Tonight's Movie: The Glass Web (1953) - A Kino Lorber Blu-ray Review

The Kino Lorber Studio Classics line has brought out some very interesting 3D restorations over the last couple of years, including the previously reviewed THE DIAMOND WIZARD (1954) and BWANA DEVIL (1952).

The latest 3D release from Kino Lorber is THE GLASS WEB (1953), a twisty and fast-paced murder mystery from Universal Pictures.

The setting for this murder mystery is a TV studio, where MAD MEN-esque production and advertising types are worried about their CRIME OF THE WEEK series being renewed.

Behind the scenes, the show has its own murder mystery evolve when actress Paula Rainier (Kathleen Hughes) is found dead of strangulation.

Was it Paula's ex-husband (John Verros), who's just out of jail? The CRIME OF THE WEEK technical adviser (Edward G. Robinson) Paula has been stringing along for money and introductions? Or the TV writer (John Forsythe) Paula is blackmailing over their affair, who's desperate to keep his wife (Marcia Henderson) from finding out?

When the show's producer-director (Richard Denning) decides to cover Paula's murder on CRIME OF THE WEEK, solving the mystery goes in unexpected directions.

This was quite a fun little movie, written by Robert Blees and Leonard Lee from a novel by Max Simon Ehrlich. I loved the engrossing plot and fast 81-minute pace, the TV production setting, and the deep cast, which includes Jack Kelly (MAVERICK), Beverly Garland, and Kathleen Freeman in small roles. Other familiar faces such as Jean Willes, Eve McVeagh, and Brett Halsey round out the cast.

The clever climax had a bit of a COLUMBO feel to it; fans of that series will probably like this one.

The movie was directed by Jack Arnold and filmed in black and white by Maury Gertsman.

Kino Lorber's Blu-ray print is a 3D restoration by the 3D Film Archive. It can be seen via three different versions on the disc: In flat 2D, which is how I chose to watch; Blu-ray 3D; and anaglyphic 3D with an included set of blue/red glasses, seen in this photo. The 2D version looked terrific, with a sharp print and excellent sound.

This is a Kino Lorber Studio Classics Special Edition presented in a cardboard slipcase, with reversible cover art. The disc has a commentary track by Jason A. Ney, along with 3D experts Mike Ballew and Greg Kintz, plus a trailer and TV spot in 2D.

There have been quite a number of worthwhile Edward G. Robinson films to catch up with thanks to Kino Lorber, including VICE SQUAD (1953), BLACK TUESDAY (1954), and NIGHTMARE (1956). I'm appreciative of Kino Lorber having supplied all of them.

Thanks to Kino Lorber for providing a review copy of this Blu-ray.

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Around the Blogosphere This Week...

...is taking the weekend off.

I'll be attending events at the Hollywood Heritage Museum and UCLA's Billy Wilder Theater today, followed by a memorial service for film historian Michael Schlesinger on April 6th.

My column will resume on Saturday, April 12th. In the meantime, please visit my March 29th roundup for the latest news links.

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The 2025 Arthur Lyons Film Noir Festival Schedule

The Arthur Lyons Film Noir Festival returns to Palm Springs next month!

The annual festival opens on Thursday evening, May 8th, and runs through Sunday, May 11th, 2025.

As always, the festival takes place at the Palm Springs Cultural Center. The Center, formerly known as the Camelot Theatres, is located at 2300 E. Baristo Road.

Passes are now on sale for the festival, which will present a dozen films. There's also a special half-price Sunday evening screening; more on that below.

I'm very enthused about the schedule created by festival producer and host Alan K. Rode. The lineup includes a number of films I've never seen, along with some films I've seen on disc but not theatrically. Indeed, I've only seen three of the festival's 12 movies previously on a big screen.

The festival's special guests are scheduled to include Rory Flynn (daughter of Errol), Wyatt McCrea (grandson of Joel McCrea and Frances Dee), and Eddie Muller.

Here's a look at the lineup:

Opening night features CRY WOLF (1947), starring Errol Flynn and Barbara Stanwyck. Despite some flaws I'm very fond of this film, which was directed by Peter Godfrey, and I'm excited to see it theatrically. Rory Flynn will sign her memoir THE BARON OF MULHOLLAND: A DAUGHTER REMEMBERS ERROL FLYNN. The movie is followed by a reception.

Friday, May 9th, starts with a 35mm screening of SWELL GUY (1946), starring Sonny Tufts and Ann Blyth, directed by Frank Tuttle.

