Top Ten Posts of 2020

As the year draws to a close, the Classic Film & TV Cafe traditionally ends it with a countdown of our ten most viewed posts. We published a total of 78 in 2020. Naturally, the countdown is a little skewed, since those posts that came out at the start of the year will have more views. But that won't stop us...we love year-end lists!

We included only posts that were originally published during 2020. We also omitted our monthly quizzes. To build a little suspense, we'll begin at No. 10 and work our way to No. 1.

But before we get started, we want to thank each of you who visited this blog this year and send some extra love to those who took the time to leave comments.

10. Seven Things to Know About Robert Lansing.

9.  Seven Things to Know About Karen Valentine.

8.  Walt Disney's The Swamp Fox

7.  Scott Eyman Discusses His New Biography Cary Grant: A Brilliant Disguise.

6.  Classic Movies and Television on Peacock TV.

5.  Author-Movie Blogger John Greco Discusses His New Book The Late Show.

4.  Seven Things to Know About Eva Gabor.

3.  Seven Things to Know About Angie Dickinson.

2.  6 from the '60s Blogathon for National Classic Movie Day.

1.  Roald Dahl's The Witches.

Even Elsa's Cute Cubs Can't Redeem an Unnecessary Sequel

Elsa and Joy (Susan Hampshire)

Although Joy Adamson's book Born Free topped the bestseller charts in 1960, no one anticipated that the 1966 film adaptation would become a huge hit. With a British cast mostly unfamiliar to American audiences, the movie captured the hearts of moviegoers worldwide with its true-life tale of how Adamson and her husband raised a female lion cub and set her free. Adamson followed her book with several sequels about Elsa the Lioness and her cubs--so it was inevitable that a follow-up film would be made, too.

Released in 1972, Living Free opens with a lengthy recap of what happened in the first film (and even incorporates snippets of John Barry's Oscar-winning score). Born Free ended with the Adamsons successfully releasing the domesticated Elsa into the wilds of Africa. A year later, when they returned to the spot where they last saw Elsa, she introduced them to her three cubs.

Two of Elsa's cubs.

That happy ending, though, gives way to sadness in Living Free when Elsa dies unexpectedly due to an illness. Her hungry orphaned cubs--Jespah, Gop, and Little Elsa--start killing livestock belonging to the local tribes. George finds an animal preserve willing to take the cubs, but first he and Joy have to capture them. Their efforts to do that comprise the strongest scenes in Living Free.

As a sequel to Born Free, Living Free leaves a lot to be desired. Elsa's frisky cubs are adorable, but one never gets to know them. In the first film, we see Elsa grow up, bond with the Adamsons, and struggle to adapt to the wild. She was a full-fledged character whereas Jespah, Gop, and Little Elsa are just cute animals.

I can only think of one reason for the lengthy recap of Born Free at the beginning of Living Free: Without it, the 90-minute running time would not have been sufficient for a feature film. It adds nothing to the narrative and I think it's safe to assume that the majority of people who went to see Living Free knew the story of Elsa.

Composer John Barry won Oscars for his score for Born Free and for the title song with lyrics by Don Black. Apparently, he was too expensive or unavailable for the sequel. As a result, viewers have to listen to the cringe-worthy Living Free title song performed by Julie Budd. I had never hear of her, but she is still performing live shows as of 2018; here's a link to her web site.

Susan Hampshire as Joy Adamson.

The two human stars of Living Free, Susan Hampshire and Nigel Davenport, do what they can with their underwritten parts. I became a Susan Hampshire admirer fan after watching her fierce performances in the miniseries The Pallisers and The First Churchills. Alas, she seems miscast as Joy Adamson, whose steely determination to do right by Elsa dominated the original film.

Incidentally, the plot to Living Free is not from Adamson's book of the same name, but rather her third book Forever Free. There have been several other films about the Adamsons, to include To Walk With Lions (1999), starring Richard Harris as George. Diana Muldaur and Gary Collins played the Adamsons in a short-lived Born Free TV series in 1974.

Movie-TV Connection Game (December 2020)

Leonardo DiCaprio and Tony Curtis.

The rules:  You will be given a pair or trio of films, TV series, or performers and will be required to to find the common connection. It could be anything--two stars who acted in the same movie, two movies that share a common theme, etc. As always, don't answer all the questions so others can play, too. There is a single best answer for each question. Yes, that's means we're looking for something in particular!

1. Leonardo DiCaprio and Tony Curtis.

2. John Cleese and Janet Leigh (the answer is not Jamie Lee Curtis!).

3. Katharine Ross and Elizabeth Montgomery.

4. Yvette Mimieux and Michael Caine (this might be hard).

5. Deborah Kerr and Elsa Lanchester.

6. Ronald Colman and Rod Taylor.

7. The Sound of Music film and the original Lost in Space TV series.

8. Lost in Space TV series and the film Alien.

9. Raymond Burr, Nick Adams, and Russ Tamblyn.

10. The Fog (1980) and The Day of the Triffids (1962).

11. The TV series Wagon Train and the movie The Green Slime.

12. Rex Harrison and Lou Costello.

13. Judy Garland and Sean Connery (another potential tough one!).

14. The TV daytime drama All My Children and Citizen Kane.

15. The classic film noir Laura and the TV series S.W.A.T.

Seven Things to Know About George Peppard

Peppard in Breakfast at Tiffany's.

1. George Peppard didn't get along with either of his female co-stars on the set of Breakfast at Tiffany's (1961). According to Breakfast at Tiffany's: The Official 50th Anniversary Companion, he and Patricia Neal were friends when they attended the Actors Studio in the 1950s. However, her opinion of him had changed by the time they made Tiffany's: "Boy, he'd gotten rotten. At the Actors Studio, I'd adored him." As for Audrey Hepburn, she and Peppard seemed unable to overcome their different personalities. He sometimes referred to her as the "Happy Nun" on the set (she had made The Nun's Story two years earlier).

