Author: Ian Carruthers

ON DVD

This 1946 comedy starring Paul Muni and Claude Rains puts a comical twist the concept of life after death. After Eddie Cagel (Muni) is murdered, he goes to the underworld where he makes a deal with the Devil (Rains) for another chance at life. But can Eddie hold up his part of the bargain?

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Starring: Paul Muni, Anne Baxter and Claude Rains

Directed By: Archie Mayo

Written By: Harry Segall, Roland Kibbee

Genre: Comedy, Romance

Run Time: 100 minutes

ON DVD

Greek father (Gilbert Roland) and son (Robert Wagner) divers decide to search for sponges off the coast of Florida. But after being robbed, they agree to take the crooks to a dangerous reef to dive for more. Alas, the father suffers a fatal accident, leaving his son to carry on the business with a female companion (Terry Moore).

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Starring: Robert Wagner, Terry Moore, Gilbert Roland, J. Carrol Naish and Peter Graves

Directed By: Robert D. Webb

Written By: A. I . Bezzerides

Genre: Action, Adventure

Run Time: 102 minutes

ON DVD

In the first film that John Wayne both produced and starred in, The Duke portrays Quirt Evans, a gunman who falls in love with Penelope Worth (Gail Russell), a Quaker whose ways are far different from his own. Evans is able to reform his lifestyle, but is forced to make a decision when he is tempted by his past.

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Starring: John Wayne, Gail Russell and Harry Carey

Written and Directed By: James Edward Grant

Alternate Title: Angel and the Outlaw

Genre: Western

Run Time: 100 minutes

ON DVD

Davis Morgan (Richard Basehart) shoots down a police officer and leaves the cops with an unusual clue to follow. Soon, the investigators (played by Scott Brady and James Cardwell) discover that their suspect had been selling stolen electronics equipment and set a trap to catch him in the act. Alas, Morgan escapes, and a nationwide search is launched.

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Starring: Richard Basehart, Scott Brady and Roy Roberts

Directed By: Alfred L. Werker

Written By: John C. Higgins, Crane Wilbur

Alternate Titles: 29 Clues; The L.A. Investigator

Genre: Film Noir, Mystery, Thriller, Crime

Run Time: 79 minutes

ON DVD

Hoping to regain her former job, reporter Ann Mitchell (Barbara Stanwyck) forges a suicide note by John Doe. Although her ploy succeeds, the newspaper also hires John Willoughby (Gary Cooper) to pose as John Doe in order to keep the story running and that unexpectedly causes an entire political movement.

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Starring: Gary Cooper and Barbara Stanwyck

Directed By: Frank Capra

Written By: Robert Riskin, Richard Connell (story), Robert Presnell (story)

Genre: Comedy, Romance

Run Time: 122 minutes

ON DVD

Gregory Peck plays Harry Street, a writer who is gravely wounded in African hunting accident. As he feverishly reflects on the successes and failures of his life, he recalls his true love Cynthia Green (Ava Gardner), whom he lost due to his obsession with wandering the world in search of stories. Harry’s neglected wife, Helen (Susan Hayward), proves to be a good listener as she nurses him back to health, and her devotion and care helps him regain the will to live.

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Starring: Gregory Peck, Susan Hayward, Ava Gardner and Leo G. Carroll

Directed By: Harry King

Written By: Casey Robinson, Ernest Hemingway (story)

Genre: Drama, Romance, Adventure

Alternate Title: Ernest Hemingway's The Snows of Kilimanjaro

Run Time: 114 minutes