“This is the story of a confidence-man — that often unsung but seldom unhung aristocrat of the old west.” Conman Candy Johnson (Clark Gable) is getting tired of running from town to town to escape trouble. He hopes the next city he lands in will be his permanent home. Hope grows when he meets Elizabeth Cotton (Lana Turner) on a train. She’s headed from Boston … Continue reading Honky Tonk (1941)
Michael Cassidy (Melvyn Douglas) is celebrating the 75th anniversary of his newspaper when he gets horrifying news from the paper’s owner, Matt Cooper: the paper is to stop publication immediately. When anger brews over the suddenness of the announcement and combines with Michael’s pride for the paper, he hatches a plan to solve a kidnapping case, get the scoop, and prove that the paper’s good … Continue reading Tell No Tales (1939)
The favorite film: Dial M for Murder, a 1954 domestic thriller by Alfred Hitchcock The synopsis: When Tony Wendice’s plan to have his wife killed goes awry, he decides to instead get rid of her by having her locked up for murder. The cast: Ray Milland as Tony Wendice Grace Kelly as Margot Wendice Robert Cummings as Mark Halliday John Williams as Inspector Hubbard Anthony … Continue reading Favorite things about… Dial M for Murder (1954)
When her father and her boyfriend are killed in the 1906 San Francisco earthquake, pregnant and unwed Jenny Sandoval (Ruth Chatterton) must find a way to survive. She takes up residence in the Chinese district and is able to make ends meet, but not necessarily through legal methods. Mixed up with gamblers and running a brothel, Jenny finds herself in a world of trouble when … Continue reading Frisco Jenny (1932)
The last Collection Update on TMP covered acquisitions from March through June. Since then, I’ve had a birthday, run across some wonderful thrift store finds, and taken advantage of a few Criterion discounts. Here’s everything that I’ve added to the collections since June! Books Chaplin by Robert Manvell Debbie: My Life by Debbie Reynolds and David Patrick Columbia The Devil to Pay (Ellery Queen pocket … Continue reading Collector’s Corner: Collection Update, Vol. 7!
Duck Creek, Connecticut is a sleepy town full of friendly people. Cindy Kimball (Jane Powell) is one of the town’s most beloved residents — the daughter of the town judge and a soloist in the church choir. One Sunday evening, the Kimball family is enjoying a meal after church when they’re interrupted by a policeman looking for the judge. Big city fella Rick Belrow Livingston … Continue reading Small Town Girl (1953)
Beverly Boyer (Doris Day) is a happy housewife. Her husband Gerald is a successful doctor. They have two young children and a very nice, large house. All is well. One evening, while having dinner with one of Gerald’s patients, Beverly tells a cute story about her kids and their new love for “Happy Soap” — a product that just so happens to be made by … Continue reading The Thrill of It All (1963)
Matt Hastings (John Agar) is a doctor on a mission. After being refused an autopsy on a highly unusual corpse by the sheriff, Dr. Hastings is determined to figure out what caused the corpse’s apparent sudden acromegaly. Hastings calls on Dr. Gerald Deemer (Leo G. Carroll), who had a hand in refusing the autopsy. As it turns out, Deemer knows there’s something odd going on. … Continue reading Tarantula (1955)
The war is on, and Dave Stewart has been on active duty for over a year with his buddy Fixit Gilman. They’re finally being given a short leave to visit California. While on their three-day pass, Dave and Fixit head to Pasadena, where Dave went to college. On the bus, they meet Cora Colton (Faye Emerson) and Janet Wheeler (Eleanor Parker). Girl-crazy Fixit is instantly … Continue reading The Very Thought of You (1944)
Jerry Day (Gary Cooper) and Toni Carstairs (Carole Lombard) are globe-trotting thieves, traveling the world together and falling in love. The two are just leaving Shanghai when Jerry gets word from his hometown and there’s trouble regarding his daughter, Penny (Shirley Temple). Jerry’s wife passed away, and he left Penny with her family. Now they want permanent custody. Jerry considers taking the money offered by … Continue reading Now and Forever (1934)
