Canyon Passage (1946)

Canyon Passage (1946) comes to mind so let’s watch that again!

Plot: “Businessman Logan Stuart is torn between his love of two very different women in 1850’s Oregon and his loyalty to a compulsive gambler friend who goes over the line.”

Cast:
Dana Andrews … Logan Stuart
Brian Donlevy … George Camrose
Susan Hayward … Lucy Overmire
Patricia Roc … Caroline Marsh
Hoagy Carmichael … Hi Linnet

Lloyd Bridges, Andy Devine, & Ward Bond also appear.

Wow, look at the cast! Let’s get to it!

Oh wow. Look at the video quality. This also contains several more minutes of footage than the version we had previously watched. Very cool.

In vivid color, from Universal, and in pre-widescreen, I remember very little about it other than the premise.

Wow, you can see that it’s raining lol improved video quality indeed lol

Right. We even see Andy Devine’s children, playing, wait for it, his children lol

Portland, 1856 & we’ll attempt to disregard the weapons lol

That’s a lot of rain lol

There we go with planks again to from bridges across the water in the street.

It certainly is guishy in the set town lol

I don’t remember all of this rain lol

Our leading lady, she will be anyway ~

Yep. Before I can say, secure the door….

So did they get, let’s run it back. They know where it was hidden, which hardly seems possible. I’ve ran it back twice, but can’t tell if he was robbed or not. He doesn’t seem overly concerned about it so I’m guessing not. Anyway.

Look at the scenery!

Starter beard lol

Fantastic scenery.

Fake scenery lol as the principles are on the set & doubles are on location.

Right. We have multiple forms of hostiles….

Wow, look at the scenery! I wonder where they filmed this. Surprise, Oregon!

Andy Devine, looking slim and trim, comparatively.

Enter our, not leading lady lol

He has a point. She certainly does press him about ladies lol

Sing it Hoagy! He even has a mandolin. I think, he calls it Mandy.

The color certainly is vibrant.

Brian Donlevy.

He’s yet to mention the robbery/attempted robbery….

You’ve got 30 plus pounds on him….

Ray Teal.

Surprisingly, Donlevy, plays a nice, normal character, thus far….

He most certainly can and will do better ~

Swooning indeed lol

Lloyd Bridges and thus it begins….

I love how Hoagy strolls about and sings & plays.

He does indeed call it Mandy.

It’s written that way, but, if you had a giant bag of gold dust, why would you go play poker?

Right. He consults the coin….

That is Onslow Stevens as the sickly gambler.

This must be available on DVD. The video quality is impressive to say the least.

Right. The cabin building.

What a great location as everyone comes to help the new couple build a home.

They’re really building a cabin though, the entire thing, in the film & literally show how to build an authentic log cabin, frontier style, down to splitting wood for shingles. Very cool.

They even show the completed cabin.

Frank Ferguson.

Oh. They built the cabin, then had the wedding.

So, basically, Andrews is highly successful in the freight business and continually expanding while Donlevy runs the express office & is an avid, and incredibly unsuccessful gambler….

Hostiles….

Trouble is indeed brewing, in more ways than one….

She’s smooching lol come back later lol

Surprise, for several of them lol

No you won’t. That’s not how you pair up lol

Time for the brawl….

You’ve got 20 plus pounds on him….

“The town won’t have it any other way.” So. Let them fight him lol

This is one of the best set towns ever, replete with log cabins in the forest.

He fights smart though.

So much for civilization….

And you all like that….

That is indeed a major turning point….

With that he’s square, but far from satisfied….

He’s a gambling addict….

He’s saddling his horse, to enlist trouble. He’s thinking to eliminate 2 causes of trouble with a single stone.

The glancing lol she’s jealous, so’s she lol

Trouble indeed….

They actually did quite well with the weapons, they’re rarely used & seldom seen. Over an hour in and the two we see are period correct.

Look at the scenery! Let’s go hiking there.

Ding! Interesting. She’s there but he’s not….

As in all films, bad people do bad things….

Francis McDonald.

Cue the action….

Hostiles are hostile….

Right. Heavily invested to expand his business, he’s lost everything….

This is all your fault, so, no….

Wow. Look at the lake. The view’s incredible.

Bye!

Fair enough. Bye!

With that, almost everything is destroyed. Almost….

He certainly is a traveling man!

“Would you mind having a woman on your hands?” should have been our drinking game lol

With that, they ride off to live happily ever after!

