Steven Helmer Publications

Synopsis: Small-town accountant Frank Bigelow takes a vacation in San Francisco and after a night of partying with other hotel guests, wakes up feeling sick. He learns he has been intentionally poisoned with an incurable luminous toxin and will die. Ignoring advice to check into a hospital, Bigelow goes in search of the person who murdered him. Who's in it? The movie stars Edmond O'Brien , Pamela Britton, Luther Adler, William Ching and Lynn Baggett. Review: I have quite a few movies in my library I intend to watch but while trying to pick one last night, I ended up coming across D. O. A.  It looked interesting and I'm always a fan of a good mystery, so I decided to give it a try this morning. While not quite what I was expecting, it was still a decent film. The thing that made this movie interesting is Bigelow (O'Brien) was just an ordinary guy. Sure, he was a bit of a womanizer who, at least at the beginning, was leading his personal secretary, Paula (Britton) on, ...

We are under a heat advisory today so, even though I did decide to brave it and take a walk at lunch, I didn't walk as far or as long as I usually do. This was both to avoid any heat-related health issues and because my camera lens kept steaming up from the humidity, making my photos either darker than normal or look like they were taken on a foggy day. Here are the photos I was able to take and (reasonably) salvage: ___________________________________________________________________________ Here are some previous nature photos: Morning Walk Photos (6/22/2026) Lunchtime Walk Photos (6/23/2026) Front Yard Bird Photos Family Walk Photos 8/8/2017

Synopsis: Madeleine Damien is a beautiful and successful art editor who is sought after by many men and has had multiple lovers, including jeweler Felix Courtland, one of her magazine's biggest advertisers. When she learns she has become the subject of rumors and mockery at the magazine, Madeleine quits her job and, at the advice of her psychiatrist, relocates under an assumed name and tries to make a living as an artist.  She meets and falls in love with one of her neighbors, Dr. David Cousins but is reluctant to marry him because he doesn't know the truth about her or even her real name. Things become even more complicated when Courtland finds her and she is later falsely accused of the jeweler's murder, making her past public knowledge, jeopardizing her relationship with Cousins and, because she feels defeated and unwilling to mount a defense, risking a murder conviction. Who's in it? The movie stars Hedy Lamarr , Dennis O'Keefe , John Loder, William Lundigan ,...

Synopsis: After his brother dies from a gold addiction, Jack Spade is determined to stop the man responsible, Mr. Big. Unable to do it alone, he enlists help from a former crime fighter, John Slade, and his friends to take down Big's gold distribution. Things take a sinister turn, however, when Spade's sister-in-law and former girlfriend is taken hostage by Big's gang. Who's in it? The movie stars Keenan Ivory Wayans, Damon Wayans , Kim Wayans, Bernie Casey, Isaac Hayes and Jim Brown . Review: I took a night off from watching my daughter's community theater musical (my wife went with one of her friends so there was still someone in the audience). While at home in a quiet house, I decided to put on a movie and, because I noticed it was available, that ended up being I'm Gonna Git You Sucka.  I had seen this movie, which is a spoof of 70s exploitation films, before. However, it had been a long while and because of that, I wasn't sure if it would turn out t...

Synopsis: Hundreds of years after nuclear war, Colorado is now a matriarchal society ruled by female tribes, known as Frau, who kill and enslave the men. Two escapees, Korvis and Gruss form their own all-male tribe, educating and civilizing themselves with the help of children's books and fighting the women to free others. When the Frau gain a new Tiara (queen), Vena, Korvis attempts to use the Frau legend of the "Prezeedent" to get her alone and negotiate peace. However, Reya's second in command, Lakella, influenced by the leader of another tribe, decides to wipe out the men once and for all. Who's in it? The movie stars Chuck Wagner, Laurene Landon , William Wallace, Sue Giosa and Victoria Barrett. Review: I attended another one of my daughter's community theater performances last night and didn't have an opportunity to pick out this morning's movie in advance as a result of that. So, I pretty much went with the first film in my library that caugh...

