Classic Movie Hub Blog

Western RoundUp: Western Film Book Library – Part 10

Posted on July 30, 2025 by Laura Grieve

Western RoundUp: Western Film Book Library – Part 9

Once or twice a year I share a roundup of books on the Western movie genre here, most recently in November 2024.

This month’s book column was prompted in part by some wonderful discoveries I made during recent travels.

A June road trip took us briefly through Lone Pine, California, where we made a stop at the giftshop in the Museum of Western Film History. Later in the month I visited my favorite used bookshop, Smith Family Bookstore, while visiting family in Eugene, Oregon.

I’ll start with one of my finds in the Lone Pine gift shop, The Art of the Classic Western Movie Poster!, edited by Ed Hulse. It has a forward b Jay Dee Witney, son of the late Western director William Witney.

Art of the Classic Western Movie Poster 2

What was rather amazing was that just a few weeks ago I reviewed Ed’s new book The Art of Classic Crime and Mystery Movies at my personal blog, yet at that time I didn’t notice the same author had also published a book on Western poster art just last year. Both books are from Schiffer Publishing and are heavy hardbacks clocking in at 320 pages.

Art of the Classic Western Movie Poster A

Art of the Classic Western Movie Poster B

Art of the Classic Western Movie Poster C

As seen in these photos, the glossy pages feature many beautiful posters from Westerns of all types, including silents, series, and spaghetti Westerns. Hulse provides insightful commentary; he’s a Western film expert I’ve heard speak at the Lone Pine Film Festival numerous times over the years, and he knows his subject matter inside and out.

Another book I discovered in the Lone Pine museum shop was Cowboys, Creatures, and Classics: The Story of Republic Pictures by Chris Enss and Howard Kazanjian. It was published by Lyons Press in 2018. It has 252 heavy, glossy pages.

Cowboys, Creatures, and Classics covers all aspects of Republic’s history, including chapters on topics such as stuntmen and leading ladies. No one familiar with my columns will be surprised that my favorite chapter was titled “The Second Hollywood,” about movies Republic filmed in Lone Pine, California.

The book contains many beautiful photographs, including one I’d never before seen from one of my all-time favorite films, Angel and the Badman (1947). I’m sharing the photo below as an example of the quality of the book’s beautiful illustrations.

Cowboys Creatures and Classics Angel and the Badman

This is a good place to mention another book on Republic which is in my collection, Republic Studios: Between Poverty Row and the Majors by Richard Maurice Hurst. It’s a 262-page book published by The Scarecrow Press in 1979.

This book was first purchased by my late father; he later passed it on to me for my reference library with a note which says, in part, “Well done with lots of original research – reading 1st chapter is worthwhile.” That chapter is “The Rise and Fall of Republic: An Historical Overview,” which details the studio history over 34 pages of fairly small print.

In addition to its overview of the studio, the book contains useful appendices with listings of things like all the titles in the Three Mesquiteers series and Republic’s serials, many of which were Westerns. There are no photos, but those interested in the studio will appreciate the history packed in this little book’s pages.

The Vanishing Legion: A History of Mascot Pictures 1927-1935

One of the books I found last month in Oregon was a unique history rather similar to the Republic Studios title: The Vanishing Legion: A History of Mascot Pictures 1927-1935 by Jon Tuska. It was published by McFarland in hardback in 1982 and was later reprinted in softcover.

This book have a couple nice inserts of glossy photos included in its 2015 pages. A sample is below.

I haven’t had time to read The Vanishing Legion yet, but it looks very interesting, as many of Mascot’s films were Westerns, with stars including Tom Mix and a young John Wayne. The author was able to interview many Western stars and filmmakers over the years, and the book contains insights from those interviews. I anticipate learning a great deal about this lesser-known, relatively short-lived company.

Another book found in Eugene was The Versatiles: Supporting Character Players in the Cinema 1930-1955, by Alfred E. Twomey and Arthur F. McClure. McClure also cowrote Heroes, Heavies and Sagebrush, which I shared here in May 2023.

The Versatiles was published by Castle Books in 1969. It’s 304 pages, with many well-reproduced photos printed directly on the book’s pages.

I’m always happy when I can find older film books such as this one; sometimes they’re missing information because in those pre-Internet, pre-home video days the authors didn’t have ready access to the films or all the relevant information.

That said, as with The Vanishing Legion, authors of older books were sometimes able to interview their subjects or had other advantages writing in closer proximity to when movies were originally released. Sharp-eyed readers will notice that many actors’ death dates are missing from this book, given that it was published in the ’60s!

The book contains brief biographical sketches, selected credits, and photos for a great many actors. As one might imagine, many of the actors in this book appeared in Westerns, and I find books such as this can be very helpful “putting names with faces.”

I’m including a sample below of a page with Western character actor Fuzzy Knight.

Used editions of the older books mentioned above can sometimes be found online for reasonable prices.

In closing I want to mention some forthcoming books from the University of New Mexico Press. I reviewed that publisher’s Reel West books on Blood on the Moon, written by Alan Rode, and Ride Lonesome, by Kirk Ellis, here in May 2023.

Rode has an upcoming Reel West book on Shane, for which the publication date has not yet been announced. In the meantime, coming in October 2025 are books on The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance, written by Chris Yogerst, and Broken Arrow, authored by Angela Aleiss. I’m looking forward to reading them!

Happy reading!

For even more ideas of books on Western movies, please visit my previous lists from July 2019, November 2019, May 2020, January 2021, July 2021, August 2022, May 2023, April 2024, and November 2024. These posts contain a great many wonderful titles on the Western genre.

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– Laura Grieve for Classic Movie Hub

Laura can be found at her blog, Laura’s Miscellaneous Musings, where she’s been writing about movies since 2005, and on Twitter at @LaurasMiscMovie. A lifelong film fan, Laura loves the classics including Disney, Film Noir, Musicals, and Westerns. She regularly covers Southern California classic film festivals. Laura will scribe on all things western at the ‘Western RoundUp’ for CMH.

Posted in Books, Posts by Laura Grieve, Western RoundUp | Tagged cowboys creatures and classics, Mascot Pictures, Republic Studios: Between Poverty Row and the Majors, the art of the classic western movie poster, the story of Republic Pictures | 2 Comments

Noir Nook: Unlikely Ladies of Noir – Cathy O’Donnell

Posted on July 24, 2025 by Karen Burroughs Hannsberry

Unlikely Ladies of Noir – Cathy O’Donnell

If you’re familiar with Cathy O’Donnell, with her sweet smile and gentle demeanor, you may associate her with her first speaking role, Wilma Cameron in The Best Years of Our Lives (1946). In this post-WWII classic, O’Donnell played the loyal and loving girlfriend of a veteran who’d lost both hands in combat. Or you may remember her as Tirzah in her last film, Ben-Hur (1959), where her character is healed of leprosy during the crucifixion of Christ.

But for me, O’Donnell falls into that category of Unlikely Ladies of Noir – those actresses whose feet you’d never expect to see firmly planted in the world of noir . . . but they are. This month’s Noir Nook takes a look at O’Donnell’s life and her features from the noir era.

O’Donnell was born Ann Steely on July 6, 1925, in Siluria, Alabama (which is no longer a town, but a neighborhood in Shelby County). As a student at Oklahoma State University, she was bitten by the acting bug, appeared in several productions, and later got a job as a stenographer, saving up enough funds to finance a trip to Hollywood. (“I only had enough money to last for a couple of weeks,” she recalled. “If I didn’t break into the movie business by then, I was going to have to go back home to Oklahoma City.”)

