Sherlock Holmes • The Speckled Band (1931) • Crime • Drama • Mystery • FREE FULL MOVIE



After her sister dies under mysterious circumstances, a young heiress seeks Holmes’ help when she feels threatened by her brutish stepfather.

Director: Jack Raymond
Writers: Arthur Conan Doyle (story), W.P. Lipscomb (adaptation)
Stars: Lyn Harding, Raymond Massey, Angela Baddeley

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Flying Wild (1941) [Comedy] [Drama]



While pals Skinny (Donald Haines), Danny Graham (Bobby Jordan), Peewee (David Gorcey), Algy Reynolds (Eugene Francis), and Scruno (Sunshine Sammy Morrison) all work at the Reynolds Aviation Company, which is run by Algy’s father (Herbert Rawlinson), Muggs (Leo Gorcey), the only one of the kids who refuses to work, spends his time flirting with an ambulance nurse named Helen (Joan Barclay). Helen, though, is in love with her test pilot boyfriend Tom (Dave O’Brien). One day, when Tom’s plane crashes onto the plant airstrip, Reynolds suspects that the crash may have been the work of saboteurs. Later, on the airfield tarmac, Muggs jokingly appoints himself as the new operator of Dr. Richard Nagel (George Pembroke)’s ambulance plane and gives his pals a tour of the aircraft. Their playful games are soon brought to a halt by Nagel, the secret leader of a spy ring, who catches the boys on his plane and angrily orders them off.

Mr. Reynolds, certain that spies are working at the plant, asks Danny to act as a decoy so that the spies can be identified, and has him deliver to a downtown office a fake set of plans for a new bomb site. As Reynolds predicted, Nagel’s men ambush Danny on his way to the office, but the plan goes awry when the detectives sent to trail Danny lose him. Danny eventually turns up unharmed some time later. When Muggs reports to Reynolds his suspicions that Nagel is behind the espionage ring, Reynolds dismisses the accusation as a product of the boy’s imagination. Not convinced by Reynolds that Nagel is innocent, Muggs and Danny begin their own investigation into Nagel, starting with a visit to the doctor on the pretext of a fake ailment. The visit turns up nothing, however, and when Danny and Muggs return to the hangar, a suspicious “accident” that was apparently meant to harm them leaves Peewee injured. While Peewee recovers at the hospital, Tom nearly loses his life when he is unable to make contact with the control tower for a landing. The controller is later found bound and gagged in the tower, prompting the kids to resume their investigation in earnest.

Helen provides the gang with further clues when she confirms that the ambulance plane was being flown on many unusual trips to Mexico, supposedly to deliver patients. When Helen tells the East Side Kids that a man named Forbes is the next “patient” to be transported, they rush to his house, where they find secret plans hidden in his head bandage. Disguising Danny as the transportee, the kids send Danny and Muggs on the flight to learn who is behind the espionage ring. Danny and Muggs soon find themselves in trouble, however, when Nagel, having found Forbes locked in his closet, tries to warn the pilot of the boys’ ruse. Meanwhile, Tom learns of the dangerous mission and goes after the ambulance plane in his own plane. Tom arrives in Mexico in time to save Danny and Muggs, and all the spies are arrested. Back at the plant, Reynolds rewards Muggs for his heroism by giving him a job, but his stint there is short-lived as he is soon distracted by a pretty woman and crashes a plane.

Directed by William West, produced by Sam Katzman, written by Al Martin, starring Leo Gorcey as Muggs McGinnis, Bobby Jordan as Danny Graham, Sunshine Sammy Morrison as Scruno, David Gorcey as Peewee, Donald Haines as Skinny, Eugene Francis as Algy Reynolds, Bobby Stone as Louie, Joan Barclay as Helen Munson, Dave O’Brien as Tom Lawson, George Pembroke as Dr. Richard Nagel III, Herbert Rawlinson as Mr. Reynolds, Dennis Moore as George, Forrest Taylor as Forbes, Robert F. Hill as Woodward, Mary Bovard as Mazie, , George Eldredge as Man, Alden “Stephen” Chase as Jack, Henchman,
Al Ferguson, Jack Kenny, Carey Loftin, Bud Osborne, Eddie Parker, and Dick Scott as Henchmen.

Source: “Flying Wild” Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Wikimedia Foundation, Inc.. 13 August 2013. Web. 26 August 2013. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flying_Wild.

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Johnny O’Clock (1947) [Film Noir] [Drama] [Crime]



Johnny O’Clock (Dick Powell) is a junior partner in a posh casino with Guido Marchettis (Thomas Gomez). Complicating their longtime working relationship is Guido’s wife Nelle (Ellen Drew), who is still in love with former boyfriend Johnny. She gives Johnny an expensive custom pocket watch, the twin of a birthday present she gave her husband, except Johnny’s has a romantic engraving on the back.

