THREE FOR JAMIE DAWN

Thankless role: Marilyn Simms

THREE FOR JAMIE DAWN (1956). Director: Thomas Carr.

In New York City socialite Jamie Dawn (Marilyn Simms) loses her temper -- to put it mildly -- and puts about as many bullets into her man as Bette Davis did in The Letter. Before long Jamie is being represented by defense lawyer Martin Random (Richard Carlson of The Magnetic Monster), who decides the only thing he can do to get dear Jamie off is to bribe as many witnesses as he can. He and his associate Murph (Regis Toomey) zero in one three especially vulnerable individuals: George Lorenz (Ricardo Montalban of Mystery Street), who has a wife, Sue (Laraine Day) and children as well as severe financial troubles; Lorrie Delacourt (June Havoc), an out-of-work actress who is desperate for a new part in a hit play; and Anton Karek (Eduard Franz of Sins of Jezebel), a Czech with a wife, Julia (Maria Palmer), and a young son who is still behind the iron curtain. Which if any of these needy people will succumb to Murph's entreaties and bribery? And will they be worse or better off it they do?

June Havoc and Tristram Coffin

One can only imagine what actress Marilyn Simms might have thought when she was told she had the title role in Three for Jamie Dawn, but then read the script and saw she had not a single line of dialogue. No wonder the poor woman only had two credits despite her distinctive appearance. As for the other actors, Carlson is effective if a little too obvious as the sleazy lawyer, but the other performances cannot be faulted. June Havoc scores as the flamboyant and desperate actress -- Tristram Coffin who essays a playwright, is also notable  -- Montalban proves again that he was more than a Latin Lover boy; Day is lovely as his wife; and Franz and Palmer are perfect as the couple who are dying to see their little boy again. Regis Toomey gives one of his best performances as the equally sleazy Murph, all surface charm and heartless bravado. Dorothy Adams has a good turn as an associate of the defendant. The picture is absorbing and suspenseful, it not quite top-notch. Nice theme music by Walter Scharf. Thomas Carr also directed The Daltons' Women.

Verdict: Good story line, interesting characters, and some fine performances in this. **3/4. 

THE DALTONS' WOMEN

Lash La Rue

THE DALTON'S WOMEN (1950). Director: Thomas Carr.

In the town of Navaho, members of the Dalton gang have seemingly become respectable citizens with new identities. However, they are up to their old tricks of holding up stagecoaches and robbing banks. Into town comes a man that everyone assumes is one of the Daltons, but "Mike Leonard" -- actually Clint Dalton (Jack Holt) -- knows better. He hires this stranger as a dealer in his saloon, suspecting that he's actually the law. Yes, indeed, the stranger is U.S. Marshall Lash La Rue (Lash La Rue), and he and Pinkerton agent Joan Talbot (Pamela Blake) set out to expose and round up the gang with the help of Lash's grizzled old pal Fuzzy Jones (Al St. John).

burlesque in the wild west?

Lash La Rue was a cowboy star who appeared in a great many low-budget productions for poverty row studio, PRC. In spite of this he gained a large following and had his own comic book that lasted until 1960. Although some have noted a resemblance to Humphrey Bogart, La Rue was actually handsomer than Bogie, although his acting range was much more limited. Playing himself in his movies, La Rue always dressed in black and carried a whip which he eventually learned to wield with a certain expertise; he also did his own stunts, which fitted neatly into PRC's budgetary plans. La Rue occasionally had small roles in films for other studios.

Catfight! June Benbow vs. Jacqueline Fontaine

The Dalton's Women throws in everything but the kitchen sink. There are sexy show girls strutting their stuff and doing the can can; a juggler whose act is interrupted by a shooting party; and a songstress named Jacqueline Fontaine (played by Jacqueline Fontaine, who was introduced in this picture). Fontaine delivers two numbers, including the catchy "The Right Kind of Man," in a husky and sensual voice; she knows how to deliver a song. The best scene in the movie has Fontaine involved in a wild, protracted catfight with saloon gal, May (June Benbow) over a character named Honest Hank (Archie Twitchell), who otherwise doesn't really figure in the plot. The catfight, with the two women pulling hair and nearly tearing the clothing off of each other, is one of the longest female-female fight scenes I've seen in any movie!

Tom Neal, Lyle Talbot, J. Farrell MacDoanld

Others in the cast include the ubiquitous Lyle Talbot as an honest businessman, Tom Neal [Jungle Girl] as the dishonest Mayor, J. Farrell MacDonald as the representative of the stagecoach company, Stanley Price [The Invisible Monster] as bad guy Manson, and Tom Tyler [Adventures of Captain Marvel] as Emmett Dalton. Thomas Carr also co-directed the serial Jesse James Rides Again. This really was the first movie for Jacqueline Fontaine, who had thirteen successive credits in B movies like Outlaw Women, A productions such as The Country Girl, and assorted television programs. A "Western Adventure" Production. 

Verdict: If you've always wanted to see a Lash La Rue picture, this is the one to go for. Dig that zesty catfight! **1/2. 

JESSE JAMES RIDES AGAIN

John Compton and Clayton Moore

JESSE JAMES RIDES AGAIN (13 chapter Republic serial/1947). Directed by Fred C. Brannon and Thomas Carr.

Jesse James (Clayton Moore of G-Men Never Forget) is on the run from the sheriff along with his buddy Steve Long (John Compton of The D.A.'s Man). Jesse feels his criminal activities have been highly exaggerated and Steve is completely innocent. With Jesse using a fake name, they come to a small town and bunk with an old farmer, Sam Bolton (Tom London)  and his daughter, Ann (Linda Stirling.) When the farm is attacked by a group of masked Black Raiders, Jesse and Steve help fight them off, and Jesse tells a grateful Ann who he really is. These seemingly inexplicable raids against farmers are engineered by James Clark (Tristram Coffin of King of the Rocket Men) and carried out by Frank Lawton (Roy Barcroft) -- they are after the oil that is under everyone's property.

John Compton with Roy Barcroft

In chapter one a riverboat blows up with Ann tied up on board. Chapter 12 features an exciting horse and carriage race between raiders and farmers as the latter try to deliver oil and the raiders try to stop them. The best cliffhanger occurs in chapter 7, when Ann is put inside a cage called a cotton compress and is nearly crushed to death. The performances are all good in this, the action is fast, the fisticuffs are furious, and the serial is fun. This was the first of three Republic serials featuring the character of Jesse James. The follow ups were The Adventures of Frank and Jesse James and The James Brothers of Missouri. 

Verdict: Action, thrills, and two handsome hunks! ***.