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Rodgers and Hammerstein made BIG musicals--sweeping song and dance numbers, elaboratestagings, sweet heroines, and love struck but confused heroes. Flower DrumSong has all these elements, so why is it so little known? Perhaps becauseit had the misfortune to be released the same year (1961) as West SideStory, or maybe because at 133 minutes it's overlong, or did the audiencehave trouble accepting an all-Asian cast in an Asian-themed musical? Whateverthe reasons, it's time to recognize Flower Drum Song for the gem itis.

Picture bride Mei Li (Miyoshi Umeki) and her father arrive in San Francisco,having smuggled themselves into the country so Mei Li can marry nightclub ownerSammy Fong (whose mother arranged the whole deal). Mei Li is fascinated by thecity and immediately charms its denizens with a delicate rendition of "OneHundred Million Miracles." Fong (Jack Soo), who is having an affair with hisstar singer, the sexy and scheming Linda Low (Nancy Kwan), pawns Mei Li off onthe Wang family, whose eldest son, Ta (James Shigeta), needs a wife (at leastthat's what his father has decided). Old Chinese culture and new American idealsclash at every turn, with the elders struggling to understand their Americanizedchildren and the children struggling to accept and honor their heritage. Thoughthe movie is dated in some respects, the theme of assimilation vs. separationholds up remarkably well and rings true. "The Other Generation" beautifullyillustrates the generation gap.

As this is a romantic musical, you know from the beginning which couples willend up together. The most famous song is "I Enjoy Being a Girl," sung by LindaLow as she dresses to seduce Wang Ta. Though too many triangulations andmisunderstandings prolong the inevitable conclusion, Flower Drum Song isa very enjoyable and often funny ride. --Dana Van Nest ... Read more

Reviews (31)

An Ahead-Of-Its-Time Musical
Based on the novel by C.Y.Lee,it is probably the most ambitious of all R and H shows,and did have one of the shortest Broadway runs (600 performances,which is roughly a year)

People tend to class their shows as follows-

The Hits-South Pacific,Sound Of Music,Carousel,Oklahoma!,and The King And I.

The Flops-Allegro,Me And Juliet.

The In Betweens-Cinderella and Flower Drum Song.

Nancy Kwan is great as Linda Low,although she was used as the 'marquee name' to draw the crowds.Broadway's Pat Suzuki would have made a bigger splash in the film.

The charming Miyoshi Umeki is charming in her Broadway role,and Juanita Hall also scores big in the film.

R and H really had their opus with the lilting and sad ballad,'Love Look Away'. It should be counted as one of the best,if not THE best,songs they wrote.

An uneven mixture redeemed by Umeki and some great songs
This may be the most frustrating of all the Rodgers and Hammerstein's adaptations because its the most uneven. On Broadway, FLOWER DRUM SONG was anchored very firmly by twin star performances by Miyoshi Umeki as Mei-Li and Pat Suzuki as Linda Low. The film version wisely retained Umeki (and even allowed her more lines--and to sing almost the entirety of her great first song, "A Hundfred Million Miracles" by herself), but cast as Linda Nancy Kwan, who is paradisiacally beautifully and a fine dancer but who just does not have Suzuki's sock-it-to-me charisma. Nor did the singer who dubs Kwan: as a result, some of the more mediocre songs that Suzuki hit out of the ballpark on Broadway (like "Grant Avenue") just don't make it here.

While it was extremely rare for a Hollywood film with not only a plotline concerning Asian-American themes but also mostly Asian-American actors, the director, Henry Koster, seems to have approached San Francisco's Chinatown as if it were a magical mythic kingdom like Munchkinland, and a little of this goes a long way. (You feel sorry for the actors forced to say things like "See ya Pop--don't take any wooden chopsticks!") On the other hand, the strength of many of the performances carry the day, and the score has some exceptionally beautiful songs, particularly the famous "Love, Look Away," lipsynced here by Reiko Sato (very fine in a difficult role) for Marilyn Horne's voice.

Sharing the thoughts of many others
I cannot believe this is not on DVD yet. There is a song by Kwan that is presented in widescreen on the VHS, but the scene of the boy dancing in the baseball uniform is pan and scan. Horrible to take away the scenery and perspective.
PLEASE MAKE A WIDESCREEN DVD!!
I consider this movie to be one of the top three musicals in my heart.

I was nine when I first saw this movie in Boston with my
mother. She always picked the really good movies. This was when the movie theatres were elaborate and there were matrons in the ladies rooms. And the theatre carpet didn't smell like feet. I fell in love with James Sigata and I thought Nancy Kwan was the most beautiful woman. When I got home I got my little paper fan and pretended I was Nancy singing "I enjoy being a girl" to my mirror. I'm glad that I bought the CD and I hope they put this movie on DVD or reissue it on VHS. I'd love to have it. And a little trivia-Miyoshi Umeki was Mrs. Livingston on the TV series The Courtship of Eddie's Father.

Without widescreen it's a disappointment!
Producer Ross Hunter lavished some pretty expensive-looking production values and some very capable talent on this film and, as was almost de rigueur back then, mounted it in Panavision and, of course, color. Let's have a DVD with the original ratio preserved, please! Hermes Pan's dance numbers especially (one of this enjoyable film's chief assets) cannot be fully appreciated unless they're seen on the widescreen (or its video equivalent). A panned-and-scanned VHS tape just doesn't do justice to a film which was a fine example of Hollywood professionals working their magic. I saw it first-run, way back when, and despite some reservations, thought it was pretty slick entertainment and would add a properly presented DVD version to my library without any hesitation. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

Killed By A Poison Dart
Another pre-WWII film by 20th Century-Fox. Charlie is giving a weekly Crime League radio broadcast at the museum when an escaped convict seeks revenge on him for helping to put him in prison. One of Charlie's panelists is mistakenly killed by a poison dart intended for the great detective.

Sidney Toler plays Chan while Sen Yung is again cast in the role of Jimmy Chan. The screenplay is by John Larkin and the movie's director is Lynn Shores.

CHARLIE CHAN AT THE WAX MUSEUM is one of the best entries in the series.

Entertaining entry in the popular series
Charlie Chan films are frequently accused of pandering to racial stereotypes. There is a certain truth to this, but Charlie Chan and company were neither more nor less stereotypical than such other popular series as the "Blondie" or "Dr. Kildare" series, and--while we may occasionally roll our eyes at a few 1930s sensibilities--its stereotypes are never mean-spirited and Charlie (along with his various sons) is always presented in a positive light.

This particular Chan episode is one of the best of the Sidney Toler vehicles, and unlike most other Chan films actually generates considerable atmosphere with its tale of a killer run wild in a mysterious wax museum, where all is not as it seems. Victor Sen Yung plays "number two son" Jimmy Chan very broadly, and the film is rounded out with a very able and entertaining cast. As with most Chan films, everything is "over the top," but WAX MUSEUM never goes so far over the top that it becomes pure camp; it remains an unpretentious, simple little movie that is quite a lot of fun to watch, and both fans of the series as well as newcomers will enjoy it quite a bit.

