This film boasted an excellent cast Richard Basehart, Laurence Harvey, Stanley Baker, and John Ireland who all turn in terrific performances in this British film from 1954. The story is of three decent men who have hit on hard times, so much so that they are enticed into being involved in a robbery by the one bad seed among them (Laurence Harvey). Also interesting to view Joan Collins in an early role. The story is told in flashback, and the ending is both subtle and surprising. A good film.

These were certainly top actors as was the rest of the excellent cast including Margaret Leighton – soon to be married to Laurence Harvey, Gloria Grahame, Rene Ray, Robert Morley among them

On to the film that is the supporting one here ‘ Battles of Chief Pontiac’ which seems to get remarkably good reviews

BELOW THREE SUCH REVIEWS

A surprisingly accurate, low budget, historical drama. The story of a white scout(Barker)attempting to broker a peace agreement between English Colonials and Chief Pontiac and his Ottawa tribe. Kroeger is loathsome as German Hesian mercenary, and Chaney brings his best to the role of Pontiac. The “gifts” of small-pox infected blankets to the Indians is a reminder of the brutality of the times. A good cast performs well, and of course Barker, a former Tarzan, finds several chances to bare his chest! While this one was made on a small budget by the Jack Broder Company,it has held up well over the years. This is a hard one to find on video or TV but well worth watching.

1952’s “Battles of Chief Pontiac” was a low budget Western from Realart, a redistribution outfit that produced several titles of their own, but are best remembered for keeping Universal Horror in cinemas right up to the 1957 TV debut of Shock Theatre. This was their third and last from Lon Chaney, following successful turns in “Bride of the Gorilla” and “The Bushwhackers,” here playing the title role of Chief Pontiac, third billed behind Lex Barker and Helen Westcott. Still the current Tarzan, the well cast Barker seeks peace between the Indians and the colonists in pre-Revolutionary War America, filmed on location in Rapid City, South Dakota. Usually cast as Western villains or thug henchmen, Lon Chaney Jr retains great dignity and compassion in this rare change of pace, which may have played a part in his later series HAWKEYE AND THE LAST OF THE MOHICANS, where he portrayed Chingachgook. Those familiar with “Of Mice and Men” or even “The Wolf Man” remember how Lon Chaney Jr. could excel in sympathetic roles, and here he delivers the goods, though slightly, and understandably, overshadowed by Barker’s heroics. Berry Kroeger’s evil Hessian Von Weber deserves special mention, and his shocking fate in the fitting hands of Chief Pontiac is punishment well deserved.

This film was produced by a very small film studio and it is very hard to find. Lon Chaney Jr. had the leading role as Chief Pontiac in this exquisite movie. It was one of his best, most sensitive performances. Chief Pontiac was in real life an influential Native American chief who affected the course of history of the native people on the Canadian border and Lon Chaney Jr. did a great job staying close to the documented history of this Native American tribe.

Battles of Chief Pontiac 1952

Well I am moving well out of the Fifties now to this terrific new series starring Bertie Carval as Inspector Dalgliesh – I suppose at least there is the fact that this is set in the 1960s – so we are, at least, in the next decade !

It is a real winner of a crime drama series from Channel five.

Bertie Carvel and takes on the role of Adam Dalgliesh, and he is outstanding in the role with an understated style which fits really well.

He portrays the depth. tormented soul of a poet while at the same time being very observant of human behaviour and detail surrounding each crime.

Beautifully made, very well acted, and very well written, working off some superb original material, which doesn’t seem to have been messed around with it too much.

Also – It looks good visually , the E Type Jaguar is a real show-stopper

The attention to detail makes this very watchable.

If you haven’t seen it on Channel 5 – then please do. You will not be disappointed

T

This film was on Talking Pictures yesterday shown under the US title of ‘Bombay Waterfront’

BELOW – Under it’s AmericaN Title ‘Bombay Waterfront’

This is the fourth and final adaptation of the Paul Temple radio plays, PAUL TEMPLE RETURNS and here we find him living up the high life in New York, where he now makes a living from his work as a crime writer.