Awesome seeing that again 🙂

The Last of the Fast Guns (1958)

The Last of the Fast Guns (1958) is up next!

Plot: “On a mission to find a missing man in Mexico, gunfighter Brad Ellison learns that life is not as simple as it used to be.”

Cast:
Jock Mahoney … Brad Ellison
Gilbert Roland … Miles Lang
Linda Cristal … Maria O’Reilly
Lorne Greene … Michael O’Reilly

Eduard Franz, Carl Benton Reid, & Edward (The Chief) Platt also appear so let’s get to it!

Universal, color & in widescreen, it’s been some time since we’ve seen this.

Oh wow. This is a DVD release. Very nice.

Bud Westmore on makeup & it was filmed in Mexico.

Look at the scenery!

Fresh dug grave & guns everywhere as our hero approaches on horseback.

It’s a violent place, wherever it is.

They both drew/the other guy was wearing 2 pearl handled revolvers.

So, he lives with a gun & trusts no one….

Reid.

The Chief!

They detail the fate of numerous famous gunfighters, placing us in 1882. It’s quite the discussion, with Ben Thompson, Johnny Ringo & James Younger taking part. Many friends and family members had just been killed. Our hero mentions Jesse James being killed, Johnny Ringo was not long for this world. Another western figure, King Fisher, is also mentioned at some point.

What a great, vintage villa location, not to mention all of the large/exotic cactus.

Our leading lady.

He takes her scarf as a souvenir while she swims….

Another great vintage villa. What may have been a swimming pool is now filled with muddy water and ducks lol

Enter Roland & Pa Cartwright lol

Lol she knows where he got the scarf.

Indeed. Making him the right age….

Interesting. Greene was a regular on 7 TV series.

Eduard Franz.

So, he’s looking for a man that doesn’t want to be found and that no one has seen….

Look at the goats, high in the mountains.

Everyone tells him the man he’s seeking is dead, but no one offers any proof.

High in the mountains indeed. The clouds are even with the hills.

What is he searching for? Ah, he found it, does that make… I forget who ends up being the person he’s searching for. I know he’s walked into an Admiral Ackbar here though lol

Nice present.

You deserve it ~

He only took the pistols, not the rounds. He has 11 now, 10, if he took the 2nd pistol, which it appears he did not.

Great scenery.

The question is, what is he hiding from?

He’s not being truthful….

Pinky ring.

He already knew that….

Look at the scenery! Let’s go hiking there.

You obviously know nothing about him. As the Preacher said in our previous film, it’s about the money….

What an awesome location.

But why? He, this doesn’t track. Mahoney was supposed to bring him back. I get it, maybe, this person was sent searching for him 5 years previously, but, proof would require bringing him back alive. It does however add more tension and show that someone has gone round the twist.

Mahoney of course does his own stunts and he did bring the 2nd pistol.

Whoops….

🙂 I’d be staying in Mexico 🙂

There we go. And they lived happily ever after. Fun seeing that again 🙂

Pale Rider (1985)

In a different direction, Pale Rider (1985) is up next!

Plot: “A mysterious preacher protects a humble prospector village from a greedy mining company trying to encroach on their land.”

Cast:
Clint Eastwood … Preacher
Michael Moriarty … Hull Barret
Carrie Snodgress … Sarah Wheeler
Chris Penn … Josh LaHood
Richard Dysart … Coy LaHood
Sydney Penny … Megan Wheeler

Background info: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0089767/trivia?ref_=tt_ql_2

It’s similar to High Plains Drifter (1973), in that our hero’s character is a ghost.

We have a film to watch so let’s get to it!

The brothers Warner, it’s been quite some time since we’ve seen this.

Look at the scenery! Oh wow, this is a DVD release. Look at the video quality.

Right. Bad things are afoot to say the least.

I wonder where they filmed this. (Idaho & California)

Oooh, John Russell. Whaddya wanna bet he plays a baaaaaaaaaaaaad man lol don’t take that bet lol

Let’s go hiking there.

Here they come….

Our leading lady, all of 14.

You all got a berp kicking coming.

Doggie!

There’s the doggie again. Ah. It’s our leading lady’s dog, that keeps running.

It’s filled with poignant scenes, beginning with this one, as our leading lady grows up.

Interspersed with her own thoughts, she quotes scripture, as she summons vengeance. I had never got/noticed the connection.

