 Bringing Up Baby 1938  N/R, 102 min.
Genre: Comedy / Romance
Director: Howard Hawks
Cast: Cary Grant, Katharine Hepburn, Charles Ruggles, May Robson, Barry Fitzgerald, Walter Catlett, Fritz Feld, George Irving, Tala Birell, Virginia Walker, John Kelly, Leona Roberts, Ward Bond, Jack Carson
This is the movie classic in which Katharine Hepburn plays socialite Susan Vance who is raising a pet leopard, "Baby." Cary Grant takes on the role of a perfect foil as paleontologist David Huxley who is already engaged to be married to Miss Swallow (Virginia Walker), but he finds himself joining Susan in a hunt for the missing "Baby" and a priceless dinosaur bone–and, along the way, falling in love with Susan. A classy, hilarious comedy that remains timeless.
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Crime and Punishment 1935  N/R, 86 min.
Genre: Drama
Director: Josef von Sternberg
Cast: Edward Arnold, Peter Lorre, Marian Marsh, Tala Birell, Elisabeth Risdon, Robert Allen, Douglass Dumbrille, Gene Lockhart, Rafaela Ottiano, Thurston Hall
This is an interesting version of Dostoyevsky's novel about the man (Edward Arnold) who commits a murder and then finds he does have a conscience as well as a need for other people in his life. Peter Lorre plays the intrepid inspector who gets to the "heart" of the matter.
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The Frozen Ghost 1945  N/R, 61 min.
Genre: Mystery
Director: Harold Young
Cast: Lon Chaney Jr., Evelyn Ankers, Milburn Stone, Douglass Dumbrille, Martin Kosleck, Elena Verdugo, Tala Birell, Arthur Hohl, Eddie Acuff, Leyland Hodgson
This movie was part of the "Inner Sanctum" series. The story is about a hypnotist who, under the influence of two men, begins to fear the powers of his profession.
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Isle of Forgotten Sins 1943  N/R, 82 min.
Genre: Drama
aka: Monsoon
Director: Edgar G. Ulmer
Cast: John Carradine, Gale Sondergaard, Sidney Toler, Frank Fenton, Rita Quigley, Veda Ann Borg, Rick Vallin, Betty Amann, Tala Birell, Patti McCarty
Two deep-sea divers (John Carradine and Frank Fenton) hold their own against the diabolical ship captain (Sidney Toler) who has his own plans for taking over the sunken treasure they seek.
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The Lone Wolf Returns 1935  N/R, 68 min.
Genre: Mystery
Director: Roy William Neill
Cast: Melvyn Douglas, Gail Patrick, Tala Birell, Henry Mollison, Thurston Hall, Douglass Dumbrille, Nana Bryant, Robert Middlemass, Robert Emmett O'Connor, Raymond Walburn
This is the first of an extended series of Lone Wolf films, which followed earlier silent and early talkie versions. The hero is Michael Lanyard (The Lone Wolf), a dapper jewel thief who is always ready to help a damsel in distress. In this episode, The Lone Wolf (Melvyn Douglas) falls in love with a girl he intends to rob. After backing out, he is blackmailed by crooks to participate in a high-stakes heist.
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The Monster Maker 1944  N/R, 62 min.
Genre: Horror / Thriller
Director: Sam Newfield
Cast: J. Carrol Naish, Ralph Morgan, Tala Birell, Wanda McKay, Terry Frost, Glenn Strange, Alex Pollard, Sam Flint
Mad Dr. Igor Markoff (J. Carrol Naish) conducts his acromegaly (a disease that enlarges the body's bones) experiments on humans, turning them into grotesque-looking creatures. He falls in love with pianist Anthony Lawrence's (Ralph Morgan) daughter, Patricia (Wanda McKay), but she will have nothing to do with him. So, of course, he injects Anthony with his acromegaly-inducing drug thinking that, when he cures Anthony, Patricia will love him, AND he may be able to extort money from the victim. But, alas, life isn't that simple.
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One Dangerous Night 1943 N/R, 78 min.
Genre: Action
Director: Michael Gordon
Cast: Warren William, Eric Blore, Mona Barrie, Marguerite Chapman, Tala Birell, Margaret Hayes, Ann Savage, Thurston Hall, Warren Ashe, Fred Kelsey
An ex-jewel thief detective (Warren William) has his hands full as he is accused–by both the good guys and bad guys–of killing a blackmailer. A good entry. A future Lone Wolf, Gerald Mohr, has a small role.
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Philo Vance's Gamble 1947 N/R, 62 min.
Genre: Mystery
Director: Basil Wrangell
Cast: Alan Curtis, Vivian Austin, Frank Jenks, Tala Birell, Gavin Gordon, Cliff Clark, James Burke, Toni Todd, Joseph Crehan, Grady Sutton, Dan Seymour, Francis Pierlot
Alan Curtis takes on the role of super sleuth Philo Vance in this entry in the series. A valuable emerald is stolen, followed by a series of murders. Vance is called in to help, is soon immersed in an international smuggling ring but, of course, is able to sort through the suspects and come up with the killer.
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Philo Vance's Secret Mission 1947 N/R, 58 min.
Genre: Mystery
Director: Reginald LeBorg
Cast: Alan Curtis, Sheila Ryan, Tala Birell, Frank Jenks, James Bell, Frank Fenton, Paul Maxey, Kenneth Farrell, Toni Todd, David Leonard, Frank Wilcox
The renowned master sleuth Philo Vance (Alan Curtis) is hired to provide input for a mystery magazine by publisher Martin Jamison (Paul Maxey) while also helping Martin solve the murder of his partner several years previously. When Martin is murdered Vance must figure out who killed the partner, which will surely lead to Martin's killer. This is the final Philo Vance film–at least for more than a half century and counting.
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The Purple Heart 1944 N/R, 99 min.
Genre: Action / Drama
Director: Lewis Milestone
Cast: Dana Andrews, Richard Conte, Farley Granger, Kevin O'Shea, Don "Red" Barry, Trudy Marshall, Sam Levene, Charles Russell, Richard Loo, Philip Ahn, John Craven, Tala Birell, Peter Chong, Benson Fong, Nestor Paiva
This excellent World War II film tells the story of an American crew whose plane was downed, and they were captured after raids on Tokyo early in the War. The hardships, including torture and subsequent trials, encountered by the crew are presented well in this good movie. Fine performances.
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| 1. Bringing Up Baby (1938)
2. Crime and Punishment (1935)
3. The Frozen Ghost (1945)
4. Isle of Forgotten Sins (1943)
aka: Monsoon
5. The Lone Wolf Returns (1935)
6. The Monster Maker (1944)
7. One Dangerous Night (1943)
8. Philo Vance's Gamble (1947)
9. Philo Vance's Secret Mission (1947)
10. The Purple Heart (1944)
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