I managed to get a walk in at lunch today, despite knowing the rain we had yesterday would make the trails muddy. As it turned out, they weren't as bad as expected but the parks department was out there mowing so there weren't as many photo opportunities as I would have preferred. I did, however, come across this robin hanging out in a puddle and snapped its photo. ________________________________________________________________________ Here are some of my other bird photos: Just a Random Bird Feeder Photo Front Yard Bird Photos Green Heron Photo Bird Feeder Photos 3/10/2018

Synopsis: Once again feeling the gloom that comes from investigating divorce cases, the only thing keeping Agatha Raisin going is her plans to once again attempt to have a perfect Christmas dinner party even though the holiday is still months away. When a wealthy widow, Phyllis Tamworthy, wants to hire Agatha because she believes her family will murder her, the detective, believing her would-be client might be insane, is reluctant to accept. However, when Phyllis is murdered while Agatha is in her manor, she decides to investigate and gets help from her newest employee, Toni. She soon learns just about everyone who knew Phyllis had motive to kill her. Review: I wasn't sure if I wanted to check out Kissing Christmas Goodbye from the library because it is only June and I'm just not ready to even start thinking about the Christmas holiday yet. However, I was concerned later books in the series would reference this one, leading to confusion or spoilers, so decided to read it aft...

Synopsis: After working 40 years in the oil business and digging wells for others, Dan O'Reilly has gone into business for himself and with help from a new investor, Hank, is close to striking oil and ensuring his teenage son, Clifford's, future. However, the oil tycoon he leases the land from, J. C. Anderson is determined to stop the digging long enough for O'Reilly's lease to run out so he can reclaim the property, including an act of sabotage that takes O'Reilly's life and leaves the well to Clifford. Who's in it? The movie stars Frankie Darro , LeRoy Mason, Gloria Shea, Berton Churchill and Fred 'Snowflake' Toones .  Review: I had to pick up my daughter from an overnight community theater "lock-in" with friends early this morning and, while waiting to pick her up, looked for a movie to watch. I picked Black Gold mostly because of Frankie Darro starring in it and, overall, I thought it turned out to be a good classic drama. I thought...

I wasn't sure if I would get an opportunity to get a walk in at lunch today because of a surprisingly busy Tuesday. However, there was enough of a lull for me to get out for a short while and that's all I needed to get some great photo opportunities, including making eye contact with the deer I thought had moved out of the park weeks ago as I was walking past one of the ponds. Here are some of the photos: ____________________________________________________________________ Here are some of my previous nature photos: Lunchtime Walk Photos 4/30/2018 Lunchtime Walk Photos 8/14/2017 Lunchtime Walk Photos 3/18/2019 Lunchtime Walk Photos 5/15/2019

Synopsis: Once a promising Hollywood director, Jimmie Dale is now out of work with no studio willing to take a chance on him. Desperate for employment, he accepts a job teaching at a sham acting school run by J. Walter Delmar and actor Adrian Almont.  Delmar and Almont see a way to increase their profit by conning a new Hollywood arrival, Frank Young, into investing his inheritance into a motion picture starring Almont and one of Dale's students, Alice Perkins. However, their plan to keep a large percentage of the money for themselves goes awry when Dale decides to use the full $75,000 and make a legitimate movie. Who's in it? The movie stars James Dunn , Alice Faye, Frank Mitchell, John Bradford, Jack Durant and Grant Mitchell . Review: I have had 365 Nights in Hollywood in my library for a few months and, while I did start watching it once, only to be interrupted a few minutes into it, I didn't get around to finally watching it until this morning. At first, I wasn...

It was kind of foggy out this morning, but I decided to get out with my camera before heading into the office anyway. I stuck to the shoreline this time around, mostly because the grass in the park was soaked with dew and I didn't want wet socks, and it turned out to be a good choice, even if the fog prevented me from getting photos of the pelicans out on the lake. Here are some of the photos I took: ___________________________________________________________________ Here are some of my other nature photos: Lunchtime Walk Photos 9/18/2020 Lunchtime Walk Photos (6/3/2026) Lunchtime Walk Photos (9/21/2023) Lunchtime Walk Photos 8/7/2019

Synopsis: After local physician Hugo 'Doc" Robbin is declared dead following an explosion at his office, his nurse, Ann Loring, is accused of murder. A group of children hear her testifying on the witness stand and call her a liar, resulting in them being called as witnesses. Their testimony ends up clearing Loring but implicating their friend and mentor 'Fix-it' Dan Cameron. With him behind bars, the kids decide to re-visit the scene of the explosion and find evidence to clear him. Who's in it? The movie stars George Zucco , Virginia Grey , Don Castle , Whitford Kane, Larry Olsen and Peter Miles. Review: I've been on the fence about watching Who Killed 'Doc' Robbin? since adding it to my library because, while the plot sounded interesting and the movie had some familiar names, I have a long history of not liking films that are centered around cute kids. I finally decided to watch it this morning, and it turned out not to be as bad as I feared. It w...