Luckily, shortly after her arrival in Tinsel town, while sitting at the counter at Schwab’s Drug Store, she was discovered by an agent who introduced her to producer Sam Goldwyn. After a screen test (which Goldwyn reported did even view), the future actress secured a contract and a name change, and began work with a coach to lower her voice and lose her Southern accent. Goldwyn gave her a part as an extra in a 1945 Danny Kaye vehicle, Wonder Man (1945), and she also appeared in a few stage roles – in one of them, Life With Father, she was spotted by directed William Wyler, who cast her in her credited screen debut, The Best Years of Our Lives. And just a few years later, O’Donnell entered the realm of shadows with a starring role in her first film noir.

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They Live By Night (1948)

They Live by Night, Cathy O'Donnell, Farley Granger — Cathy O’Donnell and Farley Granger, They Live by Night

In this Nicholas Ray feature – which is one of my favorites from the era – O’Donnell played Keechie Mobley, whose uncle Chickamaw (Howard da Silva) has recently busted out of prison with two fellow inmates, T-Dub (Jay C. Flippen) and Arthur “Bowie” Bowers (Farley Granger). When the trio hides out at the home of Keechie and her father, she finds herself falling for Bowie, who isn’t a hardened criminal like his comrades. But when Bowie and Keechie get married and find themselves on the lam from the law, she discovers that she might not wind up with the rosy future she dreams of.

O’Donnell turns in a touching, unforgettable performance here, bringing to life a character with a tough and cynical exterior, but who’s equally loving, loyal, and sentimental beneath. She and co-star Granger were praised by critics, but the film was shelved for nearly a year by RKO Studio head Howard Hughes and by the time it was finally released, according to Granger, “the bloom was off the rose . . . no one at RKO really understood it.”

…..

Side Street (1950)

Side Street, Cathy O'Donnell, Farley Granger — Cathy O’Donnell and Farley Granger, Side Street

O’Donnell and Farley Granger were re-teamed the following year in Side Street, where they played Joe and Ellen Norson, newlyweds whose shaky finances are further strained due to the fact that they have a baby on the way. The couple’s ends are barely meeting with Joe’s part-time letter carrier job, but things appear to be looking up when Joe “borrows” a folder from an attorney’s office that he thinks contains $300. Unfortunately, the amount in the pilfered folder is actually $30,000 and Joe’s in a whole lot more trouble than he knows.

In this feature, which was helmed by Anthony Mann, O’Donnell was a sweet, loving, and understanding wife, but in the vast scheme of things, she really didn’t have much to do. She was singled out by a few critics, though, including one who labeled her as “poignantly moving.”

…..

Detective Story (1951)

O’Donnell’s final noir, Detective Story, was based on a 1949 play by Sidney Kingsley and set almost exclusively in a New York precinct. The story revolves around highly principled, thoroughly inflexible detective James McLeod (Kirk Douglas) and the variety of criminals, would-be criminals, families, and friends who pass through the precinct station on a single day. These include a pickpocket experiencing her first arrest (Lee Grant), an unscrupulous abortionist (George Macready), and Arthur Kindred (Craig Hill), a young man accused of embezzling funds in an effort to impress a high-priced model. O’Donnell plays the model’s younger sister, who’s secretly in love with Arthur and is determined to ensure his release – even dipping into her own savings and pawning personal items to pay back his employer.

The critic for the L.A. Times praised O’Donnell’s performance, writing that the actress “invest[ed] her role with simple and genuine feeling,” and she was singled out as “notable” in the New York Daily News. Her role wasn’t a showy one, but her devotion and quiet determination were memorable.

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Sadly, the career of O’Donnell – who was married to producer Robert Wyler (director William Wyler’s older brother), was cut short when she fell ill in the mid-1960s and she died of cancer in 1970. She was only 46 years old, but she left behind an impressive body of work, and all three of her noirs are more than worth your time.

Treat yourself and check ‘em out!

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– Karen Burroughs Hannsberry for Classic Movie Hub

You can read all of Karen’s Noir Nook articles here.

Karen Burroughs Hannsberry is the author of the Shadows and Satin blog, which focuses on movies and performers from the film noir and pre-Code eras, and the editor-in-chief of The Dark Pages, a bimonthly newsletter devoted to all things film noir. Karen is also the author of two books on film noir – Femme Noir: The Bad Girls of Film and Bad Boys: The Actors of Film Noir. You can follow Karen on Twitter at @TheDarkPages.
If you’re interested in learning more about Karen’s books, you can read more about them on amazon here:

Posted in Noir Nook, Posts by Karen Burroughs Hannsberry | Tagged cathy o'donnell, Detective Story, side street, they live by night | Leave a comment

Silents Are Golden: Exploring Douglas Fairbanks Films – Where To Begin?

Posted on July 22, 2025 by Lea Stans

Exploring Douglas Fairbanks Films–Where To Begin?

Although he was a major celebrity of the silent era–and we’re talking “Major” with a capital “M”–Douglas Fairbanks tends to be more overlooked than his contemporaries Charlie Chaplin and Mary Pickford. If you’re curious enough to comb through the filmography of this energetic, all-American star (and you should!) you might be surprised by how much there is to choose from, especially circa 1915 to 1920.

douglas fairbanks “Doug” in a still for His Majesty, the American (1919) — “Doug” in a still for *His Majesty, the American* (1919).

Wondering where to begin? Everyone will find something unique about Doug to appreciate, of course, but here’s a few of my own suggestions.

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7. Manhattan Madness (1916)

Doug was a stage star before bounding into the movies, bringing his ready grin and enthusiasm for physical stunts to the big screen. 1916 was his second year of being in films, and he’d been paying close attention to what his audiences enjoyed and what they didn’t. The farce Manhattan Madness (1916) was probably the first “ideal” Fairbanks feature. Doug plays a rich young New Yorker who’s been living on a Nevada ranch. Upon a return trip to the city he declares that urban life is a bore compared to the wild west. His friends bet him $5000 that he’ll soon experience a thrill, and then plot to trick him with a fake kidnapping.

The East vs. West plot–very relevant in that evolving era–and the many stunts atop city buses, rooftops and bucking horses make this not only a memorable Fairbanks film but a harbinger of exciting things to come.

…..

6. His Picture in the Papers (1916)

douglas fairbanks his picture in the paper

This light comedy holds a particular charm for me, not only because of the charismatic Doug himself, but because of the abundance of period details. Every silent film has them, obviously, but some are blessed with more than others, from unique clothing to busy set decorations to shots taken in real city streets. For instance, in a scene where Doug ends up in jail his cell is covered in graffiti–which includes a cartoon of Kaiser Wilhelm (remember, this came out in 1916!).

Doug plays the son of a wealthy manufacturer of vegetarian food products. He wants to marry Christine Cadwalader, the daughter of an equally wealthy family friend, but he’s accused by his father of being lazy–too lazy to even “get his picture in the paper” to help promote the family products. Realizing that he might be cut off from the family fortune–losing Christine in the process–he decides to do whatever it takes to get himself in the papers. Naturally this is much easier said than done…!

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5. When the Clouds Roll By (1919)

douglas fairbanks when the clouds roll by

By 1919 Doug had gotten his film formula down pat: always revolve the plots around their star, add in plenty of light comedy and have opportunities for those signature athletic stunts. When the Clouds Roll By has a doleful-sounding plot, but don’t be fooled–it handles dark material with a surprisingly light touch. Doug is a superstitious young man who is unaware that the psychiatrist he’s seeing is deranged. In the name of “scientific experimentation,” the psychiatrist decides to drive Doug crazy to the point of suicide. However, he doesn’t count on Doug meeting his dream girl.