However, he is called back to England which has been rocked by the Marquis murders. A fiend is murdering people and signing the name to his handiwork.

Paul Temple has been warned by the Marquis not to get involved at the same time he is asked to gather information on one of the victims, a New York City police officer.

It’s a typical Edgar Wallace storyline. The main character and his associate Steve are mush as we remember them, but the supporting cast is also good here, and maybe the film has a little bigger budget. Certainly there are some strong moments in the murder scenes and an exciting rooftop climax.

Included in the cast, with a bigger role than I expected was Man in Black himself, Valentine Dyall. Also we had Christopher Lee appearing sinister as one of the main suspects, a professor with a collection of Egyptian artifacts – this was a few years before ‘The Mummy’ when he was by then a household name

Robert Urquhart is yet another suspect.

Patricia Dainton plays Steve and is very good – a leading role for her in what was to be quite a short film career. Nevertheless she is back on screen now on Talking Pictures, often introducing some of her films.

John Bentley played both Paul Temple and ‘The Toff’ in films made in the early fifties. He seemed to be much in demand at that time before fading from sight and re-emerging in the famous TV show ‘Crossroads’ where he was in around 350 episodes

Before that though in 1958 / 59 he had made ‘African Patrol’ a Television Series where he played Chief Inspector Paul Derek who investigates crime in and around Nairobi. An article on this later though

There are two memorable versions of this story – Ronald Colman and Douglas Fairbanks Jr in the 1937 one and then Stewart Granger and Janes Mason in the Technicolor 1952 film. Both very good and both virtually the same

I have to say, that I thought Ronald Colman was much better as Rudolph Rassendyll – he was a much better screen actor than Stewart Granger but in fairness Stewart Granger was pretty good and very athletic in the final sword fight.

In this film is another Coronation and that is the reason for this article at this particular time

Whilst nowhere near as impressive as the one we witnessed yesterday in England, this is very well filmed and on a pretty large scale with impressive sets – and Technicolor at it’s best – unrivalled !!

The Prisoner of Zenda 1952 – Rudolph Rassendyll takes a fishing holiday in a European Country, where his remarkable resemblance to The King of that same country forms the basis to this thrilling adventure story

The Prisoner of Zenda 1952 Below with the Princess Flavia

The Prisoner of Zenda 1952

The Prisoner of Zenda 1952 – The Coronation

The casting of Stewart Granger in the double role of Rudolph Rassendyll and his royal cousin, the Crown Prince Rudolph of Ruritania and James Mason as the villainous Rupert of Hentzau proves to be inspired casting. If Stewart Granger doesn’t have Ronald Colman’s flair for the spoken word – very few ever have had – he makes a fine hero. As for James Mason, Douglas Fairbanks, Jr. took the Rupert part because he was advised it’s one of the best villains ever created in drama. James Mason obviously relishes the role and he is very much the equal of his predecessor

MGM decided in 1952 that it was time to do another remake of The Prisoner Of Zenda in time to coincide with the publicity of Queen Elizabeth II’s Coronation. Commercially they were right as this film did very well at the Box Office.

On Coronation Day 2023 I think it is very fitting to look back at the charming, heart-warming film that everyone who has seen it seems to love – as I do.

It is difficult to think how such a film could be done in the present day – there would be little of no impact because most people nowadays are able to nip up to London with ease, but at that time in the early fifties it was not so easy. Financially it would be almost impossible so this film did have an impact – still does – mainly because of the two youngsters who took their parts so well and in many ways, carried the film. There were no big name stars in this.

The story is quite well known – of two young children who run away to watch the Queen’s Coronation in 1953 – and the many adventures that they have in London.

ABOVE and BELOW – today’s Coronation

It is a joy to watch this lovely film as I have so many times over the years If you would like an enjoyable, satisfying and nostalgic look into the Fifties – a simpler world but a lovely one at that – then just see this film. It is  one of my own  favourite films even today after all those years.

What a cast here to join Roger Moore in this 1964 episode of The Saint. We have Anthony Bate, Michael Gough, Justine Lord and Jean Marsh among others who were all first rate actors and who did this episode proud.

