Showing posts with label John H. Auer. Show all posts
Showing posts with label John H. Auer. Show all posts
Aspiring and audacious (and hungry) songwriter Judy Walker (Patricia Ellis of Romance on the Run) uses the name of successful composer Phil Hale (Robert Paige), with whom she has only corresponded, to get entry into a studio, pretend to be his collaborator, and to even move into his apartment while he's out of town. There her next door neighbor, songwriter Bob McKay (Warren Hull of Mandrake the Magician), whom she comes to loathe, engages in a feud with her. Then Hale comes back to town ... Ellis and Hull give good performances, but the movie is nearly stolen by Zeffie Tilbury [Werewolf of London] as the advertising "Duchess; William Newell also scores as the radio assistant, Lyons. Dorothy Day has a nice turn as the sexy singer, Suzanne. Some of the music is a neat combination of classical and jazz. It's all easy to take if quite minor.
Verdict: Perfectly amiable if nothing to crow about. **1/2.
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| Erich von Stroheim as Dr. Crespi |
Supposedly based on Poe's "Premature Burial," this film is only vaguely inspired by that story. Dr. Andre Crespi (Erich von Stroheim, the butler in Sunset Boulevard) is importuned to step in when his former protege, Stephen (John Bohn), is severely injured in a car accident. Stephen, now married to the lovely Estelle (Harriet Russell), was unaware that Andre was carrying a torch for her. Crespi manages to save Stephen's life, but only to save him for a diabolical plot as he's never forgiven him for taking Estelle away from him [it never occurs to Crespi that Estelle would probably not have wanted him even if Stephen hadn't entered the picture]. Crespi gives Stephen a drug which allows him to see, hear and feel everything, but won't allow him to "move an eyelash," then plans for him to be buried alive ... In his performance Stroheim alternates a bombastic delivery with lines that are casually whispered; he rarely even seems to be acting. Although it's not quite a terrible performance, he does much less with the role than actors such as Lionel Atwell or George Zucco could have. [Stroheim could give some good performances however, such as in I Was an Adventuress.] Harriet Russell is an excellent actress with a very expressive face, but she apparently only made this one movie. Dwight Frye of Dracula appears in a supporting role as a staff doctor and is as eye-poppingly intense as ever.
Verdict: Acceptable horror-melodrama. **1/2.