Description

Jess Wade is innocently accused of having stolen a cannon from the Mexican revolutionary forces. He tries to find the real culprits, a gang of criminals. ... Read more

Reviews (10)

E for Effort
"Charro!" is a better movie than they give it credit for. OK, so it might be similar to a Clint Eastwood "spaghetti" western, but so what? Of all the things to be similar to, that is not among the worst things to be. At least they tried to have a good composer for the score, and put Elvis in a different setting than at the beach, or on the race track, or being a guy who works at a gas station or is a truck driver or flips burgers(or whatever) and gets discovered and becomes a singing success, like he usually did. And not is it just simply in a different setting, it wasn't a Western musical either, which they could have easily done. It was a seriously done movie and was well-acted. I think that's why Elvis wasn't in more serious, non-musicals all through his movie career, because of what critics would say about Elvis' image being "changed, to no particular effect" and then less Elvis fans would come to see the movie. That's why they didn't make more movies like "Flaming Star" and "Wild In The Country", which are now considered among Elvis' best, because they didn't make as much money as "GI Blues" before them(a musical). And the Colonel was all about making money, not necessarily quality movies or songs that Elvis believed in or enjoyed singing. So please think twice before you criticize "Charro!". At least they gave it an honest effort.

Best Elvis Movie
This was one of the best Elvis movies ever made! It is alot of fun for the whole family. It will have you on the edge of your seat from start to finish. If you like this movie also try Flaming Star! It is a very heart touching story showing the hard ships of Native Americans and Settlers.

Not your normal Elvis picture, that's for sure.
"Charro!" is an okay film. Elvis plays a reformed outlaw who decides to go straight. But his former gang won't let him. They put an ugly scar on his neck that marks him as a killer. He then takes on his former gang members to try to make them return a stolen Mexican war cannon. All they do with it is frightenthe townspeople. Now, the bad-gone-good Elvis can save the people and stop the gang in its tracks. If you see, and don't enjoy it because there's a lot of violence, I don't know what to say. Very far from "Loving You", that's for sure.

It's not "Flaming Star," but it isn't "Clambake," either.
Elvis' last few movies seem to be among the better of the lot, and "Charro" is one of them. An obvious attempt to cash in on the "spaghetti western" phenomenon of the late 60's, "Charro" isn't half bad. I get the feeling the original storyline was more mature and more violent, but was watered down to play to Elvis' "family-friendly" audience. Also, it feels as though some scenes were edited out that might have helped the story progress, but were sacrificed either by an inept editor or an attempt to keep the film G-rated. I wager that had the film kept that harder edge, it would have rivaled "Flaming Star" as Elvis' best western film. As it is, though, it's still a valiant effort by a man who so dearly wanted to be taken seriously as an actor but was never given a chance because of a manager who was more concerned with dollar signs than the ambitions of his client. *A NOTE TO THOSE CONCERNED WITH FILM QUALITY* My copy of "Charro" was put out by Warner Bros. and is arguably the best version available, although the "pan & scan" is painfully obvious sometimes. I have seen versions of "Charro" put out by other video companies and they are horrible! If possible, get the Warner Bros. release and no other.

Charro - Elvis Presley
You need to remember it was filmed in 1969 and don't think about all the other movies Elvis starred in. He only sings during the opening credits. His manager should have given him a chance to become a serious actor that he would have been good at. I wish I had purchased this movie years ago. We've already watched it five times since receiving it. ... Read more

Reviews (6)

Somber but beautiful western adventure
This entertaining and colorful western is about the relationship between red men and white men and the differences in the values and ideals between the two cultures. The film has cavalry-Indian skirmishes and derring-do heroics by wagon train guide Johnny Hawks but the white man's greed for gold is the central theme of this story that undoes a peace treaty and has the Oregon-bound wagon beating a hasty retreat to the fort for safety from Red Cloud's warriors. The trouble centers around two unscrupulous white men who trade whiskey for gold to Indians in exchange for revealing the location of gold on Sioux land. Hawks is less interested in gold than he is in a Sioux maiden for whom he leaves the wagon train to be with against his better judgment. The peace treaty ceremonies at the fort have a patriotic flavor, what with the Indians approaching on horseback in their finest war regalia and fluttering war bonnets and colorful shields to the accompaniment of "Columbia, the Gem of the Ocean", and a Mathew Brady protégé is on hand to photograph the event. As Indian fighter Hawks romances the beautiful Onahti, he is pursued by a marriage-minded frontier woman who has her own plans for him when the train gets to Oregon. The film has a brooding quality that's reflected in Franz Waxman's melancholy music score, especially those cues that are highlighted by a lyrical, solo flute.

