labor agitators hang him in effigy. It's Charles Coburn's intention to infiltrate the labor movement and bring these "wrongdoers" to justice or at least unemployment. He doesn't bargain on what happens when he begins to rub shoulders with the hoi polloi, and how meeting with the peppy Miss Jones (Jean Arthur) will change his outlook on labor and ultimately life.

Jean Arthur is very appealing as this working class heroine, but it's Charles Coburn who runs away with the picture. His transformation from a Rockefeller-type cold as ice businessman into a tuna popover eating funlover is aces, especially in his dealings with the surprisingly unpleasant Edmund Gwenn as the manager of the shoe department. Ironic that Gwenn returned to the department store scene a few years later to buck authority himself as Kris Kringle in "Miracle on 34 Street". A point worth noting is that much of the dialogue concerns the misunderstanding about Coburn's true identity, and his consequently being abused as an older worker with limited skills in an emerging modern world. Although 60 years ago, this still rings true today, and gives us some food for thought.

This picture has only two things going against it: First is its terrible title. Not only does it not really make any sense given the plot of the film, but it later got co-opted as the title of a famous porn film, "Devil IN Miss Jones", so that even the librarian where I took this out gave me the once over, thinking I was taking out a smutty film. I'll bet few people ever do rent this movie because of its dubious monniker. The second thing that's not so hot is a police station scene where Robert Cummings tries (and fails) to be a Capra-esque "ordinary man" hero bucking authority by appealing to the Founding Fathers' principles. The scene is so bad it brings the movie to a complete standstill; I was afraid it would be downhill from there, but it picked up again. My advice is that should you ever rent or buy this film, as soon as Cummings enters the station, fast forward to the next scene to save yourself some grief.

Other than those two points, "The Devil and Miss Jones" is a real winner, and I still give it five stars for a funny script and Coburn's marvelous performance.

simply one of the best
this film has been one of my favorites for many years.it tells the story of a man who owns a bunch of department stores that are having labor troubles.he decides to go undercover to find out what all the fuss is about,and boy does he!he ends up being befriended by a countergirl,her friend and her boyfriend.at first he is quite skeptical there is a problem at all,but comes to realise that these are real people with real concerns who deserve better.the best scene is when they go to coney island together,and the countergirl tells him about her feelings about what real true love is.this scene never fails to bring tears to my eyes as her honesty just flows out of her.this film has comedy and social commentary that works equally well.highly recommended for romantic goofs or any jean arthur fan. ... Read more

Reviews (13)

STORYBOOK CLASSIC.
The film opens in a rough pub on the sea coast. Cooper meets drunken Barrymore who has a great secret in the form of a treasure map of an island in the Caribbean where there is supposedly trove left by a well-known pirate...A beautiful production, good music by Herbert Stothart, and a strong Mahin script all come together to make this a respectful filmed version of Stevenson's story. Jackie Cooper had been a child star, and here at the ripe old age of 12, he began to demonstrate his manhood in this film. Beery, who was known to chew the scenery with his hamminess, was kept in check (more or less) by the great director Victor Fleming. Few people got along with the frankly rude and gruff Beery in real life, and little Cooper was no exception (they had made THE CHAMP together in 1931). Although Fleming's direction is perhaps a bit flagging in spots, it must be noted that this man directed two timeless and legendary films: GONE WITH THE WIND & THE WIZARD OF OZ. Shot four times previously as a silent, this first talkie version of the classic Stevenson tale perhaps pales slighty when compared to the 1950 Disney version - in production values and authentic English actors - but this version has enough going for it to merit viewings for young and old alike.

I wish this black and white movie was on DVD!
I watched this version of Treasure Island in black and white on one of those classic movie channels and I liked it and thought Wallace Beery was a great Long John Silver, the rest of the cast was great too, including Jackie Cooper as Jim Hawkins, Lionel Barrymore as Billy Bones and Charles "Cic' Sale as Ben Gunn. I liked the movie so much I searched Amazon.com hoping to find it on DVD but unfortunately it hasn't been transferred to DVD and I was disappointed to find that the video that has the movie in black and white seems to be out of stock and it appears that the colorised version is the one that is being sold new and I wish they would restore the old black and white film instead of just colorising it. I could buy a used black and white video but I would really rather have the movie on DVD!

Treasure this Version
I enjoy most versions but to me this is the best. The great cast, sets, music, screenplay, and directing made it a wonderful adaptation of the Robert Louis Stevenson book. A pity it wasn't done in color only because I think it would gain more recognition with todays youth. Many still appreciate this wonderful adventure with pirates, sailing, and treasure hunting. The battle scene at the stockade is very exciting. One of the best family movies you can find these days. Any fan of Disney adventure movies will probably enjoy it.

Like really living it
I liked this movie way more than Pirates of the Carribean. It makes you feel like you are really watching actual Pirates. OK so they are not as hot as Johnny Depp..but this movie scared me and and gave me a feeling of adventure.Why are modern movies so boring? I loved this movie!!

The best Ben Gunn ever!
The often ovelooked character, Ben Gunn is the true hero of Treasure Island. "Nobody minds Ben Gunn," yet he'd done them all, including the fearsome Long John Silver. Sure, he's strange, but "a man who has been three years biting his nails on a desert island, Jim, can't expect to appear as sane as you or me. It doesn't lie in human nature."

