GOJIRA 1954 (CLASSIC MEDIA)

I can't believe I have never talked about this movie!!

There shouldn't be anyone reading this who hasn't seen it. This is, of course, the Japanese version of "Godzilla" and up until a few years ago all anyone ever got to see was the Americanized version starring Raymond Burr.

I know this is available from Criterion, but I have never bought that version. I still have my version from Classic Media, and am very pleased with it.

A giant prehistoric monster that spews radioactive breath unleashes it's fury on Tokyo. That is the story in a nutshell, but this is a much darker story than the US cut.

There are scenes of children and women being killed that were cut out of the US print as well as the story behind Emiko (Momoko Kochi) and Professor Serizawa (Akihiko Hirata) is much more fleshed out.

As everyone knows, this film was a huge success and has since spawned about 30 sequels over the years. Almost as many as the Django series of westerns.

The effects are very well done for the time, and Toho had made some great horror movies and dramas before this came out, but after the release the rest was history.

Godzilla is easily the most mentioned monster on my blog over the last 9 years and as I said at the beginning...I can't believe I have never mentioned this film. That problem is rectified as of now.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO...

Daniela Bianchi is 77.

RIP DICK MILLER 1928-2019

I was hoping I'd never have to write this.

Great character actor and long time Roger Corman alumni Dick Miller has passed on.

Miller is someone I grew up with watching him in hundreds of TV shows and movies. I was first introduced to Miller in the movie "It Conquered The World" and enjoyed him in everything he was in.

Miller appeared in over 100 movies and I have no idea how many TV shows. Everyone who reads this knows him from such films as "The Undead", "Not Of This Earth", "War Of The Satellites" and of course, his signature role of Walter Paisley in the classic "Bucket Of Blood".

He used the Paisley moniker in many films after that in films like "The Howling" from 1981. His film career began in 1955 in the Roger Corman production entitled "Apache Woman".

Dick Miller was a huge part of my formative years as he was always a favorite to see and a very welcome face. He had just celebrated his 90th birthday this past Christmas.

Miller has legions of fans all over the world and he will be missed by all of us. Godspeed Mr. Miller. A huge loss for the entire generation of monster kids.

RIP LOUISA MORITZ 1946-2019

The blonde bombshell has passed away.

Moritz started her career in TV commercials and eventually appeared on such TV shows as "The Leslie Uggams Show" and "Happy Days" before moving into the movie world.

In 1975 she made "Deathrace 2000" starring as Myra, the navigator for Machine Gun Joe Viterbo played by Sylvester Stallone. That same year she also starred in "One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest".

Other films she appeared in include "Cannonball", "Foreplay", "Up In Smoke". Besides "Deathrace 2000" she made a few other genre films such as "New Years Evil", "Chained Heat" and "Jungle Warriors".

Louisa was born in Havana, Cuba in 1946 and made quite a name for herself amongst us movie going fans of the 70's and 80's. She died on Jan. 29th in Los Angeles of natural causes. She was 72.

CONDEMNED TO LIVE 1935 (SINISTER CINEMA)

Interesting early horror from Invincible Pictures.

Frank Strayer directed this forgotten horror starring Ralph Morgan as a doctor in small town that has been besieged by nightly murders many people believe are being committed by a monster bat.

Morgan's character of Prof. Paul Kristan is in love with a beautiful young woman named Marguerite (Maxine Doyle) and they plan to marry.

However a doctor named Anders Bizet (Pedro de Cordoba) arrives and Kristan considers him his best friend. Kristen talks to Bizet about some spells he has been having where he blacks out and loses his memory.

Bizet tells him the story of how his mother was bitten by a huge bat in a cave just a few minutes before he was born and how he has inherited a bizarre malady that changes him into a blood drinking madman.

This is a great little film that handles a topic many films of the time never did which makes it totally different. Morgan is great in the title role and Mischa Auer is just as compelling as his hunchback assistant, Zan.

It's sad that this film isn't better known as I feel it can rank right up there with the biggest horror films of the 30's on nothing but originality.

If you ever get the chance, check this little film out, you might like it. I know I did.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO...

Katharine Ross is 79, Tom Selleck is 74, and Marc Singer is 71.

ARGOMAN...THE FANTASTIC SUPERMAN 1967 (DORADO)

Wow, what a film!

This is also known as "The Incredible Paris Incident", but I like the original title much better.

