Tag Archives: USA

Calvin Churchill, a confidence-man, and his sidekick/stooge, “Clip” McGurk, are being pursued by an Internal Revenue agent, Henry Potke, for their failure to file an income-tax on the advice of a shyster lawyer. They are hiding out at the Desert Springs Hotel-Resort, where Calvin is working a scam by posing as a stratosphere-flyer who is looking at making Desert Springs the base of his operations. A rich airplane manufacturer sees a chance to get rid of a stratosphere balloon that he built for an unsuccessful expedition at a great loss. Calvin intends to take the money and run but his estranged wife, Alice, now a tennis instructor at the resort promises to come back to him if he will reform. Alas, reformation does not come easy for Calvin, especially when “Clip” is around, and Henry is closing in.
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In 1917, in the red light district Storyville, New Orleans, the prostitute Hattie lives with her twelve year-old daughter Violet in the fancy brothel of Madame Nell, where she works. Photographer Ernest J. Bellocq has an attraction to Hallie and Violet and he is an habitué of the whorehouse. One day, Madame Nell auctions Violet’s virginity and the winner pays the fortune of US$ 400 to spend the night with the girl. Then Hattie marries a wealthy client and moves to Saint Louis, leaving Violet in the brothel alone. Violet decides to marry Bellocq and she moves to his house. Until the day that Hattie, who has overcome her past, comes to Bellocq’s house with the intention to take Violet with her.
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Based on Anne Frank’s diary, and the stage play that was adapted from it: In Nazi-occupied Holland, Otto Frank and his family have decided to go into hiding, because of the increasing persecutions against Jews. The businessman Kraler and his assistant Miep prepare a hiding place in the rooms above their place of business, and arrange for the Franks and another family, the Van Daans, to stay there. Later on, they are joined by the dentist Dussel. Together, they try to avoid detection while hoping for Holland to be liberated by the Allies, but even meeting basic needs can become a challenge, and even minor incidents could present a grave risk.
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Mark (John Larroquette) and Jessie (Kirstie Alley) get blindsided by an unexpected visit from Mark’s cousin, Fred (John Diehl), and his pregnant wife, Bernice (Jessica Lundy). The family reunion is suddenly extended from five days to six months after an accident renders Bernice bedridden, and Mark and Jessie’s life is slowly turned upside down by a seemingly never-ending stream of house guests, including Jessie’s neurotic sister (Alison La Placa) and her obnoxious son (Bradley Gregg).
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The rise and fall of the notorious Roman Emperor Caligula, showing the violent methods that he employs to gain the throne, and the subsequent insanity of his reign – he gives his horse political office and humiliates and executes anyone who even slightly displeases him. He also sleeps with his sister, organises elaborate orgies and embarks on a fruitless invasion of England before meeting an appropriate end.
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Death decides to take a holiday from his usual business to see what it is like to be a mortal. Posing as Prince Sirki, he spends 3 days with Duke Lambert and his guests at his dukal estate. Several of the women are attracted to the mysterious prince, but shy away from him when they sense his true nature. But Grazia, the beautiful young woman whom the Duke thought was to marry his son, loves him even when she knows who he is.
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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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After a quarrell at their 25th wedding aniversery, Joe and Aggie Bruno decide to divorce each other, and both leave for Reno. So do their daughters Prudence and Pansy, but they want to get their parents back to gether. Joe and Aggie, accidentally, are becoming clients at the same lawfirm, Wattles and Swift, which is the biggest and most succesful in town. But being on the opposide sides in the same case is not the only problem for Wattles and Swift, the cocurring lawfirm Jackson, Jackson, Jackson and Jackson, has started a price war and one of its member has just been appointed judge, furthermore, there’s Ace Crosby, whose ex-wife got her divorce with the help of Wattles and Swift, who vowed to shoot Wattles for this. Wattles disguises as widow Hanover, Joe’s co-respondent. Crosby, waiting at the office-turned-casino, wins too much at the pokertable, so Wattles tries to lure him away, after he and Joe have beem seen by Aggie. Aggie, who has met Judge Jackson, who told her that she and…
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Gene Tierney and Ray Milland play the Sheridans, a married couple unable to have a biological child. They visit an adoption agency to make inquiries and start the ball rolling. Then, they learn of a child abandoned at a local police station. The loving and very lovely Midge (Tierney) is determined to adopt the young boy, no questions asked; Brad (Milland) insists on learning about the boy’s heredity and his parentage. The Sheridans learn the boy’s father may be a murderer. Will there be a baby for Midge?
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Bill Cannon (Dan Duryea) loses everything to alcohol: his job, his family, his self-respect. Soon after his wife and daughter leave him, he receives word his little girl has been injured in a car accident outside Chicago. His wife will call later with news, but Bill’s short the $53 he needs to keep his phone from being disconnected. Filled with anguish, he heads out onto the Los Angeles streets to find some way to come up with the cash. As his character encounters expected cruelty and unexpected kindness, Duryea takes what might have been mere melodrama and turns it into a perceptive examination of one shattered soul.
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