Synopsis: After inheriting a house with a long history of death, Jim Royce decides to turn it into a boarding house for aspiring models and actresses, creating his own personal harem. Soon after, the violence returns and guests begin to die. Who's in it? The movie stars John Wintergate, Kalassu, Lindsay Freeman, Brian Bruderlin and Selma Kora. Review: My wife and I finally had a couple hours to ourselves yesterday evening and, after getting some loaded nachos from the local bowling alley, decided to watch a horror film. It had been a while since we last watched a 1980s slasher, so I ended up picking out Boardinghouse. I should have gone with a different movie. I think the best way to describe this film is it is so bad, it was hard to tell if it was supposed to be a legitimate horror movie or a spoof. Most of the characters were comically one dimensional, especially the women, who inexplicitly answered Jim's (Wintergate) super creepy advertisement in droves (how in the world ...

Synopsis: Philosophy Professor Henry Todhunter learns he only has six months to live and after philosophical discussion with his colleagues, decides to commit a murder that will benefit humanity. He eventually settles on Ketti Moret, a woman running a fraudulent art scam that is ruining the life of his former student Michael Farroway. However, his action results in unexpected consequences, including Michael being arrested for the murder. Who's in it? The movie stars Thomas Mitchell, Mona Maris, Geraldine Fitzgerald, Jeffrey Lynn and Jonathan Hale.  Review: My daughter's community theater musical opened this weekend and there was a cast party at the local bowling alley following last night's performance. I had no interest in making two trips across down or sitting in the bar area, so I stayed in the car and watched a movie on my phone. I picked the film turned out to be Flight from Destiny, and it ended up being a great choice. The movie's plot was intriguing because ...

After a couple mornings that either had rain or looked like it was going to rain, I was finally able to get out for a walk before heading into the office.  The park was largely deserted this morning, but I still managed to get some photos. Here are a few of them: ______________________________________________________________________ Here are some previous nature photos: Just a Couple Rabbit Photos Lunchtime Walk Photos (5/11/2026) Morning Walk Photos 9/28/2017 Lunchtime Walk Photos 6/11/2018

Synopsis: Rising up from poverty, Gloria Jordan has had a successful and lucrative movie career but has also grown into a diva who insists on getting what she wants. This includes up-and-coming boxer Joe Flynn. The two begin seeing each other despite the relationship interfering with his training and jeopardizing his shot at the championship. There's also the problem of Gloria already being in a relationship with playboy actor Roger Pentley, which Joe learns about the night of the big fight. Who's in it? The movie stars Marguerite De La Motte, Wallace Ford , John Halliday, Kitty Kelly and Jameson Thomas . Review: I came across A Woman's Man some time ago but never got around to watching it until this morning. The film, thanks to a vague description, wasn't quite what I expected it to be but ultimately turned out to be a good classic drama. Gloria (De La Motte) was an intriguing character. She was the kind of person I wanted to like but between her diva-like qualitie...

Synopsis: Skipper Murphy looks up to his older brother, Red, who is a professional boxer. When Red returns from a fight with a new manager, Bill Grogan, Skipper is suspicious, even after Grogan secures Red a title shot.  This leads to an argument between the brothers when Red's girlfriend, Ruth, comes down sick, he is told she needs surgery and Red agrees to throw the fight so he can have money to pay for it. Who's in it? The movie stars Frankie Darro , Dick Purcell , Judith Allen, Don Rowan and William Ruhl. Review: I was only introduced to Frankie Darro a short while ago but have become a casual fan of his movies. So, when nothing else caught my eye this morning, I decided to watch another of his films, Tough Kid . It ended up being a good choice for the most part. To be honest, of the Frankie Darro performances I've seen, this one was my least favorite. He may be the star but his character, Skipper, really doesn't have much of a personality. He looks up to his big...

Synopsis: When rookie state trooper John Shields is killed his first day on the job, his younger brother, Freddie, becomes determined to help his future brother-in-law, Tom, capture the crooks responsible. His and Tom's lives are put in danger when an acquaintance turns out to be the secret ringleader. Who's in it? The movie stars Frankie Darro , Kane Richmond, Charlotte Henry , Willy Castello and Carleton Young. Review: I ended up picking out Young Dynamite this morning because I had enjoyed other Frankie Darro movies more than expected and had not yet seen him in a drama, just comedies. The movie ultimately wasn't quite as good as I was expecting but it was still a reasonably decent choice. Darro, as Freddie, does as solid of a job in this drama as he did in the comedy movies I've watched him in. I would describe Freddie as a bit reckless, trying to take on the crooks by himself and nearly getting killed a couple times in the process before the movie even reaches ...