Made during the "Batman" craze of the 60's, this film fits right in. Roger Browne is Sir Reginald Hoover who also dons a yellow spandex suit and a mask to become Argoman. He has incredible powers and can use his mind to make people obey his will as well as make objects move on their own.

Argoman finds himself pitted against a beautiful woman named Regina Sullivan aka Jenabell (gorgeous Dominique Boschero) who wants to be "Queen Of The World" by taking it over.

This film is as cool as "Superargo", "Judex" and "Diabolik". All of these films feature a superhero trying to save the world while living in houses that contain everything a person could want and being surrounded by beautiful women.

The action isn't as quick as the above mentioned films, but it does have it's share of fantastic fights, car chases and gunplay. Again, this is a film that is nothing but fun and better than anything turned out in recent years by Marvel.

The print is a beautiful one in widescreen and dubbed in English. If you so desire, check it out. You won't be disappointed.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO...

Barbi Benton is 69, and Jack Hill is 86.

THE DEATHLESS DEVIL 1967 (SINISTER CINEMA)

One hell of a wild Turkish sci-fi/action film.

Sinister has this listed as "The Daring Devil" but it is indeed the Deathless Devil, which is a Turkish remake of the 1940's serial "Mysterious Dr. Satan".

A young man discovers that he was actually adopted and his real father was a superhero called "The Copperhead" who fought crime not with guns, but with his fists and wits.

Thus sets the stage for 80 plus minutes of nonstop action as an evil man known as Dr. Satan attempts to steal a secret formula a scientist has developed.

There is plenty of fisticuffs, gun fights, speeding chases and beautiful women to keep any viewer happy. The young man dons the Copperhead mask and costume and pursues Dr. Satan and his henchmen where ever they appear, they even use some footage from the original serial in this film as well as music from the "Pink Panther" and the 1972 pop hit "Popcorn"!!

Doctor Satan reminds me of Fu Manchu and you simply gotta love his giant clunky robot!! How I wish they made movies like this today. Just entertainment....nothing more.

The film, needless to say, moves quickly and it isn't too bad of a print considering. It is subtitled in English. The cast includes Kunt Tulgar as Tekin/Copperhead, Mine Mutlu as the beautiful Sevgi, Erol Tas as Dr. Satan and the gorgeous Tijen Doray as Ayla.

If you want to see something wild and bizarre, check this one out.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO...

Bridget Fonda is 55.

GIRL ON A CHAIN GANG 1966 (SINISTER CINEMA)

A great and little known exploitation film I hadn't seen in years.

I had forgotten about this little gem which I hadn't seen since the old VHS tape trading days of the 80's.

Three young people, Ted Branch (Ron Segal), Audie (an uncredited actor whose name can be found nowhere) and Jean Rollins (Julie Ange) are traveling thru a small southern town when they are arrested by drunken deputies for speeding.

They are taken to see the sheriff named Sonny Lew (William Watters). The three are further abused by the sheriff who punches and slaps them around and then shakes them down to the tune of 150.00 in fines. He lets them go, but has his two drunken deputies follow them.

These three prove to be not so smart as they stop in a bar for a drink and are soon arrested again on morals charges. All are arrested again and thrown in jail. The Sheriff beats up Audie simply because he's black and then tries to get a young woman whio is half black to seduce him into signing a confession.

Nothing works so the sheriff leaves a trap that Ted and Audie fall for and are killed. He then rapes Jean and has the trial set for the next morning. Jean in convicted and sentenced to 90 days at a prison farm run by a fat, white slave owner who controls a chain gang made up of only black men.

Jean finally manages to escape with the help of a man named Tom who is chained to her. The end comes swiftly to Sheriff Sonny and his crew.

This is a very bizarre film which would make a great companion piece to "Poor Pretty Eddie". Never have I watched a court scene in a film and been so entertained and shocked in my life. This scene alone is worth the price of the disc. The "Judge" is a hoot. The kangaroo style court is made up of nothing but white trash and relatives of the Sheriff. Jean's attorney never says a word in her defense and the jury is made up of one man and two empty chairs!!

Julie Ange is a very, very beautiful woman and Arlene Farber as Nellie is also a standout. They just don't make women like these two anymore. If you get a chance to see this film, please do. You won't soon forget it.

Order In The Court!!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO...

Kathryn Leigh Scott is 76,and Sasha Banks is 27.