SWELL GUY is followed by Dick Powell, Evelyn Keyes, and Ellen Drew in the terrific JOHNNY O'CLOCK (1947), directed by Robert Rossen. Prior to the screening Eddie Muller will be signing his newly published "expanded and revised" edition of DARK CITY DAMES: THE WOMEN WHO DEFINED FILM NOIR.

After JOHNNY O'CLOCK comes a 35mm print of Glenn Ford and Ida Lupino in LUST FOR GOLD (1949), directed by S. Sylvan Simon and the uncredited George Marshall.

LUST FOR GOLD is followed by the digital theatrical premiere of PAID IN FULL (1950) starring Bob Cummings and Lizabeth Scott. The terrific supporting cast of PAID IN FULL includes Eve Arden, Diana Lynn, Ray Collins, and Kristine Miller. William Dieterle directed.

Saturday, May 10th, starts with the 60-minute UNMASKED, starring Robert Rockwell, Barbra Fuller, and Raymond Burr, directed by George Blair. This sounds like my kind of "unknown" movie! It's another digital theatrical premiere.

The day continues with the very memorable ANGEL FACE (1953) starring Robert Mitchum, Jean Simmons, and Mona Freeman, directed by Otto Preminger.

There's more Mitchum in THE FRIENDS OF EDDIE COYLE (1973), directed by Peter Yates, followed by a relatively rare screening of THE UNSEEN (1945) starring Joel McCrea and Gail Russell, directed by Lewis Allen.

On the final day, May 11th, the first screening is KISS TOMORROW GOODBYE (1950) with James Cagney and Barbara Payton, directed by Gordon Douglas.

It's followed by ACT OF VIOLENCE (1948), with Fred Zinnemann directing a top cast including Van Heflin, Janet Leigh, and Robert Ryan, and ON THE WATERFRONT (1954), directed by Elia Kazan and starring Marlon Brando and Eva Marie Saint.

As an added bonus, festival passholders are eligible for half-price tickets to a Sunday evening screening of Guillermo del Toro's version of NIGHTMARE ALLEY (2021), shown in a black and white edition. Alan Rode will interview del Toro and Kim Morgan after the screening.

For additional details on the films, tickets and more, please visit the Arthur Lyons Film Noir Festival website and ticket ordering page.

This is always a wonderful festival for many reasons, including not only the films but the relatively intimate venue and ability to interact with festival guests. There's also plenty of time for relaxed meals in between the movies, which is a major plus for those of us used to the breakneck pace of the TCM Classic Film Festival.

I hope to see some of my readers in Palm Springs this May!

For a look at past Arthur Lyons Film Noir Festival coverage, please visit these links: 2015, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2021, 2022, 2023, and 2024.

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TCM in April: Highlights

It's time for a look at the April schedule on Turner Classic Movies!

Red Skelton is the April Star of the Month. Over a dozen Skelton films will be shown on Monday evenings beginning April 7th.

Skelton was previously honored in April 1998. I will have some recommendations of his films below; please note that there is not a separate Star of the Month post this month.

The April Noir Alley films are THE NARROW MARGIN (1952) on April 5th and 6th, THE STEEL TRAP (1952) on the 12th and 13th, THE SET-UP (1949) April 19th and 20th, and THE PROWLER (1951) April 26th-27th.

THE NARROW MARGIN is one of my all-time favorite films, and I highly recommend it.

The TCM Spotlight is "Pulp Fiction" on Friday nights, while a Special Theme on Wednesday is "Acts of Faith," with, as one might guess, films with religious themes.

Below are a few of this month's highlights. Please click any hyperlinked title to read my extended review.

...The month kicks off with an April 1st birthday tribute to Debbie Reynolds. I've enjoyed most of the films on the list and am especially fond of THE TENDER TRAP (1955), costarring Frank Sinatra. The title song reels me in every single time.

..."Acts of Faith" begins on April 2nd with half a dozen films including GOING MY WAY (1944) and ONE FOOT IN HEAVEN (1941).

...I love that the daytime lineup on April 4th pays tribute to screenwriter F. Hugh Herbert. There are a couple delightful minor gems showing on that day, SNOWED UNDER (1936) and PERSONAL MAID'S SECRET (1935), both of which I've enjoyed multiple times. The lineup also includes the TCM premiere of VANITY FAIR (1932), a modern-dress version of the Thackeray story starring Myrna Loy.

...The "Pulp Fiction" series starts in the evening on April 4th, with a lineup including TARZAN THE APE MAN (1932) and LOST HORIZON (1937).