WOW look at the scenery! That must be Idaho with the snow.

It’s the classic tale of greed versus the infinite energy of the oppressed & these people are so oppressed, their combined energies have called forth quite the reckoning.

Kitty!

It’s also interesting in that Richard Dysart plays a bad guy lol

To quote Christopher George in El Dorado (1967), it shouldn’t have taken 4 of you.

There he is, oh it’s on!

HAHA! Now he’s gone.

Wait for it….

Now you all have pick handles. Kick their berps.

That’s a winner!

He just walks off lol

Right. The pale horse ~

How can you read in the dark lol

Ah. She’s reading of our hero….

Right on cue, there’s the pale horse. As she says, “The name that sat on him was Death. And ____ followed with him.”

Right. The 6 bullet wounds, centered on his upper back are clearly visible.

Surprise! He has his collar on.

As the background info details, “The title refers to the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse from the Book of Revelation, chapter six.” Which is what Megan was reading/that I mentioned above. The Apocalypse certainly is coming to the bad guys. I daresay, this is the best vengeance picture I have ever seen.

Richard Kiel! Possibly, the most ominous, big, bad guy ever.

Oh he can split that rock alright lol

🙂 into the stratosphere we go!

Company….

At 7 foot 2, Kiel towered over everyone.

Ouch….

So much for the rock lol

Choo choo! The boss is arriving….

Power lines in the background lol

He went to Sacramento & the train says, Denver & California Western, though a location is never given.

Oh wow. Not only was this the highest grossing western of the 80’s, it was also the first mainstream Hollywood western made after the debacle that was Heaven’s Gate (1980).

Let’s go to town!

They hint, at it being set in California.

The glare ~

Right. He’s sent for John Russell….

Great hawk sound in the background.

With that they have their answer as they stand on their on their own feet ~

🙂

She already did ~

🙂

The story I could write! I might do just that 🙂 I made a note/I’ll do just that ~

Right. High pressure water mining, as the tension ratchets up….

With that we are Tension City to say the least….

No more water….

No one’s happy now….

Right. The Fargo office. He’s there for his pistols. He rode, somewhere. Where is never mentioned. It’s nearby wherever it is….

Here they come….

Jackpot!

Best of all, it genuinely holds my interest 🙂

Awkward much lol

Okay bad guy. Whatever you do, do not, and I repeat, do not go near our leading lady. You’ll do it anyway, being a bad guy, but, the Preacher’s nearby….

Don’t even think about it. Any moment now.

Oh no you don’t….

Surprise ya berps!

Interesting. There’s real snow in the background, and possibly in the foreground, but, it’s not cold enough to see anyone’s breath.

Right. Russell, as Stockburn, has history with the Preacher, likely as in how he got those 6 holes.

They all have their dusters.

Real snow’s falling in some of the close-ups of the deputies and their noses are red from the cold.

Geezo, 7 of you.

Who do you think it is lol

Yeah, but it’s because he’s a ghost ~

It’s Stockburn, calling for him….

I had forgotten that lol

Dynamite. It’s showtime!

Is that a Sharps? It is. http://www.imfdb.org/wiki/Pale_Rider details the weapons & shows a lot of great scenes.

So much for the mining operation lol

He’s saving your behind.

Here we go.

The snow in town melted, without creating mud lol magic snow!

Warm up act….

Six of you, hit absolutely nothing.

As the above webpage shows, we even see our hero reload by swapping the cylinder as he waits for the finale.

Lol he’s gone & left his hat in the street.

That’s it. Go where the shot came from. I’m sure it’s… oh, we know how it ends lol

With that there was one….

And the hat again lol

Reload.

It’s quite the walk….

Not to mention the glancing.

It’s that classic line from Tombstone (1993), “Why Johnny Ringo, you look like somebody just walked over your grave.”

Eyes wide as he realizes who it is.

In the same pattern as the holes in his back. Poignant indeed.

Problem solved.

What an awesome location.

Being a ghost though, he has to ride off. My story’s quite different lol

As Neeshka says in Neverwinter Nights 2, “Maybe there’ll be a rain.” Lol

Awesome seeing that again.

To Hell and Back (1955)

The random number generator says To Hell and Back (1955) is up next so let’s get to it!

Plot: “The true WWII story of Audie Murphy, the most decorated soldier in U.S. history. Based on the autobiography of Audie Murphy who stars as himself in the film.”

