George Macready

In the 16th-century Ukraine, the Polish overlords and Ukrainian cossacks fight for control of the land but frequent Turkish invasions force them to unite against the common Turkish foe. A "Romeo and Juliet" story that takes place in the late 16 c. Ukraine. Taras has settled into comfortable farm life after years of adventures and swashbuckling with his cossack companions. Though not wealthy, he is able to send his son Andrii away to a Polish school. At this time the Poles are overlords of Ukraine and the origin of the cossacks is struggle of the Ukrainian serfs to free themselves and their land of Polish domination. Toward this end Taras hopes that his son will be educated in the ways of the enemy. Instead, Andrii falls in love with the daughter of a Polish nobleman, setting the stage for a clash between love, family honor, and a struggle for national identity. —Anonymous The Cossacks of Eastern Europe join the Poles to rid the Turks from the Steps of Europe. In return for their aid, the Poles agree to give control of the Steps to the Cossacks. After the battle, however, the Poles back out of their agreement and force the Cossacks into the hills. Taras Bulba, a Cossack Colonel, raises his son, Andrei Bulba to learn the ways of the Poles so he can one day defeat them in battle. In his learning process, however, Andrei falls in love with the daughter of a Polish Nobleman. This twist causes Andrei Bulba to choose between the love of the Cossacks, and the love of a woman, and causes Taras Bulba to choose between the love of his son, and the love of the Cossacks. —Anonymous

Up against an impossible attack, the soldiers of the French army refuse to carry out their superior. He, instead of saving face in the trenches of World War I, decides to make an example out of his soldiers.

A ruthless college student resorts to murder in an attempt to marry an heiress. Student Bud Corliss is wooing Dorother Kingship purely for her father's mining fortune. When he finds she is pregnant he realises she is likely to be disinherited, so cleverly stages her suicide. After a couple of months her sister back home finds evidence to question the suicide verdict, but by then has a new boyfriend of her own... —Jeremy Perkins {J-26} State-run Stoddard University students Bud Corliss and Dorothy Kingship are secretly dating, they not having told anyone for fear of working class Bud not being accepted by Dorothy's hyper-critical father, wealthy businessman Leo Kingship, owner of Kingship Mines. Mr. Kingship's hard and critical nature led to he divorcing his wife solely for a "mistake" on her part years earlier, and has led to a strained relationship with both Dorothy and her sister, Ellen. Bud even calling her Dorie instead of Dorothy is one thing she loves about him in distinguishing him from anything in her past life. Bud aspires to get out of his working class situation. Their relationship hits a major bump when Dorie informs him that she is pregnant with his child. While Dorie wants to get married, she seeing it as an inevitability in they loving each other, Bud, stating the problem of her father, sees, unstated, almost anything else as preferable to marriage, especially at this stage of his life in it jeopardizing getting out of that working class life. Without any viable option that Dorie would agree to, Bud ends up with the idea of murdering her. While he seems committed to killing her, what happens is affected by Mr. Kingship in his relationship both with Dorothy and Ellen, Ellen in falling under the spell of a man herself, and Gordon Grant, Dorie's math tutor who has another part-time job which makes him naturally questioning and suspicious. —Huggo Bud Corliss is an ambitious college student with big plans for himself and an heiress, Dorothy Kingship. But then Dorothy goes and gets herself pregnant. It's his child, too, of course; but this ruins everything. Her moralistic father will disown her and will certainly never accept him. It seems he's trapped. Bud's mother knows something is troubling her son, but he won't talk to her about it. All she knows is that Bud doesn't want to turn out like his father, with holes in his shoes. He doesn't have to worry. As his mother says, when he turns his mind to something, he does it. Unknown to her, his thoughts have turned to murder. —J. Spurlin

