Author Archive: Retro

Sinful husband accidentally shoots his newly-baptized wife, causing an uproar in their rural town. Written by Spencer Williams. Dir. Spencer Williams.

Disillusioned crime boss falls in love with a girl who in turn is in love with an innocent death-row inmate. Will an attack of conscience make the gang lord do the right thing? Dir. Lowell Sherman

Story focuses mainly on two brothers who fight over the affections of a prostitute. Written by Luchino Visconti. English subtitles. Dir. William Beaudine.

Legendary detective Mike Hammer has spent seven years in an alcoholic funk after the supposed death of his secretary, Velda. He is brought back to the land of the living by his old friendly enemy, police lieutenant Pat Chambers.

As if Moriarty wasn’t enough, Holmes must also take on the Nazis in a race to control an evil professor’s secret military weapon, which could spell defeat for the Allies. Based on the story “The Dancing Men” by Arthur Conan Doyle. Dir. Roy William Neill

Sherlock Holmes sets out to discover why a trio of murderous villains, including a dangerously attractive female, are desperate to obtain three unassuming and inexpensive little music boxes.

This film noir piece, told in semi-documentary style, follows police on the hunt for a young sociopathic killer. Jack Webb’s first performance as an LA cop. Written by Crane Wilbur. Dir. Anthony Mann, Alfred L. Werker

A cocky German flight officer is shot down over England and makes numerous attempts to escape to fight again.

A serial killer named The Shark is terrorizing London by killing his victims with a speargun and then, dressed in a scruba-diver’s wetsuit, using the city’s sewer tunnels to make his getaway. Inspector Wade of Scotland Yard is assigned to the case, and he begins to suspect that the Shark is tied in with a smuggling ring the authorities believe is run out of a dive on the Thames waterfront called The Mekka.