
Esqueda, an outlaw, attempts to force settlers King and Cordelia Cameron out of his territory. Esqueda’s mother raised Rio as her own. Rio has loyalty to Esqueda but also feels the settlers should be able to stay. A showdown between the two raised as brothers is unavoidable.
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Tag Archives: 1950s
Man in the Shadow (1957) Jack Arnold, Jeff Chandler, Orson Welles, Colleen Miller, Crime, Drama, Thriller

In effect, modern cow town Spurline is run by Virgil Renchler, owner of the Golden Empire Ranch. One night, two of Virgil’s henchmen go a little too far and beat a “bracero” ranch hand to death. Faced with an obvious cover-up and opposition on every hand, sheriff Ben Sadler is goaded into investigating. His unlikely ally: Renchler’s lovely, self-willed and overprotected daughter. Will Ben survive Renchler’s wrath?
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Night People (1954) Nunnally Johnson, Gregory Peck, Broderick Crawford, Anita Björk, Adventure, Crime, Mystery

Post WWII yarn about a young GI abducted by the Soviets in West Berlin and hauled off to the East. His recovery gets complicated as Colonel Steve Van Dyke (Peck) tries to sort out the usefulness of informants, spies, bureaucrats, and the abductee’s influential father (Crawford)!
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Sea Wife (1957) Bob McNaught, Joan Collins, Richard Burton, Basil Sydney, Drama, Thriller, War

In 1942, a cargo ship jammed with British evacuees from Singapore is sunk by a Japanese sub. A small lifeboat carries a beautiful woman, an army officer, a bigoted administrator, and a black seaman. Only the seaman knows the woman is a nun. The men reveal their true selves under the hardships of survival. Told in a too-long flashback frame.
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Left Right and Centre (1959) Sidney Gilliat, Ian Carmichael, Alastair Sim, Patricia Bredin, Comedy, Romance

At the Earndale by-election natural history expert and TV personality Bob Wilcot for the Conservatives finds himself up against Billingsgate girl Stella Stoker for the socialists. Amateur politician against committed activist. But could it become boy-who-fancies-girl against girl-who-fancies-boy? The party agents are soon colluding against such a disaster.
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The Houston Story (1956) William Castle, Gene Barry, Barbara Hale, Edward Arnold, Crime, Drama, Film-Noir

In Houston, a man working as an oil driller comes up with a scheme for stealing millions of dollars worth of oil from the fields. He insinuates himself with a local mobster in order to get financing for his scheme.
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Pagan Love Song (1950) Robert Alton, Esther Williams, Howard Keel, Minna Gombell, Musical, Romance

The bronzed and be-flowered Mimi, a half-American, half-Tahitian girl, was raised on the island but longs for the good old U.S. of A. “All my life’s been one long vacation,” she sighs, “and I’m bored.” Luckily, Hap Endicott arrives on the scene. He’s an Ohio schoolteacher who has come to manage his late uncle’s coconut plantation. The two meet cute, and love and singing ensue. Includes songs at the drop of the hat, some terrific Tahitian dancing, and a lovely moment when a lovelorn Hap looks up and sees Mimi swimming gracefully among the clouds.
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Arrow in the Dust (1954) Lesley Selander, Sterling Hayden, Coleen Gray, Keith Larsen, Western

Army deserter Bart Laish decides that the best way for him to get away is to join a wagon train headed for Oregon. They’re about a week ahead of him and on the trail Bart comes across an old friend, Major Andy Pepperis who is dying from wounds received in an Indian attack. He warns Bart that the Indians will next attack the wagon train and afterward finds the army station, Camp Taylor, destroyed. He assumes Pepperis’ identity and catches up to the wagon train taking command of the soldiers escorting it. He proves to be a capable leader and quickly gains everyone’s respect. As they get closer to their destination, Bart is closer to being caught and has to decide if and when he will leave them.
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The Girl He Left Behind (1956) David Butler, Tab Hunter, Natalie Wood, Jessie Royce Landis, Comedy, Drama

College students Andy Shaeffer and Susan Daniels are pinned. While Susan works hard to put herself through college, Andy sponges off his parents, his mother, Madeline Shaeffer, who in particular will give him whatever he wants. In other words, Andy is a mama’s boy, which he doesn’t really realize. Andy and Susan have used the word love to describe their relationship, but Susan isn’t sure if that’s what they are really feeling for each other or if it is solely a loveless passion. And if it is love, she isn’t sure their relationship can survive without Andy taking some ownership of his life. The near end of their relationship, initiated by Susan, leads to Andy starting to flunk out of college, which in turn makes Andy a prime candidate to be drafted. During basic training at Camp Ord, California, Andy makes it clear to his superiors and his fellow privates that he doesn’t want to be there and will do only what is requested of him without any extra effort. His superiors and fellow …
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Ni Vu, Ni Connu / Neither Seen Nor Recognized (1958) Yves Robert, Louis de Funès, Noëlle Adam, Frédéric Duvallès, Comedy

In a small French village, everything would be quiet if the local wildlife cop was not being ridiculed by a smart poacher.
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