Steven Helmer Publications

Synopsis: After amassing a fortune in the carnival business via less-than-honest means, Hiram Stokeley has died and learns he has just 24 hours to commit a good deed if he wants to regain his youth, get into Heaven and spend eternity with his long-dead girlfriend, Cecily. With Cecily's help, he tries to fulfill that requirement by preventing his attorney, Reginald Ripper, from stealing his heirs' inheritance. Who's in it? The movie stars Susan Hart, Boris Karloff , Basil Rathbone , Tommy Kirk, Nancy Sinatra and Quinn O'Hara. Review: I came across The Ghost in the Invisible Bikini about a month or so ago and added it to my library because it sounded somewhat interesting and because there were a lot of recognizable names I wouldn't normally expect to see in a musical comedy. I finally got around to watching it this morning and, my opinion of it was mixed. The film has an interesting premise, and I especially liked how there was a slight mystery surrounding why Sto...

Synopsis: Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson join a murder investigation when one of Watson's friends is murdered soon after purchasing one of three identical music boxes from an auction. Holmes correctly assumes the people who purchased the other two boxes are also in danger and works to find out who is seeking the boxes and why before there are more murders. The film also goes by the title Dressed to Kill . Who's in it? The movie stars Basil Rathbone , Nigel Bruce, Patricia Morison, Frederick Worlock and Carl Harbord. Review: It had been a long while since I last watched a Rathbone/Bruce Sherlock Holmes movie and when I came across Prelude to Murder on Amazon Prime, I decided to give it a try. While not one of my favorite Sherlock Holmes mysteries, it was still an OK choice. I've said this before, but Rathbone remains my favorite Sherlock Holmes, despite all the others who have played the character. He plays the role with just the right amount of seriousness and arrogance...

Synopsis: Henry Frankenstein's son, Wolf, returns with his family to claim his inheritance and is quickly met with hostility from the villagers. When a half-crazed blacksmith, Ygor, reveals the creature still lives, Wolf decides to continue his father's experiments to redeem his family's now-forsaken name. However, while he is successful, he quickly learns the blacksmith has an ulterior motive for helping him. Who's in it?  The movie stars Boris Karloff , Bela Lugosi , Basil Rathbone , Lionel Atwill and Josephine Hutchinson. Review: I've seen this movie in the past but there are so few movies that star both Boris Karloff and Bela Lugosi (not to mention Basil Rathbone and Lionel Atwill too) so, when I had an opportunity to re-watch it, I did. Overall, I have to say it was as good as I remembered. There are a couple things, in particular, I like about this film. The first is Basil Rathbone's performance as Wolf von Frankenstein. One of my biggest complaints abo...

Synopsis: In 2020, after colonizing the moon, mankind has its eyes set on exploring more of the solar system and launches a 3-ship mission to the planet Venus. After one ship is destroyed enroute and a landing party loses communication, another crew is sent to the planet's surface on a rescue mission. There they encounter dangerous prehistoric creatures. Who's in it? The movie stars Basil Rathbone , Faith Domergue, John Bix, Georgi Zhzhyonov and Gennadi Vernov. Review: As I was scrolling through movies last night in search of something to watch this morning, I couldn't decide between a comedy, mystery or science fiction and ended up picking the last category at my wife's suggestion. I chose Voyage to the Prehistoric Planet and, after watching it, regret not choosing another genre. Let's start out by saying this movie, which was originally filmed in the Soviet Union then edited and dubbed in an attempt to hide that fact, was clearly filmed in the Soviet Union and...

Synopsis: While awaiting execution for a murder he claimed he didn't commit, Dr. Gordon Ramsay is rescued by a former colleague, Sir Joel Cadman, who uses a potion he refers to as "the Black Sleep" to make it look like Ramsay died in his cell. Cadman takes Ramsay to his estate and asks for his help with his medical experiments involving the human brain, which Cadman is performing so he can learn how to remove a tumor from his comatose wife. To Ramsay's horror, Cadman is experimenting on live people and leaving the survivors in a state of madness and deformity. Who's in it? The movie stars Basil Rathbone , Herbert Rudley , Bela Lugosi , Tor Johnson and Lon Chaney, Jr. Review: I came across The Black Sleep on Amazon Prime last night and mostly because it had a who's who of classic horror movie stars in its cast, I decided to watch it this morning. It ended up being a great choice. I think the thing I liked most about this movie was Cadman (Rathbone). He was...

Synopsis: Believing a string of suicides are actually murders, Sherlock Holmes fakes his own death in an effort to draw the murderer out in the open. He eventually finds himself matching wits with a cunning female villain who is using poisonous spiders to collect on the life insurance policies of her victims. Who's in it?   The movie stars Basil Rathbone , Nigel Bruce , Gale Sondergaard , Dennis Hoey and Alec Craig . You can read my review here:  Movie Review: The Spider Woman (1943) (wizzley.com)

Synopsis: After marrying his elderly business partner's daughter, Waldo Trumbull, an alcoholic funeral director, has nearly run his funeral parlor business into the ground. With the help of his criminal henchman, the unscrupulous Trumbull tries to drum up additional business by murdering prospective clients. However, his plans don't work out as well as he hoped, especially when he tries to kill a man who simply will not die. Who's in it? The movie stars Vincent Price , Basil Rathbone , Boris Karloff , Peter Lorre and Joyce Jameson. Review: I came across this movie a couple days ago and, mostly because many of my favorite classic film actors were in it, I decided to add it to my library. I had an opportunity to watch it last night and early this morning. After seeing it, I am sad to say I didn't like it nearly as much as I thought I would. I am going to start out by saying the one thing this movie did right was the casting. Had it not been for the stars of the movie, ...

Synopsis: While excelling at his military training in Spain, Don Diego Vega is unexpectedly summoned home to California by his aristocrat father. When he arrives, he learns his home has come under the control of a tyrant. With the landowners, including his father, refusing to stand up for the peasants, Diego disquises himself as a masked outlaw named El Zorro in an effort to terrorize the alcalde into resignation while, at the same time, wooing the alcalde's niece. Who's in it? The movie stars Tyrone Power , Linda Darnell , Basil Rathbone , Eugene Pallette and J. Edward Bromberg. Review: I was happy to come across this film on one of my movie channels because it is one of my favorites and I hadn't seen it in a long time. I had a chance to watch it again yesterday and, as has been the case the previous times, it did not disappoint. There have been various incarnations of Zorro, including some more recent ones, but I still think Tyrone Power pulls off the role the best. Hi...

Synopsis:  Convicted of treason after helping a rebel during the Monmouth Rebellion against King James II, Dr. Peter Blood is sold into slavery in India. He is purchased by the niece of a local military commander and, with her help, becomes the governor's physician. However, despite his relatively easy workload, Blood's desire to be a free man results in him escaping with other slaves and becoming a pirate captain. Who's in it? The movie stars Errol Flynn , Olivia de Havilland , Lionel Atwill , Basil Rathbone and Ross Alexander. Review: I have seen bits and pieces of this movie over the years but had never actually taken the time to watch the film in its entirety. I changed that this weekend when, feeling a bit lazy on Sunday, decided to finally watch it. After doing so, I have to say it has become one of my favorite pirate movies. The overall story was an intriguing one. Blood (Flynn) starts out as a former soldier determined to choose helping people over violence but, ...