cult film freak: marilee earle

Showing posts with label marilee earle. Show all posts

Written by James M. Tate / 11/10/2022 / No comments / dana andrews , fifties , film noir or melodrama , jacques tourneur , kelly thordsen , marilee earle , mel torme , political , thriller , veda ann borg

JACQUES TOURNEUR DIRECTS DANA ANDREWS IN 'THE FEARMAKERS'

<p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5mRLhaDLJvAJ-ARhW4uiubVRSIdWp_6PWKfjO4isRX_1txDFWB22wpx8qPTvW4w328x_kzLZXNqPEm9VGDLzZJl2G_TT1GgZnsQy1wBhZCdqIy6HVBMkI_h2vWi12HgFerVDlxXOifT8vZqdQQS8QT9PZqX5BJnev0DPuCky95hdmI8YTKe0riki5oA/s320/zzz.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="292" data-original-width="320" height="292" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5mRLhaDLJvAJ-ARhW4uiubVRSIdWp_6PWKfjO4isRX_1txDFWB22wpx8qPTvW4w328x_kzLZXNqPEm9VGDLzZJl2G_TT1GgZnsQy1wBhZCdqIy6HVBMkI_h2vWi12HgFerVDlxXOifT8vZqdQQS8QT9PZqX5BJnev0DPuCky95hdmI8YTKe0riki5oA/s1600/zzz.jpeg" width="320"></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><u>Title: The Fearmakers Year: 1958 Rating: ****</u></td></tr></tbody></table><p>THE FEARMAKERS is <a href="http://www.cultfilmfreaks.com/search/label/dana%20andrews">Dana Andrews</a>' peak as a dramatic lead, and, circa 1958, is one of the last genuine (albeit disputed) Film Noirs that's more of an early Cold War Political Thriller, directed by his <a href="http://www.cultfilmfreaks.com/2018/03/CPassage.html">CANYON PASSAGE</a> and the previous years' <a href="http://www.cultfilmfreaks.com/2018/12/DemonCurse.html">CURSE OF THE DEMON </a>auteur Jacques Tourneur: a suspenseful programmer where the plot's spelled out quick, economically... </p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p>Having been a tortured POW in Communist North Korea, and suffering sporadic fainting spells, Dana's Alan Eaton returns to Washington D.C. where his business partner has died, somewhat suspiciously, and their business is taken over by some "pretty big fish with a bad smell" according to his senator friend, so Dana has to investigate, completely from the inside...</p><p></p><p>Basically providing Tourneur low budget office setting, not counting a few restaurants and a memorable B&B scene, owned by mouthy/muscular thug Kelly Thordsen<u> </u> with a sultry fatale-like wife Veda Ann Borg: And eventually everything falls into b movie place with young and naive, sympathetic love interest Marilee Earle, secretary of main boss Dick Foran, shady and sophisticated, the perfect rival to Dana's completely honest businessman, who had professionally and proficiently ran this same Statistic-Research firm that's since become a hot-bed for political corruption... </p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2DjJVfGS4Yfv-j7tyHDYh5-iKUuNtpu1Jf5BMMihQuggNNbovDDJzjt0-4cHILSwqHoDXf8EWnjcCx_o9j9g1PkADQ0m176aixjTpf8WToiAkicF_7R-L7E3EW8-CajR_0qOGaHOh5mmjRy1-g-vadtNca7a7oBgqGQqF6bw7aWwQJ1LN2dVHlfUL1w/s398/the-fearmakers-poster-bottom-from-left-mel-torme-dana-andrews-marilee-picture-id1137188281%202.jpeg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="196" data-original-width="398" height="198" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2DjJVfGS4Yfv-j7tyHDYh5-iKUuNtpu1Jf5BMMihQuggNNbovDDJzjt0-4cHILSwqHoDXf8EWnjcCx_o9j9g1PkADQ0m176aixjTpf8WToiAkicF_7R-L7E3EW8-CajR_0qOGaHOh5mmjRy1-g-vadtNca7a7oBgqGQqF6bw7aWwQJ1LN2dVHlfUL1w/w400-h198/the-fearmakers-poster-bottom-from-left-mel-torme-dana-andrews-marilee-picture-id1137188281%202.jpeg" width="400"></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br></td></tr></tbody></table><p>Which isn't entirely clear as the underlying theme is non-political, equally catered to both patriots and those fearing Washington's backroom wheeling/dealing; teased just enough for the plot-line, all part of an efficient Late Noir where Andrews, after basically skating through (while literally drinking through) two Fritz Lang media-centered Noirs, might not look so great physically... </p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p>Yet Dana's 1950's tense yet understated presence ala LAURA and FALLEN ANGEL is back in gear, tight and calculating as ever, but the real surprise is musician icon Mel Torme as the most ambiguous, perhaps even the most ambitious character: A nerdy, awkward numbers-guy doing "drone" work for the villain, he's smitten with the secretary hence extremely jealous of our hero: caught perfectly in-between as a sublime scene-stealer. </p><span></span>

