In this 1957 RKO Radio Technicolor production Diana Dors starred in her first American production alongside Rod Steiger.

‘Half-Angel, Half Devil – she made him Half-man’ – this was from the American advertising release

Diana Dors slinked her way through thie film – the story of a party girl who marries wealthy windery owner Rod Steiger, and then quickly falls in love with rodeo performer Tom Tryon and then decides to murder her husband. The plan, however, backfires when she mistakenly kills Steiger’s best friend.

She manages to escape punishment for this murder but is eventually convicted for another murder that she did not commit.

John Farrow directed this one

It was one of the last films from RKO Radio

The Unholy Wife 1957

Diana Dors is seen on death row telling her story of how her own greed lead to her downfall. She is married to wealthy vineyard owner Rod Steiger whom she met in a bar, but bored spending the day taking care of his elderly mother, she is soon involved in an affair with rodeo horseman Tom Tryon.

Dian Dors proves here – something I have long known – that she is a very good actress. She more than holds her own with Rod Steiger – as she did with many of the male stars she worked with.

This was to be the first of three films for RKO but in the end there was the only one – the film did not do well so she was dropped from her contract. Apparently she sued RKO and was paid something like 200,000 US Dollars in compensation.

A few years before this, she had been offered the leading female role in ‘His Majesty O’ Keefe’ with Burt Lancaster but her husband Dennis Hamilton – her manager as well – would not let her go out to Fiji to make the film – instead he accepted a Summer Season at Blackpool.–

Eventually Joan Rice got the role and was very good

I am a great  fan of Joan Rice who took the part – and was very good in it, but I also am an admirer of Diana Dors who was a very good actor.

Above: Joan Rice and Burt Lancaster in a still from the film

It appears that Burt Lancster asked to see Diana at his suite at Claridges in London and indeed she did have this meeting alone with Burt but with her husband lurking somewhere below. She later tested for the part by darkening her skin a little, donning  a sarong, and wearing a black wig but Dennis would not let her take this part. It wouldn’t be much of a guess as to why.

I am pleased however that Joan Rice got the part – but can’t help but wonder what the film would have been like with Diana in that role – but more than that the effect it would have had on her future because she may well have seized the opportunity of such a big film as this. Her husband thought better of her spending months in Fiji on a South Sea Island with Burt Lancaster.

A friend of mine locally has just built this ‘pier’ at a lake nearby and it struck me immediately that I could just see Johnny Weissmuller sprint along this walkway and plunge headlong into the pool below – no doubt along with Crocs and Hippos – he would see the crocodiles off

That same friend – although not a film fan at all also acquired ths large scale model of a galleon that had been used in Hornblower.

BELOW – here it is floating on his pond – it is just small enough to fit

B

Starring Gregory Peck and Virginia Mayo, Raoul Walsh’s 1951 adaptation of some of C.S. Forester’s classic seafaring novels is stirring stuff!

Here are some stills from the film – by no means one of my favourite films but OK

Filmed in Technicolor, and released by RKO Radio in their new Superscope wide screen process, this was

Dale Robertson who was borrowed from 20th Century Fox and Mari Blanchard borrowed from Universal starred but it was Vincent Price who stole the show

Plot: Sinbad, accompanied by his friend Omar Khayyam, is on the search for beautiful women and the legendary substance known as Greek Fire.

“Son of Sinbad” is a highly entertaining adventure with a funny story and a incredible cast of beautiful actresses, including Kim Novak in an uncredited role.

Son of Sinbad (1955)

Son of Sinbad (June 2, 1955)
Cast:        Dale Robertson as Sinbad
                Vincent Price as Omar Khayyam
                Sally Forest as Ameer
                Lili St. Cyr as Nerissa
                Mari Blanchard as Kristina
                Leon Askin as Khalif
                Jay Novello as Jiddah

Written by Jack Pollexfen, Aubrey Wisberg & Jeff Bailey
Directed by Ted Tetzlaff

In this film Sinbad is really more of a womaniser than an adventurer.

The real shining element here is Vincent Price, who is charming and very funny as Omar Khayyam. He’s basically a colleague of Sinbad but he ends up really being the star of the film. There is also the never ending array of scantily-clad women, including some very seductive dances. It’s a well-made and very colorful film, perfect matinee

Trivia:

• The film was shot in 1953 but delayed until 1955 due to Lili St. Cyr’s controversial belly dance. It was originally shot in 3D but by the time it was released, 3D was no longer popular and it was converted to the Superscope format. The dance scenes were supposedly censored but remain very risqué, especially for a film from the 1950s.
• While Vincent Price was only a supporting character in the film, his legendary status has helped elevate his performance as the standout of the film. He starred in this the same year House of Wax (1953) was released.
• Sally Forest is also known for The Strip (1951) with Mickey Rooney and The Strange Door (1951), also starring Charles Laughton and Boris Karloff.
• Mari Blanchard also played Queen Allura in Abbott and Costello Go to Mars (1953).
• Leon Askin is best known for his role of General Burkhalter in Hogan’s Heroes (1965-1971).
• Jay Novello had 207 film and TV credits, including The Lost World (1960) and The Mad Magician (1954), as well as countless television appearances.
• Kim Novak is uncredited as one of the harem girls. She made her film debut the same year this was filmed and is best remembered for such films as Picnic (1955), Vertigo (1958) and Bell, Book and Candle (1958).
• Woody Strode is uncredited as one of the palace guards. He had made his film debut in 1941 but was still a few years away from achieving greater recognition at the time this was filmed in 1953. He is best remembered for such films as Tarzan’s Three Challenges (1963), The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance (1962) and Pork Chop Hill (1959).