During the Mexican Rebellion of 1866, an unsavory group of American adventurers are hired by the forces of Emporer Maximilian to escort a countess to Vera Cruz. After the American Civil War, mercenaries travel to Mexico to fight in their revolution for money. The former soldier and gentleman Benjamin Trane meets the gunman and killer Joe Erin and his men, and together they are hired by the Emperor Maximillian and the Marquis Henri de Labordere to escort the Countess Marie Duvarre to the harbor of Vera Cruz. Ben and Erin find that the stagecoach is transporting three million U.S. dollars in gold hidden below the seat, and they scheme to steal it. Along their journey, betrayals and incidents happen changing their initial intentions. —Claudio Carvalho, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil Mexico, 1866: After the American Civil War, Benjamin Trane, a former soldier of the US Southern States, and Joe Erin, a bandit, try their luck in Mexico, where the partisans of Benito Juárez and the supporters of Emperor Maximilian I are waging war. Both sides try to recruit the two adventurers. The Marquis Henri de Labordère, who represents the emperor, wins the men over and gives them a mission: they are to escort Countess Duvarre and her carriage to Vera Cruz. But they soon realize that there is a specific reason for this mission: while spending the night in a monastery, Ben and Joe discover that Countess Duvarre's carriage is transporting gold worth three million dollars. This gold is to be used to hire troops in Europe to keep Emperor Maximilian on the throne. However, the countess has other plans for the gold. She offers Ben and Joe a share in her plan and a share of the gold afterwards. Shortly before Vera Cruz, in Las Palmas, the countess meets with a captain who is to take her out of the country with the gold, but without Ben and Joe. But the Marquis beats her to it: he captures her and leaves the city with his soldiers and the gold. Ben, Joe, and the rest of the gang immediately give chase. At a bridge, the Juaristas attack the carriage. However, since the gold is no longer in the carriage, the gang now joins the partisans. —Arte Ben Trane and Joe Erin, two rival soldiers of fortune who team to fight for the highest bidder. The two men come to loggerheads when Trane's sweetheart Nina begs them to fight on the side of the rebels, while the wealthy Marquis de Labodere implores them to offer their services to Emperor Maximillian. Though they still haven't taken sides, Trane and Erin agree to escort the aristocratic Countess Marie Duvarre through hostile territory to Vera Cruz. It soon develops that the Countess is transporting a gold shipment to the Emperor's armies. Hardly the most patriotic of souls, she offers to split the gold with Trane and Erin, but they steal it for themselves instead. It takes a while (and several bloody armed confrontations) before the two protagonists do the right thing. Two nineteenth century soldiers of fortune, one survivor of the Civil War with a soft spot for sick horses and social justice, the other a charming and greedy trigger-happy killer, search for their next dollar down in Mexico at a time when the country is torn between Emperor Maxmillian and the nationalist peasant Army trying to overthrow him. Since the Emperor has the most cash, our hired guns agree to serve the Emperor by escorting a Countess to the city of Vera Cruz by passing through territory under rebel control. On the way to Vera Cruz, both fighters discover three million U.S. dollars in gold coins (intended to buy guns for the Emperor from France) hidden at the bottom of the stagecoach carrying the Countess, and she is not totally unaware of the fact either. She has her own plans too. All three plot against the other two to scoop the treasure away. Betrayal is not an issue. It's not even personal. It's just business. After a few gunfights and ambush scenes between Maxmillian's escorting Army and the peasant rebels, justice reigns, and Ben Trane emerges as the noble soul who triumphs over crass materialism despite the soft spot in his heart that Joe Erin took for weakness. —Gary Kencey

A former spy moves to Arizona to join a gold robbery, but when he gets there decides that it's not for him and tries to change his life. Having been a spy for Quantrill's raiders during the Civil War, Jeff Travis thinks he's a wanted man and flees to Prescott, Arizona where he runs into Jules Mourret, who knows of his past. He takes a job on the stage line from which Mourret is trying to steal gold. When Mourret's men kill a friend of his, he sets out to get Mourret and his men. When his plan to have another gang get Mourret fails, he goes after them himself. —Maurice VanAuken <mvanauken@a1access.net>