THE UNKNOWN MAN OF SHANDIGOR 1967 (SINISTER CINEMA)

One of the oddest films I have seen in a while.

This French oddity is not for everyone and after watching it, I am still not sure what I saw.

Daniel Emilfork stars as Herbert Von Krantz, a scientist who has invented a device that will neutralize and form of atomic bomb. Of course this doesn't sit well with other governments, especially after the scientist locks himself away from the world along with his daughter and assistant.

His daughter Sylvaine (Marie-France Boyer) is kidnapped by a group of spies called "The Bald Heads", questioned and then released. Yvan (Marcel Imhoff) is kidnapped and eventually killed by the Russians.

The movie is in black and white and shot with a lot of odd angles like it was trying to be an art film mixed with some sci-fi, horror and spy film elements thrown in.

The ending has everyone failing to get the blueprints to the invention after it has been destroyed. I hope my explanation of this film is ok, because it really is bizarre. I was surprised to see Howard Vernon in this film. His role of an assassin is one of the best parts of the film.

I liked the film, but probably not as much as I thought I would. If you want to see something different try it. The print is a beautiful one and subtitled in English.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO...

Michelle McCool is 39.

RAMBLINGS...

Ahh the good old days...

Almost 10 years ago when I started this blog, my first three posts were dedicated to the last film I ever directed called "Tales Of The Damned". I was talking to someone the other day and we started reminiscing about childhood, and the topic of film was, of course, brought up/

I was asked by him if I was ever going to market my films. I told him I had, but he was talking about my Super 8 film wonders from the late 70's. I haven't ever mentioned those films on this blog, but because this has come as a rush of nostalgia for me at this point I am going to open this door and let those memories out.

Since 1964 I have been obsessed with monster movies and when I was growing up there were a lot of films on TV and as anyone who reads this knows, I was influenced for my entire life so far by these films.

When I was working for United Artists in 1978/79 I bought a Super 8 movie camera, and while working on a soon to be 40 million dollar epic called "Heaven's Gate" I was working with friends on the set and writing scripts for horror movies.

The first of these came in the summer of 1978 called "The Unknown World". This film centered around a scientist who is suddenly transported to another dimension on a planet just like Earth, but this time all of his friends are his mortal enemies and want his dead. This was a 2 week wonder that cost about $500.

The next epic was entitled "Blood" and was about a homicidal killer and a living corpse. I shot this in 3 days using both color and black and white film. This was also 1978. When I got the film back from developing I edited this is one day.

By this time I was working about 17 hours per day 6 days a week with UA, but on my day off, which was Sunday, I continued to churn out movies. My next film was a 2 day wonder called "Parallel Universe" which was followed by a quickie sequel also shot in 1 day called "Parallel Universe 2". Both sci-fi extravaganza's featured alien beings who turn people into fire.

Both the previous films I mentioned were also done in 1978, and as we moved into 1979 I was getting busier working on films as my transition from UA to other studios was coming up soon. I made three films however and all were rip offs of one of my favorite films, "The Blob".

"The Intruders" featured a green alien slime monster that devoured everyone in sight. It was shot in 2 days using only $300. Suddenly the job with UA ended and I moved to another small town in Montana, but that didn't stop the movie making I wanted to do.

Within a few days I wrote the script for "The Intruders 2" which again followed the same plot as the earlier film, and finally "The Intruders 3" which finally ended the alien terror. These were all done frantically and quickly, but I learned a hell of a lot.

Working with film taught me to edit, compose music and add music tracks when appropriate. I fell in love with editing during this stage in my life and I find it sad that this is a lost art.

I stopped making my own little epic when I finally got too busy working with Turner Productions, but in the mid 90's I started again with the new medium of video, and that you know about.

The films I made back in the wonderful late 70's will always be special to me. It was a world free of insane liberals and PC junk. Anything went and kids were encouraged to be creative, now such creativity is all but banned.

Anyway, it was a good time to be growing up as a monster obsessed kid and I have been asked a few times if I ever plan on releasing any of these Super 8 wonders to DVD or Blu-ray. Well that is a good question. Someday I might if there is enough interest.

Back in these wonderful times you really had to use anything you could as a prop, and that is where the imagination came into play. We had to use a lot of ingenuity but it worked. I see kids today that have zero imagination and creativity and it seems all they will become is gamers or politicians.