With surreal special effects such as a sequence where Doug walks on the ceiling decades earlier than Fred Astaire in Royal Wedding, and an exciting climax with a floating house that may have inspired scenes in Buster Keaton’s Sherlock Jr, When the Clouds Roll By is a 1910s gem. It’s certainly worthy of any Fairbanks marathon.

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4. The Mark of Zorro (1920)

Not long after marrying fellow superstar Mary Pickford, Doug embarked on a new type of film project that would marry his signature formula with costume adventure. His true goal was to play D’Artagnan in The Three Musketeers, but he wasn’t sure if a “Fairbanks period piece” was what audiences would accept. As a test, he decided to make The Mark of Zorro. It was a smashing success, and he happily moved on with his D’Artagnan dream.

The swashbuckling, the secret lair, the hero’s double identity, the excitement, the romance–it was a perfect mix, and Doug’s masked Zorro became a huge influence not only on adventure films in general but even on the superhero genre–especially Batman and Superman comics.

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3. Robin Hood (1922)

Once you’ve been introduced to Swashbuckling Doug it’s almost hard to decide what to watch next, but I’d go with the ambitious and well-regarded Robin Hood. Beautifully filmed and full of charm and romance, it also features the largest physical set built at that time–even bigger than the mighty Babylonian hall in Intolerance (1916). Hundreds of workers labored on the giant castle and Nottingham village, Doug having insisted that the picture “be made lavishly or not made at all.” The resulting spectacle was an immense achievement and an immense hit with both audiences and critics alike.

…..

2. The Black Pirate (1926)

At the time this feature was in production, Technicolor had been used sparingly in cinema, being expensive and usually reserved for a few sequences in “prestige” pictures. Even after being used for a full feature in 1922, Anna May Wong’s The Toll of the Sea, manufacturers had a hard time convincing filmmakers to invest in it. Douglas Fairbanks, however, knew Technicolor would work perfectly for his latest swashbuckler.

Another big-budget adventure, The Black Pirate had every pirate trope a heart could desire along with sophisticated costuming, full-sized ship sets, and a beautiful color palette inspired by Rembrandt paintings. Doug himself is in magnificent form, as is his physique, confidently displayed by the tattered costumes.

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1. The Thief of Bagdad (1924)

Lastly, this is a feature I’d recommend not just as an excellent Fairbanks film, but as an excellent silent film in general. Based on the Arabian Nights tales, it leaned into the 1920s’ fascination with the Far East and featured stunning, ethereal art direction that is practically unrivalled even today.

As Ahmed, a trickster thief who falls for a princess and goes on a quest to win her hand, Doug is a joyful, bounding sprite–with a dash of stylization in his gestures to add to the fairytale atmosphere. The film as a whole, with its dreamy special effects and Art Nouveau-style beauty, is a masterful fantasy and is certainly one of the finest examples of silent era escapism.

An important source for this post was Tracey Goessel’s book The First King of Hollywood: The Life of Douglas Fairbanks, the most well-researched (and extremely readable) biography on the star to date. I recommend it just as highly as the above Fairbanks films!

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–Lea Stans for Classic Movie Hub

You can read all of Lea’s Silents are Golden articles here.

Lea Stans is a born-and-raised Minnesotan with a degree in English and an obsessive interest in the silent film era (which she largely blames on Buster Keaton). In addition to blogging about her passion at her site Silent-ology, she is a columnist for the Silent Film Quarterly and has also written for The Keaton Chronicle.

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Posted in Posts by Lea Stans, Silents are Golden | Tagged douglas fairbanks, His Majesty the American 1919, His Picture in the Papers 1916, Manhattan Madness 1916, Robin Hood 1922, The Black Pirate, The Mark of Zorro 1920, The Thief of Bagdad 1924, When the Clouds Roll by 1919 | Leave a comment

Monsters and Matinees: Sun, Sand and the ‘Horror of Party Beach’

Posted on July 19, 2025 by Toni Ruberto

Summer is a time when we’re drawn to oceanfront vacations with sandy beaches, rolling waves and endless sunsets. It’s a sanctuary of fun in the sun. Or is it?

For 50 years, Jaws has made us afraid to go in the water, but other films showed us it’s not even safe to sit on the beach.

Those scurrying little crabs that look so cute on the beach can grow larger than people if we believe Roger Corman’s Attack of the Crab Monsters – and we do. Something is clawing people to death in Beach Girls and the Monster (1965) and a subterranean creature is loose in Blood Beach (1981). More recently, we watched in shock and awe as the half-shark, half-octopus title creature of the Corman-produced Sharktopus walked out of the water and right up the beach to its claim victims.

What are we to do? Run!!

The googly-eyed creature that is *The Horror of Party Beach.*

Some might also say to run away from The Horror of Party Beach, a 1964 B-movie relying on some of the worst guys-in-monster-suits you’ll see on film.

But I don’t run from B-movie creature features. Plus, The Horror of Party Beach is a surprising example of eco-horror films of the 1970s where pollution had horrific effects on animals as depicted in Frogs, Day of the Animals and Food of the Gods.

Monsters and Matinees: Nature Strikes Back in Eco-horror Films

The Horror of Party Beach takes that environmental concern and lightens it up with elements from biker flicks and musical beach party movies. There’s a band of nerdy-looking musicians in matching shirts, bikers in black, girls in teeny bikinis (and close-ups of those teeny bikinis), plenty of shenanigans and murderous creatures – all on the beach.

* * * * *

Flirtatious teen Tina (Marilyn Clarke) and her shirtless blonde boyfriend Hank (John Scott) are driving in his MG convertible to the beach. But it’s not all hugs and kisses. Tina wants to party, but the more serious Hank isn’t happy about it. When a leather-clad motorcycle gang arrives, Tina cozies up to the leader. Guess who isn’t happy about that, either? The two guys throw some punches, tussle on the sand, then hilariously get up, shake hands and walk it off as an embarrassed and humiliated Tina runs into the water away from everyone.

Tina and the leader of the biker gang (center) are surrounded by throngs of happy young dancers in *The Horror of Party Beac*h.

What she doesn’t know is that a 55-gallon barrel of gook screaming “DANGER – RADIOACTIVE WASTE” has been dumped in the water. We’ve seen this before in movies and expect the radiation will turn the fish into giant creatures – but not this time. Instead, a long sequence with bad eerie music and looking like there’s gauze over the camera lens, shows how a human skull (from a shipwreck), is transformed into a googly-eyed creature.

As the kids on the beach dance and sing to “Zombie Stomp,” Tina is screaming her head off as the creature attacks. Though she’s in full view of her friends, no one notices.

Later, a few admit to police that they did see something coming out of the water. But the adults won’t have anything to do with reports of a “sea monster” until multiple creatures attack a slumber party killing more than 20 girls who were mourning Tina’s death through sing-alongs and pillow fights.

Now people will believe there are monsters on the beach – and beyond!

By now TV, radio and newspapers shout warnings about the “invasion from the sea.”

Still, that doesn’t stop the kids from walking on the beach, driving down dark roads and asking “What’s that fishy smell?” when it’s too late.

One of the young ladies who has escaped the horror is sweet Elaine (Alice Lyon). She clearly has eyes for Hank, who works for her dad, Dr. Gavin (Allan Laurel).

There’s also the Gavin’s housekeeper Eulabelle (played by Eulabelle Moore) who is a painful caricature of how movies portrayed black servants. At least she has some ideas about what’s going on, even if they relate to voodoo and and human evil. “Lurking and creeping and crawling around out there,” she says, only to be told by the rational doctor that there is a reasonable explanation.