2. George Peppard was married five times. His second wife was actress Elizabeth Ashley, who commented  in a 2015 interview: "I married a movie star 11 years older than me because I was looking for a father. Big mistake! Granted, he was gorgeous. Maybe too gorgeous! And good for breeding. But I believe it was doomed from the start." Peppard and Ashley had met on the set of The Carpetbaggers (1964) and they shared top billing the following year in The Third Day. Their marriage lasted six years and they had a son, Christian (also an actor).

George Peppard as Banacek.

3. After Peppard's film career hit a lull, he starred in Banacek, one of the rotating series that aired as part of the NBC Wednesday Mystery Movie in 1972. Thomas Banacek was a very successful free-lance insurance investigator who lived in a plush house on Boston's Beacon Hill and had a chauffeur. In the first season episode "Project Phoenix," Banacek mentioned that he learned "combat judo" in the Marine Corps. Peppard actually served in the Marines from 1946-48 and rose to the rank of corporal.

4. At the 2004 SF Ball X, A-Team regular Dwight Schultz talked about working with George Peppard. On Schultz's first day on the set, Peppard walked up to him and said: "Hello, I’m George Peppard. I’m not a very nice man. I used to be a drunk. I tell everybody that. I’m not a drunk anymore." Schultz also said that both Peppard and Mr. T considered themselves to be the star the show. So, when Peppard started leaving the set at 5:00 pm each day, so did Mr. T. The shooting schedule had to be rearranged so that Schultz and Dirk Benedict could stay late to complete any scenes without the show's "stars."

5. Although known for his film and TV roles, Peppard also performed on stage. He made his Broadway debut in 1956 opposite Shelley Winters and Pat Hingle in Girls of Summer. A young Stephen Sondheim, who wrote the title song, was uncredited in the play's original program.

Peppard and Linda Evans on Banacek.

6. According to TV Guide, George Peppard was the original choice to play Blake Carrington on the TV series Dynasty. He was replaced by John Forsyte due to "creative differences" with the show's producers (interestingly, Linda Evans had been a guest star on Banacek). Peppard did star in another TV series between Banacek and The A-Team. He portrayed a neurosurgeon in Doctors' Hospital, which lasted 16 episodes on NBC in 1975-76. The show co-starred Zohra Lampert and John Larroquette.

7. George Peppard was married five times. In addition to Ashley, his fourth wife Sherry Boucher was an actress. He had three children, one with Ashley and two with his first wife Helen Davies. George Peppard died in 1994 at age 65 from pneumonia. A former smoker for many years, he had been battling lung cancer.

Billy Wilder's The Front Page

Walter Matthau and Jack Lemmon.

Hildy Johnson (Jack Lemmon) has decided to give up his career as the star reporter for the Chicago Examiner after proposing to the love of his life (Susan Sarandon). His publisher, Walter Burns (Walter Matthau), doesn't plan to let Hildy quit without a fight. He needs his best newspaper man to cover the hanging of Earl Williams, who has been convicted of killing a cop. Walter will do pretty much anything to retain Hildy. However, his efforts may prove unnecessary, as Hildy finds it exceedingly difficult to walk away from one last big story.

Made in 1974, The Front Page is the third film version of the 1928 Broadway play written by former journalist Ben Hecht and Charles MacArthur. It was first adapted for the screen in 1931 with Pat O'Brien as Hildy and Adolphe Menjou as Burns. Howard Hawks remade it in 1940 as His Girl Friday with Cary Grant as the editor and Rosalind Russell as his ace reporter. There have also been other versions produced for radio, television, and the screen (e.g., 1988's Switching Channels).

Lemmon as Hildy Johnson.

While it's hard to imagine Billy Wilder doing a remake, it's easy to see why the source material appealed to him: Wilder was a reporter in Berlin in the 1920s. He also thought that previous film versions of Hecht and MacArthur's play were hampered by the censors. In the book Billy Wilder: Interviews, the famous filmmaker noted: "I've yet to meet a newspaper man who said 'Oh, heck' or 'Oh, gosh.'" His screenplay, co-written with frequent collaborator I.A.L. Diamond, is peppered with profanity and restores the final famous line from the stage play.

As he did with his frantic 1961 comedy One, Two, Three, Wilder pushes the pace and stops just shy of overlapping the dialogue. It's not until the closing credits roll that one realizes that most of the action has taken place in the press room at the state penitentiary.

Matthau as Walter Burns.

Lemmon and Matthau are in fine form as the leads, but The Front Page is almost an ensemble piece. Vincent Gardenia shines as a corrupt sheriff clearly out of his depth. Charles Durning, David Wayne, and Herb Edelman sparkle as Hildy's rivals at other newspapers; Wayne is especially entertaining as a fussbudget that brings his own (pink) toilet paper to the prison. Finally, there's Austin Pendleton as Earl, the milquetoast killer who somehow manages to escape during his pre-execution psychological evaluation.

If there's a criticism to be leveled at The Front Page, it's the quality of the female roles. As Hildy's fiancée, Susan Sarandon has little to do but look flustered as Hildy constantly delays their train departure out of Chicago. Carol Burnett has a better part as a prostitute who takes pity on Earl--only to be skewered in the newspapers. The scene in which she faces her "accusers"--the cynical newspaper men in the press room--could have been powerful. However, Burnett isn't up to the task and one has to wonder why such a gifted comedienne was cast in the film's truly serious role.

