Moonrise, A Man On the Run from Himself

This is an odd one set outside of Richmond, Virginia. Virginia is a state that has been in a freefall for the last 30 years. Shedding all its fine culture, the swamp has taken over the Commonwealth. Now Virginia is filled with greed and corruption as good old fashioned southern hospitality is long gone. In our film today, a basically good schmuck is tortured and tormented by viciousness that occurred long ago. Evil is never in a vacuum, and out protagonist, or antagonist, will find himself answering for that evil that was done by others many years ago. Let us talk about 1948's "Moonrise," directed by Frank Borzage.

Danny (Dane Clark) has had it tough his hole life. When he was a baby, his dad was arrested for murder and hanged. Now, his whole life, kids have teased and bullied him as they remind him that his dad was hanged. Then one night, Danny and Jerry (Lloyd Bridges), his old nemesis, get into a fight in the woods over this. In what may be self defense, Danny bashes Jerry's head in with a rock, killing him. Now Danny stashes the body and rejoins the dance. He takes up with Jerry's fiancé, Gilly (Gail Russell) who has no  idea that Jerry is dead. Gilly is put off by Danny's brutality. Gilly, deep down, loves the handsome Danny and suspects foul play for the missing Jerry.  Then Jerry's corpse is found.  Enter a very smart and perceptive Sheriff Otis (Allyn Joslyn). 

Sheriff Otis knows the score and figures out what went down. Fortunately, he has a soft spot for Danny's plight and holds out so Danny, on his own, will do the right thing. Gilly also gets smart and has the same wish. Danny is in danger of spiraling down an abyss, as he believes the fate of his dad will also be his fate. Now Danny considers running, escaping through the swamp, as bloodhounds and a posse are mechanized. 

Was Danny's killing of Jerry justified, and can that be proven?  Does Danny have what it takes, with his cursed background and family history, to do the right thing?  How about Ethel Barrymore, who is third in the credit, is she even in this movie?  This is one that has doom and sorrow written all over it, but Gail Russell's portrayal of Gilly gives us hope that just maybe some goodness will occur before the ending. See "Moonrise," and don't look too closely for Ethel Barrymore.    

The Big Operator, Mickey Rooney, Mamie Van Doren, and...Vampira!

Wait!  Vampira! Okay, I know what you are asking...Vampira?  The hot zombie-chick from "Plan 9 From Outer Space" in the  same film as Mickey Rooney and Mamie Van Doren? You probably would pay top dollar to see Mamie Van Doren in a catfight with Vampira. Mickey Rooney as a ruthless killer!  Mamie Van Doren as a tamed housewife! Tamed, through most of the film until it's time to not be tamed...you'll see. Vampira as a beatnik poet. Today we look at the brutal labor union Film Noir film, 1959's "The Big Operator," directed by Charles F. Haas. Oh, did I mention Mel Torme plays the original Burning Man? I'm not joking.

Little Joe Braun (Rooney) plays a union boss who thinks big. Through violence and blackmail he takes over dozens of unions in L.A. Now he controls the docks, machine building, trucks, you name it! He visits union halls and makes unions deals they cannot refuse. Oppose him and end up in the back of a cement truck. A Senate committee is conducting hearings to try to pin hundreds of charges on him, but he's smooth and always takes the Fifth. Then comes Bill Gibson (Steve Cochran)...he's a hunk and smart.  The hunk is married to Mary (Mamie Van Doren) and she adores him. He is union all the way and actually can prove Joe has committed perjury. He and his best buddy Fred (Torme) saw him at a union hall when tomorrow's Senate witness was supposed to appear, before that witness went missing. Realizing this, Little Joe tries to hire Bill and Fred for his personal staff...hush money. They refuse.

Refusing Little Joe is just not done and Fred is turned into the burning man in front of his wife (Ziva Rodann). Furious, Bill continues to rebuff Little Joe's offer.  Unwisely Bill goes to the Attorney General (Jim Backus...that's right, Mr. Magoo) and agrees to testify against Little Joe. This won't go well as Little Joe has Bill picked up and tortured...and then abducts Bill's son. Mary?  Mary goes full Rambo, and I must say, this is a good look for Mamie Van Doren.  So now Mickey Rooney has incurred Mamie Van Doren's wrath and all parties are on their way to see Vampira!

What?  Yes...I'm not kidding.  How did you miss this movie? You were too busy seeing that "Star Wars" garbage!  Be warned, this is a brutal one and after the scene with Vampira, you will not know whether to be aroused or repulsed.  See "The Big Operator," and enjoy one of the most awkward jobs of casting in Hollywood history.