These four will somehow team up to try and save the world.

Answers come from the film’s best scene as a frustrated creature sees a female mannequin in a store window and attacks it. It’s funny but also excellent in its own way. It also moves the story forward since the creature severs its arm when it breaks the window and that arm offers clues to what’s going on.

Don’t worry, Dr. Gavin will explain it all during the patented “mumbo-jumbo” scene. Expect to hear about protozoa, parasites and sea anemone and how they relate to human organisms.

“They are the living dead – they’re zombies,” Elaine says – which is exactly what Eulabelle was telling them all along, if people would only listen to the hired help.

The saviors of the world include Hank (played by John Scott in the light sport coat, second from left), Eulabelle (Eulabelle Moore), Dr. Gavin (Allan Laurel) and Elaine (Alice Lyon).

And it’s Eulabelle who will accidentally finds an important clue. But first we’re treated to a montage of the good doc doing more research as the creatures – they are multiplying at a high rate – continue a reign of terror. (Again, it’s time to run, people.) There is a frantic search for supplies that includes Hank driving to New York City while the others test the local water for radioactivity in search of creatures.

The buildup to the end is paved with more questions. Will they find the creature habitats? Will Hank get what he needs and make it back in time? Will Elaine become fish bait like all of her friends? What is going on with Eulabelle and that voodoo doll?

*The Horror of Party Beach* creature model.

And will any of it make sense?

For the answer to that final question, we have the words of director Del Tenney from a 2013 interview with the Stamford Advocate of Connecticut.

(He was a long-time Connecticut resident and filmed the movie there.)

Tenney, who was in his early 30s when he made the film, was surprised at the movie’s enduring popularity (there is a Horror of Party Beach action figure) partly because he understood the limitations of his film.

“It’s amusing, but it is a terrible movie, ” Tenney said. “But it turned into a cult thing, and people have fun with it.”

Fun – isn’t that what movies – and googly-eyed monsters – are about?

The creatures multiply in *The Horror of Party Beach.*

FUN FACTS

Production: It was filmed in two weeks with a budget of about $50,000. Director Del Tenney’s other low-budget films included Violent Midnight (1963), The Curse of the Living Corpse (1964) and I Eat Your Skin (1971).

Sign the waiver: The film was half of a double bill with Tenney’s Curse of the Living Corpse and had a William Castle-like warning where moviegoers had to sign a “fright release” waiver before seeing the film in case it scared them to death.

The bikers in *The Horror of Party Beach* were real-life members of Charter Oaks M.C. from Riverside, Conn.

They’re not actors: That’s a real band in the movie! And a real motorcycle gang, too! The New Jersey rock band The Del-Aires play themselves and perform six songs. The too-cool bikers were the real motorcycle club called Charter Oaks M.C. from Riverside, Conn. – which has multiple chapters today.

The actors: Outside of Eulabelle Moore who plays the voodoo-fearing Eulabelle, there’s not much of a cast resume. Moore starred in 15 Broadway productions and was known for her comic skills. John Scott, who played Hank, was also known as John Lyon but his credits are hard to find.

– Toni Ruberto for Classic Movie Hub

You can read all of Toni’s Monsters and Matinees articles here.

Toni Ruberto, born and raised in Buffalo, N.Y., is an editor and writer at The Buffalo News. She shares her love for classic movies in her blog, Watching Forever and is a member and board president of the Classic Movie Blog Association. Toni was the president of the former Buffalo chapter of TCM Backlot and led the offshoot group, Buffalo Classic Movie Buffs. She is proud to have put Buffalo and its glorious old movie palaces in the spotlight as the inaugural winner of the TCM in Your Hometown contest. You can find Toni on Twitter at @toniruberto or on Bluesky at @watchingforever.bsky.social

Posted in Horror, Monsters and Matinees, Posts by Toni Ruberto | Leave a comment

Silver Screen Standards: The Universal Monsters

Posted on July 17, 2025 by Jennifer Garlen

The Universal Monsters

The summer of 2025 marks the arrival of the new Epic Universe theme park in Orlando, Florida, which prominently features an entire land, Dark Universe, dedicated to Universal’s iconic movie monsters. The Universal monsters have been around for a full century now, if you start with the 1925 appearance of The Phantom of the Opera, and even longer if you begin with the 1913 version of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, so it’s truly impressive that they still have the cultural appeal to warrant their own segment of a theme park, where visitors can meet characters like Dracula, The Invisible Man, The Bride of Frankenstein, and Frankenstein’s Monster, and also experience thrill rides that retell their stories in various ways. Of course, Universal and other studios like Hammer have rebooted the monsters many times since their original movies, but it’s clear from the attractions at Dark Universe that the classic incarnations of these monsters retain their popularity. This moment seems like a perfect time to reflect on the history of the classic Universal monsters and their enduring legacy.

Monsters Lugosi Dracula — Bela Lugosi mesmerizes his victims and the audience in the 1931 adaptation of *Dracula*.

Most of the Universal monsters trace their origins to literature, some more directly than others. Several of them were created by imaginative 19^th-century writers and were already celebrated characters long before they hit the silver screen. Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein was published in 1818, Robert Louis Stevenson released The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde in 1886, and Bram Stoker’s Dracula made his bloodthirsty debut in 1897, the same year that saw the arrival of H.G. Wells’ novel, The Invisible Man. Gaston Leroux’s French novel, The Phantom of the Opera, was actually one of the last to be written, as it appeared in 1909. The popularity of the literary adaptations led Universal to introduce new, more original creatures for The Mummy (1932), The Wolf Man (1941), and, finally, The Creature from the Black Lagoon (1954). Mummies and werewolves also have their own literary histories, with mummy stories written by Bram Stoker and Sir Arthur Conan Doyle and werewolf tales going back centuries, including the influential story, “Bisclavret,” in the 12^th century Lais of Marie de France. Today, the movie versions of these monsters are so famous that they sometimes overshadow the originals, especially where Dracula and the Frankensteins are concerned, with the film incarnations inspiring even more films, television series, music, and literary works.

Monsters Lanchester Karloff — The Bride (Elsa Lanchester) and the Creature (Boris Karloff) meet in *The Bride of Frankenstein* (1935).

The actors who first played the monsters gained tremendous fame for their roles, sometimes even to their frustration. One of the most interesting, and perhaps surprising, aspects of Universal monster history is the way that specific actors became indelibly associated with a particular role, even though Lugosi, Karloff, and Chaney all played different monsters in a mix-and-match series of films. Bela Lugosi would forever be associated with Count Dracula after 1931, even though he played other roles in Universal horror films like Son of Frankenstein (1939), The Wolf Man (1941), and Frankenstein Meets the Wolf Man (1943). Boris Karloff’s version of Frankenstein’s Creature, far different from the articulate being Shelley envisioned, would influence all later incarnations, with Karloff returning to the role for The Bride of Frankenstein (1935) and Son of Frankenstein before other actors, including Lugosi and Chaney, took turns with the part. Karloff, however, also originated the undead Imhotep in The Mummy (1932), a role that made much more effective use of his acting ability and fantastic voice. While Lon Chaney Sr. helped to usher in the age of Universal monsters with his performance in The Phantom of the Opera in 1925, it was his son, Lon Chaney Jr., who became an anchor to the franchise through the 1940s. The younger Chaney played the tragic werewolf, Larry Talbot, in The Wolf Man (1941), Frankenstein Meets the Wolf Man, House of Frankenstein (1944), House of Dracula (1945), and Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein (1948), and he also played the Creature in The Ghost of Frankenstein (1942), the title mummy in The Mummy’s Tomb (1942) and two of its sequels, and Count Dracula in Son of Dracula (1943). Even actors with more limited associations would be permanently yoked to their roles, including Elsa Lanchester as the shock-haired Bride and Dwight Frye as both Renfield to Lugosi’s Dracula and the original henchman to Dr. Frankenstein (who wouldn’t be called Ygor until Lugosi was playing the role).