The Front Page isn't top-drawer Billy Wilder, but it's still a funny, biting view of the world of journalism--and just as relevant today as it was in 1974 and in 1928. Maybe it wasn't called "fake news" back then, but the manipulation of headlines and news stories is nothing new. It's just that most of today's Hildy Johnsons and Walter Burns are on cable television instead of in the newspaper business.

Abbott & Costello Meet the Killer

The first murder victim and Lou.

Following the huge success of Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein (1948), Universal Pictures was anxious to make another horror-comedy with its top stars. The studio purchased the rights to a screenplay titled Easy Does It, which was originally intended for Bob Hope. It then cast Boris Karloff as one of the heavies and bestowed the film with the awkward title of Abbott and Costello Meet the Killer, Boris Karloff. The on-screen title, though, is just Abbott and Costello Meet the Killer, with Karloff's name listed under the title as one of the film's stars.

Karloff as a suspect.

Abbott plays Casey, the house detective at the Lost Caverns Resort Hotel. It's a pretty easy job until a famous attorney registers as a guest and winds up murdered before he can unpack. The chief suspect is Casey's bellboy pal Freddie (Costello), who lost his job because of the attorney. There are plenty of other more likely killers, to include a hypnotist (Karloff) and a femme fatale named Angela (Lenore Aubert). To make matters worse, additional hotel guests start turning up as a corpses--which keep disappearing and reappearing in the most unlikely places.

There aren't a lot of new comic routines in Abbott and Costello Meet the Killer, but that hardly matters. Lou Costello was a comedy genius in terms of his timing, facial expressions, and voices. As for Bud Abbott, he was a perfect set-up man, always willing to let Lou get the laughs. Many comedy teams have performed the "moving body" gag, but A&C do it with a precision that deserves praise. They were--and are--truly underrated as comedians. 

Lou Costello and Lenore Aubert.

The duo's best films--which include Abbott and Costello Meet the Killer--feature solid plots with a bevy of one-liners. The scene with the most zingers is the one where Angela tries to convince Freddie to sign a confession.

Freddie (to Angela): Gee, you're pretty!

Angela: I bet you say that to all the girls.

Freddie: Yes, it don't go over so well with the boys.

Later, Angela pleads with Freddie to take a sip of champagne--which may be poisoned:

Angela: Just one teeny weeny sip...for little Angela.

Freddie:  I wouldn't drink it for big Angela.

Bud and Lou play bridge with corpses.

There are fine visual gags, too, such as Casey and Freddie (dressed as a hotel maid) playing bridge with a pair of corpses as Percy Helton's character flirts with Freddie. The climax in the caverns and Freddie trapped in a steam machine also generate some laughs. 

However, there are some missed opportunities, especially with Karloff. He only has one significant scene with Costello, in which the Swami tries to hypnotize Freddie into committing suicide. In fact, Boris Karloff is in very little of Abbott and Costello Meet the Killer, which is a shame. As he proved on stage in Arsenic and Old Lace and later in films like The Raven (1963), Boris could be very amusing.

As a follow-up to Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein, A&C Meet the Killer must have seemed disappointing when first released. It still turned a nice profit at the box office, though, and paved the way for additional monsters and mystery pairings with the Invisible Man, the Mummy, and Dr. Jekyll & Mr. Hyde (with Karloff again). In hindsight, A&C Meet the Killer is a tidy, above-average comedy-mystery and easily one of Bud and Lou's best films.

Danger: Diabolik

John Phillip Law as Diabolik.

Made in 1968, Danger: Diabolik is both a psychedelic ode to the movie industry's grooviest decade and one of the first big-budget adaptations of a comic book. The title character was the subject of hundreds of popular comic books in Italy, with the first volume being published in 1962. Diabolik was not a superhero, but rather a master thief who typically stole from criminals. When working, he wore a skintight black suit that only exposed his eyes. He drove a black Jaguar, which was housed in an elaborate gadget-filled hideout. And he was assisted by his lover, the beautiful Eva Kant.

Marisa Mell as Eva Kant.

All those elements are on display in Mario Bava's movie version, which stars John Phillip Law as Diabolik. It opens with his ingenious theft of $10 million, which he accomplishes by using a fog machine and stealing the car containing the money on a dockyard pier. After Diabolik snatches an invaluable emerald necklace right out from under police protection, Inspector Ginko takes desperate measures. He applies pressure on underworld kingpin Ralph Valmont (Adolfo Celi) to broker an agreement in which the gangster will deliver Diabolik to the police. Valmont focuses on Diabolik's only weakness:  His love for Eva Kant.

Producer Dino De Laurentiis had to overcome numerous challenges to bring Diabolik to the screen. His first choice for director was Seth Holt, who made two fine suspense films for Hammer: Taste of Fear (1961) and The Nanny (1965). However, De Laurentiis did not like Holt's completed film, which starred French actor Jean Sorel as Diabolik and Gilbert Roland as the villain (he replaced an ailing George Raft). So, he fired Holt, commissioned a new screenplay, and hired Mario Bava as director. He couldn't have made a better choice.

Bava's masterful use of color is on full display in Danger: Diabolik and the supervillain's  elaborate lair inside a mountain is a visual wonder. Bava occasionally goes over the top, as exemplified by a bizarre drug-fueled sequence inside a nightclub. Still, it's a small price to pay for such visual delights as Diabolik and Eva cavorting on a bed covered with $10 million or Diabolik scaling the wall of a castle tower with suction cups.

Diabolik and Eva covered in millions!

