HAWAIIAN EYE Season One

Connie Stevens, Anthony Eisley, Robert Conrad

HAWAIIAN EYE TV series Season One (1959).

77 Sunset Strip was such a successful private eye show that Warner Brothers producer William Orr decided to use the same formula -- good-looking guys involved with dames and intrigue -- on a series set in Honolulu instead of Los Angeles and the result was Hawaiian Eye. Anthony Eisley and Robert Conrad played the detectives, who have an office complete with bedrooms and swimming pool inside the Hawaiian Village Hotel (which still exists) for which they do security. They also have time to take cases for people who are being threatened or searching for someone who's disappeared etc. 

Douglas Mossman as Moke

There are two other recurring characters, the cab driver and kibitzer Kim (Poncie Ponce), and the singing photographer Cricket Blake (Connie Stevens). Cricket is a petulant, annoying, 12-year-old in a woman's body who has a serious crush on Tracy Steele (Eisner of The Wasp Woman). She not only adds little to the program -- there are plenty of attractive women in the stories -- but her contract obviously gives her the right to sing a song in virtually every episode. This wouldn't be a problem if it weren't for the fact that Stevens' whispery so-called singing is pretty mediocre. Actually Poncie Ponce, who like Stevens is afflicted with terminal cuteness, has a much better voice and is a more talented singer. Others who appeared frequently in the first season and afterward include handsome Hawaiian native Douglas Mossman as security officer Moke and Mel Prestidge  as Lt. Danny Quan, another native Hawaiian who was also a real-life sheriff at the time the show was filming. 

Anthony Eisley and Robert Conrad

Hawaiian Eye was a good and entertaining series if not necessarily a great one. It lasted four seasons, however. Notable episodes include "Beach Boy" with Troy Donahue, Faith Domergue and Robert Lowery in a story of a young man who may or may not be the wealthy heir who supposedly drowned ten years earlier. "Secret of the Second Door" features Harry Bartell in a story of a woman who wants Tom Lopaka (Conrad) to find a stolen cache of money. "Dead Ringer" stars an excellent Dianne Foster and Warren Stevens in a tale of a sinister plot that enfolds Lopaka simply because he resembles Foster's husband. "The Kikiki Kid" stars John Gabriel as a nightclub singer with major show biz aspirations who pursues and romances a columnist (Jean Byron) who can help him while neglecting his wife (Myrna Hansen). Kim is accused of stealing a diamond worth half a million dollars in "Cut of Ice" with Robert Clarke and Frank Albertson. 

Verdict: Fun colorful series with interesting leads and guest performers. ***. 

BLUEBEARD'S TEN HONEYMOONS

BLUEBEARD'S TEN HONEYMOONS (1960). Director: W. Lee Wilder.

"One round trip. The other one way." -- Landru to ticket agent while taking victims to his cottage. 

Loosely based on the murderous career of Henri Landru (also the basis for Chaplins' Monsieur Verdoux) -- although it follows the basic facts accurately enough (eliminating Landru's wife and children) -- this stars the estimable George Sanders as a man who woos wealthy widows and then murders them (he never does get around to marrying them, however). In real life, Landru's motivation was essentially profit, but in this film he needs money so he can shower his trampy girlfriend Odette (a zesty Corinne Calvet) with gifts. Although in the true story most of Landru's victims were elderly, in  this movie the shame is that they are very attractive and warm middle-aged women who would have made Landru a much better and more loving mate than Odette. As in real life, the sister of one of the victims helps the police track Landru down. Sanders is terrific as Landru, backed by a highly able supporting cast, including George Coulouris [Womaneater] as a furniture dealer. Fast-paced, darkly amusing, and memorable. Wilder also directed Killers from Space and Manfish, but this is vastly superior to both.

Verdict: Whatever its flaws, the picture  -- and Sanders -- are damned entertaining. ***.

THE D.A.'S MAN

John Compton

THE D.A.'S MAN (1959). One season and 26 half-hour episodes.