Cast:
Audie Murphy … Audie Murphy
Marshall Thompson … Johnson
Charles Drake … Brandon
Paul Picerni … Valentino
David Janssen … Lt. Lee
Denver Pyle … Thompson

Background info: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0048729/trivia?ref_=tt_ql_2

With that let’s get to it!

Color, Universal, and in widescreen, this is a DVD release.

Bud Westmore on makeup, along with other familiar Universal names.

Flashback & now the war’s about to begin….

Right. As in real life, the Marines & Navy reject him, thus he ends up in the Army & we fast forward to sailing to North Africa.

Ooh. Casablanca. Maybe we’ll see Sam/Bogie and or round up the usual suspects/have Sam play it again, etc lol

There’s his new outfit. Henry Kulky as the First Sergeant lol

Charles Drake. Paul Picerni.

Right. The immigrant studying for his citizen’s test.

The stove. We’ll be seeing that again….

He’ll show you, and then some lol

No, he’ll take care of all of you….

You won’t be going home, you’re heading to Sicily first.

Period video. Very cool.

Murphy is continually seasick….

Wow. There’s a lot of period video and the Fort Lewis/Yakima locations are fantastic.

Here we go, our first taste of action, an MG42, and they’re in open ground/facing up hill….

There’s a lot of great touches & they even detail why you would never fasten the chin strap on your helmet.

Promotions….

Indeed. Murphy to corporal….

On to Italy….

River indeed….

Right. He continually attempts to, shall we say, shepherd them, wanting one of them in particular to get home….

I’ll refrain from making bunching up comments. Everyone has to be in the shot.

He’s squad leader so….

I wonder where they filmed that. I would love to go hiking there.

Interesting. Murphy uses the front swivel/strap to grip his Thompson. I don’t recall ever seeing that before. He would know though.

With that another promotion will be inbound. He’s leading the platoon….

Pinky ring.

Cassino and the mud….

The stove is indeed a sticking point….

Sergeant….

With that we are on leave in Naples.

Susan Kohner.

Air raid. So much for dinner….

She came back….

🙂

It’s a small part, but, it’s very much a pivotal scene & provides a nice, lighter moment.

Anzio….

Here’s the farmhouse. We’ll be spending a lot of time here & there’s Pyle & his fellow replacements.

Gregg Palmer as Lt. Manning commands the platoon, but Murphy leads it.

David Janssen as an artillery observer.

Murphy’s traded his Thompson in for an M1.

It’s interesting, that with a Distinguished Flying Cross, Picerni was the 2nd highest decorated veteran in the film. Though Murphy had the infantry equivalent – the DSC.

Ah. Drake had his Thompson & they even show it with a 2nd magazine taped to the first. I didn’t notice, he has the ammo pouch on his belt.

If only you’d left the stove with your pack….

Tanks & pretty nicely spaced out at that.

And it rains again….

Armor & air support. With that we have another action scene.

Rome & we are feeding & playing with pigeons.

Here we go again/after their 4th amphibious landing in Southern France. Ah, their 3rd Infantry Division was part of 2 joint Army-Marine amphibious corps.

Murphy’s now a staff sergeant.

As he loses his friends one by one….

Right. This is the basis for the Rambo character, as he fires an MG42 standing up.

Another poignant moment….

Second Lieutenant!

Now with an M-1 Carbine.

They get promoted as well. Much to their dismay lol

Here we go….

Fan out is right. You are way too bunched up.

Now he’s running the company….

Right. This is it.

That as they say is that. He however has a proverbial million dollar wound….

Here comes the big medal. At 19, he mustered out a first lieutenant/the most decorated combat soldier in American history.

Awesome seeing that again 🙂

The Fighting Kentuckian (1949)

Unable to decide what to watch, let us consult the random number generator! Survey says! The Fighting Kentuckian (1949) it is!

Plot: “In 1818 Alabama, French settlers are pitted against greedy land-grabber Blake Randolph but Kentucky militiaman John Breen, who’s smitten with French gal Fleurette De Marchand, comes to the settlers’ aid.”

Cast:
John Wayne … John Breen
Vera Ralston … Fleurette De Marchand
Philip Dorn … Col. Georges Geraud
Oliver Hardy … Willie Paine
Paul Fix … Beau Merritt

Background info: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0041361/trivia?ref_=tt_ql_2

With that, let’s get to it!

Well this is fun. It’s been cropped into widescreen.

