Jack Palance

In Medieval Europe, a king named William rules a large and mighty kingdom. But he is sad until his daughter is born. He names her Odette. At the ceremony for his daughter, everyone was invited to the christening, including the queen of another kingdom, Queen Uberta, and her young son, Prince Derek. William and Uberta agree to unite their kingdoms through their children with the plan that they would spend every summer together with the hope of them falling in love and marrying. Unknown to both, is a big threat to their kingdoms. Sir Rothbart, an evil court warlock, looks on and is unconcerned about the birth of the new princess. He plans to overtake William's kingdom by means of the Forbidden Arts. But before he can have the chance to strike, William's guards attack and Rothbart's powers are plunged into darkness. Despite the calls for Rothbart's death, the king decides to banish him. Before he leaves, an enraged Rothbart swears he will return one day with his powers and take everything the king loves. Many fear that William is too kind. But over time, the threat is forgotten. The hopes turn instead to the following summer when Prince Derek and Princess Odette would meet. King William brings Odette to Queen Uberta's castle where she spends the summer with Derek. The two children, knowing they are meant to one day wed, instantly harbor a dislike for each other. Each summer, they resent their time together with Derek and his chap Bromley opting to prank Odette. When they both finally grow up to be young adults and meet again, Derek is struck by the discovery that Odette has grown from an ugly duckling to a beautiful swan. Odette also realizes she is now charmed by the prince, and they are smitten with each other. Following a kiss at the ball that night, Derek announces for them to arrange the marriage with cheers from his mother, but Odette asks him to wait. When Derek tells her she is all he ever wanted because she is beautiful, she asks him "what else?" and wants to know if beauty is all that matters to him. Confused, Derek asks her, "What else is there?" Saddened by his response, Odette rejects the marriage and departs with her disappointed father. Derek watches Odette, William, and their carriage leave, and Uberta exclaims about all the wasted years of planning. That night, her head butler, Lord Rogers, advises Derek that he must think of something other than Odette's beauty while Bromley is playing a little game of chess. On the road back to their kingdom, they're ambushed by Rothbart, who has gotten his powers back. Turning himself into the Great Animal, he attacks the king's fleet and kidnaps Odette. The wounded captain makes his way to Derek's castle, informing the prince, his friend, and the head butler of the attack. Upon learning from William's captain of the attack by the Great Animal, Derek races off to find the overturned carriage and mortally wounded king. With his last breaths, William tells Derek that Odette is gone after a great animal attacked them -- that it's "not what it seems." Once William dies, Derek cries out for the loss of Odette, not knowing if she's alive or dead. Following William's own assassination, Odette is shown to be a swan at the lake by the abandoned castle that is revealed to be Rothbart's new hideaway. He informs her that when the moonlight touches the lake each night, she will turn back into a princess. He also reveals that he still wishes to rule over William's kingdom, but he wants to do it legally as her husband, so he doesn't have to fight to keep the kingdom. Odette refuses him and tries to escape, but the court warlock further reveals that no matter where she is, she will turn back into a swan once the moon leaves the lake, leaving her to sob. After searching everywhere with no sign of Odette, Derek's kingdom believes she has perished, but Derek is determined to believe that the "Great Animal" has her and won't give her up without a fight. The next day, he practices daily to make sure he is ready for the battle. Lord Rogers helps Derek and Bromley practice by pulling together the musicians and has them dress up as forest animals, telling them that the servants have a day off. Derek and Bromley are armed with arrows that have harmless, painted balls of cloth instead of tips on them. They use the fake animals for target practice, keeping score of whose color is painted the most on each animal. Derek wins with a hidden spot on the elusive "white rabbit". Rogers then challenges Derek and Bromley to a quick round of "Catch and Fire" to prove that Bromley is as courageous as he claims. Dressed in a suit of armor with an apple tied on top of his helmet, Bromley shoots a single arrow at Derek who stands at a distance away with his back turned. Timing it perfectly, Derek whips around, snatches the arrow from the air and perfectly shots the apple in half, demonstrating his perfect ability as an archer. As Rogers tells Bromley about what it's like to have courage, Derek vows to find Odette no matter where she is. Back at Swan Lake, Odette has made friends with a French frog named Jean-Bob and a tortoise named Speed. Jean-Bob believes he is a prince and that a kiss from a princess will turn him back into his human, prince form. He thinks he needs to cross an alligator-filled moat to retrieve flowers for Odette, and the brave feat will make her want to kiss him. He fails to do so after almost getting eaten, and Odette tells him he deserves a kiss for trying. He agrees, but she explains that because of her spell, she can only kiss the man she loves. The man must then declare a vow of everlasting love to the world and her spell will be broken. She believes Derek is out there working on finding his way to her. Suddenly, an injured Irish puffin bird flies through the trees and collapses. Odette pulls the arrow from his wing and the bird wakes up, believing Odette to be the one who harmed him until he realizes she saved him. He feels indebted to her, introducing himself as Lieutenant Puffin. Odette explains there isn't much he can do because she is under a spell. Just then, Rothbart appears, asking for her hand in marriage again. Odette turns him down, exclaiming that he asks her the same question every night and she gives him the same answer -- "I'll die first." The moon sets, however, and Odette turns back into a swan. Back at the kingdom, Uberta is planning a ball for the following night where princesses from across the mainlands will meet the eligible prince, hoping one of them will sway Derek away from his quest to find Odette, despite Rogers doubting that Derek won't stop unless he finds Odette. Meanwhile, Derek continues to research through books at the library, looking for answers to King William's warning about the Great Animal not being what it seems. He finds a book that helps him deduce that the Great Animal is very likely to be a shapeshifter. He recruits Bromley to join him on a hunt in the woods after promising his mother he would be back in time for her ball, while she orders her first footman, Sir Chamberlain, to help make make the arrangements for the ball and required four royal escorts to escort the Ladies and Lords. Back at Swan Lake, Odette tells Puffin about her spell, and she and Puffin decide to retrieve the map from Rothbart's castle in order to find Derek and bring him back to the lake. After some trouble getting the map from Rothbart's hag sidekick, Bridget, Odette and Puffin are able to set out to Derek's castle. Along the way, they happen upon Derek and Bromley venturing through the woods. When Derek spots the swan, he believes it may be the Great Animal and attempts to shoot her with an arrow. Puffin pushes her away in time and they fly towards Swan Lake with Derek in pursuit. Odette is able to land on the lake and she transforms back into herself as Derek watches. Surprised but relieved to see her, he runs out to greet her in a loving reunion. Odette tells him about Rothbart and her spell, and Derek invites her to the ball the following night so he can declare his vow of everlasting love to the crowd and break her spell. At this moment, Rothbart starts calling out for Odette, who forces Derek to depart before he discovers them. Unknown to Odette, Rothbart heard their entire exchange and tells her she won't make it to the ball because there will be "no moon" that night, to her dismay and sorrow. Fearful that despite her not being there, Derek will still make his vow, Rothbart turns Bridget into Odette and sends her to the ball, plotting that Derek will make his vow to the wrong woman and the real Odette will die as a result. On the night of the ball, he imprisons Odette (who is now in her swan form) in the castle dungeon, along with Bromley, whom he found lost in the woods. Bridget (as Odette) arrives at the ball late and Derek immediately dances with her, happy to see Odette, but unaware it's not her. At Swan Lake, Puffin, Speed and Jean-Bob successfully free Odette from the dungeon, and Odette flies off towards Derek's castle. Through the window, she is shocked to see her doppelganger and desperately tries to break inside, but it's too late. Derek makes his vow to the wrong Odette, and the real one immediately feels the consequences. Rothbart breaks into the castle, crashing Uberta's party. He confronts Derek and reveals that he made his vow to the wrong woman, which is revealed to be Bridget. Derek spots Odette through the window as she weakly flies away. Realizing his mistake, he pursues Odette back to Swan Lake where he finds her transformed as a human again on the ground. Held by Derek, Odette tells him she is weak but knows the vow he made was meant for her. She confesses her love to him before losing consciousness. A furious Derek confronts Rothbart, demanding he shouldn't let her die. Rothbart challenges him to defeat him first, transforming and revealing himself into the Great Animal once more and the perilous battle ensues when Rothbart overpowers Derek and threw him on the ground, nearly killing him. Fortunately, Odette's animal friends are able to retrieve his bow from the lake and get it to him just in time. Bromley, who escaped from his earlier imprisonment in the dungeon, shoots a single arrow to Derek, who catches it in the air and fires it into the Great Animal's chest, sending him crashing to the lake in flash of magic lights. Once Rothbart is killed, Derek returns to Odette's side. Heartbroken, he declares his love to Odette, who wakes up. Happily, they embrace. Derek and Odette get married and unite their kingdoms with the young couple having restored Rothbart's castle and taken residence there. Bridget also redeems herself and falls in love with Sir Chamberlain. At the celebratory ball that night, Odette finally kisses Jean-Bob, and he believes he has turned into a prince when he sees a prince in the fountain water's reflection (when it's actually a real prince hovering over him). Derek pulls his bride onto a bridge overlooking Swan Lake. Odette asks him if he will love her until the day she dies, and Derek responds that he'll love her for much longer. They kiss.