I managed to get a quick walk in between rain showers today and, overall, it wound up being a bit uneventful with surprisingly few creatures stirring, including not many birds for some reason.  I did, however, spotted the green heron I saw yesterday (at least I think it is the same one) and got another photo of it. __________________________________________________________________ Here are some more bird photos: Heron With Breakfast In Flight Bird Feeder Photos 11/10/2018

Synopsis: Three down-on-their luck men, Merle, Elliott and Frankie, have a drink at a bar and wind up stopping an armed robbery attempt. Their heroism is witnessed by advertising executive B. D. Tucker, who hires them on the spot to be the centerpiece of her advertising campaign for Norbecker Beer.  Her plan is successful, increasing beer sales and making the men overnight celebrities. However, the fame and Tucker's exploitation soon begin to take their toll. Who's in it? The movie stars Loretta Swit , Rip Torn , David Alan Grier , William Russ, Saul Stein and Kenneth Mars . Review: My daughter's community theater musical opens this week, which means late rehearsal nights. As a result, by the time I picked her up from the theater last night, I just didn't have time to scout out a movie for this morning. I ended up picking the first one that popped up in my library because of that and that movie was Beer . I remember seeing this movie when I was a kid but not a whole...

Wisconsin's weather can be a bit unpredictable at times. In the course of about a month, we've gone from needing the furnace to needing the air conditioner and then some place in between while also braving multiple bad storms that caused one of our local landmarks to collapse and tons of damage in a neighboring community. I would describe today's weather as mild. It was warm enough to not need a jacket but not hot either. The sun is out but there's also a steady wind. Basically, a perfect day for a walk at lunch that turned out to be productive photograph wise. This includes photos of both a blue and green heron as well as a newborn snapping turtle. Here are some of the photos: __________________________________________________________________ Here are some of my previous photos: Lunchtime Walk Photos (5/11/2026) Lunchtime Walk Photos (10/9/2024) Lunchtime Walk Photos (9/10/2024) A Couple Pelican Photos

I had some extra time before needing to go into the office this morning, so I took my camera and went out by the lake. My morning consisted mostly of taking photos of ducks, though I did get a photo of a muskrat hauling a stick - which let me put my zoom lens to the test because he kept quite a bit of distance from me. That one isn't my best, but you can at least make out its furry body. Here are some of my photos: _________________________________________________________________________ Here are some other nature photos: Lunchtime Walk Photos (5/15/2026) Lunchtime Walk Photos (5/8/2026) Lunchtime Walk Photos (10/9/2024) Lunchtime Walk Photos (9/10/2024)

Synopsis: After meeting her on a ship to Haiti, Charles Beaumont falls in love with Madeline Short. She, however, is in love with Neil Parker and marries him. Determined to have her, Charles enlists the help of a local Voodoo witch doctor, "Murder" Legendre, and slips Madeline a potion through a flower that makes it appear as though she died on her wedding night. Legendre then uses his skills to turn Madeline into a zombie slave, a decision Charles soon regrets. Who's in it? The movie stars Bela Lugosi , Madge Bellamy, Robert Frazer , John Harron and Joseph Cawthorn. Review:  It had been a while since I last watched White Zombie, enough time to remember very little about it. So, when I came across the film last night, I decided to add it to my library and watch it this morning. The movie, as it turns out, is OK but I also understood why it was so easy to forget. I will start out by saying there are some good things about this film. Lugosi, for example, was solid as ...

It's a windy, crappy day outside today so after doing some chores around the house, I am on the couch watching re-runs of Friends .  The episode I'm watching right now is "The One with Phoebe's Ex-Partner," which, among other things, is reminding me just how terrible Ross ( David Schwimmer ) and Rachel ( Jennifer Aniston ) were as a couple and why they shouldn't have gotten back together (sorry, I just can't change my mind about that). However, it also got me thinking about some of the other relationships on the show and I realize it isn't the cringiest one from the series, or even the cringiest one Ross was involved with. Here are my top five in no particular order: Ross and Elizabeth ( Alexandra Holden ) -  At first, I thought this was just a relationship that didn't age well. However, even the series itself recognized a professor dating a student just wasn't right by forcing Ross to keep it hidden to avoid being fired. In fact, one of the gr...