Author: Ian Carruthers

ON DVD

During World War II, a group of civilians undergo basic training to prepare to fight and die for their country. The various classes of men object and argue about their regiment, training and constant supervision. After gradually learning and developing their new skills, their ship is attacked and nearly sunk, and the civilians turn into soldiers using their training to fight the Germans. Stars David Niven as Lieutenant Jim Perry.

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Starring: David Niven, Stanley Holloway, James Donald and John Laurie

Directed By: Carol Reed

Written By: Eric Ambler

Genre: War, Drama

Alternate Titles: Immortal Battalion; The Way Ahead

Run Time: 115 minutes

ON DVD

After the criminal named “Gruesome” (Boris Karloff) inhales nerve gas and passes out, police assume he is dead and transport him to the morgue. But after Gruesome wakens and escapes, many other criminals adopt the tactic and Dick Tracy (Ralph Byrd) steps in to put a stop to the trickery.

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Starring: Boris Karloff, Ralph Byrd, Anne Gwynne and Edward Ashley

Directed By: John Rollins

Written By: Robinson White, Eric Taylor

Alternate Titles: Dick Tracy Meets Karloff; Dick Tracy's Amazing Adventure

Genre: Crime, Mystery

Run Time: 65 minutes

ON DVD

Roy Rogers, the singing cowboy, is back as an insurance investigator sent out to find a company’s stolen moneybox. Rogers goes undercover as a singer on a showboat (The Yellow Rose of Texas) belonging to Betty Weston (Dale Evans) in search of the culprit behind the robbery.

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Starring: Roy Rogers, Dale Evans and Grant Withers

Directed By: Joseph Kane

Written By: Jack Townley

Genre: Western

Run Time: 69 minutes

ON DVD

A young Texan named Jerry Mason (John Wayne) and an old rancher named Jake Bensen (George Hayes) become partners and strike it rich with a gold mine. However, things get complicated when Jake is shot by officials, and Jerry is then framed for the murder and arrested. Naturally, Jerry actually survived his terrible “death” and decides to surprise everyone at the trial held for his supposed murderer.

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Written and Directed By: Robert N. Bradbury

Genre: Western

Run TIme: 55 minutes

ON DVD

This 1943 picture is the true story of the Carlson’s Raiders and their actions after Pearl Harbor. Robert Mitchum and Randolph Scott star in this World War II drama that displays the true heroism of the soldiers who fought the Japanese on Makin Island.

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Starring: Randolph Scott, Alan Curtis, Noah Beery Jr. and Robert Mitchum

Directed By: Ray Enright

Written By: Lucien Hubbard & Joseph Hoffman

Alternate Title: 'Gung Ho!': The Story of Carlson's Makin Island Raiders

Genre: War, Drama

Run Time: 88 minutes

ON DVD

James Cagney stars in the 1936 crime mystery about Johnny Cave, a new chief deputy inspector who must investigate the ploys of a crooked government official (played by Robert Glecker). Cave is forced to figure out with whom his loyalty lays.

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Starring: James Cagney, Mae Clarke and James Burke

Directed By: John G. Blystone

Written By: James Edward Grant, Henry McCarty, Henry Johnson, Harry Ruskin

Alternate Titles: A Great Guy; Pluck of the Irish

Genre: Mystery, Crime

Run Time: 75 minutes