Indian Fighter
I was very disappointed with this movie.
I saw the original TV airing of this movie in 1962. Over those 40 years, I still remember scenes of the movie, which were not part of this copy. There was a statement at the beginning of the movie, which indicated that the Indian would not speak in their native tongue so the audience would be able to understand the movie better. In addition, I remember that in the end, a soldier (the bugler), silhouetted by the dusk light was standing on a hill holding a girl.
The story line was weak, nearly uninteresting. I felt fidgety watching this poor film. The only thing, which kept me watching, besides the fact that I just threw away good money on this new release, was the fact that I had fond childhood memories of the Indian fighter. But, in all honesty, I have pulled better movies out of Wal-mart's $5.88 bins.
The movie DID appear to be choppy in its story line, as though it might have been pieced together, as if the original film had some damaged parts and were left out. Also, the movie ended abruptly, leaving me feeling cheated. There were several scenes, which looked grainy, as though they might have been 3rd generation copies.
I want a refund! If I had sent this in a theater, I would have walked out and demanded back my ticket price.

THE INDIAN FIGHTER
Have no idea what the guy who complained about the picture being fuzzy, shifting quality and looking chopped up was drinking the night he viewed this movie. Picture quality was excellent and saw no sign of it being chopped up. An excellent western.

disappointment
Either the original or transfer was terribly faulty but picture was poor. Aspect changed from moment to moment. Focus was a bit bleary and night shots were too dark to tell what was going on. And the story, it almost seemed like there were scenes deleted as story line had a very jerky feel to it. As a collector of western films, can only say this ranks among the worst I have purchased.

Kirk Douglas in a pro-Indian pro-environment Western romance
Kirk Douglas is "The Indian Fighter" Johnny Hawks, who returns to the West after the end of the Civil War to lead a wagon train bound for Oregon. Along the way there is the threat of an Indian war stirred up by bad guys Wes Todd (Walter Matthau) and Chivington (Lon Chaney), a couple of whiskey traders who are after gold on Indian land. The Indians in question are led by Red Cloud (Eduard Franz), the Sioux chief who tried to keep the white man from taking over his people's land. Johnny is smitten with Onahti (Elsa Martinelli), the chief's daughter, who distracts him enough from his job to put the wagon train and the local military outpost at risk when Red Cloud's brother is killed.

This 1955 western was filmed on location in Oregon by director André De Toth and the beautiful scenery along with composer Franz Waxman's evocative helps elevate "The Indian Fighter" to above average status. Given the time and genre, some of the scenes between Hawks and Onahti are quite risqué. In the end this is more of a Western romance than a Western action film, and with its inherent sympathy towards both the Indians and the environment, De Toth has made an extremely atypical Western. Elisha Cook has a nice supporting role as Briggs, a character who learned photography from Matthew Brady during the Civil War and has come out West to capture the grandeur of the landscape, and there are several moments when De Toth's has the camera provide the sort of beautiful panoramic shots that Briggs would aspire to take. Not a great Western but there is a lot here that warrants fans of the genre taking a long look.

Trivia Note: Diana Douglas, the wife of Kirk and mother of Michael Douglas at that point in hsitory, plays settler Susan Rogers, who has her eye on Hawks but ends up with hardy Will Crabtree (Alan Hale, Jr.). I remember the actress from playing Professor Tyler on "The Paper Chase." This was the only film the two appeared in together and certain an interesting choice given they each have different love interests. ... Read more

Reviews (10)

One of the Greatest War Movies of All Time
There are no combat scenes - none. Yet the battle sequences are among the most powerful I can remember. Halsey, having bet the farm on his attack of a superior Japenese fleet, sits alone in his quarters waiting for the battle to begin, waiting for word from the Combat Information Center, while in the background disembodied radio chatter chronicles the preparations of war. Wow. Cagney's face is all you need to see. Your tension increases with his. And then his transformation into a warrior leaves you unable to take a breath.
The black and white movie uses a narator to solve brilliantly some complex story telling problems, and background music is by a male chorus. And this stuff really works. Robert Montgomery, a competent actor in his own right, directed.
I have an old copy taken off the air 20 years ago that I am wearing out. I sure hope the DVD comes out soon.