Monsters Lugosi Chaney — Lugosi plays the Creature while Lon Chaney Jr. returns as Larry Talbot in *Frankenstein Meets the Wolf Man* (1943).

While The Creature from the Black Lagoon (1954) and its two sequels brought Universal a final iconic monster for its collection, the classic age of the franchise ended with the Gill-Man’s rampage. Other studios, especially Hammer in the 1960s and 70s, would carry the legacy forward, until Universal eventually came back to its beloved monsters, starting with director Stephen Sommers’ 1999 hit remake of The Mummy. The rebooted Mummy series spawned several sequels, but attempts to create a new cinematic universe faltered with Van Helsing (2004) and yet another reboot of The Mummy starring Tom Cruise in 2017. Universal is still trying to revitalize the franchise, most recently with Leigh Whannell’s versions of The Invisible Man (2020) and The Wolf Man (1925), and, to some extent, the 2023 horror comedy, Renfield. Other studios, meanwhile, have capitalized on the familiar monster characters for their own films, including Tri-Star Pictures’ 1987 cult classic, The Monster Squad, the animated Hotel Transylvania series from Sony (2012 to 2022), and Guillermo del Toro’s Best Picture winner for Fox Searchlight, The Shape of Water (2017).

Monsters Creature Lagoon — With *The Creature from the Black Lagoon* (1954) and its sequels, Universal introduced the most original of its monster characters.

As a longtime fan of the classic Universal monsters, I’m delighted to see them alive – or at least undead – and well in the new Dark Universe park. I’m looking forward to meeting them in person when I finally get to visit the park for myself. Check out videos of the incredible headliner attraction, Monsters Unchained: The Frankenstein Experiment, if you want to see some of the animatronic characters in action. For even more classic Universal monster movies, look for The Invisible Man (1933), Dracula’s Daughter (1936), and The Phantom of the Opera (1943).

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— Jennifer Garlen for Classic Movie Hub

Jennifer Garlen pens our monthly Silver Screen Standards column. You can read all of Jennifer’s Silver Screen Standards articles here.

Jennifer is a former college professor with a PhD in English Literature and a lifelong obsession with film. She writes about classic movies at her blog, Virtual Virago, and presents classic film programs for lifetime learning groups and retirement communities. She’s the author of Beyond Casablanca: 100 Classic Movies Worth Watching and its sequel, Beyond Casablanca II: 101 Classic Movies Worth Watching, and she is also the co-editor of two books about the works of Jim Henson.

Posted in Posts by Jennifer Garlen, Silver Screen Standards | Tagged Bela Lugosi, Boris Karloff, dracula, elsa lanchester, Frankenstein, frankenstein meets the wolf man, Lon Chaney, The Bride of Frankenstein, the creature from the black lagoon, Universal Monsters | Leave a comment

Classic Movie Travels: Sylvia Sidney

Posted on July 8, 2025 by Annette Bochenek

Classic Movie Travels: Sylvia Sidney

Sylvia Sidney was born Sophia Kosow in the Bronx, New York, to Rebecca and Victor Kosow on August 8, 1910. Her parents divorced in 1915 and she was later adopted by her stepfather, a dentist named Sigmund Sidney. Her mother worked as a dressmaker under the name Beatrice Sidney.

Sidney became an actress by the age of 15 to combat her shyness. She studied at the Theatre Guild School for Acting, where she appeared in performances and garnered praise from theatre critics. She made her first film appearance as an extra in D.W. Griffith’s The Sorrows of Satan (1926).

During the course of the Great Depression, Sidney appeared in many films in which she typically portrayed a working-class heroine or a woman affiliated with a gangster, working with the likes of Humphrey Bogart, Spencer Tracy, Fredric March, and more. She appeared in An American Tragedy (1931), Merrily We Go to Hell (1932), Sabotage (1936), in addition to many others. She also performed in the early three-strip Technicolor film, The Trail of the Lonesome Pine (1936).

Sidney married publisher Bennett Cerf in 1935 and they divorced in 1936. In 1938, she married acting teacher and actor Luther Adler. They had a child named Jacob. Sidney and Adler divorced in 1946. Her third and final marriage was to radio producer Carlton Alsop, which ended in divorce in 1951.

After being one of the highest-paid actresses in the 1930s, her roles waned significantly in the 1940s. In the 1950s, she took on the role of Fantine in Les Misérables (1952). Though the film flopped by the studio’s standards, Sidney received critical praise. Sidney appeared on television frequently during this period on shows such as Playhouse 90, Route 66, and My Three Sons.

In addition, Sidney was active on Broadway, with a stage career that spanned roughly five decades. Some of her stage credits included appearances in Prunella, The Fourposter, and Barefoot in the Park.

Sidney received an Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actress in Summer Wishes, Winter Dreams (1973). As the years went on, she played supporting characters in Beetlejuice (1988) and Mars Attacks! (1996)—both directed by Tim Burton, who was a fan of Sidney.

Aside from her work as an entertainer, Sidney was gifted in needlepoint and published two books on the subject. She also raised showed pug dogs, her favorite breed.

Sidney passed away on July 1, 1999, from esophageal cancer at Lenox Hill Hospital in Manhattan. She was 88 years old.

Today, some of Sidney’s residences remain. In 1925, she and her family lived at 201 W. 11^th St., New York, New York. This building stands.

In 1930, she resided at 33 5^th Ave., New York, New York. This building also remains standing.

In 1936, Sidney resided at 120 E. 39^th St., New York, New York, which also remains.

In the last years of her life, she resided at 22 Valerie Ln., Danbury, Connecticut, where she bred and raised her pugs. This home also remains.

Sidney is further remembered with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, honoring her work in motion pictures. Her star is located at 6245 Hollywood Blvd., Los Angeles, California.

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–Annette Bochenek for Classic Movie Hub

Annette Bochenek pens our monthly Classic Movie Travels column. You can read all of Annette’s Classic Movie Travel articles here.

Annette Bochenek of Chicago, Illinois, is a PhD student at Dominican University and an independent scholar of Hollywood’s Golden Age. She manages the Hometowns to Hollywood blog, in which she writes about her trips exploring the legacies and hometowns of Golden Age stars. Annette also hosts the “Hometowns to Hollywood” film series throughout the Chicago area. She has been featured on Turner Classic Movies and is the president of TCM Backlot’s Chicago chapter. In addition to writing for Classic Movie Hub, she also writes for Silent Film Quarterly, Nostalgia Digest, and Chicago Art Deco SocietyMagazine.

Posted in Classic Movie Travels, Posts by Annette Bochenek | Tagged sylvia sidney | Leave a comment

Silents Are Golden: Silent Superstars: John Gilbert, Idol Of The 1920s

Posted on July 5, 2025 by Lea Stans

Silent Superstars: John Gilbert, Idol Of The 1920s

There are certain silent film stars who, for whatever reason, are mainly remembered for the myths about them. A prime example is John Gilbert, the darkly-handsome idol of countless moviegoers. When he’s remembered at all, it’s usually for the rumor that the talkies revealed his supposedly “squeaky” voice, sinking his career as one of the silver screen’s great lovers. But like so many old Hollywood tales, this was not only far from the truth, but it has unfairly obscured the career of the likable and talented “Jack” Gilbert.