I thank God that I was able to grow up and prosper in a time when I had the freedom to make the kinds of little films I wanted to make, and I managed to forge a LOT of friendships from those films. Some of the people who acted in them are still around and when I mention these films to them I get a wry smile and then we start laughing and going back thru the years.

Yes, film making back in the late 70's was MUCH different than today, even for Super 8 films. All gone today, but alive in my mind and on DVD.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO...

Nastassja Kinski is 58.

RIP ROXANNE BIGGERSTAFF 1978-2019

Belladonna has passed away.

Roxanne Biggerstaff aka "Belladonna" from the early days of TNA-NWA wrestling has died.

She worked as the valet for "Disciples Of The New Church" which was a group of heels in the business for a few years in the early 2000's.

Roxanne was found unresponsive in her home by EMT's who got her heart beating again, but she was taken off of life support after it was discovered that her brain had been without oxygen for too long.

As of this writing the cause of death has not been determined, but she wil be missed by friends and family and by people in the wrestling business as well as fans who knew her.

She was 40 years young. Way to early to go.

SATAN'S SLAVE 1976 (SCORPION)

A classic of twisted British horror.

Beautiful Candace Glendenning stars as Catherine Yorke, a young woman who is involved in a bizarre car crash while travelling with her parents to her uncle's house.

Her parents are killed and she is forced to stay with her Uncle Alexander (Michael Gough). Alexander has a very odd and bizarre son named Stephen (Martin Potter) who likes to tie women up and have his way with them.

Also in the house is Alexander's secretary Frances (Barbara Kellerman) who appears to be somewhat of a nymphomaniac having an affair with Stephen. Of course, Stephen sets his sights on Catherine.

It becomes clear later on after a string of strange incidents that Catherine is going to be used as a sacrifce to Satan on her 20th birthday, which is just a couple of days away.

There are some mighty bizarre set pieces to this film and some absolutely head spinning plot twists, but that to me is what makes this film so much fun. The film is presented uncut and in widescreen for the first time ever and includes the scissors scene that was cut from both the US and British prints. A watch out for the nail file scene!!! Once seen, not forgotten.

The film is hosted by the beautiful Katarina Leigh Waters who gives us a ton of trivia about the film and the people who made it. As I have said before, I love everything Katarina does. The disc also contain a Making Of documentary and Norman Warren's first short film entitled "Fragment".

This was director Norman J. Warren's first foray into the horror genre and I believe he hit a home run. This has been available before from Mill Creek in an edited version, which I reviewed a few years ago, but now this is the definitive version. RECOMMENDED!!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO...

Mariska Hargitay is 55, Gil Gerard is 76, and Reg Lewis 83.

DEATH BY INVITATION 1971 (SINISTER CINEMA)

This is really an odd one.

This is the most Andy Milligan-ish film I have seen that wasn't made by Milligan.

Character actress Shelby Leverington got her career started in this obscure thriller shot on Long Island. Her character is Lise, a young woman who comes seeking revenge on those who killed her ancestor for being a witch.

Her revenge is bloody and bizarre, but there are so many things wrong with this movie. I understand that they were working on a very limited budget and for that I will always forgive them.

The bad thing for a film like this is that nothing really happens and the movie flatlines within 30 minutes. With Andy Milligan films the viewer at least gets to see gore and the plots are for the most part coherent (did I really say that?) but this one is way off.

Leverington plays her part well and does have some seductive sexiness about her, but the film really doesn't play on that either. Denver John Collins is Roger Vroot, a member of the family that had her ancestor killed. Lise seduces him with a very long monologue about an ancient race of women that really has nothing to do with the plot of the film, or maybe it does but wasn't explained.

Yes, it's a confusing effort and not very interesting for the reasons I mentioned above.

The climax is poorly delivered and again I believe this is due to budgetary restraints. If you wanna see it, it is available.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO...

Linda Blair is 60.

DEATH HAUNTS MONICA 1975 (SINISTER CINEMA)

An excellent giallo.

Jean Sorel stars as a man named Federico who runs a successful real estate company. His marriage to Monica (played by the gorgeous Nadiuska) is on the rocks.

Soon Monica learns from a friend that her husband is having an affair with a lovely model named Eva (Barbara Rey). Monica confronts Eva but still decides to leave the marriage and take part of the business with her.

While all this is going on Federico receives a visit from a former business partner named Diego (Damian Velasco) who intends to blackmail Federico about things from his past.