In place of Sorel, De Laurentiis cast John Phillip Law as Diabolik. Law was considered an up-and-coming actor, having co-starred with Michael Caine and Jane Fonda in Hurry Sundown (1967). Knowing that only his eyes would be visible in many scenes, due to Diabolik's costume, he practiced conveying emotions using only his peepers. The result is one of his best performances. Personally, I found Law a bit bland in later, better-known roles in Barbarella (1968) and The Golden Voyage of Sinbad (1973). It's too bad he didn't get a chance to reprise Diabolik for a sequel or two.

Catherine Deneuve was initially cast as Eva Kant opposite Law. However, she and Bava allegedly clashed and she was replaced by Austrian actress Marisa Mell. Looking fabulous in colorful outfits, the blonde-haired Mell projects the required "cool factor"--even if Eva doesn't have much to do in the film. By default, she is the strongest female character in what comes across a chauvinistic film by contemporary standards.

Diabolik scaling the castle wall.

Danger: Diabolik was not a commercial or critical success at the time of its release. It has even been the subject of an episode of Mystery Science Theater 3000. Still, it has gained fame over the years and now holds a "fresh rating" on Rotten Tomatoes. We thought it was wacky fun, right down to the Europop theme song composed by--of all people--Ennio Morricone.

The Alternate Movie Title Game (7th Edition)

Here are the rules: We will provide an "alternate title" for a classic movie and ask you to name the actual film. Most of these are pretty easy. Please answer no more than three questions per day so others can play. You may have an answer other than the intended one--just be able to defend it!

1.  The Crooning Sister with a Habit.

2.  A Western Fairy Tale.

3.  Wonder in the Lawn.

4.  The Guy That Didn't Say Much.

5.  Paraffin Abode.

6.  Alphabet Scientist.

7.  As Planets Bump into Each Other.

8.  Ape Man and His Mrs.

9.  The Hunt Portrait.

10. Battlin' Buckboard.

11. 1.25 Months With a Lot of Hot Air.

12. The Nonexistent Male Human.

13. One Can Only Die Two Times.

14. The Giant Caterpillar That Transformed into a Moth.

15. A Story About London and Paris.

Alfred Hitchcock Presents: Season Two

Since Alfred Hitchcock Presents debuted on Peacock TV last spring, we've been working our way through the show's entire run. Last July, we reviewed the impressive first season. We recently finished the second season, which--by comparison to season one--was a disappointment. Too many episodes felt like filler material and there seemed to be a disproportionate emphasis on comedic episodes. The low point was a three-parter called "I Killed the Count," which would have been boring at a single episode--much less three! Plus, it wasted the dryly amusing John Williams (once again playing a police inspector).

Still, there were some bright spots among the 39 episodes, with the highlights being:

William Redfield as the murderer.

The Manacled - As a detective sergeant escorts a convicted killer on a train ride to San Quentin, the latter tries to negotiate his freedom. Like several episodes, this is essentially a two-character play, but it's extremely well acted by Gary Merrill as the detective and especially William Redfield as the intelligent criminal who seeks out human weaknesses. The teleplay features dialogue by the great Stirling Silliphant, with my favorite passage being when the killer explains he already knew everything about the man who would escort him:  "I thought whoever it was would be wearing a ready-made suit off of a basement rack, his heels would be run down. Be the kind of man who was living on the installment plan. Doesn't really own anything, just pieces of things. A piece of a cheap car, a piece of an ice box, a piece of a bedroom set. And all the stuff he has pieces of is already falling to pieces. But he'll keep paying on it and paying on it, month after month because that's the kind of man he is. Just a piece of a man."

One More Mile to Go - During a violent argument, a man (David Wayne) kills his wife in a rage. Instead of calling the police, he cleans up the crime scene and puts her corpse in the trunk of his car. His goal is to dump the body, but a malfunctioning tail light and a persistent highway cop cause persistent problems. Directed by Hitchcock, this tense episode opens with an mesmerizing sequence without dialogue as we view the crime through a window from outside the house. 

Jessica Tandy and Robert H. Harris

Toby - Albert Birch (Robert H. Harris) is shocked when his former flame Edwina (Jessica Tandy) contacts him out of the blue. Upon meeting again, their romance is rekindled and Edwina agrees to marry Albert. She also reveals that she has custody of her dead sister's baby, Toby. However, she refuses to let Albert--or anyone else--see Toby. The climatic twist is not unexpected, but that doesn't negate the impact of this low-key, unsettling episode. Jessica Tandy gives a haunting, disturbing performance--seven years before she appeared in a pivotal role in Alfred Hitchcock's The Birds.

Evelyn Rudie and Cedric Hardwicke.

A Man Greatly Beloved - A young girl named Hildegarde (Evelyn Rudie) befriends a grumpy recluse (Cedric Hardwicke), who may be a famous retired judge. Through his friendship with Hildegarde, the man gradually becomes an esteemed member of the community. Again, the twist is not surprising, but this episode is elevated by charming, natural performances--especially young Evelyn Rudie. The supporting cast includes Robert Culp in an early role. Based on a short story by Winnie the Pooh author A. A. Milne. Incidentally, Evelyn Rudie earned an Emmy nomination the same year for an episode of Playhouse 90. 

A Hammer Duo: Twins of Evil and Frankenstein and the Monster from Hell

Neither Collinson twin looks evil here.

In 1970, Hammer Films launched the Karnstein trilogy, which was loosely based on Sheridan Le Fanu's 1872 novella Carmilla about a female vampire. The first two movies, The Vampire Lovers (1970) and Lust for a Vampire (1971), were modestly successful efforts chiefly remembered for injecting nudity and a lesbian theme into Hammer's vampire movie formula. However, the third and final entry, Twins of Evil (1971), remains an above-average Gothic outing with good performances and a well-constructed plot.