Gilbert’s upbringing was less than ideal. His mother, a stock company actress, was mentally unstable and flitted from boyfriend to boyfriend; his real father wasn’t in the picture. Young John would eventually get the surname “Gilbert” when his mother remarried. Touring kept the Gilberts constantly on the move, with John only getting the barest of education until they settled in California and sent him to a military academy. When he was 14 his mother died, and Walter sent him to San Francisco to fend for himself with only $10 in his pocket.

The teen would find odd jobs and eventually work with stock companies on the west coast. While spending his free time going to movie theaters, he had an epiphany: why not try to become a film star? Wasting little time, he soon made his motion picture debut as an extra in the Wilfred Lucas short The Mother Instinct (1915). By a stroke of good fortune, his stepfather Walter knew a director working for renowned producer Thomas Ince and sent him a letter with a couple headshots of Gilbert. Surprisingly, the humble introduction worked and Ince sent the teen an offer to work for him at fifteen dollars a week.

Over the next few years the energetic Gilbert would be an extra in films like Civilization (1915) and Hell’s Hinges (1916) and work his way up to bit parts, which quickly grew more substantial. Hopping over to studios like Kay-Bee, Triangle, Universal, Paramount and more, he co-starred with major names like Mary Pickford and William S. Hart and dabbled in screenwriting as well. A 1921 contract with Fox established him as an official new star and he embarked on a number of romantic leading roles.

Romantic roles fit Gilbert like a glove. With his wavy dark hair and large eyes that almost seemed to glow under his striking eyebrows, he was one of the most dashingly handsome figures on the screen, at home in both tailored suits and embroidered period costumes. His acting was confident, sensitive, and impressively sincere. It wasn’t long before MGM, then the biggest and most ambitious studio in Hollywood, offered him a contract–before Fox’s had even ended.

Sadly, nearly all of Gilbert’s early 1920s features are lost, but fortunately the MGM films making up the remainder of his ‘20s filmography are largely intact. He would star in Erich von Stroheim’s prestige picture The Merry Widow (1925)–despite knocking heads with the eccentric director–and gave a powerful performance in the World War I drama The Big Parade (1925), the silent era’s biggest blockbuster. But it was his partnership with the beautiful Swedish actress Greta Garbo that practically became the stuff of legend. Paired for the first time in Clarence Brown’s romantic drama Flesh and the Devil (1926), their chemistry was nothing short of extraordinary–both onscreen and off. Falling head over heels for each other during the production, Brown would recall that the two were so absorbed by their love scenes in his film that he was embarrassed to call “Cut!”

GIlbert and Garbo 2 Flesh and the Devil — GIlbert and Garbo, Flesh and the Devil

Gilbert would propose to Garbo more than once, and even planned to hold a double wedding alongside director King Vidor and actress Eleanor Boardman. The story goes that Garbo never showed up for the ceremony, and Gilbert, despondent and several drinks in, ended up hitting Louis B. Mayer after the producer made a crass remark about her. While it’s sometimes rumored that Mayer vowed to sink Gilbert’s career in retaliation, the actor would go on to earn millions at MGM for the next few years–a testament to his box office stature.

Gilbert’s last silent film was Desert Song (1929), followed by his infamous first talkie His Glorious Night (1929). A romantic drama directed by Lionel Barrymore, its main weakness had nothing to do with John Gilbert’s voice–which had a perfectly normal and pleasant timbre–but its old-fashioned style of doing love scenes that came across as awkward in sound. The repetitive dialogue, especially Gilbert’s repeating “I love you, I love you” reportedly made audiences snicker, although his performance as a whole received praise.

John Gilbert and Catherine Dale Owen in His Glorious Night (1929)

His Glorious Night turned out to be the beginning of the end. Gilbert’s talkies weren’t drawing audiences the way they used to, and the actor himself was getting a reputation for being headstrong and difficult on the set. While offscreen “Jack” was known as a kind and witty friend, his growing dependence on alcohol was taking a toll, and his disappointment over the subpar talkies MGM gave him was hard for him to bear. His personal life was also rocky, having had four marriages to four different actresses all end in divorce–although he did have two daughters, Leatrice and Susan Ann.

Gilbert’s final pairing with Garbo in Queen Christina (1933) was a hit, and he attempted a comeback of sorts in the comedy The Captain Hates the Sea (1934). But by now alcoholism had ravaged his health to the point of no return. He would pass away from a heart attack in 1936 at the young age of 38. It was a tragic end to a career that can easily be described as glorious. While it’s a pity that he’s mainly remembered for a Hollywood myth, it’s also gratifying to know that in his surviving films the charismatic “Jack” still shines.

Greta Garbo and John Gilbert in A Woman of Affairs (1928)

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–Lea Stans for Classic Movie Hub

You can read all of Lea’s Silents are Golden articles here.

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Posted in Posts by Lea Stans, Silents are Golden | Tagged catherine dale owens, Flesh and the Devil (1926), greta garbo, his glorious night, john gilbert | Leave a comment

Western Roundup: “B” Movie Sampler – Vol. 4

Posted on June 27, 2025 by Laura Grieve

Western “B” Movie Sampler – Vol. 4

Summertime means travel time for me, and that in turn means it’s time for my annual “B” Western sampler!

I find “B” Westerns, which often run under an hour, the perfect thing to relax with after a long day of travel and sightseeing. The portable DVD player I bought a decade ago continues to be one of my very favorite entertainment-related purchases.

I watched four films during my recent vacation, all from different studios and featuring different Western stars. In addition to being diverting entertainment, “B” Westerns often give viewers early looks at up-and-coming stars, which was the case with a couple of these films.

All of these films are readily available on DVD, with the sources noted below.

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Frontier Horizon (George Sherman, 1939)

New Frontier, also known as Frontier Horizon

This movie, also known by the title New Frontier, was John Wayne’s last ’30s “B Western. It was filmed after the release of the star-making John Ford Western Stagecoach (1939) earlier that year.

Frontier Horizon was part of the long-running Three Mesquiteers series, with the trio being completed by Ray Corrigan and Raymond Hatton.

John Wayne, Raymond Hatton, Ray Corrigan

The movie was filmed at Southern California locations including Corrigan’s namesake Corriganville, which I wrote about here in 2021, and also at Iverson Movie Ranch, which I wrote about here in 2022.

Except for a brief prologue, the movie ostensibly takes place circa 1915, but it actually mixes multiple time periods, a practice I’ve termed “Roy Rogers Land.” Much of the movie seems firmly set in the Old West, with transportation by horse and buggy, yet some characters also watch movie footage.

Stock footage of the modern-day construction of a dam is included; incidentally, it’s said by references to have been one of the Van Norman dams in Granada Hills, California. The dams were later abandoned after damage in the 1971 Sylmar earthquake. It’s fascinating how often these brief “B” Westerns lead to my learning more about California history.

John Wayne, Raymond Hatton

The plot, focusing on the condemnation of a Western community to make way for said dam, isn’t especially scintillating. There’s plenty of drama inherent in the conflict over land and water rights, yet there’s little character development in this film’s scant 57 minutes, and Wayne is surprisingly underutilized, given that his star was on the ascent.

What made the film especially interesting to me was the cast. In addition to the stardom-bound Wayne, Frontier Horizon features the film debut of 20-year-old Phylis Isley. There’s nothing at all notable about Isley here, in a standard-issue ingenue role; Isley made a couple other film appearances in 1939, then left the screen for four years.