Bill Wood

A brilliant depiction of the price of leadership. . .
Basically, The Gallant Hours is an episodic biography of Admiral William "Bull" Halsey during the early days of the Second World War, specifically while he was the naval theater commander for the Guadalcanal campaign.

James Cagney is superb in this very unusual war film, which has no combat footage, relying instead on character development and the intensity of interpersonal relationships to tell its story.

Although Admiral Halsey (Cagney) is the central figure, the movie also closely follows the involvement of Admiral Isoroku Yamamoto, the Japanese theater commander, giving the viewer an interesting and enlightening counterpoint persective in the attitudes, concerns and approaches of the opposing leaders.

The most remarkable feature of The Gallant Hours is its willingness and effectiveness to show emotions seldom dealt with in military movies. One of these shows Halsey in the horrific dilemma of knowing that he is sending two close friends (Admirals Scott and Callaghan) to certain death, but being constrained by circumstance from any alternate course of action. In yet another sequence, Dennis Weaver gives a brilliant portrayal of a combat pilot dealing with the conflicting emotions of being relieved at having survived his mission and yet feeling both disgust and shame for what he is doing as he and his command "roll up a big score."

For the individual who wants a serious treatment of the personal effects of warfare, without the usual rah-rah, flag-waving and stereotyped villification of opposing forces, The Gallant Hours is a sobering, not to be forgotten movie experience.

The masterful combination of taut direction, a superior cast, eerie soundtrack and a very unusual approach make this remarkable film a must for any military video library.

James Cagney as Rear Admiral "Bull" Halsey
"The Gallant Hours" is one of the more usual bio-pics of a military leader I have ever seen. This is a semi-documentary dramatization of the pivotal role that Rear Admiral William F. "Bull" Halsey, Jr. played as commander of U.S. naval operation in the South Pacific in bringing about the victory at Guadacanal. The framing device is Halsey's retirement ceremony and the film begins with a moving choral arranged by Roger Wagner that tells us: "I knew a lad who went to sea / and left the shore behind him / I knew him well the lad was me / and now I cannot find him." The hymn sets an almost religious tone for the film that seems rather strange given the events depicted and the approach of the director. Contrast this with the running bit about getting Admiral Halsey to take his shots.

The film is directed by U.S.N.R. Comdr. Robert Montgomery, the actor who served in the Navy during World War II but who is better remembered today as being the father of actress Elizabeth Montgomery. One of the most surprising things about this film is that is a war movie without any battle scenes. There are battles, but we hear about them rather than see them. Mostly "The Gallant Hours" is about Halsey's command decisions and the way he worked with his subordinates (when the Chief of Staff of the admiral he replaces because he provides contrary views). There are many scenes that consist mainly of a subordinate bringing Halsey dispatches and him thoughtfully coming up with responses.

Halsey, as the cover art emphasizes, is James Cagney, in what would prove to be his second to last film before he retired from acting for twenty years. Having met with Halsey, Cagney was struck by how the navy man hardly made any extraneous gestures, and the actor made a point of excising all of his well-known mannerisms from the performance. Cagney's presence is critical to the film because with it this 115-minute film would have been tedious. However, his presence allows Montgomery to focus on the decision making process during a war in more detail than any other film that comes to mind ("Command Decision" would be in the running, but this one has it beat). Clearly you can do a talking head war movie when the main talking head is James Cagney.

The film is as much about the duel between Halsey and his Japanese counterpart, Admiral Yamamoto (James T. Goto), which becomes not only a question of winning the battle to control Guadacanal but a personal attempt to kill each other. The Japanese commander is portrayed as a worthy opponent and there is as much attention to the aspects of his work as there is to that of Halsey. Biographical details abound in this documentary. Every time Halsey meets somebody a voice over tells us not only who they are but what is going to happen to them. The guy who is driving the jeep is an hour away from being short by a sniper and becoming a paraplegic for the rest of his life. A squad heads out on Guadacanal and we learn that only three of them are coming back. The details are such that I would have sworn this film was adapted from a book, but there is no book by that title or any other work cited as the source for this story.