‘The Imprudent Politician’ is Christopher Waites (Anthony Bate) a minister for the treasury department.

He is facing demands for blackmail for the sum of £1 million. Not because he is a married man having an affair with a young woman. It is because he gave her a letter with market sensitive financial information. She made money on the stock exchange from it.

The blackmailers tell Waites that he will not need to pay the money over. They just want to catch sight of a letter he will receive in advance. That too contains market sensitive material. Enough for the blackmailers to make a killing in the markets.

The courier who brings the letter to Waites is killed while Waites held a party for some assorted guests. The Saint who was invited found the dead man.

Eventually Waites asks for the Saint’s help.

A pretty good adventure. and one in which Simon Templar gets involved in several fights.

Templar quickly figures out that Waites girlfriend was involved with the blackmailers. It was the reason why she never got rid off the letter. Templar is convinced that someone close to Waites is directing the blackmailers

One thing I latched onto here was that Anthony Bate and Justine Lord had been cast together in ‘Act of Murder’ one of the Edgar Wallace supporting films – and one of the very best. In that she was his wife but in this, she was his mistress. I am not sure which one was made first – I have an idea it was ‘Act of Murder’

As we fast approach the Coronation, I thought it might be good to look back on the previous ones that are both within living memory. #

‘A Queen is Crowned’ 1953

Sir Laurence ends his narration in this Technicolor film of the Coronation with – “May the Queen live forever!!”. Well she did reign over us for more than 70 years. After her funeral in 2022 Channel 4 showed the film without ad breaks immediately after the two minute silence.

There had already been a film of George VI’s coronation in Dufaycolor in 1937 but 1953 proved a lucky moment as at about that time Technicolor was approaching the end of it’s long dominance – mind you, I for one would say that it has never been bettered

The Coronation was such a large and incredible event that was viewed Worldwide and Thanks to this film, we could see it in Colour.

We can go back to George V1 Coronation in 1937 and see this in Colour – in fact in Dufaycolor :-

These half hour Colonel March episodes were made and shown in the mid fifties on ITV I am pretty sure.

Only 26 were ever made but the ones I have seen are pretty good considering the time they had and maybe, a limited budget.

Boris Karloff as Inspector March here with John Laurie in a scene from ‘Present Tense’ a quite absorbing drama about Col March’s niece played by Mary Parker whose husband perishes in a plane crash – or does he ? His Wife seems to sense his ghost in the house and hears the piano playing in the style of her husband. All is eventually revealed.

Her husband is played by Peter Reynolds who I had seen not that long ago in a film with Diana Dors called ‘The Last Page’ in which he played another quite unsavoury character. He certainly looked the part and was very good. He was in a lot of films and TV here

He moved to Australia in the late sixties and appeared in quite a lot of productions there. He died in Melbourne in 1975 in a fire in his flat which also saw the death of his pet dog.

Then in the leading role was Mary Parker, an actress I didn’t know but I could see that she was very capable and it did make me wonder why I had no knowledge of her.

Looking further, it seems that she went to live in Australia – she had been brought up in Melbourne – and had a very successful career in Television right from it’s launch

“Everybody in England knew Mary Parker”, said her husband, Paul Fitzgerald. “In England she did several films with Sir Douglas Fairbanks Jr – I’ve seen her name in lights on Shaftesbury Avenue and then she worked on TV as an announcer. They also brought her out to Australia in 1956 to open the (television coverage of the) Olympic Games – she was the first woman on television in (Melbourne)

We all know Boris Karloff – he came to England in 1952 to make the ‘Colonel March’ films and in fact made the first three ‘Pilot’ episodes which were joined together and released as a feature film in cinemas – the film was entitled ‘Colonel March Investigates’

He then did the other 26 episodes which went out first in America and then here. They have been repeated again and again on both sides of the Atlantic

Again, this was on Talking Pictures this Bank Holiday Monday afternoon 1 May 2023 – it is a film I did not know at all and can’t remember it’s release here or indeed anything about it.

However I did view it, and, true to reports, it proved quite a compelling film to watch – when I started I didn’t think I could stay the course but it sort of sucked you in and held you.