Person Who Not Like This Movie Need Head Examined.
This is an amalgam of several mystery/horror themes, and that is exactly why it is good. There are the chills of the wax museum setting, the whodunit aspect, the revenge plot of the gangster, some locked-in-an-old-dark-house elements, plus the comedy of #2 Chan (Toler) and his pithy interaction with #2 son. The labyrinthine mystery is eventually solved in fairly conventional fashion, but the movie is a lot of fun. ... Read more

Reviews (4)

Unusually High Production Values (for Charlie Chan)
Castle in the Desert has unusually high production values ... for a Charlie Chan movie. Camera angles, for example, are sophisticated, and sets are fairly elaborate, unlike some of the later Chans. The plotting is fairly complex, and the acting is mostly of professional quality, even from the minor players. All in all, this is one of my favorite in the Charlie Chan series.

A Superior Plot
The Charlie Chan series was dropped by 20th Century-Fox after this film.

Charlie solves a murder which happens while he is a guest in a desert castle. Sidney Toler has the role of Charlie and Sen Yung plays Jimmy Chan.

John Larkin wrote the screenplay and the director was Harry Lachman. Mostly because of the plot, I have always considered CASTLE IN THE DESERT to be one of the better Chan movies.

The Last Film in the "Real" Charlie Chan Series
CASTLE IN THE DESERT would be the last Charlie Chan film made by 20th Century Fox, which originated the series; the rights to the character was subsequently purchased by Monogram, where Chan films continued to be made--but to considerably less effect. Consequently, CASTLE is generally regarded as the last film of any merit in the series. It is also one of the most entertaining. A neurotic historian and his wife, a descendent of the Borgia family no less, reside in eccentric isolation in a castle in the desert--where sinister doings are afoot, and Chan is summoned to take matters in hand. The plot as it unfolds requires a certain suspension of disbelief re what is medically possible, but a particularly entertaining cast (Ethel Griffies is a standout) allows the viewer to buy into the tale, and the film abounds with comic florishes that Chan fans will enjoy.

Although the Charlie Chan films are sometimes accused of perpetuating racial stereotypes, they were in fact no more stereotypical than other serial-style films (Blondie and Dr. Kildare come to mind) of the era--and as the series progressed the patronization found in the earliest films was rapidly discarded. Regretfully, many of the best Chan films are not available on video, much less DVD, and fans of the series who want to see such classics as CHARLIE CHAN AT TREASURE ISLAND or CHARLIE CHAN AT RENO(my own favorites) must hope for a showing on television.

Best Entry in Chan series
Castle in Desert is the best Chan film. Sidney Toler is in top form as is his No. 2 son.Brillian casting of Henry Daniel and Douglas Dumbrille. Film has good erie atmosphere and is great fun throughout with a fast pace.(something that is a failing in other Chan pictures.)Highly recommended Chan fun! ... Read more

Reviews (7)

It's No Mystery That This Is a Great Movie!
Charlie Chan in Rio is one of the best films I have ever seen. The plot is surprislingly strong and keeps you guesssing all through the film. The way Chan solves the mysteries is mesmorising. This was my first Charlie Chan film, so it naturally holds a special place in my heart. However, this is clearly one of the best. This film is brilliant.

One of the best Charlie Chan films
These old Charlie Chan mysteries are light and fun in tone, but not to the point of being campy. This one was always a favorite of mine because of the strong story, interesting setting (I always wanted to go to Rio), and because of the Asian detective's especially clever methods of cathing the villian this time around. I also enjoyed the song the woman sings on stage, which is saying a lot because I usually can't stand those kind of scenes in old movies. Along with the one in the wax museum and the one in Paris, I'd say this is the best Charlie Chan film I've seen. "Charlie Chan in Rio" is clever and engrossing for what it is.

Brazilian Atmosphere and Cabaret Scenes
CHARLIE CHAN IN RIO is one of two Chan films turned out by 20th Century-Fox in 1941. Sidney Toler plays Charlie who is chasing a killer in Rio. Sen Yung is again cast in the role of Jimmy Chan and Victor Jury also appears in the movie. I liked it - particularly the Brazilian atmosphere and the cabaret scenes.

Mild Installment In The Charlie Chan Series
Charlie Chan (Sidney Toler) and son Jimmy (Victor Sen Yung) travel to Rio to arrest a woman accused of a murder in Hawaii--but before the killer is taken into custody she becomes the victim of foul play herself. Chan films frequently ask the viewer to suspend disbelief re various plot devices, but this particular episode requires one to accept a particularly unrealistic plot device and as such seems more than a little silly; fans will find it mildly enjoyable, but RIO is not the film I would use to introduce a newcomer to the series.

Although the Charlie Chan films are sometimes accused of perpetuating racial stereotypes, they were in fact no more stereotypical than other serial-style films (Blondie and Dr. Kildare come to mind) of the era--and as the series progressed the patronization found in the earliest films was rapidly discarded. Regretfully, many of the best Chan films are not available on video, much less DVD, and fans of the series who want to see such classics as CHARLIE CHAN AT TREASURE ISLAND or CHARLIE CHAN AT RENO(my own favorites) must hope for a showing on television.

Worse than expected
This dreadful film--amateurish to the point of laughter--is an example of the inferiority of Twentieth Century Fox Chan films. For real style and laughs, watch the cheapie Monogram Chan movies with Mantan Moorland and Willie Best. The fact that these films are politically incorrect, adds to their appeal. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

This is a Great Movie
This is one of the best Charlie Chan movies. Though I found the beginning to be slightly confusing, it is a very compelling and interesting story. I would recommend this film to any Chan fan.

A Strong Supporting Cast
Sidney Toler plays Charlie and Sen Yung has the role of Jimmie Chan in this movie about the great detective solving a homicide which happened on board an airliner. It's another 20th Century-Fox film with Harry Lachman as director and a strong supporting cast.

Murder Over New York
My Dad first saw Charlie Chan movies when he was a little kid watching the late late movie(which was frequently a Chan movie). He remembers none of the movies, except this one. Just that says alot. "Murder Over New York" is a great movie, and a good mystery. That plane scene towards the end is one of the most suspenseful scenes ever made in a Chan picture. Number two son Jimmy is on hand as usual, and Sidney Toler does his usual excellent job as Chan. Also, Shemp Howard of Three Stooges fame makes a surprise appearance at one point. "Murder Over New York" may not be critically acclaimed, but it is viewer acclaimed. ... Read more

Description

Alberta Marlow isn't looking for wealth. "I can do without it," she says. "You stick around with me and you're going to get plenty of practice, " Rick Leland replies.

She also gets plenty of danger and intrigue, because Humphrey Bogart plays U.S. counterspy Rick in this crisply written wartime thriller. "The part is a combination of acid and comedy, a bit like his role in The Maltese Falcon," long-time studio insider Robert Lord said when he recommended Bogey for the role in which the screen icon trades romantic barbs with Alberta (Mary Astor), matches wits with duplicitous Lorenz (Sydney Greenstreet) and swaps bullets with saboteurs of the Panama Canal. The Maltese Falcon's John Hu ston directs this reunion of three of that movie's stars. And once again, the parlay of stars and director comes up a winner.

Year: 1942 Director: John Huston, Vincent Sherman Starring:Humphrey Bogart, Mary Astor, Sydney Greenstreet Special Feature: Original Theatrical Trailer B&W/97 Mins. ... Read more

Reviews (15)

Bogie Rocks!
If you're in any way a Bogie fan or liked the Maltese Falcon then this film is a must see. Well directed by John Huston (Maltese Falcon, Treasue of Sierra Madre). Sydney Greenstreet steals the film in one of his usually intriguing character roles. Mary Astor also shines in the role of the heroine. Nice action, music and cinematography. Humphrey Bogart is one of the best actors to have ever graced the screen and this is easily one of his best films.

