Marty (1955)
By this time in his young career Ernest Borgnine had bullied Spencer Tracy and Broderick Crawford, beaten Frank Sinatra to death, tackled Randolph Scott and looked dangerous as one of Burt […]
The Criminal Code (1931)
In the year that saw the long time supporting player Boris Karloff attain “overnight” stardom, he played far more diverse roles than just the Monster of Mary Shelley’s imagination by […]
Johnny Guitar (1954)
I hadn’t actually seen this Nicholas Ray western since I was first discovering films as a kid and my tuning in to see it on a late show was mainly […]
Bad Boy (1949)
With reliable stalwarts Lloyd Noland and James Gleason at his back, America’s baby faced war hero Audie Murphy played his first major role in this Kurt Neumann film released through […]
The Whip Hand (1951)
This RKO feature can easily be classified as one of those titles I now consider a hidden gem after seeing it for the first time. Thanks to the Warner Archive […]
Satan Never Sleeps (1962)
Clifton Webb played his final role in this film from noted director Leo McCarey. However, it’s leading man William Holden who claims top billing under the 2oth Century Fox banner […]
Holiday (1938)
Sometimes you just feel the urge to here that famous Cary Grant delivery so why not toss in the tones of Katharine Hepburn as well. Released the same year as […]
The Lives of Robert Ryan by J.R. Jones
Am I surprised that there is finally a biography in the bookstores on Robert Ryan? Not at all thanks to TCM and what I think is a bit of a […]
Comes a Horseman (1978) Jason Robards Run. Day 1
One could almost subtitle this film The Ballad of the Three J’s. Jane Fonda, James Caan and Mr. Jason Robards. It’s a tale of greed mixed with a pure hatred […]
Robert Stack : Straight Shooting (An Autobiography)
Ask me what I know of Robert Stack and I’d mention The Untouchables though I’ve never seen the show other than the pilot with Neville Brand. I just connect him […]
Revisiting Stanley Kramer’s It’s a Mad, Mad , Mad, Mad World (1963)
I grew up watching this flick repeatedly on Sunday afternoons and late night television. It has stayed with me ever since. I finally caught up with the recent Criterion blu […]
Charles McGraw : Tough Guy With the Gravel Voice
This article on the career of Charles McGraw appeared in The Dark Pages special edition dedicated to the classic 1946 film The Killers. Looking back I find it comical that […]
Running Mates (1992)
Every now and then I’ll catch a made for cable film and realize that’s exactly where it belongs. On the small screen. Despite having two top notch performers this romantic […]
Mrs. O’Malley and Mr. Malone (1950)
Every now and then casting directors strike gold. When you take two of cinema’s best character players and put them in the leading roles of a fast moving murder mystery […]
A Gallery of Hydes
1973 1920 1989 1968 1931 1971 1941 and then there’s Buddy 1963
Karl Malden: When Do I Start? with Carla Malden (1997)
Here’s an autobiography that it is practically impossible to dislike. It’s written with an honesty that comes through on every page. From Malden’s early years growing up in Indiana and […]