The Hoodlum, Psycho Gets Out of Prison

We have a brutal one today. Every plot point ends in death, a beating, a shootout, a slapping, a death...oh, wait!  I said death already. Still, with this film, it merits being said twice. Then the stench. The city dump stinks like dumps do and that is the ongoing metaphor in this Film Noir one set in L.A.  Interesting point about this film, the titular character is played by Lawrence Tierney, and his brother in this film is played by...his brother, Edward.  Our feature today is 1951's "The Hoodlum," directed by Max Nosseck.

Juvenile delinquent, turned adult criminal, Vincent (Lawrence Tierney) serves five years in prison for armed robbery. He is up for parole and it is about to be denied until his elderly mom (Lisa Golm) makes a heartfelt plea for her son's freedom. Vincent, a real thug, gets parole and is mandated to have a job. His brother Johnny (Edward Tierney), who never liked Vincent, is a good man and owns a gas station. He hesitantly gives Vincent a job. Vincent is not appreciative and swears he is going to get out of poverty and move far away from the city dump and the stench. Johnny's fiancé, the beautiful Rosa (Allene Roberts) takes mercy on Vincent, and in turn has a lot of pre-marital sex with him, gets pregnant, and commits suicide. Johnny is heartbroken and Vincent could not care less. Vincent, working across the street form a bank, romances a bank employee, Eileen (Marjorie Riordan).

Okay, instead of pumping gas, Vincent plots an armored car robbery at the bank across the street. He gathers five more hoodlums together, including Christie (Angela Steven)...and he'll slap the snot out of her. Besides that, Vincent comes up with a surefire plan to rob the loot and get away.  Uh oh...the plan has a lot of moving parts and his cohorts are just as ruthless as he is.  How do you think this will go?  Well, actually, it goes even worse and now more die, and more hearts are broken, and Vincent begins to understand he has no friends. 

Will Johnny find out the real reason why Rosa committed suicide?  Does Vincent have a shot at getting away with the stolen loot?  Will Vincent's mom correct her error of getting the psycho out of jail? This won't be the feel good film of 1951, but in a country fed up with the corrupt Truman Administration, it may have been an appropriate film for that year.  For some brutality and ominous plot developments, see "The Hoodlum."

One Girl's Confession, Stolen Loot and a Sultry Dame

Cleo Moore is a doll!  We don't even mind if the opening scene in our film is one of her in a swimsuit lying on the beach...for quite sometime. It's Cleo Moore, after all!  Of more interest is the role she plays...a sultry not too competent waitress.  Her character is grouchy, not the best employee, and hardly honest. Extenuating circumstances? Of course.  For all of you out there that give it 40%, drawing the scorn of all those who always give 100%, and go home with the same paycheck...this one's for you. Our feature today is 1953's "One Girl's Confession," (aka "A Woman's Dark Secret") directed by Hugo Haas. We have to give Mr. Haas credit, he does cast sultry blondes nicely.

Mary (Moore), a cranky waitress at a harborside dive restaurant, gets pawed by her drunk customers nightly. One night, after work, she sneaks into the boss' office and takes the cash box with $25K inside. Moments later the cops show up at her door and she greets them with a full confession and a plea to bring her to jail. Surprised, they ask where the money is and Mary tells them it is her secret and will never tell. She also tells the cops to ask the restaurant owner where he got the money, which he declines to elaborate on. Off to jail with a secret...she gets five years.  In jail, the pretty blonde is a friend to all and does her jobs well. Everyone at the prison loves her and she receives early parole. Now she is free and determined not to lead anyone to the money, figuring she is being followed. Now she has a new waitressing job and her boss is the gambling crazy Dragomic (Haas). Oh, she meets a guy who works on the docks. Johnny (Glenn Langan), is quite the hunk and aspires to own his own fishing boat someday.

Mary keeps her secret and keeps thinking about what that priest (Anthony Jochim) in prison told her. His advice is good, forget about the money, stolen loot is cursed and will bring no happiness. Ah, but is it stolen.  We get a few hints on why this good soul would steal it, and confess right away, and gladly go to prison. For now, Mary is content being a waitress and being pawed by drunken customers, and even beginning a romance with the hunk from the docks. Ah, but now she wonders if that $25K might be put to good use...and mysteriously is given the opportunity to dig it up and put it to use.

What could justify Mary stealing the loot from her employer?  Just what reason would she dig it up?  Is the dough cursed, and if so, is someone scheming to steal it when she decides to dig it up? We like Mary a lot...she's a babe, honest...and apparently has a lot of dinero.  Cleo Moore turns in a sultry performance as both a bathing beauty and an underachieving waitress.  See "One Girl's Confession" and treat it as a fable with a good morality lesson.