Lesser John Huston but quite entertaining
This spy thriller uses plot 39a--you know, the one in which the hero deliberately gets drummed out of the army so he can pursue counter-espionage activity dealing with the enemy. A poltically incorrect, pre-Sony Humphrey Bogart foils Japanese attempts to sabotage the Panama Canal. Huston uses some deft touches in filming this well-worn, hokey plot. With Sydney Greenstreet as a Japanese-loving adversary, Mary Astor as Bogie's romantic interest and Victor Sen Yung as a smart-ass Japanese gunsel.

Rube Goldberg movie
For only his second feature director John Huston nearly got sandbagged by this Warner quickie. The script is literally all over the map and was plainly rushed into production after Pearl Harbor. To his credit, Huston manages to make somthing watchable out of a screwball plot about an American artillery officer, Humphrey Bogart, who is mustered out of the service on a phony rap so he can spy on the Nips, and have a romantic ocean voyage with Mary Astor, and thwart Japanese sympathizer Sydney Greenstreet's plan to blow up the Panama Canal. Whew. This was a pretty poor reward for having made "The Maltese Falcon" but that was the way of the studio system, and Huston manages to cross the finish line before the contraption collapses, no mean feat.

Bogart is the best
Well filmed and very well acted. This is just a wonderful movie.
recreated in Panama Canal, this gives an interesting touch to the film.
I cannot wait by the DVD format...

They started filming in late 1941, but then on 12/7/42...
By an odd coincidence I picked up this little known gem and then days later ran across a passing reference to it in a new book about Hollywoood and Sept. 11.
It seems that the movie was going to be about how Humphrey Bogart foiled a Japanese plot in Hawaii. The movie began shooting in late 1941, but then the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor. So, the locale changed to Panama, and the script was rewritten as it was shot. After putting Humphrey Bogart's character in an almost impossible situation, John Huston left and offered his services to the army. Vincent Sherman had to figure out the dramatic ending.
And that, my friends, is why it is called Across the Pacific although they never leave the Atlantic Ocean.
The movie is fun, with a great cast, snappy dialogue and surprising twists. Amazon recommends it along with another of my favorite movies, All Through the Night. Both are light-hearted romps set in World War II. ... Read more

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Snicker if you will, but Kung Fu was one of the most influential TV series of the 1970s, one that managed to inject a note of both spirituality and Eastern religion into the standard Western formula and make it seem new. This was the pilot, an intriguing and scene-setting TV movie in which David Carradine starred as the mysterious Caine--half-white, half-Chinese, reared in a Shaolin monastery in China by blind master Po (Keye Luke), then exiled to America, on the run for killing the men who killed his master. The pilot mixes flashbacks to Caine's youth with a story set in the Old West of Caine battling intolerance as he begins the search for his father. --Marshall Fine ... Read more

Reviews (9)

Hope they put the whole series on DVD
I have loved this series for years. I just love the little thought provoking things that Caine, the main character says. I've watched it since I was a little kid, and when I was in my twenties, it came on at 4 am on a channel once a week so I'd stay awake just to see it. I really hope they put the whole series on DVD. I'd buy it in a minute.

I love the quiet demeanor of Caine. I enjoy his humility and his respectfulness. The Caine character proves that you don't have to be "bad" to be cool. The pilot movie is definitely worth watching.

Unique Western flick.
This is certainly by no means an all-time favorite movie of mine, but it's an excellent little flick nevertheless -- especially considering that it was made-for-TV, the pilot for the "Kung Fu" TV series. My wife and I just saw it tonight and quite enjoyed it. At a mere 74 minutes, it's short and sweet, kinda the way I wish more movies would be! It's definitely a Western, as it takes place out West in the late 19th century, but it's unique for this genre in that it incorporates Eastern philosophy/wisdom and martial arts -- sorry, no quick-draw shootouts here.

A great scene appears near the beginning wherein Caine walks into a saloon after walking (!!) across a desert to get some water. Naturally some redneck dork wants to start a fight with him 'cause he's one of them "slant-eyes." Three times the guy attempts to attack Caine and three times Caine swiftly and decisively repels the attacks. The guy wisely decides not to attack again as Caine finishes his water and humbly walks out of the saloon leaving the saloon patrons in astonishment.

There's more martial arts action toward the end, but, it should be noted, this is by no means a standard martial arts flick. The movie teaches humility and respect for elders & all fellow human beings.

Despite the fact that they have very little dialogue, Caine develops a close father/son relationship with blind Master Po.

Some scenes have such a reverent and touching quality to them that they actually brought tears to my eyes .

In Brian Garfield's "Western Films" guide he criticized this film as "Juvenile tripe." With all due respect for the brilliant Mr. Garfield, this film is neither juvenile or tripe! As far as Westerns go, it's quite mature and original. Good Eastern-style music too.

Kung Fu: The Movie of Respect
KUNG FU is one of the few movies I have ever seen that has respect for a foundation. It is unfortunate that the martial arts are what viewers most often think of when they remember either the movie or the long running television show. Yet, a respect for tradition and a veneration for one's elders form the philosophical underpinning for both. The young Kwai Chang Caine, played modestly by Rademas Pera, portrays Caine as the height of worshipful respect. Having grown up as an orphan, we see in flashbacks, that he and the other village orphans, were invited to visit the local Shaolin monastery. He waits patiently in the rain for days until he is admitted. Once he is, he and a group of ragamuffins sit down at a table laden with food. The other orphans gorge themselves. Young Caine does not. Because he had the manners to wait, he is invited to stay by Master Po. During his years in the monastery, there are many scenes of interaction between him and his Shaolin instructors. It is these vignettes of the Wise Sages instructing the Eager Youth that lend the movie its charm. Caine, played now by David Carradine, grows to adulthood and leaves the temple to wander China. He is forced to kill the Emperor's nephew and must flee to America. These scnes of exposition are required for the movie to make sense. Caine's rise to maturity forms the basis for his encounter with villainous engineers and a renegade monk.
One subtle scene of respect occurs midway in the film when the adult Caine is working on a desert railroad somewhere in the western region of the United States. A heavily loaded wagon threatens to tip over, and Caine rushes over to prop it up with his surprisingly strong skinny arms. As he raises his arms, the Chinese crowd sees the tatoo of a dragon on his arms, and they bow in reverent silence. Later at the end, Caine must fight an outlaw monk whom he kills, but takes no joy in his victory. Even in defeat, a beaten enemy commands respect.
KUNG FU is the movie that attempts to make some sort of sense out of a violent unpredictable life. Caine seems to say that respect for all may make that possible. Perhaps he is right.

Good Script Makes Up For Bad History...Grasshopper!
Much has been written about the philosophical & moral lessons that can be learned from watching the old "King-Fu" tv series. However, one lesson that can be learned from this show has not been mentioned...a good script & solid acting performances can make up for very bad history done in an American western!

Alright, David Carradine does do a solid acting job as the peaceful, philosophical Buddhist monk roaming the American west. (Yup, like that other early 1970's martial-arts hero "Billy Jack", Carradine's "Caine" preaches "peace" & "brotherhood", until he's harrassed by "rednecks", then he tosses out all of that philosophy & kicks...! This show isn't really a martial-arts showcase. It's a hippie's wish-dream!) The surrogate father/son relationship between Carradine & Keye Luke as the blind master "Po" is solid, & let's face it, the bad guys racial slurs of "Chinaman" & "slanty-man" are delightfully repulsive! (I'm an Asian-american, & I enjoy watching Carradine, who's really a white actor in "yellow-face", kick the stuffings out of the bad-guys after they insult him!) And this tv pilot does have solid social commentary, with the background of the Chinese-american railroad workers as symbolic of American racial-exploitation.