Dan O’Herlihy took the leading role in this, one of his best remembered films it seems, and he does give a very good performance in a difficult role where he is the main – and for a while – the only actor, so he effectively carries the film.

It was made in Pathécolor – Pathécolor, later renamed Pathéchrome, was an early mechanical stencil-based film tinting process for films developed by Segundo de Chomón for Pathé in the early 20th century. Among the last feature films to use this process was the Mexican film Robinson Crusoe (1954) by Spanish Director Luis Buñuel

Dan O’Herlihy as Robinson Crusoe

Robinson Crusoe tends to his sick dog – his constant and only companion at this stage of the film

Robinson Crusoe

Of the many great films Director Luis Bunuel was involved with, ROBINSON CRUSOE is one of his very best.

The film contains the feverish dream sequence where Crusoe’s father chides him for his adventurous, and, therefore, “wayward” spirit; the scene where he is so desperate to hear another human voice he goes to the Valley of the Echo and shouts a Psalm, and then walks in despair into the sea and the final scene where, leaving the island at last with Friday, he looks back for the last time, and hears the ghostly echo of his faithful, but long since dead dog, Rex, barking...

Robinson Crusoe above He is joined on the island by his ‘ Man Friday’

Robinson Crusoe

Robinson Crusoe

Robinson Crusoe

Robinson Crusoe

ABOVE and BELOW – The final ‘invasion’ but Robinson Crusoe and Friday plus the two they have helped escape from their captors, finally escape for the island

Robinson Crusoe

Robinson Crusoe

Robinson Crusoe – has been on the island for more than 18 years and has survived.

This film and the acting by Dan O’Herlihy really convey to us, the audience, the suffering he has endured from loneliness and isolation and yet also the warmth that he got from Friday and his animals. In the first few years, he had his beloved dog, Rex but when he died that must have been the darkest time that he spent there.

What a good film

This film was shown on Talking Pictures this morning 1 May 2023 – I had heard of it but not seen it. The one thing that I can’t quite work out is – where was it filmed ? From all the information available it seems to have been done in Hollywood with a strong cast of English actors – many of them resident at the time in Hollywood.

However Martita Hunt had a prominent part but I cant imagine that she went over there – I may be wrong on that of course. On further investigation – I am wrong – Martita Hunt was over in the USA starring on Broadway in one of her famous stage roles ‘Thwe Mad Woman of Chaillot’ and she did 350 performance in this role

She must have fitted in her part in ‘The Fan’ during that time

In fact after ‘The Fan’ the next film she made was in England at Denham Film Studios – ‘The Story of Robin Hood and His Merrie Men’ in the summer of 1951

The production of ‘The Madwoman of Chaillot’ was staged also at the St James Theatre in London’s West End with Martita in the role, in 1951

After this at the Phoenix Theatre in Shaftesbury Avenue, she starred alongside Vivian Leigh and Laurence Olivier in ‘The Sleeping Prince’ written by Terence Rattigan – another great success for Martita.

The film rights to this play were acquired by Marilyn Monroe who came over to England to make is as ‘The Prince and the Showgirl’ with Laurence Olivier co starring with her. He was not really very good – had she had a better leading man I feel that the film would have been more successful.

I do remember when Alfred Hitchock was casting ‘Rebecca’ he wanted Ronald Colman who was not available and so had to go along with Laurence Olivier. My view is that Ronald Colman – a superb screen actor – would have been much better

Most of us film goers remember her mainly for that wonderful and memorable performance as Miss Havisham in the classic 1946 film ‘Great Expectations’ and maybe also a little later for ‘The Story of Robin Hood and his Merrie Men’ but it does seem that her greatest achievements were on stage either in the West End of London or on Broadway.

She had played Miss Havisham on stage to much acclaim and so when David Lean was casting the film, he looked no further that Martita Hunt

One Theatre critic, who had seen her on stage said of her :–

“With an arresting appearance and a dominant stage presence, she proved most effective as strong, tragic characters, her Gertrude in Hamlet being accounted by some critics the finest they had seen.”