Steven Helmer Publications

Synopsis: After famed explorer Quentin Mitchell goes missing on an expedition in South America, his wife, Louise, hires private detectives Jack Packard and Doc Long because she believes her stepdaughter Janet and Janet's boyfriend Rex Kennedy plan to kill her. Meanwhile, Janet and Rex believe Louise murdered her husband with the help of Quentin's partner, Arthur Logan. Things take a deadly turn when an assailant with a blowgun kills Louise's butler and the family dog, who always barks at strangers, remains quiet, raising the possibility of Quentin still being alive. The answer may come from a mysterious shrunken head discovered as cargo on a crashed plane. Who's in it? The movie stars Jim Bannon, Michael Duane, Barton Yarborough, Anita Louise , Mona Barrie, Frank Wilcox and Paul E. Burns. Review: I had planned on watching a different movie this morning but as I was looking for it, I came across The Devil's Mask and was intrigued enough by the description to give...

Synopsis: A transport plane carrying three passengers crash lands on a remote Caribbean island after picking up a radio signal believed to be from a missing admiral. The men discover and take refuge in a mansion owned by Dr. Miklos Sangre.  Sangre is hospitable but also suspicious and the men soon learn he is both hiding a radio and has been creating an army of zombies that includes his wife, Alyce. Who's in it? The movie stars Dick Purcell , Joan Woodbury , Mantan Moreland , Henry Victor and Marguerite Whitten Review: It's been a while since I last watched a zombie-themed movie, so I decided to give King of the Zombies a chance this morning. After watching it, I would describe it as a film with promise that proved to be a disappointment in no small part because it seemed to have a hard time picking a genre. As far as the main plot goes, it was OK albeit far from original. The island setting, with no apparent means of escape, worked for the zombie theme and I thought ...

Synopsis: Newlyweds Webster and Jackie Frye honeymoon in an old house in the country her father has purchased for her, not knowing the house once belonged to a recently executed prisoner. Despite being less-than thrilled with the place, Webster is willing to make it work. However, both begin to have second thoughts when a coffin supposedly containing the dead prisoner's body is delivered and their house is soon filled with a group of gangsters posing as the dead man's family and lawyer while searching for his loot. To make matters worse, the coffin contains no body, and the local chief of police forces everyone to stay in the house until it is found. Who's in it? The movie stars James Dunn , Florence Rice, Sam McDaniel, Robert Dudley and Eddy Chandler. Review: I have had The Ghost and the Guest on my watch list for a couple weeks and finally decided to give the film a try this morning. Based on the description, I had moderate expectations for this comedy and, sadly, it ...

Synopsis: On the eve of his wedding to Margo Lane, two murders are committed and Lamont Cranston's alter ego, the Shadow, is framed. Despite his fiancée's objections, Lamont is determined to clear the Shadow's name, even if it puts his wedding in jeopardy. Who's in it? The movie stars Kane Richmond , Barbara Reed , George Chandler, Dorothea Kent and Joseph Crehan . Review: Even though I wasn't a big fan of the last Shadow movie I watched, I decided to give the crimefighter one more chance by watching Behind the Mask this morning. In hindsight, I probably should have watched The Shadow Returns before this sequel but I'm not so certain it would have made much of a difference. I just can't get into these films. I'll start out with the positive about this movie; it does have an OK mystery. While there wasn't too much secrecy about who was behind the murders or why, the cause of the victims' deaths was up in the air as well as how Lamont (Richmo...

Synopsis: Newlyweds Horace and Millie Jason travel to New York City for a one-night honeymoon before the drafted Horace is forced to report for military service. Their romantic evening, however, is interrupted by a dead body and a group of gangsters who mistakenly believe Horace is a rival who has stolen $50,000. Who's in it? The movie stars John Beal , Wanda McKay , Warren Hymer, J. Farrell MacDonald , Tom Neal and Barbara Pepper . Review: I had One Thrilling Night in my library for some time but always found another movie to watch instead. I finally decided to pick it this morning, and it turned out to be a good choice. At first, I wasn't sure if I'd like this film. There were a lot of jokes that were dated to the point they didn't hit as well as they probably did 80 years ago and the early scenes involving the "dead" body they discover in their room only to have it disappear were getting repetitive. Once the movie got going, however, it became a lot mo...