Okay, so what's off about this show? Actually, you can't harp on the lack of martial-arts flash in the fight-scenes, since Hong-Kong movies made about this time (the Shaw Brother's "Duel of The Iron Fist", "Street-Gangs of Hong-Kong", "Seven Blows of The Dragon", etc.) also have sloppy fight scenes! You might harp on the practice of casting a white actor in a Chinese role, but then prior to the 1980's, most well meaning films with an Asian as a central character usually were cast with white actors. (Remember "Dragon Seed?" It was a pro-China World War Two propaganda film, with the Chinese, who were our allies against Japan, as the heroes. Katherine Hepburn was the heroine! Yet, you certainly can't call that movie "anti-Chinese.") I don't even think you can harp on passing up Bruce Lee for the lead role, because the central character has to have an inner-peace to him, & Bruce, well....watch "Fist of Fury/Chinese Connection" to understand why I don't think his personality would fit the role (though physically, because of his expertise in martial-arts, he would have been great...in the fight scenes.) You certainly can't fault the writing & acting, which we already said was solid.

Nope. It's the "Chinese" history & culture presented here that strains the believability for a learned viewer. For one thing, Chinese martial-artists (& Chinese Buddhist monks for that matter) DON'T go around barefoot! (They wear shoes! It's the Japanese & Okinawans who don't wear shoes during practice!) The look of the Shaolin robes are off & the bald monks are lacking in incense burnings on the tops of their heads. (They look like dots when you see them.) Not only that, but going by strict Chinese history of the 19th Century, I don't think "the emperor" would have been able to send anyone after "Caine." He (or actually the Empress Dowager) would have been too busy fending off the Taiping Rebels, the British, the French, & the various secret societies that were tearing up China at that time! (Of course, if you go by strict Chinese historical events, "Caine" wouldn't have had to leave China! He, like various other real-life monks, could have joined up with the various rebel secret societies that were plaguing the Manchu government at that time & besides, China is huge! If David Jansenn's "Doctor Kimble" from "The Fugitive" tv show didn't have to leave America after being accused of killing his wife, why should "Caine" have to leave a huge, easily to disappear in country like China?)

However, when I watch "Kung-Fu", I'm not convinced that those are real Shaolin monks or that that was China! It's like watching a medieval knight with a six-shooter!

Rent this video if you can, but only buy it if you can't rent it!

Kung Fu - A Martial Arts Classic
This will go down in martial artis history as a classic.

The fact that Bruce Lee was denied the lead role because of his being "too Chinese-looking" caused it to lose some of its luster, but it is still a must-see. ... Read more

Reviews (22)

GREAT FILM WITH A HOLLYWOOD ENDING
I call this a "Hollywood ending" not in the sense that it is a happy ening, but one which seems to be contrived to follow the production code of the day which stated that all wrongdoers must be brought to justice. Bette Davis, in one of her great performances, is killed off by Gale Sondergaard who herself is arrested by the police at the end. I really don't know if this ending is in the novel but it does not ring right with me. After all, Leslie Crosby was cleared of the crime and could have gone on living even with the torture memory of the lover she murdered in cold blood although I doubt if she would have remained faithful to wimpy Herbart Marshall for long. Gail Sondergaard, the dragon lady wife of the knocked off husband, just seems to be unable to get enough revenge. The 10 grand she got for selling the incriminating letter to Bette apparently was not enough to satisfy her. I especially liked the scene where Leslie tells her husband how much she still loves her vengefully slain adulterer.

Getting Away with Murder
Who else could get away with murder and still get the approval of the audience but Bette Davis? Based on Somerset Maugham's story, THE LETTER relates the murder of a rubber-plantation owner (Herbert Marshall) in Malaya by his wife (Bette Davis). It is interesting how Davis approaches this part. She gives a brilliant study of a cold yet proper woman who intoxicates her society friends and authorities through a pretense of female sexual virtue. She deliriously illustrates the passion of a woman who would kill a man for attempting to leave her and in doing so entices the audience on her behalf. Davis is so brilliant at conveying such a cold woman who my in effect really need the warmth and passion of a desperate soul, that even she may not realize her actions are a desperate attempt to realize her own desires. Is her behavior a pretense or not? This was very erotic stuff for its time. This film was nominated for 8 Academy Awards. Carl Jules Weyl's Art Designs combined with Tony Gaudio's Cinematography made a very provocative setting for the images. However the only fault I found with this film was Max Steiner's score. Max Steiner is one of my favorite film composers but I found his score too full of that heavy-handed Warner Bros. sound and not sensitive to the nature of the main character or the film.

seven well-deserved Oscar nominations
"The Letter" is a superb adapation of the Somerset Maugham tale set in Malaysia. Bette Davis is at the top of her form in her role as a deceitful, anguished wife caught up in an illicit love affair. Her pleasant, steady, unexciting husband, a rubber plantation manager, is played exceptionally well by Herbert Marshall. James Stephenson, in the role of her defense attorney, turns in an admirably understated yet vital performance.

William Wyler's masterful direction, employing exotic settings and mysterious minor characters, make this spellbinding tale of passion and murder a can't-miss for all Davis fans.

"The Letter" deserves the highest recommendation!

Exciting exotic thriller from the colonial age
Pistol shots bang through the starlit night in the malayan jungle and rubber planter Robert Crosbie (Herbert Marshall) is stupefied to learn that his own wife, Leslie Crosbie (Bette Davis) has bumped off his best friend, Jeff Hammond. "He tried to rape me, so I shot him" she tells her husband - and we know from the start that she is lying. Hammond's body is riddled with bullets, her magazine empty. Some shots were fired when he was already lying on the ground.

While her credulous husband coddles her, she gives her lawyer, Howard Joyce (James Stephenson) her version of the story - only interrupted by crocodile tears and a simulated fainting-fit. Joyce is really considerate: he even commends her on her courage. So good is her mood when she regales the police with a dinner that she is surprised to learn that she could face a murder charge. Robert, haggard from lack of sleep tries to convince himself that everything is O.K: "She shot the man like a rabid dog". But Hammond was so dashing, charming, a real ladies man - hard to believe that he was capable of such a thing...

Robert has every reason to be worried: Joyce is informed by his asian counsellor that a certain letter exists: written by Leslie on the last day of Hammond's life, inviting him to come and see her...This letter is in the hands of his eurasian widow (Gale Sondergaard) who runs a gambling house. Leslie's smiling self-confidence dissolves under Joyce's interrogation. She denies everything, she rages, but her lawyer is not dumb: "I dont't want to hear more from you than is necessary to save your head". He feels nothing but contempt for the woman who implores him to get her the letter, but he feels compassion for her husband. The price for the letter is 10.000 Pounds - the exact amount of Robert's bank deposit - and Mrs. Hammond made it a condition that she should bring the money personally. Leslie tries to hide behind a veil, but it doesn't help her: after letting her wait for nearly one hour in an opium-den, the widow demands to see her face - and throws the letter before her feet with disdain. A male jury acquits the virtuous lady of her indictment, but there is more trouble brewing: Her husband wants to leave for Sumatra, become independent and buy his own plantation. He does not realize that his money is gone...