Real-life twins Mary and Madeleine Collinson plays teenage sisters Maria and Frieda, who come to live with their Uncle Gustav (Peter Cushing) following the death of their parents. Gustav is a religious zealot whose followers burn young women suspected of being witches. Despite the presence of their kindly aunt (Kathleen Byron), Maria and Frieda have a difficult time adapting to their new almost-Puritan lifestyle.

Frieda becomes interested in Count Karnstein, who defies Gustav with his hedonistic activities. When Karnstein sells his soul for eternal life as a vampire, he finds that Frieda is most willing to join him. However, complications are bound to ensue when there are twin sisters...one good and one evil!

Peter Cushing as Gustav.

The always reliable Peter Cushing doesn't play a heroic role this time around. Gustav kills innocent women in a subplot reminiscent of the earlier Witchfinder General (1968) with Vincent Price. Ultimately, Gustav works with Maria's boyfriend Anton to stop Karnstein, but that doesn't absolve him from his earlier acts of horror. It's a complex character and Cushing is fully up to the task.

Considering that their voices were dubbed, the Collinson twins give respectable performances. Madeleine somehow manages to look evil (and for that reason, I had no problem telling the sisters apart). The sisters famously became the first Playmate twins in Playboy. Alas, Twins of Evil was the highlight of their acting career.

Director John Hough directs with a sure hand, pacing the story well and maintaining the expected Hammer atmosphere (using the same set as Vampire Circus). An added bonus is the chance to see Kathleen Byron, an under-used actress who was brilliant in Black Narcissus and Night of the Eagle.

Cushing as Victor Frankenstein.

Three years after Twins of Evil, Peter Cushing reprised his role as Dr. Victor Frankenstein for the six and last time. Frankenstein and the Monster from Hell (1974) reunited the actor with director Terence Fisher, who helmed all of Cushing's previous Frankenstein outings.

The film's opening scenes focus on handsome surgeon Simon Helder (Shane Briant), who has been studying Frankenstein's experiments. Unfortunately, his grave-robbing endeavors get him arrested and sentenced to an insane asylum for five years. The good news is that the institution's resident physician, Dr. Victor, turns out to be none other than Baron Frankenstein!

Frankenstein wants to transplant the brain of a genius into the body of an almost Neanderthal man. His work, though, has been constrained by his crippled hands. Helder eagerly agrees to perform the operation under Frankenstein's instruction. Of course, to get a genius's brain, Victor might have to resort to murder.

Prowse as the ape-like Monster.

There's not much of a plot to Frankenstein and the Monster from Hell. The brain transplant idea was explored much better in the previous--and much superior--Frankenstein Must Be Destroyed (1969). Heck, Victor was transplanting brains as far back as The Revenge of Frankenstein (1958). The only novel ideas in Monster from Hell are the fanatical Frankenstein working in an insane asylum and the almost humorous ending. The latter, by the way, may be why some critics consider this film to be a black comedy.

Cushing is the sole reason to watch Frankenstein and the Monster from Hell. Hammer apparently wanted to make Briant into a star, but he clearly lacks the charisma to anchor a film on his own. As the monster, Dave Prowse (who would later embody Darth Vader) is limited by a mask that restricts facial movement. It's easily the worst-looking monster that Hammer put on screen in its long history.

Vincent Price Returns as Dr. Phibes

Vincent Price as Dr. Phibes.

When we last saw Dr. Anton Phibes (Vincent Price), he was laying beside his dead wife in an hidden chamber, his blood being replaced with a mysterious fluid. Three years later, the blood-exchange process is reversed and Dr. Phibes--now revived--is rejoined by his faithful female assistant Vulnavia.

To their dismay, they discover their house has been demolished and a valuable papyrus has been stolen. Dr. Phibes immediately suspects Darrus Biederbeck (Robert Quarry), a scientist who knows the papyrus is part of a map that leads to the River of Life. Phibes and Vulnavia steal the ancient fragment and head to Egypt, where Phibes plans to revive his dead wife and secure eternal youth.

Valli Kemp as Vulnavia.

Bieberbeck, who has cheated death for centuries, pursues them in hope of also finding the magical river that will extend his life. Along the way, Phibes dispenses with Bieberbeck's henchmen using methods inspired by Egyptian mythology (e.g., one man is stung to death by scorpions).

If you've seen The Abominable Dr. Phibes (1971), then this 1972 sequel will hold no surprises. Both films derive their dark humor from Price's campy performance and the diabolical, often ingenious, ways that Phibes disposes of his nemeses. The 1920s setting, which added novelty to the first film, is less effective the second time around. That's largely because most of the plot takes place around an Egyptian temple (recreated cheaply on a soundstage).

Price's supporting cast is also far less impressive in the sequel. Peter Cushing and Terry-Thomas add a little spark, but their appearances amount to no more than cameos. Robert Quarry, who proved to be a menacing vampire in Count Yorga, lacks the hubris that made Joseph Cotten a worthy villain in the first Phibes picture.

American International Pictures (AIP) considered making a series of the Dr. Phibes films with colorful titles like Dr. Phibes Ressurectus, Dr. Phibes in the Holy Land, The Son of Dr. Phibes, and The Seven Fates of Dr. Phibes. One sequel would have replaced Vincent Price with David Carradine in the title role! Fortunately, none of those films were made, for although Vincent Price is a delight as the revenge-minded protagonist, two Phibes flicks are more than enough.

Robert Quarry as the villain.

Robert Quarry has said in interviews that AIP signed him to a contract to eventually become Price's successor as the studio's top horror star. Allegedly, a reporter mentioned that to Price on the set of Dr. Phibes Rises Again, thereby creating a small rift between the actors. Still, they both went on to appear in Madhouse (1974), though it was also a boxoffice disappointment.

