Here we go... When I picked my movie for Kristen's latest Spooky Classic Movie Blogathon, I thought Torture Ship sounded suitably menacing. I went into it knowing absolutely nothing about the movie except that it was released in 1939 and was about a ship where criminals were tortured. It should have been at least a little … Continue reading Poverty Row Tries Horror (Or Something)
Meet William Cagney
Hangin' out with the family... James Cagney is a familiar and beloved face in Classic Movie World. His younger brother, William is not quite as familiar, but he still made his mark on film in his own way. William, along with his four brothers and sister Jeannie, moved out to Hollywood together in the early … Continue reading Meet William Cagney
Good Cop, Not Cop
Ah, Poverty Row. And ah, Amazon Prime. Gotta love system algorithms, right? A bunch more Poverty Row movies have popped up in my Recs, and by "a bunch," I mean a virtual snow flurry. One of these is 1936's Step On It, which was filmed as programming for the then-burgeoning TV industry, and according to IMDb, the … Continue reading Good Cop, Not Cop
Frances Langford on Poverty Row
Frances Langford was one of the biggest stars in entertainment between the mid-thirties and the mid-fifties. During the World War Two era, she tirelessly entertained the troops, becoming almost a mascot of the Armed Forces. She did, however, find time to make some movies of varying quality, and on the lower end of the spectrum … Continue reading Frances Langford on Poverty Row
Crooning Cowboys and Low-Cost Capers
Saddle up, everyone... Westerns are a notoriously cheap genre, and I don't mean that in a bad way. It's just that they always have a lot of the same design and story elements. Horses. Dusty streets. Weathered buildings with board sidewalks. Open spaces. Various firearms. A saloon. A bar brawl or a shootout, possibly both. Maybe … Continue reading Crooning Cowboys and Low-Cost Capers
Shamedown #9: Submarine Alert
September is already gone, and we're back with another Shamedown. As always, if anyone would like to know what a Shamedown is, CinemaShame's 2023 statement can be found here, and past Shamedowns can be found here. On with our show... Early in the Second World War Americans were very concerned with the presence of Japanese … Continue reading Shamedown #9: Submarine Alert
Shamedown #6: Ticket To Paradise
Our sixth Shamedown, everyone, with summer in full swing. If anyone would like to see what a Shamedown is, the details can be found here and past Shamedowns here. All righty, then, here we go... If anyone was around for last year's Shamedowns, a LOT of them turned out to be movies that were filmed … Continue reading Shamedown #6: Ticket To Paradise
Shamedown #12: Saleslady
It's hard to believe this is our last Shamedown of 2022...this year went quick and slow at the same time, didn't it? If anyone would like to know what a Shamedown is the details can be found here and past Shamedowns can be found here. And now, on with the show... Mistaken identity is a … Continue reading Shamedown #12: Saleslady
Shamedown #11: Happy-Go-Lucky
We've almost made it to December, all! As always, if anyone is arriving late and wants to know what a Shamedown is, the details can be found here. Past Shamedowns can be found here. Now, on with the show... Ah, the mistaken identity trope. And the amnesia trope. And the lookalike trope. And the espionage … Continue reading Shamedown #11: Happy-Go-Lucky
Shamedown #9: Telephone Operator
We're back for more shame! I'm always tempted to make "Love Potion #9" jokes when we get to this point in the year, but I'm not going to do that. If anyone is coming in late on this Shamedown business they can find the details here and past Shamedowns here. Off we go... I'm not sure … Continue reading Shamedown #9: Telephone Operator
Shamedown #8: Underworld Scandal
We're back with another Shamedown, people, and the titles just keep getting more generic (Heh. Just wait until next month.). If anyone is coming in late and is therefore fuzzy on what a Shamedown is, the details can be found here. Juvenile delinquency rose hugely all over the world both during and after the Second … Continue reading Shamedown #8: Underworld Scandal
Shamedown #7: Sky Racket
July is upon us, although obviously not for much longer, and we have quite the Shamedown ahead. If anyone is coming in late and would like to know what the heck a Shamedown is, the lowdown can be found here. Onward... I seem to have struck gold on the Poverty Row movies this year, and … Continue reading Shamedown #7: Sky Racket
Shamedown #4: Bank Alarm
Another Shamedown already? Kidding, it's all good. If anyone is just joining us and wants to know what the heck a Shamedown is, please click here. And now, on with our show... It's with a little bit of trepidation that I posted my Shamedown list this year, because I put a lot of Poverty Row … Continue reading Shamedown #4: Bank Alarm
Shamedown #3: The Crystal Ball
Another Shamedown is upon us. A little late, but it's still March, so we're all good. If anyone would like to know what a Shamedown is, please click here. Paulette Goddard and Ray Milland were kind of a screen team. They made four movies together during the nineteen-forties, and the third of the four was … Continue reading Shamedown #3: The Crystal Ball
Taking Up Room 