Showing posts with label Burnett Guffey. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Burnett Guffey. Show all posts
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| James Darren, Kathryn Grant, Richard Conte |
THE BROTHERS RICO (1957). Director: Phil Karlson.
Eddie Rico (Richard Conte) has been out of the "family business" -- run by his "uncle" Sid (Larry Gates) -- for some time, but that is not the case with his two brothers. Gino (Paul Picerni) performed a hit on Sid's orders and Johnny (James Darren) drove the getaway car. Now both are in hiding afraid that Sid thinks they're going to talk and wants to silence them. Eddie can't believe that of Sid, whose life was once saved by his mother, Mrs. Rico (Argentina Brunetti), so he agrees to go find his brothers. This couldn't happen at a worse time, as Eddie and his wife, Alice (Dianne Foster of Drive a Crooked Road), are hoping to adopt a baby and Eddie needs to be at an important meeting. He learns to his regret that you can't trust Uncle Sid ... Larry Gates plays Sid with admirable, understated menace, and James Darren is dead-on as the conflicted youngest brother. Although she's billed above the title and gives a terrific performance as Darren's wife, Kathryn Grant (The 7th Voyage of Sinbad) is on screen for only about five minutes. Foster and William Phipps as Joe are also notable. The Brothers Rico has some effective scenes, and is well-photographed by Burnett Guffey, but it's somehow unconvincing, and considering what's happening Conte is much too controlled throughout. A funny scene has Grandma Rico delightedly watching Earth vs the Flying Saucers on television [unlikely, since the movie was released only the year before].
Verdict: Acceptable potboiler. **1/2.
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| Brian Keith and Aldo Ray |
James Vanning (Aldo Ray) and his friend Doc (Frank Albertson of Man-Made Monster) are on a hunting trip when they come to the aid of two men -- John (Brian Keith of The Parent Trap) and Red (Rudy Bond) -- who, unbeknownst to them, have robbed a bank. The ingrates murder doc and try to kill Vanning, who takes off with them in pursuit. The crooks take the wrong bag and assume that Vanning has the bag with the money in it. While on the run, Vanning meets a model named Marie (Anne Bancroft of Gorilla at Large) in a bar and she becomes embroiled in his problems. James Gregory plays an insurance man who is also following Vanning, albeit with less sinister intent. Although well-acted for the most part, and well-photographed by Burnett Guffey, Nightfall is a fairly weak entry in the film noir department, only really coming alive at the climax when thieves fall out and there's a sequence involving a runaway snow plow. Bancroft is good, if miscast as a model, and Ray pretty much walks through the movie, barely getting by on a little bit of charm and showing little emotion. Given a lead role, he pretty much muffs it. He kept acting right up until his death in 1991, however.
Verdict: Not much to this cheapie. **.