Republic, along with a lot of familiar names.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Fighting_Kentuckian explains the historical events the Narrator details, about the Bonapartists settling in Alabama. It doesn’t explain what became of the colony. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bonapartist however details that Napoleon Bonaparte has a living descendant.

Enter Jack Pennick and that is Cliff Lyons, with the soldiers.

Lol Oliver Hardy, not exactly in fighting trim as he is lol

They certainly do sing a lot as they march lol

Lol Hardy’s a riot.

And with that, we are off!

We of course have to sing again/more lol

Here they come again, still singing lol

They all panic at the sight of the soldiers, except our leading lady lol

There’s Hardy’s little double step.

Pennick’s their Captain and thus in command.

The glancing lol

Hank Worden & that is Mickey Simpson lol

For a gallon of rum, they’ll throw Simpson to the next continent lol

Cue the rugby match over the rum lol

There’s Hardy’s bugle lol

So they dine and bond, and, that is the 5th billed Marie Windsor, very cool.

Paul Fix, looking nasty indeed lol

I don’t remember the form fitting bathtub. It’s metal with a curved front, for where your feet go. Interesting.

No one’s home. Right. You’re just not welcome….

I think we’re about to have another brawl lol

Right. Windsor tells them he’s a surveyor, which interestingly enough, has a historical basis, which the Wikipedia article on the film details.

Right. They know enough to at least look like surveyors lol

Something’s about to happen alright lol

Hardy was a good sport & fell in the pond twice lol

Lyons was stunt coordinator & both Chucks did stunts on the film.

That is Chuck Hayward! It’s brief, but it’s him.

Cue our big finale.

I had forgotten there was this much action lol we even have chase scenes replete with stuntmen flying every which way.

Ouch….

Here’s our final showdown….

Too funny. That is Hayward again, now in uniform lol I’m guessing the seamstress is Marie, making Mabelle Koenig the actress beside him.

Hrmm. “Alabama,” looks a great deal like Southern California lol

There went the bugle lol

And they lived happily ever after ~

They of course sing again lol how fun.

Pink Five Saga

Let’s revisit the Pink Five Saga!

In 5 parts, created over a period of several years, that covers the events of the original trilogy, we learn that Pink 5/Stacy is the key member of the Rebellion, the one that brings it all together. They progressively became more elaborate, and the budget grew as well. It’s said they made the first video for all of $7, that someone had the flight helmet, that someone had the green screen, and they put Amy in a chair. They then proceeded to win $5k.

Fantastically played by Amy Earhart, the first 2 videos won awards at the Star Wars Fan Film Festival. The first one won the George Lucas Selects Award, meaning, George’s favorite.

The 5 videos very much form a film of their own, of Stacy’s adventures and misadventures, so let’s get to it!

One of the central themes, is that Stacy considers Han her boyfriend. We know how that goes lol

I had forgotten this was in widescreen.

Anyway, Stacy’s a Valley Girl lol

Pinky ring!

Wilhelm Scream lol

Lol on to Pink Five Strikes Back!

The battle on Hoth is over, and Stacy is the only one that sees the obvious, and, throughout the series, passionately dislikes the Princess lol

She however is about to meet Master Yoda lol

She attempts to use the lightsaber as a hair dryer lol

With that she begins Jedi training lol

Bonk lol

Right. Obi-Wan’s ghostly visage lol

Stephen Stanton is a riot as Obi-Wan lol

Everyone can become a Jedi & Stacy of course has a pink lightsaber.

On to, Return of Pink Five! Released in 3 parts, we have a lot of ground to cover, as the sets and locations became quite lavish.

They even argue over who shot first lol that’s an oft debated topic. George claimed, they had always fired at the same time, it just wasn’t visible. I’m of the, “Han shot, Greedo got chumped,” stance. It’s like Tuco says in The Good, the Bad and the Ugly (1966), “When you have to shoot, shoot. Don’t talk.” Greedo had the drop on him but sat there talking and Han blasted him.

Anyway, Stacy’s X-Wing is a pull start lol

Cue the welcoming committee lol

New friends lol

Stephen Stanton also plays the Emperor lol

Stacy’s quite the action hero.

She turns Vader’s air off lol

This is awesome, not to mention brilliant lol

On to part 2!

Right! Behind the scenes at the Battle of Endor/the Rebellion can’t do anything without Stacy lol

Stacy’s new robot has as much attitude as she does lol

I had forgotten that was part of the plan lol

There’s the, “Chick’s Rule,” flight helmet from the previous episodes lol

Like in Episode VI, we are on location in the Redwoods!