The growing ambition of Julius Caesar is a source of major concern to his close friend Brutus. Cassius persuades him to participate in his plot to assassinate Caesar but they have both sorely underestimated Mark Antony. Brutus, Cassius, and other high-ranking Romans murder Caesar, because they believe his ambition will lead to tyranny. The people of Rome are on their side until Antony, Caesar's right-hand man, makes a moving speech. The conspirators are driven from Rome, and two armies are formed: one side following the conspirators; the other, Antony. Antony has the superior force, and surrounds Brutus and Cassius, but they kill themselves to avoid capture. —John Oswalt <jao@jao.com> Brutus is convinced by a scheming band of Roman senators, led by Caius Cassius, that his dear friend Julius Caesar intends to dissolve the republic and install himself as monarch, and he joins a conspiracy to assassinate him. Brutus stirringly defends his actions, but when Mark Antony responds with a speech that plays upon the crowd's love for their fallen leader, a battle between the two factions is assured. —Jwelch5742

An ex-soldier and his new girlfriend comb France for a valuable relic...which others are willing to kill for. In World War II France, American soldier Michael Blake captures, then loses Nazi-collaborator art thief Paul Rona, who leaves behind a gem studded gauntlet (a stolen religious relic). Years later, financial reverses lead Mike to return in search of the object. In Paris, he must dodge mysterious followers and a corpse that's hard to explain; so he and attractive tour guide Christine decamp on a cross-country pursuit that becomes love on the run...then takes yet another turn. —Rod Crawford <puffinus@u.washington.edu>

Detective Story (1951) is classified as film noir, telling the story of a single day in a police detective squad room. It stars Kirk Douglas, Eleanor Parker, William Bendix, Cathy O'Donnell, Lee Grant, George Macready, and others. The movie, an adaption of the 1949 play of the same name originally created by Sidney Kingsley, was directed by William Wyler. Robert Wyler and Philip Yordan edited the original play to become the film version we know today. Detective Jim McLeod (Kirk Douglas), A hardened, bitter man, leads a precinct of characters in their grim daily task with the city's lowlife. Little does he realize that his pursuit of an abortionist, Dr. Karl Schneider (George Macready) will allow him to discover his wife's terrible secret. The film begins with the arrest and booking of a shoplifter (Lee Grant, her film debut) at the 21st police precinct in NYC. Outside, Detective Jim McLeod, is romantically engaged for a moment with his wife, Mary (played by Eleanor Parker), and talking about their future and future children. Jim enters the precinct to process a young embezzler, Arthur Kindred (actor Craig Hill). McLeod meets one Endicott Sims (played by Warner Anderson) who is the lawyer representing Dr. Karl Schneider (George Macready), a New Jersey doctor. Schneider had his medical license revoked and now wanted on murder charges. Mr. Sims informs precinct Lieutenant Monahan (Horace McMahon), that Dr. Schneider wants to turn himself in without being beaten by Detective McLeod. Jim McLeod expresses his vehement hatred of Schneider, and other criminals, by saying the law "coddles them." Two burglars, Charley Gennini (Joseph Wiseman) and Lewis Abbott (Michael Strong), are interrogated by Detectives Jim McLeod and Lou Brody (William Bendix), and successfully turns Lewis Abbott against Charley Gennini. When Karl Schneider arrives with his lawyer Endicott Sims, Detective McLeod informs him that