As the movie progresses we find that nobody is to be trusted including best friends. While Federico tries to patch up his marriage he is called to Barcelona for an emergency business meeting.

While he is gone and Monica waits for him at their home all hell breaks loose and the body count piles up. But who is trying to kill Monica and why? This giallo throws more curve balls at the audience than you'd see in any baseball game and the conclusion is a solid shocker.

Ramon Fernandez directed this finely crafted Spanish thriller that really holds the attention and keeps you guessing. There is ample nudity of the female leads which us always a plus, especially in Euro films.

The print from Sinister is widescreen and subtitled in English. The rest of the cast includes Arturo Fernandez, Karin Schubert, Yolanda Rios and Yelena Samarina. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!!

RAMBLINGS...OR MAYBE RANTING...

You know, I don't talk about football much on this blog anymore, but some things just have to be said.

Nine years ago I made it very clear I love the city of New Orleans, the Superdome and the Saints. If you don't like football that's fine, you'll not even understand why I am writing this.

Yesterday the Saints played the Rams in an NFC title game to see who'd go to the Superbowl and low and behold the Los Angeles Rams won the game, with a LOT of help from crooked officials.

Even the league has admitted that they blew the call and cost the Saints the game. What they don't tell you is that is was a blatant attempt to get the Rams in the Superbowl to sell box seats at their new multi million dollar stadium they built at taxpayer expense. And the owner married into the Walmart clan, so they needed this win for more money.

Everyone reading this probably has a job of some kind, and if you or I made this kind of idiotic blunder we would be fired. It seems in every walk of life anymore I see incredible stupidity and errors made by people who should know better and there are NO consequences...kind of like crime.

Yes, football is JUST a game, but I hate to see everything tarnished by cheating and corruption. End of RANT.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO...

Maryse Mizanin is 36, Audrey Dalton is 85 and Billy Ocean is 69.

SHIKARI 1963 (SINISTER CINEMA)

Well what can I say about this? A lot actually.

This is an Indian version of King Kong believe it or not. After a few song and dance numbers at the beginning of the movie, a crew of circus people and adventurers set sail for an island where they all believe a giant gorilla lives.

They go thru the usual routines of all these kinds of films including hazardous jungles, dangerous volcanoes and some poisonous serpents. Along the way we are entertained by some interesting singing and dancing, which always amuses me, but I have to admit I actually liked a few of the tunes.

One of the members of the expedition is named Jagdish (Madan Puri) and he wants to bring back the gorilla at all costs, including murder. During the course of the film it changes courses several times.

We are even introduced to a character named Dr. Cyclops (K. N. Singh) who is conducting bizarre experiments on people and animals in a secret cave. We learn that he is also responsible for the giant ape.

The effects are not too good, but that doesn't matter too much. We have a man in a moth eaten gorilla suit, strange serpent monsters living in a cave and a giant lizard monster as well.

The running time is listed at 139 minutes but the print I have from Sinister runs 133. This I believe is due to a jump cut after Jagdish murders a companion and then the film jumps to the explorers discovering Dr. Cyclops. Why there is such a jump cut I don't know, but it is startling.

However, I am not tearing this film apart. I went into this thinking I would just hate it, but was I wrong. Yes the comedy is strained and the film is too long, but there is something compelling in watching a film from another country that is so different from ours.

This is only the third film I have ever seen from India and I have found them all entertaining. These can only be enjoyed if you can let go of all the preconceived notions we hold about other cultures. The print is subtitled and as I said, there are a couple of musical numbers I really liked.

I can't recommend this for everyone, of course, but if you're so inclined check it out.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO...

Stacey Dash is 52, and Jack Grinnage is 88.

STOP TRAIN 349 1964 (SINISTER CINEMA)

Excellent Cold War thriller.

During the Cold War a military train carrying passengers from West Berlin thru East Berlin is boarded by an East German refugee hoping to fund freedom.

Russian and German authorities demand that the train be stopped and the refugee handed over to them. This creates a lot of tension and problems for both passengers and the armies of several countries.

Jose Ferrer stars as Cowan, a reporter on the train who is very willing to get the story of the refugee out once he is discovered. A French nurse named Kathy helps the man named Banner hide on the train while everyone else wonders what to do.

Sean Flynn is Lt. Novak, a young officer who is torn between his own superiors and the communists. Hans-Joachim Schmiedel handles the role of refugee Banner very well. His desperation to be free is very realistic and frantic.