3PO & R2 lol

3PO of course has one silver leg.

The Rebellion literally could not accomplish anything without Stacy lol

Another Wilhelm Scream lol

Ouch….

Wait for it, wait for it lol

Yep, again with the guns on the front lol

Master Yoda returns! Lol

Lol, “The boffins have rooked us again.” Without question that is the best line I’ve heard in a long time lol

On to part III!

Cue the giant space battle.

“1138,” of course being the oft referenced early George Lucas film.

One of the Stormtroopers even has an MG34 style blaster rifle.

“30.” Lol there’s all of Stacy.

Cue our big Jedi showdown/another Stacy mega action sequence.

She’s playing possum lol

She broke a nail lol

And lost her lightsaber.

Remember though, Stacy has to do everything lol

Time to be elsewhere lol

🙂

She most certainly is over it lol

🙂

HAHA! Great stuff. Fun seeing that again 🙂

A Man Betrayed (1941)

A Man Betrayed (1941) is up next, because I remember very little about it, other than it stars The Duke and I think, is the film with the club you slide down a ramp to enter lol let’s find out!

Plot: “A small-town attorney comes to the city to investigate the murder of a friend and falls in love with the daughter of the crime ring he hopes to expose.”

Oh wow, Frances Dee, aka Mrs. Joel McCrea is our leading lady! And yes, this is the film I was thinking of.

Cast:
John Wayne … Lynn Hollister
Frances Dee … Sabra Cameron
Edward Ellis … Tom Cameron aka Boss Cameron
Wallace Ford … Casey
Ward Bond … Floyd

With that, let’s get to it!

Oh nice. This is a DVD release.

Right. Republic. White and black, and pre-widescreen of course.

We begin in the rain, outside the club, with the, shall we say, unique name. Right. Club Inferno. We’ll be spending a great deal of time there lol

Here we go….

Oh. So it’s the lightning. I’d forgotten about that.

Enter Wallace Ford, as a newspaperman.

Right. Bond’s character is, challenged to say the least….

Right. The editor’s quite the enthusiastic gardener.

Enter The Duke lol

Boss Cameron has quite the palatial residence, as they all play pass the whatever/catalog/mail/anything and everything lol

Our leading lady, oblivious to the machinations….

With that, the play is in motion, hence our title.

Ooh, giant train set indeed lol

Toying with him straight away….

Lol she uses a lighter to light his match so he can light her cigarette lol

Interesting. This is the oldest film I recall seeing with a vegetarian….

He doesn’t get it lol she has her own police escort.

I heard the references as, Bo Bromo, but, maybe she was saying Beau Brummell referencing https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beau_Brummell I ran it back, and that is what she’s saying. She uses it to refer to the Harold Huber character, who doesn’t get it. Ah okay. I ran it back to the first instance & she is indeed referring to Beau Brummell, meaning, a sharp looking man of style.

His Mum 🙂

Lol he paid the guy to leave them at the top of the ferris wheel.

Right. The election, as seemingly every thug in existence comes out of the woodwork….

As the truth comes out….

Lol at the lady who thinks The Duke is a notorious gangster. She appears frequently. It’s a really funny/ongoing bit lol

With that we have a brawl and there’s the table cloth lol From the background info at https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0033871/trivia?ref_=tt_ql_2 “According to a member of Frances Dee (I)’s family, the scene in which John Wayne (I) wraps her up in a tablecloth and carries her out to the car was scripted to use a double for Dee. Wayne spontaneously carried off Dee instead, shocking her.”

Ooh, suicide doors.

Lol there she is again. I ran it back. She thinks he’s, “Bugsy North from Chi.” Lol

Right. He watches his hand/thrumming fingers.

As he becomes a man betrayed ~

No. He won because he’s a crook….

Lol he goes to the library to find out who Beau Brummell is. Now he knows lol

With that the great roundup begins….

Clue/cue the ominous music….

You need to go back, “To the place.”

Bad guy comeuppance….

The rats abandon ship, as everyone runs for higher office….

The buck stops at the governor.

I don’t think so/get that coal shovel lol

With that it all comes crumbling down and we are soon to be off to Spring Valley lol

Pinky ring.

That as they say is that.

HAHAHHAA he has the table cloth again lol

Cue the escort lol

Lol they’re all off to Spring Valley.