The screenplay is by Frank D. Gilroy and Beirne Lay Jr. Lay was the co-author of "Twelve O'Clock High" and it is interesting that like the film version of that classic World War II novel there is a scene in which the central character waits out a pivotal moment alone in his office, living out the battle in his own mind. In case you are not sure what the moral of "The Gallant Hours" happens to be, Cagney reminds us with a voice over at the end: "There are no great men, only great challenges that ordinary men are forced by circumstances to meet." Of course, "The Gallant Hours" pretty much disproves that point, at least with regards to the man at the top in the South Pacific.

unbelievably powerful movie
I saw this movie on television when I was probably 12 years old. The opening and closing hymn goes as follows:

" I knew a lad who went to sea---and left the shore behind him
I knew him well the lad was me---and now I cannot find him. "

This is a very mature movie. It captures imaginations and inspires at whatever age. The disembodied CIC radio transmissions in the midst of approaching naval battle as the only audio while the video shows only Halsey's anguish alone with himself ---is hauntingly powerful. It tells better than anything the reality of the vigilance of the determined search for an overwhelmingly stronger enemy force and the tension as the naval units appproach the inevitable meeting with its own destruction at the hands of the superior Japanese force which they are trying to block, delay or deter from obliterating the Marines on Guadacanal. " No contact......No contact.....No contact ....No contact -----the endless tension as the certain peril draws near---- No contact ....... CONTACT!!!!! .....then the reports as the ships who sacrifice themselves are ripped apart in terrible explosions........"

The movie is so powerful and moving. Without gore or the usual battle scenes. The movie reached out to me as a 12 year old and spoke to me as if I were an adult and conveyed very important messages into a reservoir that has been there for me the rest of my life. When I saw it again last week--exactly 40 years later-- I relived this movie's power and classic grace.

It is a shame that such movies are not known more widely ...and that the ability to make such has atrophied.

The Gallant Hours
As a character study in film, this is one of the most provocative, haunting ones I've ever seen. The camera angles, the choral music, Cagney's riveting performance--why isn't this film readily available, especially on DVD?? ... Read more

Reviews (10)

E for Effort
"Charro!" is a better movie than they give it credit for. OK, so it might be similar to a Clint Eastwood "spaghetti" western, but so what? Of all the things to be similar to, that is not among the worst things to be. At least they tried to have a good composer for the score, and put Elvis in a different setting than at the beach, or on the race track, or being a guy who works at a gas station or is a truck driver or flips burgers(or whatever) and gets discovered and becomes a singing success, like he usually did. And not is it just simply in a different setting, it wasn't a Western musical either, which they could have easily done. It was a seriously done movie and was well-acted. I think that's why Elvis wasn't in more serious, non-musicals all through his movie career, because of what critics would say about Elvis' image being "changed, to no particular effect" and then less Elvis fans would come to see the movie. That's why they didn't make more movies like "Flaming Star" and "Wild In The Country", which are now considered among Elvis' best, because they didn't make as much money as "GI Blues" before them(a musical). And the Colonel was all about making money, not necessarily quality movies or songs that Elvis believed in or enjoyed singing. So please think twice before you criticize "Charro!". At least they gave it an honest effort.

Best Elvis Movie
This was one of the best Elvis movies ever made! It is alot of fun for the whole family. It will have you on the edge of your seat from start to finish. If you like this movie also try Flaming Star! It is a very heart touching story showing the hard ships of Native Americans and Settlers.

Not your normal Elvis picture, that's for sure.
"Charro!" is an okay film. Elvis plays a reformed outlaw who decides to go straight. But his former gang won't let him. They put an ugly scar on his neck that marks him as a killer. He then takes on his former gang members to try to make them return a stolen Mexican war cannon. All they do with it is frightenthe townspeople. Now, the bad-gone-good Elvis can save the people and stop the gang in its tracks. If you see, and don't enjoy it because there's a lot of violence, I don't know what to say. Very far from "Loving You", that's for sure.