Johnny gives the watch, along with a rejection note, to Harriet Hobson (Nina Foch), a hat-check girl at the casino, to return to Nelle. Harriet, however, apparently commits suicide using gas. Her sister Nancy (Evelyn Keyes) shows up to find out what happened. She becomes attracted to Johnny. They eventually learn from Police Inspector Koch (Lee J. Cobb) that Harriet was killed by poison.

Harriet was dating Chuck Blayden (Jim Bannon), a crooked cop who is trying to persuade Guido to let him take Johnny’s place. When Blayden also turns up dead, Koch suspects that either Johnny or Marchettis is responsible.
Though Johnny tries to resist, little by little, he falls for Nancy. When Koch shows both Johnny and Marchettis Johnny’s watch and note, Johnny tells Nancy their relationship is through and takes her to the airport. As he is driving away, however, he narrowly survives a drive-by shooting, and Nancy realizes he was only trying to protect her. She refuses to leave him.

Johnny decides to flee to South America with Nancy, but not before brazenly cashing in his share of the casino. Marchettis pulls out a gun when Johnny’s back is turned. They shoot it out; Marchettis is killed and Johnny wounded. Afterward, Nelle offers to testify it was self-defense, but only if he will come back to her. He refuses, so she tells Koch it was cold-blooded murder. Johnny’s first instinct is to run away, but Nancy convinces him to give himself up.

Directed by Robert Rossen, produced by Edward G. Nealis and Jerry Giesler, story by Milton Holmes, screenplay by Robert Rossen, starring Dick Powell as Johnny O’Clock, Evelyn Keyes as Nancy Hobson, Lee J. Cobb as Inspector Koch, Ellen Drew as Nelle Marchettis, Nina Foch as Harriet Hobson, Thomas Gomez as Pete Marchettis, John Kellogg as Charlie (Johnny’s traitorous flunky), Jim Bannon as Chuck Blayden, Mabel Paige as Slatternly Woman Tenant, Phil Brown as Phil, Hotel Clerk and Jeff Chandler as Turk.

Source: “Johnny O’Clock” Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Wikimedia Foundation, Inc.. 20 July 2013. Web. 26 August 2013. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Johnny_O%27Clock.

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My Man Godfrey (1936) [Romance] [Comedy]



“My Man Godfrey” is an American screwball comedy film directed by Gregory La Cava. The screenplay was written by Morrie Ryskind, with uncredited contributions by La Cava, based on “1011 Fifth”, a short novel by Eric Hatch. The story concerns a socialite who hires a derelict to be her family’s butler, only to fall in love with him, much to his dismay.

During the Great Depression, Godfrey “Smith” (William Powell) is living alongside other men down on their luck at the city dump. One night, spoiled socialite Cornelia Bullock (Gail Patrick) offers him five dollars to be her “forgotten man” for a scavenger hunt. Annoyed, he advances on her, causing her to retreat and fall on a pile of ashes. She leaves in a fury, much to the glee of her younger sister, Irene (Carole Lombard). After talking with her, Godfrey finds her to be kind, if a bit scatter-brained. He offers to go with Irene to help her beat Cornelia. In the ballroom of the Waldorf-Ritz Hotel, Irene’s long-suffering businessman father, Alexander Bullock (Eugene Pallette), waits resignedly as his ditsy wife, Angelica (Alice Brady), and her mooching “protégé” Carlo (Mischa Auer) play the frivolous game. Godfrey arrives and is “authenticated” by the scavenger hunt judge as a “forgotten man”. He then addresses the idle rich, expressing his contempt for their antics. Irene is apologetic and offers him a job as the family butler, which he gratefully accepts.

The next morning, Godfrey is shown what to do by the sardonic, wise-cracking maid, Molly (Jean Dixon), the only servant who has been able to put up with the antics of the family. She warns him that he is just the latest in a long line of butlers. Only slightly daunted, he proves to be surprisingly competent, although Cornelia still holds a sizeable grudge. On the other hand, Irene considers Godfrey to be her protégé, and is thrilled by his success. A complication arises when a guest, Tommy Gray (Alan Mowbray), greets Godfrey familiarly as an old friend. Godfrey quickly ad-libs that he was Tommy’s valet at school. Tommy plays along, mentioning Godfrey’s non-existent wife and five children. Dismayed, Irene impulsively announces her engagement to the surprised Charlie Van Rumple (Grady Sutton), but she soon breaks down in tears and flees after being politely congratulated by Godfrey. Over lunch the next day, Tommy is curious to know what one of the elite “Parkes of Boston” is doing as a servant. Godfrey explains that a broken love affair had left him considering suicide, but the optimistic, undaunted attitude of the men living at the dump rekindled his spirit.

Meanwhile, when everything she does to make Godfrey’s life miserable fails, Cornelia sneaks into his room and plants her pearl necklace under his mattress. She then calls the police to report her “missing” jewelry. To Cornelia’s surprise, the pearls do not turn up, even when she suggests they check Godfrey’s bed. Mr. Bullock realizes his daughter has orchestrated the whole thing and sees the policemen out. The Bullocks then send their daughters off to Europe to get Irene away from Godfrey. When they return, Cornelia implies that she intends to seduce Godfrey. Worried, Irene stages a fainting spell and falls into Godfrey’s arms. He carries her to her bed, but while searching for smelling salts, he realizes she’s faking when he sees her (in a mirror) sit up briefly. In revenge, he puts her in the shower and turns on the cold water full blast. Far from quenching her attraction, this merely confirms her hopes: “Oh Godfrey, now I know you love me…You do or you wouldn’t have lost your temper.”