Sammy McKim, Jennifer Jones

When Isley returned to the movies in 1943, it was under a brand-new name, Jennifer Jones, and she immediately won a Best Actress Oscar for The Song of Bernadette (1943). Jones, of course, went on to a stellar career, with additional notable films including Since You Went Away (1944), Cluny Brown (1946), and Portrait of Jennie (1948), to name just three.

The movie also features 14-year-old Sammy McKim, who was part of a large family of child actors. McKim left acting in the ’50s, turning down a role in John Ford’s The Long Gray Line (1955), in order to take an opportunity to work as an artist at 20th Century-Fox.

Jennifer Jones, John Wayne

In short order McKim moved on to Disney, where he had a long career as an accomplished Imagineer; he was honored as a Disney Legend in 1996. Sammy McKim passed away in 2004, but I had the wonderful opportunity to chat about his career with his son, Matt McKim, at the 2024 Disney D23 Expo. The family celebrated Sammy McKim’s centennial with multiple events in late 2024.

The Frontier Horizon cast also features Eddy Waller, Jody Gilbert, LeRoy Mason, and Betty Mack. It was filmed by Reggie Lanning. The screenplay was written by Betty Burbridge and Luci Ward, based on characters created by William Colt MacDonald.

This film is available on DVD and Blu-ray from the now-defunct Olive Films. I’d recommend anyone interested pick up a copy soon, given that Olive is no longer in business.

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Across the Sierras (D. Ross Lederman, 1941)

Across the Sierras

This Bill Elliott film, released by Columbia Pictures, was my favorite of the quartet. It combines well-sketched characters with a substantive, surprisingly tough story written by Paul Franklin. A lot happens in 59 minutes, but there’s also some real depth to it.

Wild Bill Hickok (Elliott) rescues his childhood friend Larry (Richard Fiske) from a lynch mob, after which the two men arrive in the community of Arroyo.

Across the Sierras Cast

Hickok plans to settle down as a “peaceable man” and hopes to convince Larry to do the same, but Larry is swayed by the easy money that comes from crime. Hickok remains on the side of law and order but finds it hard to give up his guns, which interferes with his plans to wed straight-laced Easterner Anne (Luana Walters).

This is a surprisingly brutal film, including the cold-blooded murder of an older man, an accidental killing, and the wounding of the film’s comic relief (Dub Taylor) along with the attempted lynching. There are story elements reminiscent of Owen Wister’s The Virginian, with Wild Bill’s Easterner sweetheart and “Trampas”-like “frenemy,” but unlike the original Wister novel, Across the Sierras builds to a surprisingly bleak ending.

Bill Elliott, Richard Fiske

The movie, which doesn’t really have anything to do with the Sierras, was filmed by George Meehan, with locations including Columbia Ranch and Iverson Ranch. I especially appreciated that the filmmakers created a waterfall for a single sequence shot at Iverson; they went to a lot of effort in order to create additional visual interest. As a frequent “B” Western viewer who’s also familiar with many locations, I’ve come to appreciate things like that!

Bill Elliott, Dick Curtis, Luana Walters

The villain is played by Dick Curtis, one of the founders of Pioneertown, which I wrote about here last month. One of his henchmen was played by LeRoy Mason, who was also a villain in Frontier Horizon. One tends to see the same actors and locations turn up among “B” Westerns, despite their being made by a variety of studios.

It’s a sad side note that some members of this cast died fairly young. Curtis was only 49 when he passed in 1952, and Walters died at 50 in 1963.

Across the Sierras

Fiske, who effectively plays Elliott’s troubled friend, joined the army in 1942 and was killed in action in France in 1944, age 28. He was posthumously awarded several military honors.

The cast is rounded out by Ruth Robinson and Milt (Milton) Kibbee, who was the brother of the better-known Guy Kibbee and the father of Emmy-nominated soap opera star Lois Kibbee.

Across the Sierras is available as part of a three-film Elliott DVD from Mill Creek.

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Boss of Bullion City (Ray Taylor, 1940)

Boss of Bullion City is a 61-minute Johnny Mack Brown Western released by Universal Pictures. Like Frontier Horizon, there’s a rather unexpected surprise in the supporting cast.

It was also the third film in a row I watched on the trip which was shot at Iverson Movie Ranch!

Boss of Bullion City

Tom Bryant (Brown) and his pal Burt (Fuzzy Knight) arrive in Bullion City to start a newspaper. Tom quickly deduces the town sheriff (Western villain extraordinaire Harry Woods) is behind major thefts in the area and sets out to stop him.

This is a fun little film, written by Arthur St. Claire and Victor McLeod from St. Claire’s story, though it has more characters than it knows what to do with. The film’s main problem is it doesn’t seem to know which of its ladies should end up with Brown.

Fuzzy Knight, Johnny Mack Brown, Maria Montez

Nell O’Day plays Martha, a spunky Western heroine who can ride and shoot as well as any man. O’Day, who appeared frequently opposite Brown, is an engaging leading lady.

The real surprise, though, is the actress who plays Linda, the daughter of peddler Mike Calhoun (Earle Hodgins): She’s played by future Universal Pictures adventure film star Maria Montez. Montez was fourth-billed, in her film debut, and she’s cute pining after Brown.

Nell O’Day, Johnny Mack Brown

Montez was later known as “The Queen of Technicolor,” but though she was filmed here by William A. Sickner in black and white, she remains gloriously beautiful. This is also said to have been the only film in which Montez speaks Spanish, which adds a fun side to her character.

The cast was rounded out by Kermit Maynard, George Humbert, Melvin Lang, Estelita Zarco, and the Guadalajara Trio.

Maria Montez, Fuzzy Knight

This film is available on DVD from VCI Entertainment; it’s part of an eight-film set featuring a variety of Western stars. For those few still using VHS players (I do!), VCI also put this film out as a single-title video release.

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The Brand of Hate (Lewis D. Collins, 1934)

The final film of this recent batch of movies seen was The Brand of Hate, a 63-minute Bob Steele Western from Supreme Pictures.

Young sweethearts Rod (Steele) and Margie (Lucile Browne) have their plans to wed complicated when her father Joe (William Farnum) has his outlaw brother Bill (George “Gabby” Hayes) and evil nephews (James Flavin and Archie Ricks) unexpectedly show up and demand to move in.

The Brand of Hate

Bill and sons are very dangerous — indeed, they shoot Rod’s father (Charles French) and threaten that Margie will have to marry one of them — so Margie feigns a lack of interest in Rod in order to keep him out of harm’s way. But eventually, thanks in part to Margie’s brave little brother Bud (Mickey Rentschler), Rod learns the truth and sets out to rescue Margie.

Gabby Hayes, Lucile Browne, Bob Steele and cast

The acting in this film, written by Jack Natteford, is often akin to an old-style melodrama, yet it has a certain charming innocence which I found quite agreeable. Steele and Browne are sweet together, and I really appreciated Steele’s athleticism. It’s great fun simply watching him mount a horse! I think he may have done some of his own stunts.

James Flavin, Bob Steele

Ironically, leading lady Browne had married Flavin, who plays one of the villains menacing her, the year before this film was released. They were wed until Flavin’s death in 1976.

Lucile Browne, Bob Steele

The movie was filmed by William Thompson. References indicate it was shot in Lone Pine, but my husband and I didn’t recognize any of the film’s locations as being from that area, which we know well. We also couldn’t figure out where it was actually shot!

The Brand of Hate

The Brand of Hate is available on DVD from VCI Entertainment, released as part of a four-film Bob Steele collection.