Synopsis: After moving from Kansas City to New York and putting her impending marriage to a coal mine owner on hold to pursue a career on Broadway, Joan Terry has gone months without finding work and is forced to move into a boarding house with other aspiring actresses. She is about to give up on her dream when her fellow boarders, recognizing her talent, decide to pool their resources and invest in her. They, however, continue to face obstacles, including Joan's impatient fiancé, James, who is even willing to spend money to ensure her failure.  Who's in it? The movie stars Frances Langford , Edward Norris , Iris Adrian , Craig Woods and Linda Brent. Review: I added Career Girl to my library a couple months ago but, mostly because I wasn't completely sure what the movie was about, hadn't bothered to watch it. I finally decided to do so this morning and it turned out to be a good choice. The movie won me over from two different fronts. First, it didn't sugarcoat ...

Synopsis: After a dying man emerges from the jungles of Africa with a missing anthropologist's diary, Sir Harry Bragdon leads a group of explorers, which includes his own daughter, Pamela, in search of a white gorilla believed to be the missing link. What Sir Harry doesn't know is members of his group are searching for gold instead, putting their lives in danger and resulting in Pamela being taken by the gorilla they're hunting. Who's in it? The movie stars Maris Wrixon , Richard Fraser, Michael Dyne, Lionel Royce, Gordon Richards and Al Eben. Review: I have had White Pongo in my movie library for some time now and was undecided about whether I wanted to watch it or not. I ended up doing so this morning, mostly because it was readily available and I hadn't picked out another movie yet. As it turned out, it was better than expected, but still not good. Here's the thing about this movie. It is named after a white gorilla (though the characters refer to it as ...

Synopsis: In the Army and under the command of Sgt. Homer Gatling, the revenuer who used to harass him over his still, Pvt. Snuffy Smith is assigned to a unit tasked with guarding an experimental missile being built at a lodge owned by his cousin, Barney Google. After organizing a horse race to raise funds for the final missile part, Snuffy, along with Gatling, find themselves facing a group of spies determined to steal the plans. Who's in it? The movie stars Bud Duncan, Edgar Kennedy , Cliff Nazzaro, Doris Linden and Nicolle Andre. Review: I came across Hillbilly Blitzkrieg while looking for the movie I intended to watch this morning. Even though I'm not overly familiar with the Snuffy Smith comic book character and knew this was a sequel to a film I haven't seen yet, I figured I'd give it a try anyway. As it turns out, it wasn't bad. One of the things I liked right away about this movie is, while it didn't go into a great deal of depth about the main prota...

Synopsis: When convicted robber Charley Gray is released from prison, Texas rangers Dave Wyatt and Panhandle Perkins team up with lawyer Tex Haines to find out where he hid $250,000 in stolen government money by having Panhandle go undercover and befriend the newly released criminal. However, things prove to be more complicated when Charley's partner, Steve, and his new gang plan a double cross. Who's in it? The movie stars Dave O'Brien , Tex Ritter , Guy Wilkerson , Kay Hughes, Charles King and Jack Ingram . Review: I was running behind again this morning (must be the fact it is staying dark later) and, because of that, had to find a shorter alternative to the movie I intended to watch. Since I have enjoyed Tex Ritter/Dave O'Brien films in the past, I chose Enemy of the Law and wasn't disappointed. What really won me over with this movie were the villains. As I've said in the past, films like this are only as good as their bad guy and this one had a solid ...

Synopsis: On his 18th birthday, Mugs McGinnis learns his father's wealthy ex-business partner, "Uncle" Pete Monahan, is coming to visit from Texas. Mugs, an only child, also learns his uncle, through a series of lies told by his now-deceased father, believes he has five brothers and a sister.  Wanting to protect his dad's reputation as well as his mother, who has been accepting annual birthday checks for her fictional children, he convinces his friends to pose as his family, with Glimpy dressed in drag as his sister. However, a local gangster, looking to score a big payday, complicates things when he learns of the ruse. Who's in it? The movie stars Leo Gorcey , Huntz Hall , Bobby Jordan , Noah Beery and Amelita Ward . Review: I added Clancy Street Boys to my movie library some time ago but as sometimes happens, it temporarily disappeared when I tried to watch it. It re-appeared in the library recently and I finally gave it a try this morning. While I wasn...

Synopsis: After serving in the war, Johnny Duncan returns to the Louisiana delta and, despite suffering PTSD from his ship being sunk in battle, resumes his duties as Coast Guard bar pilot, guiding ships from the gulf to the Mississippi River and proposes to his girlfriend, Toni. However, a fatal accident on the eve of his wedding sends Johnny into a drunken spiral and the wealthy Janet Hilton, who has had her eyes on Johnny since the day she met him, uses it to attempt to steal him away from Toni and turn him against his friends. Who's in it? The movie stars Johnny Weissmuller , Carol Thurston, Virginia Grey , Buster Crabbe and Edwin Maxwell . Review: I had Swamp Fire in my library for some time and finally decided to watch it this morning. Since the description was a bit vague, I watched it with no expectations. Had I had expectations, I am confident the film would have failed to meet them. Sometimes movies just try to do too much, and in the case of this film, it honestly ju...