...There are several fun films on April 6th, including future WUTHERING HEIGHTS (1939) costars Merle Oberon and Laurence Olivier in the more lighthearted (and Technicolor!) THE DIVORCE OF LADY X (1938).

...Red Skelton's Star of the Month films on April 7th include HAVING WONDERFUL TIME (1938), which he made at RKO, and all three of the "Whistling" movies with Ann Rutherford. I have fond memories of watching the Whistling movies on local television when I was a child.

...Eddie Muller's newly revised and expanded version of his classic book DARK CITY DAMES is being published on April 8th, and TCM celebrates its publication day with several film noir titles including THE KILLING (1956) and TENSION (1949), both of which I just saw at the Noir City Hollywood festival. I took along my advance review copy of DARK CITY DAMES, and Eddie told me it was the first one he'd signed!

...Greer Garson is the focus in a six-film lineup on April 9th, including top classics RANDOM HARVEST (1942), MRS. MINIVER (1942), and PRIDE AND PREJUDICE (1942).

...Marjorie Main will be celebrated in prime time on April 10th with five films including MA AND PA KETTLE (1949).

...Another "only on TCM" lineup this month, on April 11th, features films costarring the talented dog Asta (real name: Skippy). Titles including FOG OVER FRISCO (1934), CALL IT A DAY (1937), BRINGING UP BABY (1938), and of course, THE THIN MAN (1934).

...April 14th is TCM's 31st anniversary! The Star of the Month films that evening including LADY BE GOOD (1941) with Red Skelton, Eleanor Powell, and Ann Sothern.

...I love that Tax Day, April 15th, features movies about crimes revolving around taxes and tax evasion. The films including George Brent and Bette Davis in SPECIAL AGENT (1935).

...April 17th is one of two evenings featuring the films of Merchant Ivory. Titles include MERCHANT IVORY: THE DOCUMENTARY (2024) which I recently reviewed.

...A night of movies inspired by pulp fiction on April 18th includes the very good THE SAINT IN NEW YORK (1938), featuring a different take on the title character, by Louis Hayward, than we're used to seeing from the next actor to play the Saint, George Sanders.

...The Musical Matinee on April 19th includes the MGM musical LOVELY TO LOOK AT (1952), a very engaging film featuring Kathryn Grayson, Howard Keel, Ann Miller, Red Skelton, and Marge and Gower Champion, who have a couple spectacular dance numbers. The movie will be encored on April 28th as part of the Star of the Month lineup.

...Easter Sunday, April 20th, will of course feature EASTER PARADE (1948), along with a lineup of religious films. In the late evening, stick around for Yasujiro Ozu's LATE SPRING (1949) and EARLY SUMMER (1951), both starring the radiant Setsuko Hara.

...Some of Red Skelton's best MGM musicals will be shown the evening of April 21st, including NEPTUNE'S DAUGHTER (1949) and THREE LITTLE WORDS (1950).

...Eight Joan Blondell films will be shown on April 22nd, including the pre-Code gangster drama BLONDIE JOHNSON (1933). Chester Morris costars.

...On April 23rd the daytime lineup focuses on movies set in Los Angeles, including THE BIG SLEEP (1946) with Humphrey Bogart and Lauren Bacall.

...SINBAD THE SAILOR (1947), featuring spectacular Technicolor and stars Douglas Fairbanks Jr. and Maureen O'Hara, will be shown April 25th. Marvelous escapism.

...Tim Holt and Marjorie Reynolds star in the RKO "B" Western CYCLONE ON HORSEBACK (1941) on Saturday morning, April 26th.

...The Acts of Faith series concludes on April 30th with a relatively rare TCM showing of the 20th Century-Fox film THE SONG OF BERNADETTE (1943), starring Oscar winner Jennifer Jones.

For more on TCM in April 2025, please visit my Quick Preview of TCM in April, along with TCM's online schedule.

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Tonight's Movie: Outpost in Malaya (1952) - An MGM Blu-ray Review

The post-World War II action film OUTPOST IN MALAYA (1952) was just released on Blu-ray by MGM.

Jim and Liz Frazer (Jack Hawkins and Claudette Colbert) and their young son Mike (Peter Asher) live on a rubber plantation in Malaya in the early '50s.

The Frazer marriage has survived wartime imprisonment in Japanese camps, including the death of one of their children, but their relationship has now been pushed to the breaking point.