Shannon (John Compton) is a former private eye who is now working with the district attorney's office in Manhattan as an undercover investigator. He reports to assistant D.A. Al Bonacorsi (Ralph Manza), and often works with another ADA named Ed Carney (Alfred Shelly). Although Compton was almost illegally good-looking, the stories rarely make references to his appearance, -- "a face like a Greek God," a woman says in "The Duke" --  although there are indications that he's a bit of a ladies man. 

"Iron Mike Benedict:" Wm Fawcett; Compton

Among the more memorable episodes: "The Actress" features an excellent Whitney Blake as a junkie waiting for her fix to arrive as an undercover Shannon waits with her and tries to help her. "Manhattan Gigolo" has Shannon "dating" an old woman as part of an investigation into a murderous Park Avenue safecracker (Paul Burke). William Fawcett gives a fine performance as "Iron Mike Benedict," one of the alcoholic victims of Stafford Repp, a bar owner who poisons customers for their insurance money. In the touching conclusion, Mike comes to see Shannon, in disguise as a bowery bum, as the son he never had. 

Alfred Shelly with Compton

Robert Ellenstein grooms young ladies for prostitution in "Mr. Santa Claus." Shannon goes undercover as a boxer to trap men who murder fighters who refuse to take a dive in "Club Fighter." In "Shakedown," in which phony cops and a pretty gal scam lonely out-of-town businessmen, Compton puts on a very convincing hayseed impersonation. In "The Duke" John Hudson heads a gang of fur thieves at a bar-hangout which Shannon infiltrates. Shannon investigates a murder in a small town in "Girls Best Friend."

The D.A.'s Man was an interesting series that was too short-lived to make much of an impression or help Compton's career. Compton's performances were a little uneven, as well, sometimes quite perfunctory, and other times -- especially when he was in character as part of his cover -- much more impressive. All but a couple of the episodes are available on youtube. 

Verdict: Some good stories and a handsome lead actor never hurt. **3/4. 

THE SAINT'S GIRL FRIDAY

Louis Hayward as The Saint, Simon Templar

THE SAINT'S GIRL FRIDAY (aka The Saint's Return/1953). Director: Seymour Friedman. Colorized. 

"Did you really drop a man into a vat of acid?" -- elderly lady partygoer.

"No. It was a woman." -- Simon Templar.

When Simon Templar (Louis Hayward of Son of Dr. Jekyll) learns that Judy, an old girlfriend of his, died in a mysterious car accident, he flies to London to investigate, whereupon Chief Inspector Claude Teal (Charles Victor) warns him to stay out of trouble. Learning from her guardian that Judy had huge gambling debts, Simon tries to find which illegal gambling club she was a patron of, and then who the mysterious chief is who owns the place. He enlists the aid of Carol (Naomi Chance) who works for the club to pay off her own debts, and whom Simon affectionately calls his girl Friday. She resists helping him and he and his butler Hoppy (Thomas Gallagher) try various stratagems to collar the gang -- called the River Mob -- and its unknown chief. Then they learn Carol is in serious danger ...

William Russell and Naomi Chance

The always-debonair Louis Hayward makes an excellent Simon Templar and gives a smooth and expert performance. The other cast members, including Jane Carr as the effervescent Katie French; Diana Dors [Berserk] as a lascivious blonde moll in a bad guy's apartment; Fred Johnson as counterfeiter Irish Cassidy; William Russell as gambleholic Keith Merton; and Ian Fleming as his father, Lord Merton, among others, are all quite effective. Sam Kydd has a small role, too. Hayward hadn't played the Saint in fifteen years, since The Saint in New York, and would never play it again. This is fast-paced, has a degree of suspense, and a couple of surprises to boot. For my money, the colorizing adds to the enjoyment. Although it is considered the 9th and final entry in the RKO Saint series, this is a British film from Hammer studios. 