Synopsis: When Muggs and the rest of the East Side Kids stop a mugging and recover a wallet full of cash, the wealthy victim, John Cortland, rewards them by giving them 24/7 access to the gymnasium in his mansion. The help from Muggs and company doesn't stop there. They also save a dinner party, stop Courtland's daughter from marrying a conman and, after learning Courtland's son, Roy, was one of the muggers, work to turn him away from a life of crime. Who's in it? The movie stars Leo Gorcey , Huntz Hall, Louise Currie, Johnny Duncan and Herbert Heyes. Review: I couldn't make up my mind between a choice of three movies this morning, so I called an audible and looked for another East Side Kids/Bowery Boy film instead. Million Dollar Kid has been in my library for a while, and I finally gave it a try. It ended up being a good choice. I think the thing I liked best about this movie is how the film does a good job showing why Muggs (Gorcey) is the leader of his gang....

Synopsis: After a successful career in journalism, Hildy Johnson walks into her newsroom with her new fiancé, Bruce, and tells her editor/ex-husband, Walter Burns, she is quitting the business for good. Walter, however, doesn't want to see her leave and, after convincing her to write one last editorial about soon-to-be executed convicted killer Earl Williams, does his best to sabotage her engagement. Things take an unexpected twist when Williams escapes and Hildy, believing he is mentally ill and shouldn't be executed, hides him in the press room at the courthouse. Who's in it? The movie stars Rosalind Russell, Cary Grant, Ralph Bellamy , Gene Lockhart and Porter Hall. Review: I added His Girl Friday to my movie library nearly a year ago but, other than the first couple minutes before getting interrupted, had not taken the time to watch it. I decided to finally correct that this morning and am a bit disappointed I waited so long. I think the thing that really impressed...

Synopsis: Tom Breneman hosts popular radio show Breakfast in Hollywood and during one of the tapings, meets a young woman from Minnesota, Dorothy Larson, who is looking for her sailor fiancé, Jimmy, and introduces her to another sailor from Minnesota, Ken Smith. The pair hit it off with Ken developing an instant crush. However, when Dorothy learns Ken is friends with Jimmy and he tells her the truth about her fiancé, their relationship seems doomed and a desperate Ken begs Breneman for help. Who's in it? The movie stars Tom Breneman, Bonita Granville , Edward Ryan, Beulah Bondi and Hedda Hopper . Review: I've had Breakfast in Hollywood in my library for some time, mostly because I am a Bonita Granville fan. However, I was somewhat reluctant to watch it because I wasn't completely sure it would be a movie I'd enjoy. I ended up giving it a try this morning though and it proved to be a much better choice than expected. The movie's concept is somewhat clever. Breakf...

Synopsis: After being double crossed by a crooked promoter and seriously injured in the ring, Johnny Higgins would rather drink his troubles away than fight again. However, when his kid brother, Jimmy, is killed trying to take his place, Johnny agrees to let Slip Mahoney and the Bowery Boys train him for a comeback. They are successful and he earns a shot at the championship but the promoter, Blinky Harris, is determined to do whatever it takes to keep the title on his man and force Johnny to throw the fight. Who's in it? The movie stars Leo Gorcey , Huntz Hall , Frankie Darro , Lyle Talbot and Bert Conway. Review: After being under a heat advisory the past couple days, it is finally cooling down a bit but was raining this morning. So, since a walk was out of the question, I once again found a movie to watch. I've had Fighting Fools on my list for a while and finally selected it. It ended up being a great choice and might even be the best Bowery Boys movie I've watched...

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, ...

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 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: 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 ...

Synopsis: After having her passport lost or stolen while on tour in a British West African colony, American singer Nora Brooks is stranded at a hotel while waiting for replacement documentation that will allow her to return to the United States. When a fight breaks out during one of her performances, leaving a man dead, Nora runs into the jungle and eventually takes refuge in a camp run by paleontologist Larry Mason. What she doesn't know is the deceased bar patron was carrying documents exposing a Nazi spy ring and those papers were stashed in her jacket before she fled, painting a target on her back. Who's in it? The movie stars Arline Judge , John "Dusty" King, Mantan Moreland , Arthur O'Connell and Laurence Criner. Review: I came across Law of the Jungle last night and since it sounded somewhat interesting, added it to my movie library. I decided to watch the film right away this morning and unfortunately, while the premise was decent, the execution was la...