However, in between the Phibes films and Madhouse, Vincent Price starred in one of his most entertaining movies: Theatre of Blood (1973). He portrayed a Shakespearean actor--presumed dead--who seeks revenge on the critics that vilified him.

Roald Dahl's The Witches

Anjelica Huston as the Grand High Witch.

"Real witches dress in ordinary clothes, and look very much like ordinary women. They live in ordinary houses, and they work in ordinary jobs," explains Helga to her eight-year-old grandson Luke. "Witches spend their time plotting to kill children, stalking the wretched child like a hunter stalks a bird in the forest."

It's not a pleasant bedtime narrative, but Luke doesn't seem to mind. Plus, that knowledge becomes useful when Helga and young Luke--whose parents die in a car accident--take a holiday to a seaside resort hotel. The Excelsior is also hosting a convention for The Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children. 

While playing with his pet mice, Luke learns that the society is merely a front for a large gathering of witches led by the Grand High Witch (Anjelica Huston). She has developed an elaborate plan to turn all the children of England into mice! Can Luke and his grandmother stop the witches or will he suffer the same fate as his new friend Bruno...who has already been turned into a mouse?

Luke as a mouse.

Made in 1990, The Witches is a devilishly delightful adaptation of Roald Dahl's 1983 children's novel. Dahl, who penned children's classics such as Charlie and the Chocolate Factory and Matilda, never shies away from dark, quirky plots. The film version of The Witches retains those elements. In fact, Helga relates a downright scary tale of a girl captured by a witch, who suddenly appears as part of her father's painting of a farm. One day, her image is in the barn; another day, she is feeding the chickens. The girl's image grows old over the years and disappears one day. Spooky stuff, eh?

Most of The Witches has a lighter tone, though, as Luke and Bruno spend the second half of the movie as talking mice. As opposed to using CGI characters, director Nicolas Roeg employs real mice and mice puppets created by Jim Henson. The puppets may not look realistic, but they are convincing enough and very charming.

The highlight of The Witches are the performances by the two leads, Mai Zetterling as Helga and Anjelica Huston as the Grand High Witch. The latter shines brightest in a scene in which the Grand High Witch addresses her underlings, berating them for not eliminating enough children and then inspiring them with a motivational speech about how they will transform all the English children into rodents. If you've ever listened to a keynote speaker at a convention, you will appreciate the satire and Huston's impeccable delivery of her address.

Mai Zetterling as Helga.

Mai Zetterling is equally good in her more nuanced role as the elderly Helga. Earlier in her career, Zetterling played sexy leading ladies, appeared in serious Ingmar Bergman films, and even directed movies and TV series. She earned a BAFTA nomination for her 1963 short film The War Game.

The rest of the cast of The Witches is littered with familiar faces, such as Rowan Atkinson (Mr. Bean), Bill Paterson (Comfort and Joy), Brenda Blethyn (Vera), Jane Horrocks (Little Voice), and Jim Carter (Downton Abbey).

It's hard to believe that The Witches was directed by Nicolas Roeg. Early in his career, Roeg was acclaimed for challenging dramas such as Walkabout (1971), Don't Look Now (1973), and The Man Who Fell to Earth (1976). The Witches is a definite departure, but Roeg imbues it with atmosphere, genuine warmth, and a playful sense of humor. He and screenwriter Allan Scott did change Roald Dahl's ending. The author was displeased and threatened to have his name removed from the movie. Personally, I think the film's ending is an improvement on the book.

Hammer's Frankenstein Films Ranked from Best to Worst

Peter Cushing as Dr. Frankenstein.

1. Frankenstein Must Be Destroyed (1969) - The series' fourth film finds Victor Frankenstein performing a brain transplant to "cure" a fellow scientist's insanity. No, it's not an act of compassion; Victor's sole motive is to gain his colleague's research data to further his own work. At this point in the series, Baron Victor Frankenstein has become the Monster--his obsession with creating life makes him willing to do anything. Director Terence Fisher's best set piece involves a water main that breaks in the backyard of a Victorian boarding house...where a corpse has been buried in a shallow grave. (Actress Veronica Carlson discussed this scene in our interview with her.) Cushing is superb as the now-cruel, heartless Frankenstein and gets great support from Simon Ward and Carlson as a young couple being blackmailed and Freddie Jones as the sympathetic "creature." The fiery climax would have been a fitting way to end the series. 

Susan Denberg as Christine after surgery.

2. Frankenstein Created Woman (1967) - This film marked Terence Fisher's return to the series after passing (wisely) on Evil of Frankenstein (1964). His visual style grabs the viewer with an opening scene featuring a guillotine silhouetted against a dark, rural sky. This time around, Victor is consumed with harnessing the soul after it leaves the body. However, as a character, Frankenstein takes a backseat to a story about a ill-doomed couple: Hans, a peasant lad haunted by his father's execution as a murderer, and Christine, the tavern owner's daughter who is crippled and scarred. The film's final third turns into a revenge tale, but most of Frankenstein Created Woman is both a literate, bittersweet love story and an essay about life and the soul. Veteran British actor Thorley Walters gives one of his finest performances as Frankenstein's assistant, a physician with an affection for alcoholic beverages. And James Bernard contributes one of his best Hammer scores, which includes a melancholy melody for Christine. For the record, Frankenstein Created Woman counts Martin Scorsese among its fans!

Cushing in his second appearance.

3. The Revenge of Frankenstein (1958) - The first sequel to the previous year's Curse of Frankenstein tones down Baron Frankenstein's vicious streak. In fact, Victor is relatively reserved, though obsessed with transplanting a brain into another body. He finds a willing volunteer in his lab assistant Karl, whose body is deformed. Written by Jimmy Sangster and directed by Fisher, Revenge of Frankenstein is a solid, well-crafted effort and one of Hammer's best-reviewed films. It also features the best ending of the series and establishes the brain transplant premise that is revisited later in Frankenstein Must Be Destroyed and Frankenstein and the Monster from Hell.

