Ramrod (1947)

Ramrod (1947)


Plot Summary

A cattle-vs.-sheepman feud loses Connie Dickason (Veronica Lake) her fiance, but gains her his ranch, which she determines to run alone in opposition to Frank Ivey, (Preston Foster) "boss" of the valley, whom her father Ben (Charlie Ruggles) wanted her to marry. She hires recovering alcoholic Dave Nash (Joel McCrea) as foreman and a crew of Ivey's enemies. Ivey fights back with violence and destruction, but Dave is determined to counter him legally... a feeling not shared by his associates. Connie's boast that, as a woman, she doesn't need guns proves justified, but plenty of gunplay results.

A Night of Adventure (1944)

A Night of Adventure (1944)


Plot Summary

 Drama, romance and mystery plunge two socialites into a whirl of adventure as they tangle with murder in an attempt to save the life of an innocent man. Mark Latham, (Tom Conway) suave and sophisticated criminal attorney, battles for the love of his estranged wife, Erica, (Audrey Long) who unwittingly becomes involved with a murder suspect. The suspect, Tony Clark, (Louis Borel) finds himself not only falsely accused of murder but is to be defended by the husband of the woman he loves.

Cafe Hostess (1940)

Cafe Hostess (1940)


Plot Summary

Jo (Ann Dvorak), a "percentage girl" at the notorious Club 46, is in despair. She can see no way out of the dreary and sordid routine of entertaining customers - called drinking and dancing in 1940 - and, at a signal from piano player Eddie Morgan (Douglas Fowley), rolling them for their money. Eddie, besides being brutal to her and spending all her money, is also carrying on an affair with another girl. Jo's only friend is Annie (Wynne Gibson), a former actress but now a drink-sodden derelict. Annie keeps to herself the knowledge that it was Eddie who threw the knife that killed a petty racketeer who was too attentive to Jo. Sailor Dan Walters (Preston Foster) and two of his pals arrive from a cruise and his good nature delights Jo, but at a wink from Eddie, Jo attempts to steal his money. Dan swallows his disillusionment and returns to the cafe, and he and Jo enjoy a day-long picnic together. She accepts his marriage proposal and go to an up-state town where he has a job waiting. Eddie does not accept this turn of events too well, and sets a trap for Dan when he comes after Jo. When he arrives, in an attempt to save his life, Jo denounces and ridicules him and he leaves angrily. He is net by Annie, who tells him of the set-up. Gathering his pals, Dan returns to the cafe and starts a brawl.

Nevada (1944)

Nevada (1944)


Plot Summary

Just as Nevada (Robert Mitchum) wins $7000 in yellowback bills, Ben Ide (Larry Wheat) and his daughter Hattie (Nancy Gates) takes his $7000 in yellowbacks and heads out to buy mining equipment. Burridge (Craig Reynolds) has his man Powell (Harry Woods) kill Ide and retrieve the money and Nevada finds Ide just as the posse arrives. Found with the money Nevada is arrested and Burridge now gets Powell to incite the local citizens to lynch Nevada.

Leather Burners (1943)

Leather Burners (1943)


Plot Summary

As rustled cattle have mysteriously disappeared, Johnny (Jay Kirby) sends for his friend Hoppy, (William Boyd) Hoppy arrives and immediately suspects Dan Slack. (Victor Jory)  Realizing his telegram about Slack was intercepted, he locks up the operator Lafe (Hal Taliaferro) knowing he can escape. Tailing Lafe he finds a secret entrance to a mine and inside finds the missing cattle. But Slack's men also find him just as the cattle are stampeded through the mine shaft.

Money and the Woman (1940)

Money and the Woman (1940)


Plot Summary

The City Trust and Savings Bank sends Vice President Dave Bennett (Jeffrey Lynn) to a branch office to check on a Charles Patteson. (Roger Pryor) Charlie has greatly increased the amount of money in savings and is very involved with all of his customers. When offered a chance to run a new branch in Santa Monica, Charlie declines and is taken ill. His wife, Barbara, (Brenda Marshall) tells Dave that Charlie needs an operation and she will fill in for him at his savings window. Against the advice of Martha Church (another bank teller played by Lee Patrick) and Branch manager Jerry Helm, (John Litel) Dave does hire Barbara to do the job. When Dave works the window when Barbara goes to lunch, he notices that the accounts are short and the amount comes out to $9000. Dave does not know if Barbara or Charlie has taken the money, but Barbara blames Charlie and as Dave is sweet on her, he personally loans her the money. Dave hopes that this will end the problems and that Barbara will divorce Charlie but there is more trouble ahead for Dave Bennett.

20 Mule Team (1940)

NOTE: I've been feeling a bit down lately so we're skipping Modern Movie Monday this week. Here's a review a did earlier in the month that's scheduled to appear this week on the blog.

20 Mule Team (1940)

Plot Summary

t is 1892 in Death Valley and the yields from the Borax ore are getting so small that refining it is a losing proposition. The only thing that will save the company is a new deposit of high grade Borax, and Bill Bragg (Wallace Beery) has a pouch of it that he got from a dead prospector that he buried on the road. Stag Roper (Douglas Fowley) knows the value of the strike could be worth millions, but he needs Bill to find the prospectors' claim so they can record it and become rich partners. While Roper has no intention of cutting Bill in on the millions, he also has his eye on young Jean (Anne Baxter). Josie (Jean's mother played by Marjorie Rambeau) sees Roper for the scalawag that his is and it means trouble in Furnace Flat.