This exciting thriller contains one of Bette Davis' most famous performances. Herbert Marshall is equally brilliant in the role of her gullible husband, especially in the final scenes. He must have been the most often cuckolded husband on screen: Greta Garbo deceived him in THE PAINTED VEIL, and Marlene Dietrich in BLONDE VENUS and the delightful, underrated ANGEL. Perhaps he was beyond help, because he did not learn from his faults: His next film was THE LITTLE FOXES where he played Bette's victim again.

Sondergaard looks spectacular, but is psychologically wrong: Men usually fall in love with little Miss Butterfly - not with the empress of China. Bette Davis was universally praised. A very intelligent actress, she was on the right track: She wears glasses, she concentrates on her embroidery with great patience - needle-work and sex-appeal don't exclude each other, but there must have been a reason why her lover became tired of her...I think that she lacked the boldness to steep herself completely in Leslie Crosbie's true character. This type of woman ("One is getting so lazy here, the boys do everything" she says) has survived until recently in South Africa: she has no goal, no funcion, and my guess is that she was growing fat...Leslie Crosbie was porridge - and Bette plays her like caviar! W. Somerset Maugham, like Agatha Christie, is very good to read to this day: They were not dishonest authors, just one-sided: they nurture a nostalgia for the "glorious" age of colonialism, which existed only for a small part of mankind.

A great deal
It is a real crime story. Only at the end of this story you experience what happened in this special night. It is hard to feel how this nice beautiful woman can be a murderer.I was surprised that a lawyer does such a great deal (with that letter) to save the life of his client who is guilty. At the end you are in doubt if it is a fair end or not. The book is interesting to read. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Nostalgic send-up of Bogart detective films of the '40s boasts a spot-on impression of the famous star by Robert Sacchi, who made a career doing mostly the same. (That's him in the Robert Zemeckis-helmed "You, Murderer" episode from Tales from the Crypt). The premise is that Sacchi plays a retired cop who gets plastic surgery to make himself look like Bogart, and then sets up shop as a private dick named Sam Marlow. But theplot is really just an excuse to pay tribute to Bogart's detective films. Sacchi's channeling of Bogie is so uncanny you'll be positively mesmerized for about 30 minutes. And that's the problem. While this amiable pastiche might help while away the evening in nostalgic reverie, it does a major disservice to the films it appears to idolize. That's the problem with nostalgia: it usually jettisons all the depth and complexity of the original, leaving an indistinct fifth-generation clone, a fuzzy Xerox of a Xerox of a Xerox. So when the novelty of the flick begins to wane, there's only the plot to fall back on for interest. And the plot is only there to havesomething upon which to hang references to Bogart flicks. The story largelymirrors The Maltese Falcon, with the great whatsit, the things dreams aremade of, being a pair of sapphires known as the "eyes of Alexander." The cast is composed of simulacra of past film greats: Gene Tierney (Michelle Phillips), Sidney Greenstreet (Victor Buono), and Peter Lorre (Herbert Lom)--notso successful, that last one. --Jim Gay ... Read more

Reviews (8)

OK Evening's Entertainment
Fun to see Mike Mazurky, Henry Wilcoxon, and George Raft in bit parts. Fun to see Robert Saachi do a spot-on impersonation of Bogart. The best unplanned fun is viewing the cheesy 70s TV-movie values that add to the nostalgia of the film.

This is bogart BUT the plot is silly and at times perverted
5 stars to the actor playing bogie,he has the voice,look, manors and style PERFECT. however the golden age of movies did not have curse words & naked women and i really doubt the real bogie would have lowered himself to this stupid script. If you are the ultimate bogart fan,like me, you can apprechiate just how good this actor plays him and at times there are a few funny sceenes like a car crash resulting from seeing bogie back from the dead.nice hearing the this actor relate everything to the "old days" as he visits certain streets and area's in this film where previous old movies were shot naming the stars who were in them, you can kind of picture it in B&W in your head if you saw the films. it is also kind of neat seeing a cameo by george raft an actor who played with bogie way back when in some of the classics but this is NOT a child safe movie. You can take most of the golden age movies and watch them with a family but not this trashy comedy too many uneeded sex implied scenario's that just dont fit with the real humphrey bogart films.

Enjoyable and lightweight...
Andy Fenaday's scipt follows self-employed detective (Scacchi, who's incredible) as he gets wrapped up in a MALTESE FALCON-type mystery. Heavy doses of amusing dialog, crammed with old movie references, this movie is better than FLETCH. A lot of fun and worth repeated viewings. A must for movie buffs. Good family viewing, with older kids. Rated PG for profanity, violence, and mild sexual innuendo.

A sweet bit of noir
Robert Sacchi attained minor celebrity in the 70's and 80's for his uncanny resemblance to Bogie and parlayed it into a career in TV commercials and cameo movie roles, most notably in Woody Allen's PLAY IT AGAIN, SAM. This vehicle is built around his unique "gift." It's an unremarkable but highly likable send-up of the great private eye flicks from the 30's and 40's - its most obvious inspiration being THE MALTESE FALCON, but there are allusions to THE LADY FROM SHANGHAI and other classics as well.It is chock full of hard-boiled banter and shadowy frames and shadowy characters and probably would have been better shot in black and white to capture the true ambience and ambiguities of the originals it seeks to imitate.

Same Marlowe is hired to find "the eyes of Alexander", sapphire replicas of Alexander the Great's eyes used in a bust of the conqueror, and during the search he runs into a snag of competing interests, all played by well-known character actors, Victor Buono and Herbert Lom among them. The plot, however, is superfluous, as it almost always is in detective films. The real point of the movie is to pay tribute to old time movie magic, and part of its fun is in the cameos. Apart from bit parts by the likes of George Raft, watch out for appearances by famed Hollywood reporters James Bacon and Robert Osborne as well (the latter now the host of cable's Turner Classic Movies).

Wonderful Spoof
Sacchi is the best Bogart impersonator ever... dry and droll as Sam Marlowe! The music from award winning composer George Duning [From Here To Eternity, Picnic, The World of Suzie Wong], the cinematography of perfect locations [including the famous Ambassador Hotel] are all right on target as famous tv director Robert Day [Kojak, Streets of San Francisco, The Avengers] guides the most endearing group of well-known character actors through a spoof of every dark detective film every made. See this if you loved all the old serious flicks... this one will make you howl. ... Read more

Amazon.com essential video

In the opening sequence of The Letter, director William Wylerdelivers a primer on film directing: at a rubber plantation, in the tropicalfunk of a Malaysian night, the heavy stillness is suddenly broken by shots...and a woman with a gun, descending a staircase. She is the wife of theplantation owner, and the dead man is, ahem, not her husband. Holding the gun sosecurely is Bette Davis, in one of her greatest performances (her acting of abig revelation, late in the film, is still an astounding piece of emotionalfluency). The story is taken from one of those sturdy Somerset Maugham talesthat has proved itself in many versions, but this is the keeper; it wasnominated for seven Oscars®, including best picture, director, and actress,winning none. Wyler's impeccable direction, and Davis's take-no-prisonersapproach to an "unsympathetic" character, make for a completely satisfyingpicture. --Robert Horton ... Read more

Reviews (22)

GREAT FILM WITH A HOLLYWOOD ENDING
I call this a "Hollywood ending" not in the sense that it is a happy ening, but one which seems to be contrived to follow the production code of the day which stated that all wrongdoers must be brought to justice. Bette Davis, in one of her great performances, is killed off by Gale Sondergaard who herself is arrested by the police at the end. I really don't know if this ending is in the novel but it does not ring right with me. After all, Leslie Crosby was cleared of the crime and could have gone on living even with the torture memory of the lover she murdered in cold blood although I doubt if she would have remained faithful to wimpy Herbart Marshall for long. Gail Sondergaard, the dragon lady wife of the knocked off husband, just seems to be unable to get enough revenge. The 10 grand she got for selling the incriminating letter to Bette apparently was not enough to satisfy her. I especially liked the scene where Leslie tells her husband how much she still loves her vengefully slain adulterer.