dana andrews, fifties, film noir or melodrama, jacques tourneur, kelly thordsen, marilee earle, mel torme, political, thriller, veda ann borg

JACQUES TOURNEUR DIRECTS DANA ANDREWS IN 'THE FEARMAKERS'

Title: The Fearmakers Year: 1958 Rating: **** THE FEARMAKERS is Dana Andrews ' peak as a dramatic lead, and, circa 1958, is one of the l...

HAPPY BIRTHDAY FOR DANA ANDREWS AND HAPPY NEW YEAR

<p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgvFH8xaOgwDyogJaen6lelhKPof8eShLSQxphoUB-1Dgu4i6-DiYey-9_b_jgjICLffv8KoyFHOJNZlcVLoGtfe5D1dl8SN1ogX3VtrukdGR0ftlrMCHF1szQ4YFvKPQ9Gorln3B_hOWJxX931_XT2TLlq4H5WKkWX7OqcYJvLilNaU79Vfk1fYdWCPg=s2048" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="865" data-original-width="2048" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgvFH8xaOgwDyogJaen6lelhKPof8eShLSQxphoUB-1Dgu4i6-DiYey-9_b_jgjICLffv8KoyFHOJNZlcVLoGtfe5D1dl8SN1ogX3VtrukdGR0ftlrMCHF1szQ4YFvKPQ9Gorln3B_hOWJxX931_XT2TLlq4H5WKkWX7OqcYJvLilNaU79Vfk1fYdWCPg=s16000"></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><u>Dana Andrews from SPY IN YOUR EYE</u></td></tr></tbody></table><p>Birthday of <a href="http://www.cultfilmfreaks.com/search/label/dana%20andrews">DANA ANDREWS</a> as the new year begins; our personal favorite actor here, we cover just about everything Dana's ever starred or appeared in, whether from the big or small screen ranging from Westerns to War to Noir...<br></p><p>From his rudimentary secondary-leads to leading-man roles to formidable villains with that ever-deepening mellifluous voice, there's no other point for this particular entry but to say both Happy Birthday <a href="http://www.cultfilmfreaks.com/search/label/dana%20andrews">Dana Andrews </a>and Happy New Year from Cult Film Freak, to everybody. </p><p><span></span></p>

dana andrews, dianne foster, fifties, forties, holiday, marilee earle, sixties, teresa wright

HAPPY BIRTHDAY FOR DANA ANDREWS AND HAPPY NEW YEAR

Dana Andrews from SPY IN YOUR EYE Birthday of DANA ANDREWS as the new year begins; our personal favorite actor here, we cover just about ev...

