Steven Helmer Publications

Synopsis: Eccentric ex-detective Nick Trayne is offered $25,000 to investigate the mysterious disappearance of a wealthy banker. The case becomes more challenging when the banker returns to his house in a zombie-like state and, a short time later, the banker’s brother-in-law is found murdered in the garden. It’s up to Nick to figure out which of the banker’s uncooperative relatives is behind all of it. Who's in it?   The movie stars James Dunn , Joan Woodbury , Vera Gordon, Lawrence Grant , Norman Willis and Gus Glassmire. Review: I came across The Living Ghost and, realizing it had been a while since I last watched it, added it to my library. I wound up watching it again this morning and it is as good as I remember. I’ve mentioned in the past that I’m a huge fan of mysteries and this film offered up a pretty decent one. Not only did we not know what happened to the banker (Glassmire) and why he was in a zombie-like state. At times, he would actually turn violent and there was a...

Synopsis: A team of scientists are working on a device that will allow them to view through time. They underestimate the device's capabilities and instead of just viewing the future they are soon trapped in the year 2071 on an Earth that has been destroyed by nuclear war and where the few hundred remaining humans hide from mutants while building a spaceship so they can leave. Unable to travel with the future humans because of the lack of supplies, the scientists attempt to rebuild their time portal before the mutants break through the defenses. Who's in it? The movie stars Preston Foster , Philip Carey, Merry Anders , Joan Woodbury and John Hoyt. Review: I had noticed The Time Travelers on one of my movie channels but since I have seen very few time travel films that were good, I wasn't sure if it would be something I would enjoy. I finally decided to give it a try this morning and, while it didn't quite change my opinion of this sub-genre, it was a pleasant surpri...

Synopsis: As he prepares to be executed for murder, Nick Ross confesses to a group of witnesses and claims to have been working for a benefactor. However, before he can give that man's name, he is killed by a poisoned dart. District Attorney Roger Phillips immediately locks down the room and, after searching the witnesses, arrests the elderly Lanning, who knew Ross from when he was a boy. The arrest is merely a ruse to give Phillips an opportunity to figure out who the real murderer is with help from his news reporter girlfriend, Geri Reynolds. Who's in it? The movie stars Ricardo Cortez , Joan Woodbury , George Pembroke , Pat Gleason and Iris Adrian. Review: It was very cold out this morning and while trying to get the motivation to face the frigid temps and go to the office, I found a movie to watch on Amazon Prime. I Killed That Man sounded like an interesting locked room mystery, so I gave it a try and wasn't disappointed. There were a couple things I really liked ab...

Synopsis: A traveling peddler,  Mergatroyd Barthlomew "Yankee" Davis, arrives at the border town of Mystic, Arizona with his partner, Professor Newton, and boards with a border patrol officer and his daughter, Mary. When Mary's father dies, and the death is ruled an accident, suspecting murder, Yankee and Professor Newton investigate and stumble upon a smuggling ring. Who's in it? The movie stars Douglas Fowley , Joan Woodbury , Ransom M. Sherman , Clem Bevans and Frank Reicher . Review: I came across Yankee Fakir on Starz last night after scrolling through dozens of other movies. It sounded interesting so I added it to my list and wound up watching it this morning. While it wasn't quite what I was expecting, it was still pretty good. The overall plot is an interesting one, with a powerful smuggling ring controlling the local authorities and being run by an unknown mastermind. This made it easy to cover up the initial murder and to make it difficult for Yanke...