FINGERPRINTS DON'T LIE

Richard Travis and Sheila Ryan

FINGERPRINTS DON'T LIE (1951). Director: Sam Newfield. 

At the murder trial of artist Paul Moody (Richard Emory), fingerprint expert James Stover (Richard Travis of Missile to the Moon) must give damning testimony. The theory of the prosecuting attorney (Tom Neal of Jungle Girl) is that Moody, angered because Mayor Palmer (Ferris Taylor) turned down his mural proposal because he objected to Moody's dating his daughter, Carolyn (Sheila Ryan of Railroaded), bashed Palmer on the head with a telephone, killing him. James points out Moody's fingerprints on the murder weapon, and it all seems cut and dried. But Carolyn insists that her boyfriend is innocent, and that there must be some other explanation for the fingerprints. Knowing that a man's life is at stake, James investigates with Carolyn's assistance. 

Defendant: Richard Emory

The premise of this film is that fingerprints can be duplicated -- in other words, faked -- which can be done, although it's rare. Suspects for this devious activity include Police Commissioner Frank Kelso (Michael Whalen), gangster King Sullivan (George Eldredge), gun moll Connie Duval (Dee Tatum), even Lt. Grayson (Lyle Talbot). Also in the cast are Margia Dean and Syra Marty as artist's models. Travis is okay in the lead and the supporting performances, especially Eldredge, are more than adequate, but the movie is minor-league. Sid Melton is genuinely amusing, for a change, as the hapless photographer, Hypo Dorton. An in-joke has him checking out a wanted poster that has his real name on it.  Dudley Chambers' lousy score consists of terrible chorale writing and organ music. 

Verdict: Despite some intriguing elements this is mostly a time-waster. **1/4. 

MISSILE TO THE MOON

A popular spider and Cathy Downs

MISSILE TO THE MOON (1958). Director: Richard E. Cunha.

Scientist Dirk Green (Michael Whalen) has built a spaceship to the moon and decides to take off with the help of two escaped convicts that he sort of blackmails into going along. Trapped in the rocket are Green's associate, Steve Dayton (Richard Travis) and his fiancee, June (Cathy Downs). Of the two fugitives, Gary (Tommy Cook) is more edgy and obnoxious  while his buddy, Lon (Gary Clarke), is a nicer person who was pulled into committing robberies. Once on the moon, the motley crew -- minus Green, who is killed en route -- discovers an oxygen-filled cavern full of virtually nothing but beautiful women, most of them played by International beauty contest winners!

Cathy Downs vs Nina Bara

Apparently the moon is a hotbed of intrigue. The Lido -- or queen -- of the colony (K. T. Stevens), who is blind, is in a power-struggle with busty and aggressive Alpha (Nina Bara). Both women mistake Steve for Green -- the Lido being blind and Alpha having been a child when she last saw Green, who turns out to be a moon being who was desperate to get back to his people. (The logistics of this are glossed over.) Steve's deception is uncovered when June learns that Alpha intends to marry Steve, and the two women engage in a catfight, with June nearly being sacrificed to a gigantic spider monster. If that weren't enough, the moon also has menacing rock men who (in a clever bit) pull themselves out of the camouflage of the surrounding mountains and take after the earthlings in somewhat comical fashion. The fiery death of one of the characters late in the picture was an early "shock" scene for some viewers. 

Tommy Cook, Leslie Parrish, Gary Clarke

Missile to the Moon is a remake of Cat-women of the Moon, and is a better picture. Now I can well understand if anyone looks at this movie and decides it's a load of crap, and they wouldn't necessarily be wrong. But keep in mind that Missile is a kid's movie, and it was as a kid that I first saw it -- and loved it -- on television. All these years later I still find it a hoot. The movie has all the illogic of a comic book. As for the acting, Richard Travis is pretty much as stiff as ever, but the other cast members are better, with Bara effective as the nasty throne-stealer, and Leslie Parrish (billed as Marjorie Hellen) appealing as Zema, who forms an attachment to lonely Lon. Laurie Mitchell, who played the title role in Queen of Outer Space, is cast as Lambda, who becomes the spider's supper. Speaking of the spider, this prop creature with its limited movements was a supporting player in any number of TV shows and feature films, including the aforementioned Queen, and was creepy enough in appearance. The other FX in the film are decidedly low-tech but okay, considering the budget.  

K. T. Stevens as the "Lido" of the moon

Cathy Downs' most famous credit after this was The Amazing Colossal Man, in which she was quite good. Richard Travis co-starred with Bette Davis in The Man Who Came to Dinner, but after that he was relegated to TV appearances and B movies. K. T. Stevens was the daughter of director Sam Wood, and appeared primarily on television. The late Nina Bara had one more credit after Missile and retired in 1961. The late Michael Whalen amassed 92 credits in his long career. Tommy Cook and Gary Clarke are both still alive and making movies. Missile to the Moon has been digitally restored as well as colorized and looks great, although I'm not certain if the moon ladies were always supposed to have had blue skin. The attitudes of and towards women in this picture are strictly 1950's in all respects! 

Verdict: A fun movie but hardly for every taste. ***.