Getting Away with Murder
Who else could get away with murder and still get the approval of the audience but Bette Davis? Based on Somerset Maugham's story, THE LETTER relates the murder of a rubber-plantation owner (Herbert Marshall) in Malaya by his wife (Bette Davis). It is interesting how Davis approaches this part. She gives a brilliant study of a cold yet proper woman who intoxicates her society friends and authorities through a pretense of female sexual virtue. She deliriously illustrates the passion of a woman who would kill a man for attempting to leave her and in doing so entices the audience on her behalf. Davis is so brilliant at conveying such a cold woman who my in effect really need the warmth and passion of a desperate soul, that even she may not realize her actions are a desperate attempt to realize her own desires. Is her behavior a pretense or not? This was very erotic stuff for its time. This film was nominated for 8 Academy Awards. Carl Jules Weyl's Art Designs combined with Tony Gaudio's Cinematography made a very provocative setting for the images. However the only fault I found with this film was Max Steiner's score. Max Steiner is one of my favorite film composers but I found his score too full of that heavy-handed Warner Bros. sound and not sensitive to the nature of the main character or the film.

seven well-deserved Oscar nominations
"The Letter" is a superb adapation of the Somerset Maugham tale set in Malaysia. Bette Davis is at the top of her form in her role as a deceitful, anguished wife caught up in an illicit love affair. Her pleasant, steady, unexciting husband, a rubber plantation manager, is played exceptionally well by Herbert Marshall. James Stephenson, in the role of her defense attorney, turns in an admirably understated yet vital performance.

William Wyler's masterful direction, employing exotic settings and mysterious minor characters, make this spellbinding tale of passion and murder a can't-miss for all Davis fans.

"The Letter" deserves the highest recommendation!

Exciting exotic thriller from the colonial age
Pistol shots bang through the starlit night in the malayan jungle and rubber planter Robert Crosbie (Herbert Marshall) is stupefied to learn that his own wife, Leslie Crosbie (Bette Davis) has bumped off his best friend, Jeff Hammond. "He tried to rape me, so I shot him" she tells her husband - and we know from the start that she is lying. Hammond's body is riddled with bullets, her magazine empty. Some shots were fired when he was already lying on the ground.

While her credulous husband coddles her, she gives her lawyer, Howard Joyce (James Stephenson) her version of the story - only interrupted by crocodile tears and a simulated fainting-fit. Joyce is really considerate: he even commends her on her courage. So good is her mood when she regales the police with a dinner that she is surprised to learn that she could face a murder charge. Robert, haggard from lack of sleep tries to convince himself that everything is O.K: "She shot the man like a rabid dog". But Hammond was so dashing, charming, a real ladies man - hard to believe that he was capable of such a thing...

Robert has every reason to be worried: Joyce is informed by his asian counsellor that a certain letter exists: written by Leslie on the last day of Hammond's life, inviting him to come and see her...This letter is in the hands of his eurasian widow (Gale Sondergaard) who runs a gambling house. Leslie's smiling self-confidence dissolves under Joyce's interrogation. She denies everything, she rages, but her lawyer is not dumb: "I dont't want to hear more from you than is necessary to save your head". He feels nothing but contempt for the woman who implores him to get her the letter, but he feels compassion for her husband. The price for the letter is 10.000 Pounds - the exact amount of Robert's bank deposit - and Mrs. Hammond made it a condition that she should bring the money personally. Leslie tries to hide behind a veil, but it doesn't help her: after letting her wait for nearly one hour in an opium-den, the widow demands to see her face - and throws the letter before her feet with disdain. A male jury acquits the virtuous lady of her indictment, but there is more trouble brewing: Her husband wants to leave for Sumatra, become independent and buy his own plantation. He does not realize that his money is gone...

This exciting thriller contains one of Bette Davis' most famous performances. Herbert Marshall is equally brilliant in the role of her gullible husband, especially in the final scenes. He must have been the most often cuckolded husband on screen: Greta Garbo deceived him in THE PAINTED VEIL, and Marlene Dietrich in BLONDE VENUS and the delightful, underrated ANGEL. Perhaps he was beyond help, because he did not learn from his faults: His next film was THE LITTLE FOXES where he played Bette's victim again.

Sondergaard looks spectacular, but is psychologically wrong: Men usually fall in love with little Miss Butterfly - not with the empress of China. Bette Davis was universally praised. A very intelligent actress, she was on the right track: She wears glasses, she concentrates on her embroidery with great patience - needle-work and sex-appeal don't exclude each other, but there must have been a reason why her lover became tired of her...I think that she lacked the boldness to steep herself completely in Leslie Crosbie's true character. This type of woman ("One is getting so lazy here, the boys do everything" she says) has survived until recently in South Africa: she has no goal, no funcion, and my guess is that she was growing fat...Leslie Crosbie was porridge - and Bette plays her like caviar! W. Somerset Maugham, like Agatha Christie, is very good to read to this day: They were not dishonest authors, just one-sided: they nurture a nostalgia for the "glorious" age of colonialism, which existed only for a small part of mankind.

A great deal
It is a real crime story. Only at the end of this story you experience what happened in this special night. It is hard to feel how this nice beautiful woman can be a murderer.I was surprised that a lawyer does such a great deal (with that letter) to save the life of his client who is guilty. At the end you are in doubt if it is a fair end or not. The book is interesting to read. ... Read more

Reviews (5)

Only one point to make
This is one of the good ones. Moviegoers who are not traditionally devout, who find no comfort in organized religion, often find they can't stand movies with any religious content. This is a good one, though. Humphrey Bogart plays an American pilot who has found he has only one way to escape the Chinese warlord (Lee J. Cobb? LEE J. COBB? Yeah, really!) who has practically owned him for years. Rent it first, if you like: this is one of the good ones, though.

Some Flaws, but Surprisingly Good
The Story: Humphrey Bogart plays a pilot who crashes in rural China, is captured/enslaved/employeed by the local warlord (Lee J. Cobb), escapes, and poses as the new priest coming to a mission, where there is a doctor (E.G. Marshall), the doctor's wife (Agnes Moorehead), and an assistant (Gene Tierney). Bogart never fits well into the role of the priest, but then that misfitting is fitting, as a pilot-turned-enslaved soldier would be awkward if he posed as a priest. Tierney falls guiltily in love with the new "priest", while Bogart is surprisingly passionate and effective in his efforts to help the local villagers.

Commentary: This is a quiet story with much tension but little action. It does not give the viewer enough of Bogart interacting with the villagers to show why they admire him as much as they do. Cobb is totally convincing as a ruthless warlord, but totally UNconvincing as a ruthless CHINESE warlord. Despite these flaws, this is a quietly memorable film because it tells its little story well.

