Rare Films: May 2012

Thursday, May 17, 2012

Address Unknown (1944) is a drama film directed by William Cameron Menzies based on Kathrine Taylor's novel Address Unknown (1938). The film tells the story of two families caught up in the rise of Nazism in Germany prior to the start of World War II.
Shot in a film noir style, the film contains many elements of suspense and irony reminiscent of Alfred Hitchcock.^{[citation needed]} Cinematographer (Rudolph Maté) employed shadows, shapes and camera angles to create the imagery. One notable scene shows Martin Schulz (Paul Lucas) descending a staircase awaiting his arrest by the Gestapo, while behind him the shadow of a web-like criss-cross of window panes shows him being caught in his own web of deceit.

Director: William Girdler

Writers: William Girdler (story), Gordon Cornell Layne (screenplay), and 1 more credit »

Stars: Carol Speed, William Marshall and Terry Carter

Genres: Horror

A possession film about a marriage counselor who becomes possessed by a Demon of Sexuality, when her father in law, an Exorcist, freed it while in Africa. He returns home, along with his son and a policeman to perform an African Exorcism on her.

Director: Sidney Lumet

Writers: Arthur Miller (play), Norman Rosten (screenplay)

Stars: Raf Vallone, Jean Sorel and Maureen Stapleton

Genres: Drama

Eddie Carbone, a Brooklyn longshoreman is unhappily married to Beatrice and unconsciously in love with Catherine, the niece that they need raised from childhood. Into his house come back 2 brothers, illegal immigrants, Marco and Rodolpho. Catherine falls in love with Rudolpho; and Eddie, tormented however unable to admit even to himself his quasi-incestuous love, reports the illegal immigrants to the authorities.

A Talk with Hitchcock (1964)

Director: Fletcher Markle

Stars: Fletcher Markle, Joan Harrison and Alfred Hitchcock

Genres: Documentary

This 1964, interview of Alfred Hitchcock was a part of the CBC tv series Telescope with host-director Fletcher Markle. it had been conducted throughout or immediately when the filming of Marnie and additionally contains fascinating stories and comments from Alfred Hitchcock and his associates Norman Lloyd, Joan Harrison and Bernard Herrmann. There are clips from and through the creating of many Hitchcock movies. whereas a number of the recollections are a part of Hitch's customary interview material others are distinctive.

Director: Robert Z. Leonard

Writers: Charles Sarver, Paul West (story)

Stars: Mae Murray, Frank Borzage and Hobart Bosworth

Genres: Drama | History

This silent melodrama is ready against the 1840s westward migration of the Mormons. Dora, a young lady, and her family are saved from an Indian attack by a Mormon community traveling to Utah. They be part of the wagon train. Dora is pursued by 2 men, one a recent convert, the opposite a scheming elder with a stable of wives. The Mormon elder needs her in his harem. When the mother kills herself from revulsion toward polygamy, the daughter should take into account her own future and also the man she loves. one amongst Mae Murray's few surviving films, this was supposed by Robert Leonard to be a thoughtful drama regarding the products and evils of Mormonism, however nowadays it's usually thought of pure anti-Mormon propaganda.

A Challenge for Robin Hood (1967)

Director: C.M. Pennington-Richards

Writer: Peter Bryan (original screenplay)

Stars: Barrie Ingham, Peter Blythe and John Arnatt

Genres: Adventure

Robin, a young Norman nobleman, is falsely accused by his cousin of murdering another cousin. His accuser is really in league with the corrupt Sheriff of Nottingham to seize management of the family lands, that Robin would inherit. Forced to escape into nearby Sherwood Forest, Robin begins to assemble a band of rebels to fight against his scheming cousin and also the evil sheriff.

A Jolly Bad Fellow (1964)

Director: Don Chaffey

Writer: Robert Hamer

Stars: Leo McKern, Janet Munro and Maxine Audley

Genres: Comedy

Goofy British black comedy stars McKern as a nutty-but-evil professor who discovers a poison that drives victims into hysterics and then kills them without a trace.

Originally intending to use the poison for the good of mankind, McKern snaps when university politics threaten his experiments, and he begins to bump off his enemies with the poison.

Eventually McKern's well-endowed girl friend and lab assistant, Munro, begins to suspect that she's next on his list and threatens to expose him unless he divorces his wife and marries her.

McKern laughs at her attempt to have him arrested because the poison leaves no trace, and he defiantly lights up a cigarette to wait for the cops to come.

He too realizes too late that he's just smoked a poisoned cigarette.

A poised and sophisticated comedy written by one of the most stylish screenwriters and directors in the Ealing stable, Robert Hamer, just before he died, and directed by Don Chaffey, noted for his saucy comedies and adults-only pictures.