Nochnye lastochki (2013) (TV Series)

In a different direction, Nochnye lastochki (2013) (TV Series) is up next! The title translates as Night Swallows and is based on the female pilots the Germans called Night Witches, which is detailed here https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Night_Witches

Plot: “On 8th October 1941, Stalin issued a secret order forming a female aviation unit. Known later as the 46th “Taman” Guards Night Bomber Aviation Regiment, a unit like this had never existed….”

I had forgotten there were 8 episodes. They’re all on YouTube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MFK9wAOatGE so let’s get to it!

One of three, ultra-girl power TV shows/mini-series on their awesome channel, I remember very little about it other than the premise.

DVD quality, very nice. Be sure to enable the appropriate subtitles.

Not being Hollywood productions, all 3 of these are like Lost in that, anything can and will happen to anyone at any time.

I love the pictures and video of the real ladies at the beginning.

Here we go!

Right. The political guy.

With that, we are on location in the snow.

The river. Right. They’ll meet some gentlemen soon….

Flashback! Before I can wonder, why, she was removed from flying status, I think they’re about to show us….

Cue the aforementioned gentlemen, also out in the snow/a commando unit behind enemy lines.

Right. I remember commenting on how bereft of gear they are, for being behind enemy lines. They all have submachine guns, but that’s it.

Now they have a radio. Ah, it’s a small radio. One of them has a backpack in the next episode though, and they easily could have left some gear somewhere, and or would have been making use of anything and everything they could capture/find. That, and they have flowing white snow camo on over their uniforms. The larger thing is, throughout the series, the commandos work in conjunction with the ladies flying air support for their joint operations.

Is this the flashback to, yes, this is why she was removed from flying status.

Promotion to Captain. Very nice. She however didn’t plan any of the operations….

Uh-oh. That’s trouble, whoever that is….

As if they didn’t have enough tension with the war, now they’re fighting themselves….

Thus setting us up for the next episode.

They meet the gentlemen of the commando unit in the second episode. All 8 episodes are on YouTube, enjoy!

There’s a lot of great detail, not to mention the cast & characters, and, I think, most and best of all, it’s different. As a period piece, it’s also quite believable, not to mention a fun story. I mean these amazing ladies really flew thousands of missions in antiquated, unarmed biplanes (literally a crop duster), at night, behind enemy lines. Adding the commandos, gives us more story. The article also details the historical basis for one of the other TV series referenced above. Istrebiteli, which translates as The Attackers, is about a co-ed fighter squadron. The article details that the ladies’ fighter squadron had male mechanics. That however is a show for another time!

Top of the World (1955)

What should we watch next? The 3rd season of La Casa de Papel (Money Heist) is out/available. We haven’t watched the 2nd season yet though lol so, in a completely different direction, let’s watch Top of the World (1955) again!

Plot: “A jet pilot, Dale Robertson, find himself assigned to the baron wastes of Alaska where it becomes his duty to man an observation post.”

Cast:
Dale Robertson … Maj. Lee Gannon
Evelyn Keyes … Virgie Rayne
Frank Lovejoy … Maj. Brad Cantrell
Nancy Gates … Lt. Mary Ross
Paul Fix … Col. George French
Peter Hansen … Capt. Cochrane

I remember very little about it so let’s get to it!

Released in widescreen, this is a cropped version.

White and black and look at the scenery! I wonder where that was filmed. The mountains and snow behind the opening credits are incredible to say the least

James Best! Man, have we seen him in a lot of things!

This is also the only time I recall seeing Robertson with a mustache.

Ah. His reflexes aren’t what they were, hence, no more jets….

The letter… ah, it’s actually good news.

Ah. Evelyn Keyes plays his now, ex-wife, who just so happens to be in Alaska. Yep, he’s going now lol

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Top_of_the_World_%281955_film%29 details, the aerial footage was filmed over Alaska.

Enter Peter Hansen as a fellow pilot.

Born in Alaska, the crew chief joins the Air Force to see the world & gets sent to, Alaska. Ironic to say the least.

Frank Lovejoy.

Right. Skis on the aircraft. I had forgotten how much of this was filmed on location. Very cool.

The principles however are in the studio lol

For being, “Frozen to the ice,” how did having everyone save the pilot get out, help them become unfrozen? Lol

Enter Gates, as our second leading lady, chasing our second leading man.