When confronted by the rest of the family, Godfrey quits. But Mr. Bullock has more pressing concerns…

Directed and produced by Gregory La Cava, written by Eric Hatch, Morrie Ryskind and Gregory LaCava, starring William Powell as Godfrey Park, Carole Lombard as Irene Bullock, Alice Brady as Angelica Bullock, Gail Patrick as Cornelia Bullock, Eugene Pallette as Alexander Bullock, Jean Dixon as Molly, Alan Mowbray as Tommy Gray, Mischa Auer as Carlo, Pat Flaherty as Mike Flaherty, Robert Light as Faithful George and Grady Sutton as Charlie Van Rumple.

Source: “My Man Godfrey” Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Wikimedia Foundation, Inc.. 7 August 2013. Web. 26 August 2013. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/My_Man_Godfrey.

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He Walked by Night (1948) [Film Noir] [Thriller]



On a Los Angeles street, Officer Hollis, a patrolman on his way home from work, stops a man he suspects of being a burglar and is shot and mortally wounded. The minor clues lead nowhere. Two police detectives, Sergeants Marty Brennan (Brady) and Chuck Jones (Cardwell), are assigned to catch the killer, Roy Morgan (Basehart), a brilliant mystery man with no known criminal past, who is hiding in a Hollywood bungalow and listening to police calls on his custom radio in an attempt to avoid capture. His only relationship is with his little dog.

Roy consigns burgled electronic equipment to Paul Reeves (Whit Bissell), and on his fifth sale is nearly caught when he shows up to collect on his property. Reeves tells police that the suspect is a mystery man named Roy Martin. The case crosses the paths of Brennan and Jones, who stake out Reeves’ office to arrest and question Roy. He suspects a trap, however, and in a brief shootout shoots and paralyzes Jones. Jones wounds Roy, who performs surgery on himself to remove the bullet and avoid going to a hospital, where his gunshot wound would be reported to the police.
With his knowledge of police procedures, Roy changes his modus operandi and becomes an armed robber. During one robbery he fires his semi-automatic pistol, and the police recover the ejected casing. Lee (Jack Webb), a forensics specialist, matches the ejector marks on the casing to those recovered in the killing of Officer Rawlins and the wounding of Sgt. Jones, connecting all three shootings to one suspect.

Captain Breen (Roy Roberts) uses this break to gather all of the witnesses to the robberies. They assist Lee in building a composite photo of the killer. Reeves then identifies Roy from the composite. However, Roy hides in Reeves’ car and attempts to intimidate him into revealing details of the police investigation. He barely eludes a stakeout of Reeves’ house.
Because the police do not realize that Roy has inside knowledge of their work, the case goes nowhere. Breen takes Brennan off the case in an attempt to shake him up. Jones convinces his partner to stop viewing the case personally and to use his head.

Plodding, methodical follow-up by Brennan, using the composite photograph, results in information that Roy, whose actual name is Roy Morgan, worked for a local police department as a civilian radio dispatcher before being drafted into the Army. Brennan tracks him down through post office mail carriers and disguises himself as a milkman to get a close look at Morgan and his apartment.

The police surround and raid the apartment that night, but Morgan, forewarned by the barking of his dog, escapes through the attic and uses the Los Angeles sewer system as a means of escape. The film continues with a dragnet and chase through the sewers. Roy is finally cornered by the police in a passage blocked by the wheel of a police car. As the police shoot tear gas at Roy, he staggers and attempts to fire at them. He is then shot down and killed. The final scene is notable for its resemblance to the final scene in The Third Man in which Orson Welles is chased through the sewers of Vienna. No known connection between the films has been established.

Directed by Alfred L. Werker and Anthony Mann, produced by Bryan Foy and Robert Kane, story by Crane Wilbur, screenplay by John C. Higgins and Crane Wilbur, starring Richard Basehart as Roy Martin/Roy Morgan, Scott Brady as Sgt. Marty Brennan, Roy Roberts as Captain Breen, Whit Bissell as Paul Reeves an electronics dealer, James Cardwell as Sgt. Chuck Jones and Jack Webb as Lee.

Source: “He Walked by Night” Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Wikimedia Foundation, Inc.. 26 August 2013. Web. 26 August 2013. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/He_Walked_By_Night.

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Queen of the Amazons (1947) JUNGLE ADVENTURE



Stars: Robert Lowery, Patricia Morison, J. Edward Bromberg
Director: Edward Finney
Writer: Roger Merton (original story and screenplay)

A woman’s husband has disappeared on an expedition into the jungle. She hires a guide to take her into the jungle to find him. However, they discover that he has been captured by a savage female tribe.

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