STERLING HAYDEN VS NEDRICK YOUNG 'TERROR IN A TEXAS TOWN'

<p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhE7tJ7pVnL516jAhKQLRMossW-ivf0xoRUNuUHwO_nFSkXjEdiNyA90-ypnoSnNV1EwrcO_ggfeIjzrkrvdJWAEQWDitCmCzfiyv6bEE1_0DODpGeHInutG85zeDwDt9b7wOcMttI9n0cWgcn2zrJtZ1CEWq7YYRKuwVK_GuWeyFdmFlS1UcV5LBMjqw=s2048" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1268" data-original-width="2048" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhE7tJ7pVnL516jAhKQLRMossW-ivf0xoRUNuUHwO_nFSkXjEdiNyA90-ypnoSnNV1EwrcO_ggfeIjzrkrvdJWAEQWDitCmCzfiyv6bEE1_0DODpGeHInutG85zeDwDt9b7wOcMttI9n0cWgcn2zrJtZ1CEWq7YYRKuwVK_GuWeyFdmFlS1UcV5LBMjqw=s16000"></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><u>Title: TERROR IN A TEXAS TOWN Year: 1958 Rating: ****</u></td></tr></tbody></table><p>If the blacklisted Dalton Trumbo were a more violently-inclined exploitative screenwriter, the harpoon carried around by Swedish whaler turned would-be rancher Sterling Hayden (using a terrible accent made up for by his usual strong presence) would have the opportunity to slay a gaggle of bad guys... </p><p></p><p>But it only takes one baddie... or two, actually... the brains and brawn in land baron Sebastian Cabot... with sexy secretary Marilee Earle the same year she'd play another villain's secretary in THE FEARMAKERS... and black-clothes-clad gunman Nedrick Young with his own heart-of-gold lush Carol Kelly... </p><p><span></span></p>

carol kelly, dalton trumbo, fifties, marilee earle, melodrama, nedrick young, sebastian cabot, staring hayden, western

STERLING HAYDEN VS NEDRICK YOUNG 'TERROR IN A TEXAS TOWN'

Title: TERROR IN A TEXAS TOWN Year: 1958 Rating: **** If the blacklisted Dalton Trumbo were a more violently-inclined exploitative screenwri...

MARILEE EARLE IN 'STREET OF SINNERS' W/ GEORGE MONTGOMERY

clifford david, crime, diana millay, drama, exploitation, fifties, george montgomery, geraldine brooks, jazz score, marilee earle, melodrama, mob, nehemiah persoff

MARILEE EARLE IN 'STREET OF SINNERS' W/ GEORGE MONTGOMERY

Marilee Earle and George Montgomery in Street of Sinners Year: 1957 With Dana Andrews as Cult Film Freak's all-time favorite actor, ...

JACQUES TOURNEUR'S 'THE FEARMAKERS' WITH DANA ANDREWS

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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><u>Year Released: 1958 </u></td></tr>
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Of the three motion pictures actor Dana Andrews starred in under the direction of Noir-Horror guru Jacques Tourneur, we'll cover two, made a year apart: CURSE OF THE DEMON and THE FEARMAKERS...<br>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><u>Dana Andrews w/ Marilee Earle & Dick Foran's shadow</u></td></tr>
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Very rare a film go after the "Peace at any price" groups even and the 1950's when <i>not a</i> sci-fi flick played out without a hidden or not so subtle message against nuclear weapons — and FEARMAKERS is a reverse sermon in a vacuum, and it's not a "Red Scare" film, which would center on Americans fearing Americans but instead, having been captured and tortured by actual Communists in their country, fear is real, palpable, and has merit: Herein beginning with a low-budget, rushed version of patriotism about as obvious as Michael Rennie leaving Earth following his Martian State of the Union Address...<br>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><u>Dana Andrews gives to faint spells no thanks to Korea</u></td></tr>
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But enough of all that... FEAR is no space movie or the usual Noir despite one of that genre's signature leading men from <a href="http://www.cultfilmfreaks.com/search/label/dana%20andrews">LAURA, FALLEN ANGEL, BOOMERANG, DAISY KENYON, WHERE THE SIDEWALK ENDS</a>, and especially OUT OF THE PAST director Jacques Tourneur, who Andrews requested after the surprise success and worthy turnout of their first collaboration (reviewed below) the year before, CURSE OF THE DEMON...<br>
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Our heroic when tortured after being captured in Korea war-vet Andrews has a horrible fake-looking beard in the prologue — and thereafter flashbacks — and it's nice to see him all cleaned up and suited, back home, processed by the Army as sane (despite reoccurring dizzy spells), ready to dive back into work — his own business: A somewhat complicated operation that has a big surprise waiting, and it's no party...<br>