Jim is under pressure to protect their estate from local bandits who are terrorizing the community; things are bad enough that planters get check calls from the military every few hours. Meanwhile he's paying scant attention to Liz, partly because he's so concerned about providing for her safety.

Liz is on the verge of taking Mike to boarding school in England and is considering staying there unless Jim can show some interest in the future of their marriage. Before she can leave, things go from bad to worse and the Frazers' home is under attack; Jim's careful preparations for such an eventuality may not be enough. Ironically, the attack may also reset the Frazers' fading relationship.

OUTPOST IN MALAYA is a fairly engrossing 91 minutes, alternating suspenseful action with marital melodrama; it has a bit of a split personality in this regard, with Jim romancing Liz in the middle of an assault on their home, but it remains engaging. Director Ken Annakin (SWISS FAMILY ROBINSON) keeps things moving along nicely.

While Jim has made considerable plans to repel an attack on his estate, at times the Frazers don't seem to recognize the depth of the threats they're facing. Or perhaps they do, but are inured to the danger to some extent, having survived the worst life has to offer during the war. One would think that at least they would show more concern for the safety of their little boy, however, having already lost his sibling.

Hawkins and Colbert are well matched and enjoyable to watch, with Anthony Steel engaging as Hugh, their friend in the local military. There are hints Hugh may be interested in Liz himself, given the very personal nature of his conversations with Liz, but in the end he seems to be genuinely invested in helping his friends save their marriage.

The film's supporting cast includes Ram Gopal, Tom Macauley, Jeremy Spenser, Helen Guss, and Bill Travers.

The screenplay was by Guy Elmes and Peter Proud, based on the novel THE PLANTER'S WIFE by S.C. George. The movie was shown under the novel's title in the UK.

OUTPOST IN MALAYA was filmed in black and white by Geoffrey Unsworth, and MGM's Blu-ray print shows off his cinematography nicely. The movie was filmed in England, with lots of second unit photography which required some obvious use of process shots, but the work is pretty good as these things go.

In the end, while the script could have used some polishing, I enjoyed OUTPOST IN MALAYA and was particularly glad to see a new-to-me film starring one of my favorite actresses, Claudette Colbert. This is a nice-looking disc and a worthwhile pickup for fans of the lead actors.

MGM's disc has an option for English-language subtitles but no extras.

Thanks to Allied Vaughn and MGM for providing a review copy of this Blu-ray. OUTPOST IN MALAYA may be purchased from Movie Zyng, Amazon, and other online retailers.

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Around the Blogosphere This Week

Miscellaneous bits of news and fun stuff from around the Internet...

...While at the Lone Pine Film Festival last fall, I was excited to learn directly from author Scott Eyman that he was working on a biography of Joan Crawford. It's now been announced by publisher Simon & Schuster that the book will be out on November 18th, 2025; the title is JOAN CRAWFORD: A WOMAN'S FACE. I'm very interested in getting Eyman's take on the beloved-yet-controversial actress.

...CineSavant Glenn Erickson's latest reviews include the Kino Lorber Blu-ray release of TOPKAPI (1964).

...GENERAL HOSPITAL celebrates its 62nd anniversary on April 1st, and as part of that, the show will honor Dr. Monica Quartermaine, the character played for decades by the late Leslie Charleson. Charleson is seen here at the bottom left, with fellow longtime cast members John J. York, Genie Francis, Kristina Wagner, and Jon Lindstrom.

...Warner Bros. plans to demolish the building where Looney Tunes cartoons were created dating from the '50s.

...The blog Dear Mr. Gable shares lovely photos of Clark Gable and Carole Lombard, who married March 29, 1939.  The post includes a reprint of a 1939 article, "The Gables at Home," which is a fun read.

...Notable Passings: Clive Revill, who voiced the Emperor in THE EMPIRE STRIKES BACK (1980), has passed on at the age of 94. EMPIRE is one of my all-time favorite films...Dennis Arndt, a busy working actor for decades, has died at 86. He had a recurring role as attorney Jack Sollers on L.A. LAW.

...Please note that Around the Blogosphere This Week will not appear on April 5th, when I'll be spending the day attending multiple events, including an appearance by ADAM-12 star Kent McCord at the Hollywood Heritage Museum. The column will return on Saturday, April 12th.

...For additional recent links of interest to classic film fans, please visit my March 22nd column.

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New Classic Movie Hub Column: Lots of Western Movie News!

My latest Western RoundUp column has now been posted at Classic Movie Hub!

This month I share a wide variety of news items related to Western movies, including new and upcoming disc releases, film festivals, and more.

