General Dennis of the US Force in England in World War II finds that he must order his planes deeper and deeper into Germany to prevent the production of military jet planes that will turn the tide of battle to the Germans. He must fight congressmen, and his own chain of command to win the political battle before he can send his planes out. His problem is complicated by a very narrow window of good weather necessary to allow his effort to be successful. Adapted from a stage play, it attempts to look at the challenges of command in the political arena.
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Tag Archives: 1940s
The Return of the Whistler (1948) D. Ross Lederman, Michael Duane, Lenore Aubert, Richard Lane, Film-Noir, Mystery
On the eve of his marriage, a young man’s fiance disappears. He hires a private detective to help him track her down, but soon finds himself entangled in a web of lies, intrigue and murder revolving around his fiance’s dead ex-husband and his wealthy, corrupt family.
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Deadline at Dawn (1946) Harold Clurman, Susan Hayward, Bill Williams, Paul Lukas, Film-Noir, Mystery, Romance
Alex, a sailor on leave, recovers from a drink-induced blackout with a large sum of money belonging to Edna Bartelli, a b-girl who invited him home to “fix her radio.” He tries to return it with the reluctant aid of June Goth, a sweet but oh-so-tired dance hall girl; they find Edna murdered. Not quite sure he didn’t do it himself, Alex and June have four hours in the dead of night to find the real killer before his leave ends. Their quest brings them into contact with a sleazy kaleidoscope of minor characters; clues get more and more tangled…
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Stairway to Heaven (1946) Michael Powell, Emeric Pressburger, David Niven, Kim Hunter, Robert Coote, Drama, Fantasy, Comedy
Returning to England from a bombing run in May 1945, flyer Peter Carter’s plane is damaged and his parachute ripped to shreds. He has his crew bail out safely, but figures it is curtains for himself. He gets on the radio, and talks to June, a young American woman working for the USAAF, and they are quite moved by each other’s voices. Then he jumps, preferring this to burning up with his plane. He wakes up in the surf. It was his time to die, but there was a mixup in heaven. They couldn’t find him in all that fog. By the time his “Conductor” catches up with him 20 hours later, Peter and June have met and fallen in love. This changes everything, and since it happened through no fault of his own, Peter figures that heaven owes him a second chance. Heaven agrees to a trial to decide his fate.
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Uomini sul fondo / Men in the Deep (1941) Francesco De Robertis, Felga Lauri, Diego Pozzetto, Marichetta Stoppa, Drama
Submarine disaster drama made under the auspices of Mussolini’s department of defense. During maneuvers a submarine collides with a surface vessel and drops to the ocean floor. The crew have thirty hours’ worth of air to get it back to the surface.
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The Thin Man Goes Home (1945) Richard Thorpe, William Powell, Myrna Loy, Lucile Watson, Comedy, Crime, Mystery
Nick and Nora head to Nick’s hometown of Sycamore Springs to spend some time with his parents. His father, a prominent local physician, was always a bit disappointed with Nick’s choice of profession in particular and his lifestyle in general. With Nick’s arrival however the towns folk, including several of the local criminal element, are convinced that he must be there on a case despite his protestations that he’s just there for rest and relaxation. When someone is shot dead on his doorstep however, Nick finds himself working on a case whether he wants to or not.
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Casanova Brown (1944) Sam Wood, Gary Cooper, Teresa Wright, Frank Morgan, Comedy
Cass Brown is about to marry for the second time; his first marriage, to Isabel, was annulled. But when he discovers that Isabel just had their baby, Cass kidnaps the infant to keep her from being adopted. Isabel’s parents hunt for the child and discover that Cass and Isabel are still hopelessly in love.
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Brigham Young (1940) Henry Hathaway, Tyrone Power, Linda Darnell, Dean Jagger, Adventure, Biography, History
The true story of the famous Mormon leader, Brigham Young and his battle to transport his people across the Rocky mountains to settle in Salt Lake City. The plot focuses on two of his people, Jonathan Kent and Zina Webb and the hardships they have to face along the way.
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Anna Karenina (1948) Julien Duvivier, Vivien Leigh, Ralph Richardson, Kieron Moore, Drama, Romance
Stefan and Dolly Oblonsky have had a little spat and Stefan has asked his sister, Anna Karenina, to come down to Moscow to help mend the rift. Anna’s companion on the train from St. Petersburg is Countess Vronsky who is met at the Moscow station by her son. Col. Vronsky looks very dashing in his uniform and it’s love at first sight when he looks at Anna and their eyes meet. Back in St. Petersburg they keep running into each other at parties. Since she has a husband and small son, they must be very discreet if they are going to see each other alone.
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Beyond Tomorrow (1940) A. Edward Sutherland, Harry Carey, C. Aubrey Smith, Charles Winninger, Drama, Fantasy, Romance
Harry Carey Sr., C. Aubrey Smith and Charles Winninger play three wealthy bachelors who have spent their lives wrapped up in themselves. Read More »
L’avventuriera del piano di sopra / The Lady Upstairs (1941) Raffaello Matarazzo, Vittorio De Sica, Clara Calamai, Giuditta Rissone, Comedy
Misadventures of a young lawyer who, left alone at home for the departure of the jealous wife, is having to help a lady living in a top floor apartment, who asks him to host her to save her from the wrath of her husband. The young man offers his bed to the lady, content to sleep on the couch. The next morning, upon awakening, the lady is already gone, but at the same time is also missing a precious necklace of great value.
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The Glass Key (1942) Stuart Heisler, Alan Ladd, Veronica Lake, Brian Donlevy, Crime, Drama, Film-Noir
In this slick updating of Dashiell Hammet’s crime novel, political boss Paul Madvig (Brian Donlevy) falls for reform politician Ralph Henry’s attractive daughter Janet (Veronica Lake), despite the caution of his best friend, Ed Beaumont (Alan Ladd). Paul’s efforts to disassociate himself from the criminal underworld backfire, however, when he is accused of murdering Janet’s disreputable brother, and a casino owner Paul had offended sends his sadistic thugs after Ed in revenge.
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The Unfaithful (1947) Vincent Sherman, Ann Sheridan, Lew Ayres, Zachary Scott, Crime, Drama, Film-Noir
Chris Hunter kills an intruder and tells her husband and lawyer it was an act of self-defense. It’s later revealed that he was actually her lover and she had posed for an incriminating statue he created.
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The Brothers and Sisters of the Toda Family / Todake no kyôdai (1941) Yasujirô Ozu, Mieko Takamine, Shin Saburi, Hideo Fujino, Drama
When the patriarch of the Toda family suddenly dies, his widow discovers that he has left her with nothing but debt and married children who are unwilling to support her–except for her most thoughtful son, just returned from China.
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The Soul of a Monster (1944) Will Jason, Rose Hobart, George Macready, Jim Bannon, Horror
As famous surgeon, George Winson, lies on his deathbed, his wife Ann calls on unknown powers to save him. A strange woman (Lilyan) appears from nowhere and takes control. George recovers, but he’s mysteriously dominated by Lilyan, and leaves his wife. When the evil woman tempts him into letting his best friend (Roger) die Wilson realizes that Lilyan wants his soul in exchange for the chance to continue living.
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