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. 

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. 

DANGER ZONE

Virginia Dale and Hugh Beaumont

DANGER ZONE (1951). Produced and directed by William Berke. 

In the first of three movies starring Hugh Beaumont as boat renter and sometime private eye Denny O'Brien working out of Pier 23 in San Francisco, he gets involved in two separate cases (as he does in the subsequent films Roaring City and Pier 23). In the first story a woman at an auction, Claire Underwood (Virginia Dale), importunes Denny to bid for her on a locked suitcase that turns out to contain a saxophone. Claire isn't the only person who wants the sax, there's a dumpy fellow named Dunlap (Ralph Sanford) who's after it as well. Then there's a poor guy named Bud Becker (Don Garner) who wants the instrument simply to play sweet music and winds up poisoned to death. Lt. Bruger (Richard Travis) is convinced that Denny is up to his ears in murder and mischief, but with the help of his pal the professor (Edward Brophy), Denny is able to find out the secret of the sax and the identity of the killer.

Beaumont with Tom Neal

In the second story Denny is hired by another private eye, Edgar Spadely (Tom Neal), to escort a woman, Vicki (Pamela Blake), to a party on a yacht. This turns out to be a trick so that the lady's husband can catch her in a compromising position with a photographer at the ready. Naturally Lt. Bruger suspects Denny of murdering the husband even as Denny fingers Vicki and her accusatory niece, Sheila (Paula Drew), who will inherit all of her uncle's money. Eventually the unsurprising truth comes out. A fast pace is the main asset of Danger Zone, although the first story has a slight bit of suspense to it. Beaumont and Travis are good as the bickering hero and cop, although Denny never comes off like an especially likable character. The women give mediocre performances and aren't very sexy, either. Edward Brophy adds some humor and gives arguably the most notable performance as the tippling professor, who sleeps on a couch in Denny's bedroom. Don Garner is also memorable in his bit as the sick and dying Bud, whose tragic death is barely remarked upon. From Lippert Pictures. 

Verdict: Low-grade film noir. Proof that B movies transitioned into TV shows, in this case literally. **.  

JUNGLE GIRL

Acuff, Gifford, Neal

JUNGLE GIRL (15 chapter Republic serial/1941). Directed by William Witney and John English. 

Nyoka (Frances Gifford) lives in the jungle with her father, Dr. John Meredith (Trevor Bardette). Nyoka has never been told that her faher has an evil twin brother, Bradley, who shamed the family with his criminal actions and jail time. With the help of an associate, Latimer (Gerald Mohr of The Catman of Paris), Bradley traps his brother, murders him, and takes his place. The two men are after diamonds that belong to John and are hidden in caves guarded by natives. Then there's the problem of the wicked witch doctor, Shamba (Frank Lackteen), who wants to get rid of Nyoka and her pals -- including pilot Jack Stanton (Tom Neal) and his buddy Curly (Eddie Acuff) -- so he can be the most powerful man in the place. For this reason he also covets a sacred lion amulet.

Trevor Bardette and Gerald Mohr

Jungle Girl is an excellent serial that particularly percolates in the second half when the stakes are raised and the good guys -- and gal -- seem in increasingly frightening danger.  While one certainly can't rave about Ms. Gifford's acting skills, the character she plays is admirably strong, brave, and resourceful; the same can be said of little Kimbu, (Tommy Cook), the jungle boy who comes to everyone's assistance on several occasions, along with his adorable monkey. The other cast members are all satisfactory, and Gerald Mohr as the slimy Latimer easily takes the acting honors. In addition to some exciting cliffhangers, there are other thrilling moments throughout the serial. 

Don't buy a used car from this man: Frank Lackteen

Nyoka and her buddies wind up trapped in a pit with a hungry lion; on a rope bridge overhanging a stream full of gators; dealing with an outraged and very strong gorilla, and caught in a fire-spear trap, among others. The best sequences have to do with Nyoka trying to pull Jack out of quicksand while natives lob arrows at Curly; a scene when the trio are trapped inside a stone chamber as the floor slides into the wall to reveal a very deep and deadly drop; and especially a classic bit when Jack is placed on a conveyor belt with his body being pulled towards a huge, crushing block of stone that may crash down on top of him at any moment. The climax features Jack hanging to the bottom of his plane as Latimer takes off, but one of them comes to a pretty grim ending. 

Little Kimbu (Tommy Cook) and his pet monkey

Ken Terrell [Attack of the Fifty Foot Woman] who appeared in many of these serials, has a larger part than usual as the native, Mananga. Things get confusing at times because Mananga seems to switch sides in each chapter, and more than one extra looks an awful lot like the actor, as if he put his relatives to work. Little Tommy Cook, who gives a boyishly earnest performance, grew up to appear in such films as Missile to the Moon. The African natives are all played by Caucasian actors. Briskly edited and directed, Jungle Girl is one of the best serials ever made by Republic or any other studio. 

Verdict: How do you think Indiana Jones and James Bond got up to their own stunts? ***1/2.