Verdict: Easy to take intrigue from the UK. **3/4.  

MANHATTAN NIGHT OF MURDER

Heinz Weiss and George Nader

MANHATTAN NIGHT OF MURDER (aka Mordnacht in Manhattan/1965). Director: Harald Philipp. 

In New York a group of thugs called The Hundred Dollar Gang are terrorizing business owners who don't pay the monthly protection fee of $100. During an attack on a restaurateur, the man is shot to death, but apparently not by any of the gang members. FBI agent Jerry Cotton (George Nader) and his partner, Phil Dekker (Heinz Weiss) investigate, and obtain the help of gas station owner Sophie (Elke Neidhart) while doing their best to protect little Billy (Uwe Reichmeister) who witnessed the shooting. Jerry and Phil eventually arrive at the Goldfish Club, where there are "mermaids" in a tank and a cool blonde named Wilma (Silvia Solar of Death and Diamonds) advises the gang members. But she is not the true leader -- that is something Jerry and Phil have to determine before they can put this case to bed.

George Nader

This is the second of eight German action films starring Nader as Cotton, and it is generally entertaining and fast-paced although it drags in some spots. The musical score, featuring the Carnival-like Jerry Cotton theme, becomes pretty annoying, however. Nader makes a good Cotton and the other performances are also adept. There is a terrific scene when one of the thugs, who screwed up, is tied to a chair with a bomb that will go off if anyone opens the door, and Jerry has to enter the room another way to prevent both of them from being killed. There are some fairly exciting fight and chase sequences. The identify of the ultimate gang leader is a small surprise. There are enough location shots to preserve the illusion that this actually takes place in New York City, although one suspects that this was filmed mostly in Germany. This follows The Violin Case Murders and is preceded by The Trap Snaps Shut at Midnight. 

Verdict: 2nd entry in an interesting series. **3/4. 

WATCH ME WHEN I KILL

 WATCH ME WHEN I KILL (aka Il gatto dagli occhi di giada/1977). Director: Antonio Bido. 

Mara (Paola Tedesco), an actress who needs some aspirin, is nearly on the scene when a pharmacist is murdered, and the killer seems to think she knows more than she does. When another person is brutally murdered, her boyfriend Lukas (Corrrado Pani), thinks it all may have to do with a jury trial and a murderer who has escaped from prison. Upon further investigation -- and more murders -- Lukas realizes that there is something very different at play here. But will he arrive at the solution before either he or Mara become victims of the killer?

Watch Me When I Kill is an intriguing and suspenseful movie with a convoluted plot and solution that reminds one quite a bit of the storylines of Dario Argento's movies. Alas, director Antonio Bido is not Argento, and aside from one energetic if clumsy bathtub murder (with opera in the background), the film doesn't have much style. Lukas spends an awful lot of time running around from place to place asking questions. An unusual aspect of the movie is that for once the killer has a perfectly plausible motive for snuffing certain individuals. The screenplay is not strictly logical, however. 

Verdict: Take with a grain of salt and this is quite entertaining. ***.  

MIAMI UNDERCOVER

MIAMI UNDERCOVER (1961/syndicated). One season and 38 hour-hour episodes. 

In this lost crime series from the sixties, Lee Bowman (of The Lie) plays Jeff Thompson, a special investigator for the Hotel Association in Miami, where the show was filmed. Rocky Graziano (of Country Music Holiday) plays Rocky, who owns a nightclub -- Rocky's, of course -- and who apparently lives with Jeff. Another regular is Lt. O'Malley (Hugh Lawrence) of the Miami Beach Police Department, who has a pretty good relationship with Thompson. Michael Shayne, which debuted the previous year, also featured a private dick in Miami and lasted a little longer. 