Charles 'Chic' Sale creates the best image of Ben Gunn in the history of cinema. His Ben Gunn is hilarious and believable. The scene near the end with a huge wheel of cheese is a great find. Very inspirational performance, and definitely an influence on the Ben Gunn Society...

Overall the film is good too, pretty well rooted in the book. Some new dialog falls in quite nicely with the source, and Jackie Cooper delivers a few great lines, like the parodical "says them, says he, says I." The relationship of Jim Hawkins and Long John Silver is the main emphasis of this production, and the ending diverges a bit from the book, but that doesn't spoil the story. Another winner from the great Victor Fleming. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Car racing is not good for actors
THE BIG WHEEL

Mickey Rooney has been underused a lot of times in his career. And this film is one of these times. He was short and that was a shortcoming (the right word in this case). So his roles were often innocuous ones in rather insignificant films. He has a face, if not a mug, and it is expressive to the utmost. He even has eyes that are as mobile as two wild birds in a stormy sky. His body, and I mean all his body, every single spot of it, is able to take any stand, stance and position that is meaningful and gives some flesh to his character and to the action. And it never looks overdone. His voice is also interesting though it is hardly worked upon enough. And here he is reduced to a pun. He is small so the wheel is big, the game is big, but he is the game (both meanings) of the director. And he is in the car racing business so the wheel is generally one of a set of four and it is also the big race track of Indianapolis and its 500. The film is essentially the story of a young car driver who climbs to the top, i.e. Indianapolis 500. The rest is wrapping up to give some sense to the film and some feeling to the situation and the action. A father who killed himself in Indianapolis. A mother who is scared out of her mind by the race. A mechanic who was the friend of the dead father, is in love with the mother and finally marries her. The daughter of the sugardaddy of the team looks like a boy and plays mechanic, and of course she falls in love with the poor Bill, Mickey Rooney. And that's about all. Unlucky us who do not get what we deserve : a film with a plot and some thickness. It sickens more than it thickens most of the time.

That's just the problem. With car racing films: actors have to be midgets as compared to the big wheels of the car. I am convinced it could be different, but we would have less track scenes.

Dr Jacques COULARDEAU ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Not Exactly Hitchcock
This B-film from Warner Brothers concerns the mysterious and deadly goings-on at a boarding house owned by Frieda Inescort and Miles Mander, who live there along with their daughter Heather Angel and several boarders. Among the boarders is a struggling writer, an eccentric spinster, and two men involved in shady business. In the course of the film's one hour running time, bodies begin to pile up as the writer tries to figure out the identity of a killer. The actors all express the appropriate amount of shock and confusion as the mystery deepens, and the pace of the film maintains the suspense. The direction could be sharper, and I found the story a little confusing at times, but I did like the twist ending. Very few people have heard of Shadows On The Stairs, and although I think the comparisons to Hitchcock are a real stretch, fans of B-films will want to check this one out. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Successful drama yet also thought-provoking
We watched Challenge to Lassie on VHS 54 years after its release, and having also recently seen the latest Matrix and Lord of the Rings films.

What a contrast! There is something utterly charming about this simple, hour-and-15-minute film from another era without a single wasted moment or fancy SFX or eternal subplots

Lassie as a puppie is adorable (full disclosure: my husband and I have two shelties, one a gigantic near-twin of Lassie, with his honey coat and white blaze and flapping ears). As an adult, she acts quite like our shelties, who tug us by the wrist, whimper and bark and paw our knees to communicate. Sheepdog owners will recognize a lot of their intelligent companions in the 1949 movie version Lassie. This Lassie doesn't have the comically overblown talent of the TV version, so aptly parodized by Mad magazine (wherein Lassie fills out the tax returns for the ranch). She is instead quite clever in a way realistic to the various Scottish herding dogs.

Her master Jock is scrupulously honest; and Lassie a paragon of devotion.


"Challenge" also contains a little morality play demonstrating the legal principle that bad cases make bad law. After Jock's murder, a panel of Edinburgh judges want to put down the ownerless dog because technically no one can buy her the required collar and tag. Much like the Biblical mockery of the Pharisees as heartless technocrats, tenement children arrive to point out the absurdity of the court.

This is a little jewel of a movie -- as the earlier reviewer states it is good family entertainment but to a pair of adult viewers it also held its own as a quality film.

Saved By A Multitude Of Friends
CHALLENGE TO LASSIE is a fairly entertaining family film about Lassie's loyalty to her master even after the latter's death. The biggest danger to Lassie comes from the local law enforcement officials who want to kill her because she no longer has the proper license. Lassie gets all of the help she really needs from a group of concerned villagers, a nearby garrison of soldiers and a host of gutsy children.

Edmund Gwenn stars as the dog's chief advocate and a strong supporting cast includes Donald Crisp, Alan Webb, Alan Napier, Henry Stephenson, Sarah Allgood, Geraldine Brooks and Reginald Owen. Richard Thorpe is known as a competent director of many movies including IVANHOE and THE STUDENT PRINCE. ... Read more