Miss Hatch (Gladys George), the doctor's accomplice, has implicated him and plans to identify him in a line-up. Dr. Schneider bribes Miss Hatch with a fur coat. Of course, after that, she fails to identify the doctor in the line-up. Jim McLeod erupts and tells Miss Hatch she is a liar. Later on he admits to a reporter, Joe Feinson (Luis Van Rooten), he hated his father who possessed a "criminal mind". His father eventually drove his mother into a lunatic asylum. This past is what made McLeod hunt for and put away evil-doers. Detective McLeod must take Karl Schneider to Bellevue Hospital. A young victim of Dr. Schneider's handiwork is there. Sadly, when they arrive at the hospital, McLeod discovers the woman has died. With the woman dead, and no eye witness identification of the doctor having done the procedure, there is no case against Dr. Schneider. On the way back to the police precinct, Jim literally beats Schneider until he collapses. Meanwhile, Arthur Kindred's employer, a man named Albert R. Pritchett (performed by James Maloney), comes in the precinct. He fully intends to press charges against Arthur Kindred for embezzlement. Mr. Kindred's friend, Susan Carmichael (portrayed by Cathy O'Donnell), arrives to help him. She has worked hard to gather $120 to go towards Mr. Pritchett, hoping against hope no charges will filed against her friend Arthur. McLeod calls Mr. Kindred a thief trying to convince Susan that Arthur isn't worthy of her help, but Susan pleads with Mr. Pritchett. She swears the rest of the money will be in Mr. Pritchett's hands by the next day. Later, Jim's wife, Mary McLeod, arrives at the station. She speaks with Lt. Monahan about whether she knows Giacoppetti (a racketeer) believed to have dated Mary a long time ago. Also, if she knows Dr. Schneider. She denies ever knowing either of them, but when Giacoppetti walks in and greets her, she is surprised and runs out, crying. Giacoppetti then tells Lt. Monahan that Mary had gotten pregnant while they dated and had gone to Dr. Schneider for an abortion. Mary confesses to her husband, Jim, about the pregnancy and abortion she had to endure by Dr. Schneider many years ago. Later, when she is alone with Jim, she begs his forgiveness for her past transgession. He brutally states he'd rather die than find out his wife is "a tramp". He then demands to know if her infertility is because of the abortion Schneider performed. Feeling hurt and humiliated by Jim's reaction, Mary runs out in tears. Some time after, Mary returns to the squad room to inform McLeod she is leaving. He proceeds to plead with her to stay. She relents, but after a nasty comment made by the doctor's lawyer, Mr. Sims, (Warner Anderson) about Mary's love life, Jim boils over. He demands to know how many men there were before he met her. He says he cannot wash away the "dirty pictures" in his mind. Mary, hurt anew and shocked by what he's said, calls him cruel and vengeful. Mary decides to leave Jim for good, not wanting be "driven to a lunatic asylum" like his mother was by his father. She vows she never wants to see him again. A victim runs into the police station yelling she's been robbed. Gennini, playing to the confusion of the moment, grabs a gun from a policeman. He shoots Detective McLeod several times. As Jim McLeod lays dying, he asks his wife to forgive him. He then tells his fellow police officers to go easy on Arthur Kindred. McLeod then begins the Act of Contrition, a Catholic confessional prayer, dying before it is completed. His partner, Brody, finishes the prayer. A distressed Brody then releases Arthur Kindred while admonishing him "not to make a monkey out of me."