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It’s hard to believe, but this month marks my seventh anniversary writing the Western RoundUp column here at Classic Movie Hub. I continue to be deeply appreciative of the opportunity to share my love for all things related to Western movies here, and my thanks to all who read and comment!

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– Laura Grieve for Classic Movie Hub

Posted in Posts by Laura Grieve, Western RoundUp | Tagged across the sierras, b westerns, bill elliott, Bob Steele, boss of bullion city, dick curtis, Frontier Horizon, Fuzzy Knight, Gabby Hayes, james flavin, jennifer jones, john wayne, Johnny Mack Brown, luana walters, lucile brown, maria montez, New Frontier, Ray Corrigan, Raymond Hatton, richard fiske, the brand of hate | 4 Comments

We Need 2 Talk Podcast: What Makes a Classic Movie Classic?

Posted on June 24, 2025 by Annmarie Gatti

What Makes a Classic Movie Classic?
Inquiring Minds Want to Know

I’m so excited to share this podcast episode with you all! I was honored to be a Special Guest on the We Need 2 Talk podcast where we chatted about — you guessed it — classic movies!

Podcast hosts Kristy & K made me feel so welcome and so at home! Even though it was our first meeting, it was like catching up with old friends. I had such a blast chatting with them — and yes, I even got to quiz them on (drum roll please) their classic movie knowledge!

Please take a listen when you have a few minutes. My segment starts at about 27 minutes in, but the entire episode is such a fun and lively conversation. 🙂

If you enjoy this episode, you can check out Kristy and K’s other great podcast epidodes here.

About the We Need 2 Talk Podcast: Kristy & K are two best friends who never see each other and get together every Sunday to talk about TV, Pop Culture and Life.

A Big Thank You to Kristy and K — and Producer Ed!

–Annmarie Gatti for Classic Movie Hub

Posted in Posts by Annmarie Gatti | Tagged Classic Movie Quiz, podcast, We Need 2 Talk | Leave a comment

Noir Nook: Four Noirs for Free

Posted on June 19, 2025 by Karen Burroughs Hannsberry

Four Noirs for Free

I may have mentioned this around these parts before, but there are few things more frustrating to a classic film lover than to read a glowing recommendation about a movie that they’re unable to find. Well, the Noir Nook doesn’t go for frustration, so this month, I’m serving up four first-rate, lesser-known noirs for you to check out – and you can see them on YouTube . . . for free, even!

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Cry Vengeance (1954)

Cry Vengeance, Martha Hyer and Mark Stevens

Mark Stevens (who you might recognize from films like The Dark Corner [1946] with Lucille Ball, or the Olivia DeHavilland vehicle, The Snake Pit [1948]) stars in this feature as ex-cop Vic Barron, who has recently been released from San Quentin after a three-year stretch for bribery. He instantly heads for Ketchikan, Alaska, bent on revenge against Tino Morelli (Douglas Kennedy), the mobster Vic thinks framed him and planted the bomb that disfigured Vic and killed his wife and daughter. What Vic doesn’t know is that he’s barking up the wrong crook – the real culprit is a hood named Roxey (played by the endlessly oily Skip Homeier), who trails Vic to Alaska with a diabolical plan to put him away for good.

Stevens made his directorial debut with this feature – he would go on to helm films like the time-worthy Time Table (1956), and episodes of television shows including Studio 57 and Wagon Train. In Cry Vengeance he turns in a versatile and touching performance of a man tortured by the tragedies of his past and twisted by the vendetta that threatens to destroy his future.

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Shakedown (1950)

Shakedown, Howard Duff and Lawrence Tierney

I’ve had an all but unwatchable VHS copy of Shakedown in my collection for several decades, so you can imagine my delight when I discovered a first-rate print on You Tube. In this well-done feature, Howard Duff is a positive stinker as talented but completely unscrupulous photographer Jack Early. When he parlays his dodgy penchant for “just happening to pass by” noteworthy events into a newspaper job, Early’s quest for fame and fortune kicks into overdrive – but he gets far more than he bargained for when he befriends mobster Nick Palmer (Brian Donlevy) and becomes involved with Palmer’s rival Harry Coulton (Lawrence Tierney).

After seeing Howard Duff in slightly more upstanding roles in noirs like Brute Force (1947) and Private Hell 36 (1954), it was a bit of a shock to watch him play such an absolute heel, but he was perfect for the part; his pleasantly handsome face and trustworthy demeanor provided the ideal mask for the corruption beneath. And the film was directed with skill by actor-turned-director Joseph Pevney in his first time behind the camera, resulting in a well-paced feature and an ironic ending worthy of Alfred Hitchcock Presents.

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House of Strangers (1949)

With a cast headed up by Richard Conte, Susan Hayward, and Edward G. Robinson, and direction by Joseph L. Mankiewicz, House of Strangers is a don’t-miss. It doesn’t contain such familiar noir characteristics as voiceover narration, or a knucklehead everyman done in by a femme fatale – for that matter, there’s no femme fatale at all – but it’s got enough cynicism, desperation, and bad choices to satisfy any shadowy sweet tooth. The story focuses on Conte’s character, Max Monetti, who, at the film’s start, has just been released from prison after serving seven years. We learn all about Max and his family, and the reason for his incarceration, in the film’s flashback – the Monetti clan includes patriarch Gino (Robinson), a prominent bank owner with an inclination toward illegal business practices, and four sons, of which Max is clearly Gino’s favorite. When Gino is arrested for his unconventional banking policies, three of his sons turn on him, Max winds up in prison for his efforts to save him – and Max emerges from his confinement with a determination to pay his brothers back in spades for their disloyalty.

House of Strangers is brimming with memorable characters and standout performances – Robinson is excellent as the headstrong family head; Conte’s vengeful ex-convict is cold as frozen steel – and just as hard; and Hayward plays Max’s plain-speaking, long-suffering lover, who tries to talk him out of his plans for revenge.

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Wicked Woman (1953)

Wicked Woman, Richard Egan and Beverly Michaels

One of my absolute favorite low-budget noirs, Wicked Woman stars Beverly Michaels as Billie Nash, who seems to exist by wandering from place to place, finding whatever employment she can, and sponging off as many gullible fellas as possible before moving on again. When the film opens, she’s just arrived in some nameless town, and before long, she’s living in a rundown (but respectable, mind you) rooming house and working at a local tavern run by Matt Bannister (Richard Egan) and his dipsomaniac wife, Dora (Evelyn Scott). In the blink of an eye, she’s attracted Matt’s attentions, along with those of creepy Charlie Borg (Percy Helton), who lives across the hall in the rooming house and would do almost anything to spend time with Billie (from giving her his newly cooked dinner, to altering her clothes, to “loaning” her money, with collateral being the promise of a date on her night off). The film’s action revolves around the relationship between Billie and Matt, her fantasies of “dancing and making love and being serenaded” in Mexico, and just how far she’s willing to go to make her dreams a reality.

Billie is not your normal, garden-variety femme fatale, in the tradition of the Phyllis Dietrichsons and Kathie Moffats of the world. She’s not polished, or even overly calculating – she’s just getting by the best way she can. She unwinds from the stresses of life with cigarettes and a swig of gin, her astrology magazine, and her favorite record played on her portable wind-up phonograph. There’s no next week for Billie – there’s barely a tomorrow; her plans are for right now, and whatever she needs to do to get her through right now, she’ll do it. (And if that means stealing your man, well . . . that’s the way the cookie crumbles.)

I hope you’ll check out these four YouTube freebies – you’ll be glad you did!

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– Karen Burroughs Hannsberry for Classic Movie Hub

You can read all of Karen’s Noir Nook articles here.