The film basically takes place on board the train as well as the Russian train station where locomotive has been stopped. This is a very tight little film that plays very well and moves along quickly.

Again for some reason, this film isn't very well known and it really should be. The film points out how politics and foolish thinking can destroy lives and families. The ending is downbeat and depressing as are most things associated with politics.

I really recommend this film and hope that someone who reads this orders it from Sinister as they seem to be the only company selling it at this point. Check it out. You will not be disappointed.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO...

Tippi Hedren is 89, Shelley Fabares is 75, Linda Hayden is 66, and John Richardson is 85.

RIP PAUL WYNTER 1935-2019

The famous bodybuilder and actor has passed away.

Wynter won the Mr. Universe title in 1960 and 1966 as well has having a career in many Italian films.

His two most well known films among genre fans are "Atlas In The Land Of The Cyclops" and "Mole Men Against The Son Of Hercules. The latter has always been a favorite of mine.

He was born in Antigua and was living in the UK when he passed away. He died on January 14th at the age of 83.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO...

Ted DiBiase is 65, and Cheryl Waters is 72.

TRILOGY OF TERROR 2 1996 (CBS)

One of my favorite films that I have reviewed here before.

I have owned a bootleg I made from an old VHS tape for years and was unaware that this film had been released to disc from CBS. It has been out for a couple of years and it flew right under my radar.

One of the last films from Dan Curtis and it ranks right up there with all of his other masterworks. As in the first film there are three tales of terror.

All three star Lysette Anthony and she does an excellent job. In the first tale entitled "The Graveyard Rats" a young wife of a cruel business executive plots his murder with her lover.

After the murder and funeral the young lovers discover that a watch buried with the body contains microfilm with codes to many swiss bank accounts containing millions of dollars.

They go back to the cemetery to dig the body up. When they arrive they find the caretaker already digging up the body. They kill him and get an even bigger surprise when they find the watch.

This tale is full of twists and turns and some damn good and scary moments.

The second tale is called "Bobby". A woman uses black magic to call her dead son back and try to mend ways, but she gets way more than she bargained for when she discovers that it isn't Bobby who comes back. A very well made tale that Curtis also did for his 1977 anthology film "Dead Of Night".

The final tale is "He Who Kills" and it picks up right where the 1975 tale about the living Zuni Fetish Doll left off. This time the doll is taken to an Anthropologist by the police to discover what it may have to do with the case. It comes back to life and murder and horror ensue. Easily the best story in the film.

I can't say enough good things about this film. It's a masterpiece and any horror fan should check this out. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO...

Cristina Galbo is 69.

COMING ATTRACTIONS...

More strange and interesting stuff coming to Blu-ray.

On February 19th, Severin will be releasing the Ed Adlum gem entitled "Invasion Of The Blood Farmers". This is a stunning 4K transfer from a beautiful master print.

There will be interviews with the director, some of the actors and others included in this pretty nifty package. Pretty cool stuff. "You won't believe what's happening!!!!!!!"

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO...

John Carpenter is 71, Caroline Munro is 70, Sade is 60, and Marilu Tolo is 75.

A FACE IN THE RAIN 1961 (SINISTER CINEMA)

A very rare and interesting WW2 drama.

Irving Kershner directed this tight little independent film starring Rory Calhoun as Rand, a spy working for the US during the second world war. The mission that he was on has failed.

Rand now finds he has to hide from the Nazi's and he does so in an apartment whose tenant is a lovely woman named Anna and her son. Rand hides in the attic as the Nazi soldiers storm the apartment but find nothing.

It turns out Anna is the mistress to a Nazi named Klaus ( Niall MacGinnis) and this makes hiding and escaping even more difficult for Rand. Anna is being blackmailed by Klaus as the German's have captured her husband and only Klaus stands between life and death for the man.

As things pile up Anna begins to turn on Klaus and Rand makes his very dangerous escape with the help of Anna's son.

The movie is told in flashback as Rand sits on a beach writing a letter to Anna and wondering why he hasn't heard from her since the war ended. The ending of the movie is shocking and very depressing as first, we never know what happens to her son, but we see Anna killed by Klaus in a shocking fade out to the end credits.

The plot is simple, but the story itself is damned good and I can't for the life of me figure out why this film isn't better known. All of the actors do their roles very well and the films moves along at a good clip.

Not really a "war" film, but a damn good drama nonetheless. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!!