THURS., 7-13
TCM Spotlight: B Movies...
(times ET)
8:00
pm
Identity Unknown (1945)
1h 11m
Near the end of World War II in Europe, a soldier suffering from amnesia is on a hospital ship being helped by Major Williams, a medical doctor. The soldier was the only survivor of four infantrymen after German dive bombers destroyed the farm house they were fighting from. When the four men's dog tags were found afterwards, they had been blown off their bodies, and the Army does not know which of the four the surviving soldier is.
The soldier, calling himself Johnny March (Arlen), tries to discover his true identity.....
Director
Walter Colmes
Cast
Richard Arlen, Cheryl Walker, Roger Pryor
"....Arlen is great in such roles. The plot itself is full of some contrivances and holes, but the characters are multi dimensional and very credible, which makes for the best films, credible characters in incredible circumstances.
The low key atmosphere works great to help sustain our interest, because this is a mystery above all else, and we have a sneaking suspicion how it will turn out, but not the exact outcome.
Everything is done beautifully, and this works like a charm because you truly care about not only our unidentified soldier, but also about all the characters. A directorial achievement. A hidden gem...."
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0037811/re ... _=tt_ov_rt
9:30
pm
Dead Man's Eyes (1944)
1h 4m
When an artist is blinded, his fiancée's father offers an operation to restore his sight. When the benefactor suddenly dies, the artist becomes a suspect....
No Description available
Director
Reginald Leborg
Cast
Lon Chaney [jr.], Jean Parker, Paul Kelly
".... Chaney is great in this series. I'm sure he enjoyed getting a break from the monster movies he was making at this time. He gives his all in every Inner Sanctum movie. A really good cast here to back him up. Jean Parker is lovely as always. Thomas Gomez, Paul Kelly, and Jonathan Hale are all great support. Acquanetta is nice to look at but probably the worst actress Universal had in any of their movies. Her monotone line delivery is dreadful.
This isn't one of the best of the series but it's good. The biggest problem, aside from Acquanetta's poor acting, is that the mystery part is unsurprising. The killer is obvious, despite all of the red herrings they have in place. Still, it's fun and fans of the series and Chaney will enjoy it...."
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0036749/re ... _=tt_ov_rt
early FRI., 7-14
1:15
am
Prison Ship (1945)
58m | War
"At the end of WW2, a Japanese freighter sails with Allied prisoners as cargo but, sensing doom, the prisoners plan to overpower their guards and capture the prison-ship."
Director
Arthur Dreifuss
Cast
Nina Foch, Robert Lowery, Richard Loo
"....The premise of the movie is based on fact. Japanese ships transporting prisoners-of-war during World War 2 did indeed offer themselves up as decoy targets, hoping to draw the US submarines away from their desired cargo ships and warships.
From that point the movie becomes a feel good exercise for an American audience, that by 1945 had cultivated a deep loathing for their enemy, and wished to see their own servicemen triumph against any and all impossible odds.
By 1945 Richard Loo was able to play his role blindfolded. Between late 1941 through to 1945 he was in 34 movies, invariably as the bad guy. In this movie Loo was the standout, the rest of the cast were merely competent.
If you have a spare hour, have a look, it's worthwhile for a fan of the genre...."
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0038001/re ... _=tt_ov_rt
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