Peter Cushing and Christopher Lee.

4. The Curse of Frankenstein (1957) - Hammer's first Frankenstein film is a bold, colorful reworking of Mary Shelley's novel. Peter Cushing's Victor Frankenstein is an zestful intellectual burning with the desire to learn the secret of creating life. As screenwriter Jimmy Sangster's plot unfolds, it becomes apparent that Frankenstein--not his creation--has become the real monster. The emphasis on the Baron, along with Peter Cushing's compelling performance, is what will keep Hammer's Frankenstein saga going for seventeen years. Curse of Frankenstein also introduces the blueprint for the Frankenstein sequels: vivid color photography, Gothic-inspired settings, and Terence Fisher's willingness to show the gory details. The only major disappointment is Christopher Lee's creature, which is physically imposing but devoid of any emotion. Note that the gap in quality between the films we rank 1-4 is relatively small. All of them are vastly superior to 5-7.

Kiwi Kingston as the Monster.

5. The Evil of Frankenstein (1964) - After a gap of six years, the series resumed with a subpar outing in which Frankenstein finds his creature encased in ice and revives it. There is no connection to the previous films other than Peter Cushing playing the Baron. Evil of Frankenstein is more of an homage to Universal's horror films. In fact, for the first time, Hammer was allowed to employ the famous make-up design used in the Universal movies. The screenplay veers from the established formula by introducing another villain: a wicked hypnotist named Zoltan. The result is a less interesting role for  Cushing's obsessed scientist. The great cinematographer Freddie Francis takes over as director and, while Evil is visually interesting at times, Francis would fare far better with Hammer's Dracula Has Risen from the Grave (1968). Additional footage was shot in 1966 to expand the running time for American broadcast television.

Ralph Bates as a young Victor.

6. The Horror of Frankenstein (1970) - With its box office profits starting to dwindle, Hammer made the unprecedented move of allowing veteran scribe Jimmy Sanger to mess with its Frankenstein franchise. Sangster wanted to create a Victor Frankenstein for the 1970s, so he recast the title role with the younger Ralph Bates (later a villain on TV's Poldark), emphasized the sexual elements, and injected a dose of black comedy. The plot is basically a remake of Curse of Frankenstein and, while it's interesting at times, the parts never gel. David Prowse portrays the Monster, which looks like a wrestler from a Santo movie. Prowse would played the Monster again in Frankenstein and the Monster from Hell and go on to portray (but not voice) Darth Vader in the Star Wars movies.

Cushing in the role for the last time.

7. Frankenstein and the Monster from Hell (1974) - At the age of 70, director Terence Fisher returned to the Frankenstein saga one last time in what would also be his final film. Peter Cushing also returns as Baron Frankenstein, who is now the resident physician in an asylum. Once again, Victor is obsessed with a brain transplant and assisted by a young surgeon (Shane Briant), whose own experiments have gotten him sentenced to the asylum. It's a lackluster outing that verges uncomfortably on black comedy and shows how far the impressive series had fallen in the five years since Frankenstein Must Be Destroyed. The ending is amusing, though. In the U.S., it was released on a twin bill with the much superior Captain Kronos: Vampire Hunter. 

Scott Eyman Discusses His New Biography "Cary Grant: A Brilliant Disguise"

On October 20th, Simon & Schuster will publish Scott Eyman's new biography Cary Grant: A Brilliant Disguise. Eyman, a former literary critic for The Palm Beach Post, has written the bestsellers Pieces of My Heart and You Must Remember This (both with Robert Wagner) and John Wayne: The Life and Legend. He has also written biographies about about Hollywood greats such as Cecil B. DeMille, Louis B. Mayer, John Ford, Ernst Lubitsch and Henry Fonda and James Stewart. We had the opportunity to ask him some questions about his new book on the life of screen legend Cary Grant.

Café:  There have been numerous Cary Grant biographies, including ones by his daughter Jennifer Grant and ex-wife Dyan Cannon. What inspired you to write Cary Grant: A Brilliant Disguise?

Scott Eyman:  Reading his diary. He kept it for about five months in 1918, when he was 14 years old. There is no mention of his mother, one or two passing references to his father. Most of the time he’s cutting school to go to the movies or the music hall. Especially the music hall. What struck me was how self-contained he was, and how indifferent he was to any family or society expectations. He was a street kid. Later that year, he made his break by getting kicked out of school and apprenticing with a troupe of acrobats. It was going to be a performer’s life for Archie.   

Café:  You include a great quote from the actor: “I have spent the greater part of my life fluctuating between Archie Leach and Cary Grant, unsure of each, suspecting each.” Why do you think Archie Leach felt the need to “create” the Cary Grant persona that he displayed in public and in movies?

SE:  Archie was born working class and felt he had to fit into the niche of currently popular actors of the time, who ran to elegance – Noel Coward, Leslie Howard, etc. Given his looks, it was a perfectly rational decision. Also, it was a way of building a barrier between himself and his beginnings. That said, he often made a point of talking about Bristol, and occasionally worked “Archie Leach” into scripts as an in-joke. He wanted people to realize that he was in on the joke, and I think it was also his way of signaling he wasn’t a phony or hypocrite.

Café:   Do you believe that, in his later years, he became more comfortable reconciling his private and public lives? If so, what drove this change?

SE:  Very much so. It was a combination of LSD and quitting show business. LSD worked for him in a way that therapy hadn’t, enabled him to reconcile with himself. When he retired at the age of 62, he no longer had to worry about being exposed as an imposter, which I think was an ongoing cause of anxiety.

