One of the most unique and fascinating swashbucklers of the studio era stars a commanding Jean Peters as a notorious pirate who captains a ship of plunderers terrorizing the West Indies, duels with Blackbeard himself, and exacts ruthless revenge on any man who double-crosses her—“the vilest-hearted she-monster that ever came out of the sea,” according to the suave French officer Pierre (Louis Jordan). Throughout, Tourneur fills every inch of the frame with teeming action and movement, emphasizing both the dreamy beauty of the Technicolor images and, as the proceedings turn increasingly lurid, the savage darkness at the story’s center.Read More »
Jean Peters
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Jacques Tourneur – Anne Of The Indies (1951)
Jacques Tourneur1951-1960AdventureDramaUSA -
Robert Aldrich – Apache (1954)
1951-1960Robert AldrichUSAWesternQuote:
Apache was based on Paul I. Wellman’s novel Broncho Apache, which in turn was inspired by a true story. Burt Lancaster plays Massai, a lieutenant of the great Apache warrior Geronimo (here depicted as an old man, played by Monte Blue). Though his tribe has signed surrender terms with the conquering whites, Massai refuses to do so. He escapes from a prison train and conducts a one-man war against the white intruders-and against some of his own people. Along the way, he claims Nalinle (Jean Peters), whom he previously regarded as a traitor to his cause, as his wife. John McIntire plays famed Indian scout Al Sieber, who-in this film, if not in real life-is sympathetic to the Indians’ plight and Massai’s single-purposed cause. The real-life counterpart to Massai was killed by Sieber’s minions after agreeing to call off the hostilies; United Artists objected to this, forcing producer/star Burt Lancaster to shoot an unconvincingly happy ending.Read More » -
Henry King – Wait Till the Sun Shines, Nellie (1952)
1951-1960ClassicsDramaHenry KingUSAFrom anttialanenfilmdiary.blogspot.com
Ben Halper sets up his barber’s shop at the turn of the century in Sevillinois and watches the town grow around him. Thinking it is for the best, he tries to shield his wife Nellie from the worries of the world. She finally rebels while he is away at war and takes a fateful trip to Chicago. This turns out to be the first of a number of critical family crises for Ben.Read More » -
Henry Koster – A Man Called Peter (1955)
Drama1951-1960ClassicsHenry KosterUSASynopsis:
Based on the true story of a young Scottish lad, Peter Marshall, who dreams of only going to sea but finds out there is a different future for him when he receives a “calling” from God to be a minister. He leaves Scotland and goes to America where after a few small congregations he lands the position of pastor of the Church of the Presidents in Washington, D.C. and eventually he becomes Chaplain of the U.S. Senate.Read More » -
Edward Dmytryk – Broken Lance (1954)
1951-1960DramaEdward DmytrykUSAWesternSynopsis:
A patriarchal rancher’s empire is threatened by conflict within his family. On the day of his release from prison, the son of a cattle baron swears vengeance on his three half-brothers responsible for dispossessing him of his inheritance and driving his father to a fatal stroke. The ensuing story unfolds in flashback, tracing the sibling rivalries that led to the man’s imprisonment.Read More » -
Henry King – Captain From Castile (1947)
USA1941-1950AdventureHenry KingRomanceQuote:
Spain, 1518: young caballero Pedro De Vargas offends his sadistic neighbor De Silva, who just happens to be an officer of the Inquisition. Forced to flee, Pedro, friend Juan Garcia, and adoring servant girl Catana join Cortez’ first expedition to Mexico. Arriving in the rich new land, Cortez decides to switch from exploration to conquest…with only 500 men. Embroiled in continuous adventures and a romantic interlude, Pedro almost forgets he has a deadly enemy…Read More » -
Elia Kazan – Viva Zapata! (1952)
1951-1960DramaElia KazanUSAWesternSynopsis:
In 1909, Emiliano Zapata, a well-born but penniless Mexican Mestizo from the southern state of Morelos, comes to Mexico City to complain that their arable land has been enclosed, leaving them only in the barren hills. His expressed dissatisfaction with the response of the President Diaz puts him in danger, and when he rashly rescues a prisoner from the local militia he becomes an outlaw. Urged on by a strolling intellectual, Fernando, he supports the exiled Don Francisco Madero against Diaz, and becomes the leader of his forces in the South as Francisco ‘Pancho’ Villa is in the North. Diaz flees, and Madero takes his place; but he is a puppet president, in the hands of the leader of the army, Huerta, who has him assassinated when he tries to express solidarity for the men who fought for him.Read More » -
Henry Hathaway – Niagara (1953)
1951-1960250 Quintessential Film NoirsDramaFilm NoirHenry HathawayMarilyn MonroeUSASynopsis:
Polly and Ray Cutler finally get to go on their long delayed honeymoon – they’ve been married three years – and arrive in Niagara Falls to find that the Loomises – Rose and George – are still in what is supposed to be in their cabin. Rose Loomis is a sultry blond who catches the eye of every man around. Husband George is older and keeps to himself a great deal. The Cutlers take a different cabin but when they go off to visit the falls, Polly sees Rose passionately kissing another man. Rose and her lover are out to kill George and run off together, but things don’t quite as planned and Polly soon finds herself kidnapped and in a boat racing to the edge of the Falls.Read More » -
Samuel Fuller – Pickup on South Street (1953)
1951-1960CrimeFilm NoirSamuel FullerUSAQuote:
Pickup on South Street opens with a striking omission of dialogue and score, heightening our awareness of the film’s pared images and the diamond-hard editing rhythms. On a subway, a beautiful woman, Candy (Jean Peters), is scrutinized by two men who are obviously tailing her. Everything about Candy’s pose is intensely erotic, from the crook of her arm that’s holding the subway railing to the sweat on her skin, to the way she’s cramped up against the other passengers. Soon saddling up to her is Skip McCoy (Richard Widmark), who approaches her as the prey she clearly represents to his hunter. Hovering over Candy, Skip makes a show of folding a newspaper, opening her purse, rifling through it, and snatching the contents of interest to him.Read More »