Enter Keyes, in person.

Oh. I had forgotten, all of this lol

So, you intend to establish an air base, on a floating hunk of ice?

Another familiar face – William Schallert.

Go be bitter someplace else lol

Because he’s more interested in someone else. Maybe I have it backwards about how they pair up but I don’t think so….

There’s also a lot of innuendo lol

Surprise lol

Ding lol

Ambush in 3, 2, 1….

Tell her….

Turn/spit/bye lol

Ooh, Colonel, very nice. It’s likely Lieutenant Colonel, as he was a Major.

Our leading lady’s wearing the same dress she had on earlier….

Interesting turn/twist to say the least.

Ladd Field, named after Major Arthur K. Ladd, which is in Fairbanks.

In a nice touch we even see the snow plow going about its business on the runway.

There were a great many of these aerial disaster films in the 50’s.

He most certainly is not lol

You already said he was lying, why are you pressing her about it?

It’s windy on the set lol

Rut-ro Rorge….

Yet no one goes to check on the generator….

There goes the model….

B-17s/a variant thereof.

Okay. If you sent 4 aircraft out to search, wouldn’t you, you know, have them spread out to cover a wider area? I think, that’s the footage they could get, but they were checking in every 24 hours and would have been recording and reporting their position along with the weather. They would have had spare parts & contingency plans, not just be sent out for 6 weeks. We have to have tension though.

Ding. Into the stratosphere we go!

🙂

The F-82 appears to be a twin boom Mustang, because it is!

He’s the Colonel, not you….

Ah. Hence the precedent for the skis freezing to the ice earlier. That, and to create more tension lol

“Watch your Sunday traffic.” Lol

So, that is the real rescue they filmed. Very cool.

If we had any more tension lol

Oh that’s a winner! Awesome seeing that again.

United Artists. How fun.

The Court Jester (1955)

Weighing in at a beefy 7.9 on IMDB, The Court Jester (1955) is up next!

Plot: “A hapless carnival performer masquerades as the court jester as part of a plot against an evil ruler who has overthrown the rightful king.”

Cast:
Danny Kaye … Hubert Hawkins
Glynis Johns … Maid Jean
Basil Rathbone … Sir Ravenhurst
Angela Lansbury … Princess Gwendolyn
Mildred Natwick … Griselda

We have numerous other familiar names and faces including Robert Middleton, Michael Pate, & John Carradine.

Background info: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0049096/trivia?ref_=tt_ql_2

With that, let’s get to it!

Paramount. Color & in 50’s widescreen.

Kaye’s interactions with the opening credits during his song are a riot & we even have Wally Westmore on makeup.

We are on location & foul things are afoot to say the least!

Yes, they add a mask, but I more see The Black Fox as a Robin Hood type than Zorro….

The Purple Pimpernel. Here we go with the tongue twisters lol

Right. See. “The Black Fox,” wears green, with a black cape & mask, and, uses a bow, and, lives in the forest = Robin Hood. The black mask is the only similarity with Zorro. I mean, Robin Hood predates Zorro by centuries. Yes, both have swords, but, it’s even set in England = Robin Hood.

Our leading lady!

Our leading lady is quite the active leader in the resistance, being The Black Fox’s Captain as she is.

He’s not staring, he’s drooling to say the least. She’s the only lady in the company.

Another familiar face – Herbert Rudley as the Captain of the Guard.

In a nice change, our leading lady’s the action type/dashing one & our hero’s a performer.

She certainly is enjoying the show ~

🙂 we certainly have shifted ~

Pinky ring.

There we go ~

Carradine!

Ding lol with that an idea is born. Someone’s about to get bonked on the head….

Our leading lady is bereft of footwear….

It’s quite the romp to say the least lol

“Get it. Got it. Good,” could have been our drinking game lol

The glancing lol

Glynis Johns is still around.

They certainly don’t sound enthusiastic lol

Right. The drill team sequence.

The vessel with the pestle and the chalice from the palace lol here we go.

Cue the big finish lol there’ll be no magically magnetizing bolt of lightning to help our intrepid hero this time lol

The film’s worth watching for the fantastic energy/dynamic between Johns & Kaye alone.

Cue the acrobatics!

Rathbone is of course without question the greatest on screen fencer ever, not to mention one of the best villains ever.

Cue the obligatory candle slicing lol

Our leading lady’s still barefoot ~

Fun stuff lol and they lived happily ever after ~