It's not "Flaming Star," but it isn't "Clambake," either.
Elvis' last few movies seem to be among the better of the lot, and "Charro" is one of them. An obvious attempt to cash in on the "spaghetti western" phenomenon of the late 60's, "Charro" isn't half bad. I get the feeling the original storyline was more mature and more violent, but was watered down to play to Elvis' "family-friendly" audience. Also, it feels as though some scenes were edited out that might have helped the story progress, but were sacrificed either by an inept editor or an attempt to keep the film G-rated. I wager that had the film kept that harder edge, it would have rivaled "Flaming Star" as Elvis' best western film. As it is, though, it's still a valiant effort by a man who so dearly wanted to be taken seriously as an actor but was never given a chance because of a manager who was more concerned with dollar signs than the ambitions of his client. *A NOTE TO THOSE CONCERNED WITH FILM QUALITY* My copy of "Charro" was put out by Warner Bros. and is arguably the best version available, although the "pan & scan" is painfully obvious sometimes. I have seen versions of "Charro" put out by other video companies and they are horrible! If possible, get the Warner Bros. release and no other.

Charro - Elvis Presley
You need to remember it was filmed in 1969 and don't think about all the other movies Elvis starred in. He only sings during the opening credits. His manager should have given him a chance to become a serious actor that he would have been good at. I wish I had purchased this movie years ago. We've already watched it five times since receiving it. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Not Bad for a Buck!
I have to preface this by saying, I bought this new in shrink wrap for $1.07 at the local video store. So I really liked the price. Actually, I said, "cool", when I saw the video sitting there. I've always liked the story lines in both movies. Sure this is really low-budget stuff. You can't expect much. But, the story concepts are intriguing. Phantom Planet has little people, living on little worlds in the asteroid belt. These little worlds have little wars. The good guys are saved by one of us normal people, who breathes their air, shrinks and falls in love with one of the tiny citizens. Whats hard to believe about that? Huh? : ) The battle scenes are pretty good, the bad guys fly flaming meteorites.

Phantom from Space offers an invisible alien who, for some unknown reason, murders two guys. He is then tracked down by the police, scientists and the most fearsome members of the FCC. FCC? Yep, with there egg-beater antennas riding on top of there cars that track this poor alien down. The alien then dies from lack of methane (should have found a burping cow).

Where else could you see such things.

Despite what the experts say, these films are fun. At late on a Saturday night, when you're almost sober, these are good watching.

If you find it for $1.00, buy it (sorry Amazon.com, you're to expensive).

Oh yea, one last thing, don't watch this on a big screen TV, the picture quality is really bad. Dig that old 12inch B&W out from the back of the closet, you'll be much happier with what you see.

Perhaps not the greatest acting but....
...This was still a pretty good film forit's day & age. The special effects of the rocket ships and battle scenes weren't all that great but some (including the shrinking in the spacesuit) fx were no all that bad! As far as the acting...well, not award worthy but overall, I thought Phantom Planet had a good premise and hey.... my wife actually watched the entire movie. That says alot! ... Read more

Reviews (5)

Worth a look
Whereas W. L. Wilder's following film, 'Killers From Space' (1954), offers an original twist on the time-honored invasion theme (see my review), this movie plays it a lot straighter. Its progression closely follows that of similarly themed films: an unknown presence (the Other) disrupts order, is eventually identified, tracked, and found. Yet despite this predictable structure, some key points make the film worth watching. Previous reviewers have mentioned the movie's reliance on overly talky scenes; I personally did not mind it, since the discussions are interestingly written and acted. The Phantom himself is an intriguing character. As in most sci-fi films of the 1950s, the invader is considered an enemy, but his role is quite ambiguous: the havoc he creates is linked to his own precarious situation, and the humans do not become pure killing machines eager to get rid of the Other. Not that they mind much when he dies, though... in that regard, the final scene is a little disappointing. As a whole, this film is very modest and far from exceptional, but fans of 1950s sci-fi should be pleased with its redeeming facets.

Half "Invisible Man", Half "Radar Secret Service"
"The Phantom From Space" is a sci-fi cheapie from 1953. The first half is pretty boring, as most of the action involves driving around in ridiculous old cars with ludicrous antennae on their roofs looking for disturbances. This takes place in California, so there are some other wacky things going on, but just to make sure we understand, the bulk of the first half hour or so is narrated. As the narrator drones on over the scenes of stock footage, and the cars drive around endlessly, something finally happens! A murder by a guy in a diving suit happens, to be specific, but unfortunately for the audience, all that results for our entertainment is some really tough (not!) interrogation of the prime suspect. Ultimately a couple of people get killed and a refinery gets set on fire.