A mysterious stranger crosses paths with an outlaw bank robber and a greedy rancher.

Johnny Farrell (Glenn Ford) is in Buenos Aires playing dice with locals. Soon someone holds a gun to his head, but a man with a snappy cane helps him out and also tells him about a casino on the other side of town. At the casino, Johnny makes sure he looks his best and enters the gambling room. He watches a short man win with a late bet at the roulette table. He goes to the blackjack table and wins several hands after requesting each time to cut the deck. Two tough guys says the casino director wants to see him; Johnny tries to fight them, but fails. The director turns out to be the man with the cane and goes by the name of Ballin Mundson (George Macready). Johnny admits to cheating, but instead of being thrown out he manages to persuade Mundson to hire him. Soon World War II ends, and there is a party at the casino. Mundson is due to leave town and leaves Johnny in charge; they have gained each other's trust. When Mundson returns he has Johnny come to his house. Mundson has brought home a woman, Gilda (Rita Hayworth), as his wife. When Johnny and Gilda see each other it's clear that they know each other, though they don't tell Mundson. That night at the casino Johnny sees the man from earlier winning at roulette again in suspicious manner and learns that it is Mundson's way of bribing those that allow his casino to continue despite gambling being illegal. Johnny has dinner with Mundson and Gilda. When Mundson leaves the table to meet with some German men, Johnny blames Gilda for marrying Mundson for the money. Gilda dances with another man, Capt. Delgado, and even gives him her phone number in front of Johnny. Later that night Mundson reveals his suspicion to Gilda that she knows Johnny from before and warns her that she should not make any missteps. Another night at the casino we see the man from before looking for his bribe at the roulette table, but his bet is turned away. Soon Johnny finds Mundson in his office talking to the same man; the conversation is about tungsten trading, Mundson telling the man he should not be selling the metal according to their agreement. Johnny goes downstairs to get Gilda out of the way, who is again enjoying herself with another man, and he and Mundson have a drink in the bar. Suddenly there's a gunshot, it's the man with the tungsten who is out to get Mundson; he misses, but in the commotion goes into the washroom and shoots himself. Scared by the threat to his life, Mundson tells Johnny about the cartel that he runs to monopolize tungsten and control the world, and gives him the combination to the safe in his office. Later that night Gilda returns home from town with the young man, Gabe. Johnny knocks the guy over and has him leave and tells Gilda she should not make trouble with Mundson and that he will make things appear right even if she does continue to cavort with other men. One night Johnny wakes up by the sound of Gilda singing in the casino room with only the washroom attendant, Pio (Steven Geray), as audience. She's been out again. Johnny takes her home and they tell to Mundson that they have been swimming, together. Another night the casino is having a carnival party. Two Germans come to Johnny's office and demand to see Mundson; Johnny rings Mundson. Mundson talks to Gilda about being late for the party; tension runs thick between them. At the party Johnny and Gilda dance; Gilda comes on to him, but he refuses. A man, Obregon (Joseph Calleia), who's been hanging around the casino for weeks, tells Johnny there might be trouble. Johnny gets a message that Gilda has left and wants him to pick her up later. Soon a man is revealed to be dead behind his mask, and there is commotion. Johnny finds Mundson in his office and warns him he might be in danger. But Mundson tells Johnny to go find Gilda, then calls an airfield and makes some arrangements. Johnny picks Gilda up, and they go to the house. Gilda suggests they make use of the time alone. He goes to her room to throw her out, but ends up kissing her. They hear a sound and Johnny sees Mundson leaving the house: he has seen them. Johnny goes after Mundson in a car, and so do the police, headed by Obregon. They follow Mundson to an airfield and watch him take off in a plane and crash down into the ocean, assuming that he is dead. However, we soon see Mundson being picked up by a boat, revealing that he had indeed intended to escape from the police investigation. With everybody thinking Mundson is dead, Gilda inherits his fortune, and Johnny takes over the casino and the cartel. Gilda and Johnny get married, and he takes her to a new home. Gilda is happy, but Johnny does not intend to live with her; instead, he makes sure she cannot have contact with anyone. One of the Germans from the cartel comes to see Johnny and tells him that Mundson held the tungsten patents unrightfully. Now he wants them and the cartel leadership back. Gilda comes to see Johnny, wanting a reason for his treatment of her. He blames her for cheating on Mundson and wants to punish her. Seeking company, Gilda starts going out with other men, but Johnny has them disappear one by one. Realizing Johnny wants to keep her in cage, she runs. We see her as a club singer in Montevideo with another man, Tom. He persuades her to go back to Buenos Aires to get an annulment of her marriage. But when they arrive, it turns out Tom is on Johnny's payroll, and Gilda is back in her cage. Obregon talks to Johnny, wanting him to reveal the names of the cartel members, Johnny says he knows nothing about it. Gilda starts singing and dancing in the casino and flirts with the men. Johnny doesn't like it and hits her. Obregon comes again, closes down the casino and puts pressure on Johnny. Johnny gives him what he wants. Obregon tells Johnny that Gilda is waiting in the casino. Johnny overcomes his pride and asks Gilda to take him with her back to America. Suddenly Mundson appears from his office, explains how he is not dead afterall and announces his intention of killing them both. But before he can, Pio stabs Mundson with his own cane. Obregon comes in seeing what's happened, but lets them go, saying afterall a man can only die once. Gilda tells Johnny, "Let's go home."