Beat the Devil, directed by John Huston and co-written with Truman Capote, is a wry, offbeat film that defies the conventions of the adventure and crime genres. Released in 1953, it is often described as a parody of the very films it appears to emulate, such as Huston’s own earlier classic, The Maltese Falcon. With…
The Bat, directed by Crane Wilbur and released in 1959, is a mystery thriller with elements of horror, featuring Vincent Price and Agnes Moorehead in leading roles. The film is based on Mary Roberts Rinehart’s 1908 novel The Circular Staircase and the 1920 stage play The Bat, co-written by Rinehart and Avery Hopwood. It combines…
Attack of the Giant Leeches, directed by Bernard L. Kowalski and produced by the prolific Roger Corman, is a low-budget science fiction horror film released in 1959. Set in the swamplands of Florida, the film combines Cold War anxieties with creature feature tropes, resulting in a pulpy and atmospheric tale of nature gone monstrously awry….
At War with the Army is a 1950 musical comedy film that marked the first starring vehicle for the iconic comedic duo Dean Martin and Jerry Lewis. Directed by Hal Walker and based on the 1949 play by James B. Allardice, the film takes place in a United States Army training camp during World War…
The Animal Kingdom, a 1932 pre-Code drama directed by Edward H. Griffith and adapted from Philip Barry’s successful stage play, is a thoughtful and incisive examination of personal integrity, love, and the compromises demanded by society. The film stars Leslie Howard, Ann Harding, and Myrna Loy in a tightly woven character piece that challenges conventional…
Angel and the Badman is a 1947 American Western romance film written and directed by James Edward Grant. Starring John Wayne and Gail Russell, it is a thoughtful and character-driven tale that subverts many of the traditional elements of the Western genre. Rather than relying solely on gunfights and rugged individualism, the film explores themes…
The Amazing Mr. X, also known as The Spiritualist, is a 1948 American film noir infused with supernatural elements, directed by Bernard Vorhaus and starring Turhan Bey, Lynn Bari and Cathy O’Donnell. A moody, atmospheric thriller, it explores themes of grief, manipulation and illusion, set against a haunting, coastal backdrop. The film is distinguished by…
Algiers is a 1938 American romantic crime drama directed by John Cromwell, adapted from the French film Pépé le Moko (1937). Set in the labyrinthine Casbah of Algiers, the film combines elements of noir, melodrama and romantic fatalism, encapsulating the exoticist Hollywood vision of North Africa in the interwar years. The film stars Charles Boyer…
Africa Screams is a comedic adventure film released in 1949, directed by Charles Barton and featuring the famous American comedy duo Bud Abbott and Lou Costello. Set against a backdrop of supposed African exploration, the film weaves slapstick humour, mistaken identities, and satirical misadventures into a light-hearted and often absurd storyline. While it purports to…
David Lean’s 1946 adaptation of Charles Dickens’s Great Expectations remains one of the most acclaimed renditions of the classic novel, translating the intricacies of Victorian England and the emotional weight of Pip’s journey onto the screen with masterful direction, compelling performances, and striking visual composition. Set against a backdrop of moody marshes, crumbling estates and…