There are only five episodes of the show available on the Internet, and it's too bad because Miami Undercover is an entertaining series. In "Miss Venus" the female partner in "Fair Lady" Enterprises is strangled, and the victim's sister works with Jeff to bring the killer to justice. In "School for Girls" Jeff and Rocky try to find out if it's a student or a teacher who's committing robberies at a girls' school. In "The Thrush" Larry King briefly plays a DJ who is murdered because he refuses to accept a bribe to play a record that is actually pretty decent. The singer is played by Jill Corey of Senior Prom and she gives a terrific dramatic performance. In "Bet Your Death" Suzanne Lloyd is excellent as a temptress who offers Jeff $10,000 for two days work selling bonds, but he knows something is fishy and uncovers a plot to assassinate a diplomat. In "Sunken Treasure" Nora Hayden of The Angry Red Planet is a duplicitous female who embroils an innocent young couple in a murderous scheme involving a phony treasure hunt in the Florida Keys. All of these entertaining episodes, with the exception of "Miss Venus," are also available in a DVD collection. 

Verdict: Interesting old series worth resuscitating. **3/4. 

SHADOW OF TREASON

John Bentley and Anita West

SHADOW OF TREASON (1964). Director: George P. Breakston. 

When Steve (John Bentley of Salute the Toff) saves the life of singer and club owner Tina (Anita West) in Trieste, she hires him as her bodyguard. Apparently her late father was blackmailing certain traitors and one of them is afraid that his daughter has knowledge of their activities. Steve tracks down some of these people, including Nadia (Faten Hamamah) and her crippled father; Mario (Ferdy Mayne), and former Nazi Michel Duval (John Gabriel), who tries to form an alliance with Nadia. This whole bunch wind up on a trek through East Africa, searching through a cave for incriminating documents and blackmail money. 

Ferdy Mayne and Faten Hamamah

Shadow of Treason throws together war criminals, rampaging elephants, large, sinister snakes and big spiders and still manages to be one of the duller movies to come out of Britain. The two women become jealous of each other but the dissipated-looking Bentley hardly seems the type to inspire that much lust, not that the ladies are such raving beauties. Much of the story is confusing in any case. The liveliest scene has a hit man being stabbed by Nadia's father, who comes rushing at the man, knife in hand, in his wheelchair -- both wind up dead. Shadow of Treason tries very hard to be exciting and sexy but it's a losing battle. It has decent performances, a poor musical score, a flaccid pace, and insufficient direction. Hamamah appeared in a great many Arabic films while West had only a few credits in Brit pictures. 

Verdict: Makes the worst eurospy picture seem like the best of Bond. *1/2. 
 

FULLER REPORT

Lincoln Tate and Ken Clark

FULLER REPORT (aka Rapporto Fuller, base Stoccolma/1968). Director: Sergio Grieco.  

American race car driver Dick Worth (Ken Clark of Attack of the Giant Leeches) is in Stockholm when he becomes innocently embroiled in espionage, suddenly mixed up with CIA agents like Pearson (Lincoln Tate) and Clay (Gianni Brezza), Russian agents like Bonjasky (Serge Marquand), and a defecting ballerina named Svetlana (Beba Loncar), as well as other duplicitous females who are murdered. Despite all the different factions and their confusing schemes -- everyone wants to get their hands on something called the Fuller Report -- Dick doesn't realize that the true architect behind his problems may be much closer to home, and that there is a right wing conspiracy afoot to assassinate a certain world leader. 

Clark with Beba Loncar

Ken Clark appeared in a number of eurospy features playing super-spies, but in this he's an ordinary man, as such, thrown into intrigue. Fuller Report doesn't have that bad a plot but the pacing is slow, and it may not be long before you find that you couldn't care less about what's really going on. Clark looks the part of the hero, and the dubbed supporting cast all seem more than adequate for the task. The movie has an imitation James Bond type theme, sung by a lady who tries to imitate Shirley Bassey, and it wears out its welcome pretty quickly. Shot in Stockholm, Zurich, and London, with interiors in Rome. Clark also did Mission Bloody Mary for director Grieco. 

Verdict: Watching this on fast-forward might improve it. **.