Café:  You state that Cary Grant was conservative in choosing roles, turning down challenging ones in films such as Tender Is the Night (1962) and The Cincinnati Kid (1965). What do you think would have been the impact on his career had he accepted riskier roles?

Cary Grant in None But the Lonely Heart.

SE:  He would be regarded less as a screen archetype and consum-mate comedian, more as a consummate actor. But he was psychologically conservative. Once he established a persona and discovered how the public liked to see him, he rarely (None But the Lonely Heart, Father Goose, etc.) deviated from it. That said, I don’t know that he regretted turning down the likes of A Star is Born or The Third Man. I’m inclined to doubt it. He had his reasons, and they had to do with his psychological needs.

Café:  It was interesting to learn that Grant was also involved behind the scenes in making films, suggesting a remake of the British film Mandy, sending scripts to director Leo McCarey, etc. Had his career started later, could you envision him as a star/filmmaker along the lines of Clint Eastwood or Warren Beatty?

SE:  His timing was wrong for that. There were no equivalents of those careers in that era because the system wasn’t set up to service actors who wanted control of their careers. It was a classic tradeoff: we give you all this money and in return you do what we want you to do. The system began to change in the 1950s, with people like Burt Lancaster taking almost complete control of what they did. And Grant moved into production late in that decade, but that was about keeping more money, not creative experimentation. 

Café:  What do you consider Cary Grant’s best film performances and why?

SE:  Notorious and None But the Lonely Heart, because he dares to expose his anger and general prickliness. I love To Catch a Thief as a star turn. Among the comedies, Bringing Up Baby and His Girl Friday. And despite the fact that he hated his performance, I love two-thirds of Arsenic and Old Lace if only for his energy and technique, at least until I get exhausted during the last half-hour. 

Café:  You’ve written biographies of John Wayne, James Stewart and Henry Fonda, Louis B. Mayer, Cecil DeMille, and other great actors and filmmakers. Who intrigues you as a future subject for a biography?

SE:  No comment. Lots of writers like to talk about what they’re writing, but I’m not one of them. I find it reduces my energy about a project, the build-up of internal compression I need to write a book. Suffice it to say that the next one will be about one of the major artists of the 20th century.

Cary Grant: A Brilliant Disguise (576 pages) is available for booksellers such as Amazon and Barnes & Noble.

Hammer Time: Hands of the Ripper and The Satanic Rites of Dracula

Angharad Rees as Anna.

After movies featuring mummies, vampires, Frankenstein, and generic psychos, it was inevitable that Hammer Films would get around to Jack the Ripper. However, Hands of the Ripper (1971) is a bit of a surprise: a somber, well-acted tale focusing on the famous murderer's troubled daughter.

In the prologue, a young girl watches her father--the Ripper--stab her mother to death. Years later, Anna (Angharad Rees) has grown into a young woman who works for Mrs. Golding, a fake medium. After one of her seances, Mrs. Golding accepts money from a gentleman who wants to spend the night with Anna. When Anna resists the man's advances, Mrs. Golding intercedes, but the ensuing argument triggers Anna's horrid memories of her mother's murder. She grabs a poker and kills Mrs. Golding.

Eric Porter as Dr. Pritchard.

Dr. John Pritchard (Eric Porter), who suspects that Anna is the murderer, volunteers to care for the girl. In the beginning, Pritchard's interest in Anna is purely academic, as he wants to "cure" her. But, as their relationship progresses, he develops genuine feelings for the young woman that evolve from paternal to perhaps something more. There's only one problem: Anna can no longer control her murderous impulses.

For the  lead roles, Hammer cast two fine performers: Eric Porter, who won acclaim as Soames in the television drama The Forsyte Saga, and Angharrad Rees, the Welsh actress who would charm millions of viewers in the TV version of Poldark. The duo take what could have been a lurid film and bring out the pathos in it.

Indeed, the film's first half is an engrossing Victorian drama that barely resembles a Hammer film. Alas, that gives way to a mounting number of blood-splattered corpses as the story reaches its inevitable downbeat conclusion. Still, if you can look past the violent murders, Hands of the Ripper is worthwhile viewing thanks to its strong performances and production values.

Peter Cushing as Lorrimer Van Helsing.

At the other end of the spectrum, The Satanic Rites of Dracula (1973) is an inferior effort that wastes the talents of Peter Cushing and Christopher Lee. It's a direct sequel to Dracula A.D. 1972 and continues the contemporary setting.

The opening scenes generate some interest by promising an Avengers-like plot--and even casting future New Avengers star Joanna Lumley as Van Helsing's granddaughter. However, the story falls apart when Van Helsing learns that Dracula wants to release a new super strain of the Bubonic plague on the world. Van Helsing offers an explanation of why Dracula would want to do this (no plot spoiler here!) and while it's novel, it just doesn't make sense.

A red-haired Joanna Lumley.

It's a shame that screenwriter Don Houghton didn't streamline the story and just focus on Dracula as a wealthy recluse (think Howard Hughes) who recruits influential world leaders to do his bidding in return for eternal life. That might have been a pretty good contemporary vampire film. Also, I feel obligated to mention that Satanic Rites features the most boring destruction of Dracula on celluloid!

The Satanic Rites of Dracula wasn't released in the U.S. until 1978. It was re-edited and re-titled as Count Dracula and His Vampire Bride. Fortunately, it wasn't the end of Hammer's Dracula saga. The studio produced one last film featuring the Count: the goofy--but highly entertaining--mash-up of vampires and kung fu known as The Legend of the Seven Golden Vampires (1974).