As the movie gets over the hump and starts picking up steam, we see some silly police foot chases of the diving-suit being that go on a bit too long, but ultimately corner the guy in a lab with a pretty female scientist. To evade capture the being takes off his suit and turns out to be invisible unless exposed to ultraviolet light. They chase him around until he needs to put his helmet back on while he practices Morse code with the lady scientist. She figures out that he needs to breathe methane (hence his attraction to the refinery...see how it all makes sense) but thanks to the comic relief newspaper reporter who is forever screwing everything up (at least they got that part right) he drops and breaks his helmet. Eventually we see him shriek and burn up in what I believe may be the Griffith Park Observatory, his mission having utterly failed.

This film is a borderline two or three star movie, but I decided to go with three as it was quite well made considering that it was from 1953. I liked that the film didn't attempt to make the invader from space into a killing machine, and that in the end actually made the audience feel sympathy for him. The special effects are not so special by the standards of today, but remember this was made 51 years ago, and I think was a pretty credible effort for the time. The acting is average, and the script is too. The biggest weaknesses were pacing and the whole silliness with the cars with ridiculous antennae. The second half is entertaining, and the creature actually looks good when we finally get to see him. If you can get past the first half, this is better than average for mid 1950s sci-fi.

Nothing special, but I enjoyed it
W. Lee Wilder had a penchant for making enjoyably average yet largely forgettable science fiction films. In Phantom From Space (1953), he introduces us to a much more agreeable alien than that found in his more familiar Killers From Space of the following year. Okay, so the phantom does kill a few people and cause some serious oil fires, but it's not all his fault. He's just not a people person, you see, what with being invisible and all. He's also not that bright, choosing to ditch his spacesuit and helmet rather than fall into the clutches of the humans on his tail. He needs something akin to a methane gas atmosphere in order to breathe, and a helmet-less jaunt on earth with its oxygen-based atmosphere threatens to cut short his visit in a most significant way.

The film starts out with an unidentified object hurtling from Alaska to the California coast, where the object seems to disappear. Mobile communications folks are sent out to determine the source of interference suddenly wreaking havoc in the area, and these guys keep bumping into cops investigating murders and other acts of destruction. Soon, these different forces team up with an army man and a scientist, and everyone eventually comes to the amazing conclusion that the source of all the trouble is actually a humanoid not of this world. The ending is not exactly a bright and chipper one, but it is just about the only plausible ending possible and, in its own way, it works pretty effectively.

I actually enjoyed Phantom From Space, despite a number of slow scenes in the first half of the film. The actors are reasonably good albeit colorless, and I was amused at the way the lead scientist seemed to become more and more German as the action progressed. There are certain limited parallels between this movie and Monster a Go-Go, and I feel compelled to state that the conclusion of Phantom From Space is far, far better than what you will find in its B-movie cousin. There's nothing here to make this film stand out, but it is a relatively painless and occasionally interesting cinematic diversion.

re-write would have helped
i liked the movie over-all. i liked the old-time mannerisms , these old flics are like windows into the past.
the story tho could have wrapped up better.
the alien kept trying to communicatem but the earthlings just didn't seem too excited about trying to figure out what he was saying. He dies because they are stupider than the crew of a star trek ship who can always find something to modify to solve a mewrely technical problem.
The foot chases are almost like the Keystone cops chases in the old silent movies.
a good movie to watch with friends when you need an opportunity to feel superior and have a laugh at some long dead movie people.

Bad sci-fi film is no "Killers from Space"!
W. Lee Wilder, brother of Billy Wilder, directed this exciting tale of people sitting around and talking while an invisible space alien flees all who come into his invisible path. Unfortunately, this 1953 clunker is not as beautifully campy and tacky as Wilder's "Killers from Space" or "Snow Creature," though it does feature some hilarious film-noir method acting in the person of a needlessly abusive cop who simply won't take anyone's word for anything. When the lead characters aren't sitting around discussing the obvious, they are running around outside and shouting the obvious. Perhaps this is some primal reaction to the unseen. ... Read more