For Bogart collectors this is one of his best.
The movie does not quite follow the book however the basic script is Bogart is a downed flier that was recruited by a Chinese warlord (Lee J. Cob). In reality he was a prisoner placed in command with out authority. His only goal in life is to escape at any cost. Gene Tierney is a mission nurse in a Catholic village waiting for a replacement priest. Seems the priest do have very strong constitutions. Naturally through a series if events Bogie turns up as the priest and has to confront the waiting village, handle his feeling of the nurse who has feelings for him, and later the wrath of the warlord.

What make the movie great is not the outline of the story, but the acting and the unique way each situation is handled. I do not want to go into details so you can be surprised. I will say that I like the retelling of the tale of the confutation between the priest and the warlord.

Bogart Goes To China
Humphrey Bogart stars as one of the righthand men of a Chinese warlord (played by Lee J. Cobb) who takes off from his boss and poses as missionary priest. Gene Tierney also stars as one of the workers at the mission, while E.G. Marshall and Agnes Moorhead co-star as the mission's doctor and his wife. Bogart as a priest is a little farfetched, and he never quite seems to get completely into the character. The rest of the performances are acceptable and the setting of the Chinese mission is an unusual one. It may have been more interesting if the script had further explored the growing attraction between Bogart and Tierney (who thinks he's a priest) and spent a little more time concentrating on Bogart's effect on the Chinese villagers. The movie is interesting enough, but has little impact.

Bogie as missionary - surprisingly believable
In this Movie Bogart and Dmytryk swap the mean streets of LA for the wilds of China. Bogie is convincing as a missionary priest, which is more than can be said of Lee J. Cobb, who plays a Chinese Warlord in a performance that would draw attacks from Chinese people to any theatre in which the film was exhibited today. It looks good, but it doesn't explore Bogart's moyives for being a missionary enough, it's a bit too pro-Christian, and even on it's own terms, it's not as good as The Inn of Sixth Happiness or Anna and the King of Siam ... Read more

Description

An American merchant marine captain ferries a group of Chinese refugess down the Yangtze River to escape the Communists. ... Read more

Reviews (7)

Great John Wayne Flick
I saw this a couple of times on TV. It's a fine action movie.
One review here suggests to get it on DVD-wisescreen, but I can't find where any such version was made. VHS is the only choice.

also WAKE OF THE RED WITCH
Last saw Blood Alley on tv long, long, ago. I didn't even know it was available on video, but I will pick this up soon to add to my library. A good action movie.
I THINK John Wayne also died in Wake of the Red Witch. Can we say that he 'died' in "The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance"?
3/10/2004 JULY 2003? time sure flies. Just got the VHS (was looking for DVD, can't find). Great, better than I remember from tv. Not just action, there's commentary, and some of the Chinese characters are sooo stereo typed. Note the Chief Engineer is Nisei (2nd gen Japanese American, see GO FOR BROKE i think).

He has died in 4
John Wayne also died in the Fighting Seabies

Update
A viewer from Indiana: John Wayne has died in three movies: 1) The Cowboys, 2) The Alamo, and 3) The Shootist. Have not seen the movie but have just purchased it.

Good Adventure Movie with Wayne and Bacall from Wild Bill
This is one movie I can watch over and over again. When the boat steams up and starts rolling down the river it's non-stop adventure. Nothing, I mean nothing is going to stop John Wayne from delivering the people of a Chinese village to freedom from the grips of the Communists. Director William (Wild Bill) Wellman once again delivers. Don't forget William Wellman because he was one of our best directors. I think it's time that he gets some recognition for his great body of work. ... Read more

Reviews (10)

Everything a cult B movie should be
She Demons turned out to be a much better film that I expected it to be. While there is absolutely nothing original about the plot, the film manages to retain one's interest from start to finish. Native girls, a mad Nazi scientist, atavistic she demons, bombs, volcanic eruptions ' what's not to like?

The film opens sort of strangely, with a news report about a recent hurricane followed by a plea for information from some rich guy whose daughter's boat is missing. Then we cut to our shipwreck survivors: poor little spoiled rich girl Jerrie Turner (stalwart blonde Irish McCalla, whom some may recognize as Sheena, Queen of the Jungle), scientist Tod Maklin (Tod Griffin), comic-relief sidekick Sammy Ching (Victor Sen Yung), and a native captain who doesn't even survive long enough to witness the big native girl dance scene. And what a native girl dance scene it is. These aren't your run-of-the-mill natives; these girls, made up of the Diana Nellis Dancers, include some real beauties. Unfortunately, beauty can be fleeting on this island. You see, twelve years ago the Fuehrer sent Colonel Osler (aka the Butcher), played quite smarmily by Rudolph Anders, to this uncharted island to continue his experiments on the exploitation of lava for the generation of electricity. The doggoned evil scientist has actually figured out the secret of perpetual motion, but this sort of plays second fiddle to his continued experiments to turn scar tissue back into healthy skin (the Fuehrer didn't want any of his master race soldiers baring scars when they came back from the war). In an unfortunate accident several years earlier, Osler's wife Mona was severely burned, and the Colonel is attempting to restore her beauty by extracting "character X" from the faces of attractive native females (whom his crack staff of clueless soldiers have somehow managed to capture) and injecting it into his wife's skin (underneath all those bandages). Unfortunately, the medical procedure tends to turn these hot island girls into grotesque monsters so ugly that they have to sneak up on the dipper just to get a drink of water. The special effects makeup is rather pathetic, but the girls definitely do look ugly after their visits to the lab.

Well, our heroes get captured, the scientist and the rich girl fall in love, Osler does the whole evil madman shtick, etc. You know. Surprisingly, it all ends up being pretty darned entertaining, and the big "reveal" scene at the end is something not to be missed. I do have to mention these soldiers on the island, though; these guys make Sgt. Schultz look like a prize German soldier. Hiding from them is no trouble whatsoever; they wouldn't even recognize Hitler if he came up and kicked them in the shins. Okay, I also have to admit that some of the dialogue is pretty cheesy, but it makes for some good laughs. The only real complaint I have with this film is the fact that the gorgeous native girls (in their pre-She Demon forms, of course) were not featured nearly enough for my liking. When all is said and done, though, She Demons is everything a 1950s B movie should be.

"...Where's my powder blue cashmere shortie?"
...So proclaims statuesque Irish McCalla (she was TV's "Sheena, Queen of the Jungle" in the 1950s, as well as a famous pin-up model) in this campy horror film. McCalla plays Jerri Turner, a spoiled rich girl who is marooned on an island with bland hero Tod Griffin, Victor Sen Yung as wisecracking "Sammy Ching", and faithful servant "Chris", portrayed by an actor whose name escapes me. On this uncharted island, they encounter Nazis who have been hiding out since the end of World War II, and the "She Demons"-native girls who are being used as guinea pigs in mad scientist Rudolph Anders' twisted experiments to try and restore his disfigured wife's features. "She Demons" is so broad in its characterizations and situations, that it very closely resembles a comic book on film. The ridiculous dialogue, cheesy sets and laughable horror makeups only add to the fun in this enjoyable little flick. There is also a "specialty dance" performed by the Diana Nellis dancers, which will appeal to the horn-dog in many men. I may add that "She Demons" is the first film I remember seeing. I believe it was on TV's "Chiller Theater" in the early 1960s. I fell in love with the gorgeous Irish McCalla, who appealed to me with her spunky toughness, as well as her dazzling looks. She was my first screen heroine! "She Demons" defies any kind of detrimental criticism because it is so tongue-in-cheek (you KNOW they weren't taking this too seriously!),and just plain FUN. It is also charmingly sweet in its naivete-it is not mean-spirited at all. The guy gets the girl, the evil Nazis get theirs, and the audience gets a good laugh!