Please click over to Classic Movie Hub to check out my column, and thanks very much for reading!

Previous Classic Movie Hub Western RoundUp Column Links: June 2018; July 2018; August 2018; September 2018; October 2018; November 2018; December 2018; January 2019; February 2019; April 5, 2019; April 30, 2019; May 2019; June 2019; July 2019; August 2019; September 2019; October 2019; November 2019; December 2019; January 2020; February 2020; March 2020; April 2020; May 2020; June 2020; July 2020; August 2020; September 2020; October 2020; November 2020; December 2020; January 2021; February 2021; March 2021; May 2021; June 2021; June 2021 (No. 2); July 2021; August 2021; September 2021; November 2021; December 2021; December 2021 (No. 2); January 2022; February 2022; March 2022; April 2022; May 2022; June 2022; July 2022; August 2022; September 2022; November 2022; November 2022 (No. 2); January 2023 (No. 1); January 2023 (No. 2); March 2023; April 2023; May 2023 (No. 1); May 2023 (No. 2); June 2023; July 2023; September 2023; September 2023 (No. 2); October 2023; November 2023; December 2023; January 2024; February 2024; March 2024; April 2024; May 2024; June 2024; July 2024; August 2024; September 2024; October 2024; November 2024; December 2024; January 2025; February 2025.

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Tonight's Movie: The Enforcer (1951) - A Kino Lorber Blu-ray Review

I first saw Humphrey Bogart in THE ENFORCER (1951) last year at the Arthur Lyons Film Noir Festival in Palm Springs.

I absolutely loved the movie but didn't have time to review it at that point, so I was delighted to revisit the the film thanks to Kino Lorber's Dark Side of Cinema XXII collection.

I must have read about THE ENFORCER in books on Bogart once upon a time, but nothing seems to have stuck in my mind, and I thus first saw this movie completely "cold." It proved to be a very happy experience, and the film is so good it remained completely engrossing viewing it a second time 10 months later.

Bogart plays District Attorney Martin Ferguson, who's on the verge of convicting a killer named Mendoza (Everett Sloane) when Mendoza's confederate, Rico (Ted de Corsia), turns state's evidence.

Rico is terrified, and with good reason, as hit men (including one played by Bob Steele) are after him.

Rico does die near the outset of the film, and Ferguson is facing the prospect of having to let Mendoza walk free due to the lack of enough evidence for a conviction. Ferguson and Police Captain Frank Nelson (Roy Roberts) spend hours combing through evidence books and interview tapes desperately searching for something else which might be enough to keep Mendoza in prison and take him to trial.

Directors Bretaigne Windust and the uncredited Raoul Walsh keep the story moving forward at a rapid pace for all of its 87 minutes, building to an exciting climax.

The movie at times seems to have as many flashbacks as THE LOCKET (1946), but it works very well thanks to Martin Racklin's well-constructed and engrossing screenplay. I even wondered if perhaps Kurosawa's HIGH AND LOW (1963) drew any inspiration from this film, as far as the use of flashbacks to explain a police investigation.

One of the interesting aspects of the film is that terms such as "contract" and "hit man" were apparently new concepts mid century, with the police initially confused by these references.

Bogart plays a fairly button-down, "by the book" character, but his charisma does a great deal to maintain interest. I especially enjoyed Bogart's relationship with Roy Roberts, who's essentially repeating his police detective character from HE WALKED BY NIGHT (1948); they share a large number of scenes, and it's enjoyable watching these two pros discussing their case.

I also especially enjoyed King Donovan as a police sergeant. Susan Cabot and Patricia Joiner play two young women whose lives are in danger. The cast includes many more interesting faces including Zero Mostel, Lawrence (Michael) Tolan, Don Beddoe, Tito Vuolo, John Maxwell, Ralph Dunn, John Kellogg, Jack Lambert, and more.

The movie was filmed in atmospheric black and white by Robert Burks.

Kino Lorber's good-looking Blu-ray print is from an HD master of a 4K scan.

THE ENFORCER was previously available on DVD and Blu-ray from the now-defunct Olive Films. Happily Kino Lorber has now reissued several of Olive's releases, including THE ENFORCER, and in some cases also included new commentary tracks.

THE ENFORCER has a commentary track by Alan K. Rode, who in a nice "full circle" connection is also the producer and host of the Arthur Lyons Festival, where I first saw the movie!

This set, which also contains the previously reviewed THE SCARLET HOUR (1956) and PLUNDER ROAD (1957), is highly enjoyable and very much recommended.

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