Jungle Fever...
On a remote, uncharted island in the south pacific, strange things are happening. Nazis have set up camp, kidnapping a troupe of dancers (The Diana Nellis Dancers to be exact) and subjecting them to diabolical experiments at the hands of an evil SS officer / scientist named Osler (aka: The Butcher)! Enter 4 castaways, Gerri (Irish McCalla) and 3 guys to whom I paid little attention (when you see Ms. McCalla you'll understand why). Gerri's a rich, spoiled brat. Her zillionaire father footed the bill for the expedition which landed her and her cohorts on the island. Well, our heroine and friends soon encounter the lost dancing girls, and we are treated to a fairly good little jungle-hoochy-koo number! Then, those mean old nazi-boogers show up, pooping all over the party! It's a battle between the forces of good and evil, as Osler tries to get Gerri to be more than a friend! Unfortunately for Hitler jr., Gerri does befriend his wife, who's badly burned face is the reason behind Osler's experiments. The actual SHE DEMONS themselves (dancing girls turned icky through Osler's serum) don't do a whole lot, except for exterminating the worst of their nazi tormentors! The rest is pretty standard fair, but Irish McCalla makes it all seem worthwhile somehow! Check her out in her black evening dress! Wowzers...

The Wicked World of Wade Williams
I was pissed off recently when I picked up a copy of SHE DEMONS,(from the 'Wade Williams Collection'). If the guy owns the damn film, why couldn't he wait until he locates a decent print before rushing it to DVD?

In the film there's a scene where a bevy of not-as-yet demonic beauties does a ritual dance before the camera; as each woman dances before the camera she has her moment when the camera gets a chance to focus on her face close up. Someone, probably long ago, had clipped out the crucial frames for each woman's close up in front of the camera. You may have seen other films where this "clipping" has been done, I know I have. What's up with that? Are they making prints to sell or something? This clipping of frames is not the kind of thing a casual observer will notice, but for me it mars the film horribly.

I remember watching BATMAN (was it 1985?) at the Grand in Oakland. It was a few days after the movie had been released, but damn if someone had not already snagged crucial frames, like the shot where Joker kills his TV.

Seems like the picture I'm getting of one Wade Williams is he doesn't really care about these films except as money makers. He has no love for the genre, and therefore does not really care about video collectors either.

Bob Burns
S.F.

Ricard Cunha's Lasting Memorial to Cheese
First off, let me say that "She Demons" is a favorite Z picture of mine. As a kid I always looked forward to the times it played on "Chiller Theater." I mean, where else could you get mad scientists, Nazis, disfigured go-go dancers (with the phoniest make-up), paper mache scenery, AND Irish McCalla?

To be fair, the film has a few scares at the end, especially when the mad scientist's wife discloses all too clearly her reason for not leaving with the heroes and the death of Mr. Nazi Mad Scientist himself. The DVD transfer is excellent, and though this is not the sort of picture in Ed Wood's league, it is still enough fun for inviting a few friends over and doing your own version of "Mystery Science Theater 3000."

And the best reason for owning it? Where can you get such sublime awfulness... ... Read more

Reviews (6)

Men in War - Cult War Classic and Psycho-Drama
"Men in War" may just be the best pschological study of combat ever made and should be considered a cult classic (and probably is) even if it is a cult of one. Anyone who claims this is a "Standard war film set in Korea" might also claim "The God Father" was a standard gangster movie or "The Wizard of OZ" was a standard children's flick. "Men in War" is a concise, classic study of combat that just happens to be set in the Korean War. Anthony Mann's direction impacts every aspect of humanity subjected to sustained combat. Amid the horror we see from the all-but-doomed patrol kindness, depravity, valor, self-interest, despair, hope, and, finally, relief without joy. In short we see how desperation exponentializes human emotion. The unusual camera angles give it a Film Noir "look" that highlights the conflicts and tragedies played out by the forlorn platoon. Robert Ryan and Aldo Ray are the perfect dueling co-protagonists who show that our toughest fights are not always with the ones defined as the enemy. The movie is all very real, all real personal, and all very difficult to watch sometimes because of the graphic truths, not the least of which is the insight into the final thoughts of several doomed souls. There is no going back with this film. Once you watch it you are hooked. It would be best for some esteemed critics to actually watch it once before reviewing it.

Best War film of the '50s?
Anthony Mann's "Men in War," along with Sam Fuller's "Steel Helmet," is the most realistic, tough-as-nails war film made in the '50s.

This is ANTYTHING BUT your standard Hollywood treatment. "Men in War," along with Mann's famous Westerns is a demonstration model of the 'vulgar subtlety' with which Mann subverts Hollywood convention to craft a masterpiece.

And what can you say about Robert Ryan? Easily one of the greatest actors of all time, and one of the coolest. Ryan OWNS this film like he owned Ophuls' Noir film "Caught," (even outshining James Mason in that one) and Aldo Ray steps up to Ryan's challenge with a truly phenomenal performance. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED

A Stark, Unflinching War Drama
"Men in War" makes one wish Anthony Mann had directed more war films. This is an excellent, character-driven story. It is a prime example of the mature, unflinching kind of war film that began to appear after the Korean conflict. Undeservedly neglected, this picture ranks with Lewis Milestone's "Pork Chop Hill" and Robert Aldrich's "Attack". And it is the progenitor of "Platoon" and "The Thin Red Line". with their complex characters and situations.

Every actor seems to give his best, with exceptional moments from Robert Ryan, Aldo Ray and Robert Keith, as a shell-shocked Colonel. And it is always good to see the admirable Pine, Morrow, Persoff and Edwards. The film has a stark, yet pleasing black & white look which is appropriate for the bare bones conflicts the story sets forth. Moreover, "Men in War" features a very fine score by Elmer Bernstein, utilizing an authentic Korean folk song.

Men in War
This has to be one of the most underrated war flicks of all time. Next to Pork Chop Hill with Gregory Peck, this is the best Korean War film I've seen. Robert Ryan was the perfect cast as the war weary Lieutenant trying to lead his platoon back to battalion HQ. Those who rate this movie average must be fans of Rat Patrol. This movie is a must see.

Men in War
Excellent,all the cast perform their parts well, great action sequences and some amazingly tense scenes.The film begins with the troops hiding in a large hollow ,surrounded by tall grass. Wrecked vehicles lie strewn across the area and only the sound of the wind can be heard.Probably the most climactic scenes I will ever see. This is one of my all time favourites. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Epic WWII Action/Drama in the Far East
Ah yes, this is what your looking for; Action, adventure, personal drama, great story with some early WWII era homefront morale boost without being boring. It has all the elements.
Alan Ladd, Loretta Young, Wm Bendix (who's great) and best of all, a great supporting cast including the best of the war pictures type, the great's; Philip Ahn & Richard Loo.
Fine action and touching drama; Loretta Young is as always excellent. Alan Ladd in his second lead picture ever the fine athelete you'll like a lot. A good story for the times and usually overdone patriotism prone pictures. Well done; I really like it. ... Read more