A counterfeiter with a habit of "eliminating" the competition moves in next door to the Robbersons. Two cops move in with the Robbersons for a stakeout. When police discover that a mob hitman has moved in next door to the Robbersons, they want to find out what he is up to. So they set up a stakeout in the Robbersons' home. Hard-nosed, tough-as-nails Jake Stone is assigned to the stakeout. But now it's a question of whether Jake can last long enough to capture the bad guys. The Robbersons want to help so they are driving him crazy.

The movie opens with Mitch Robbins (Billy Crystal), back in Colorado, riding a white stallion to visit deceased trail boss Curly's grave. Mitch thanks Curly for the time they spent together and says that he truly changed his life. Just then, Curly (Jack Palance) rises from his grave and drags down Mitch who screams until he awakens in his New Rochelle home, realizing it was just a nightmare. He soon forgets the bad dream when the phone rings and it is Mitch's yearly call from his mother who retells the story of his birth and wishes him a happy 40th birthday. Unlike his 39th birthday, Mitch's outlook on life has changed drastically in the last year as he welcomes his 40th one with open arms. His wife, Barbara (Patricia Wettig), informs Mitch that after his birthday dinner, she made arrangements for them to have the whole house for themselves and advises her husband to save up all the energy he can because he will need it. Ever since he returned from his cattle drive adventures the previous year, Mitch has made quite a few changes to his life which now makes him much happier. He moved his family out of the city, kept Norman the calf who is now all grown up and has made a lot of progress at work which lead him to get promoted to station manager. Going into work, he meets his best friend Phil Berquist (Daniel Stern), who Mitch has recently employed at the station. Unlike Mitch, Phil's life has not gotten better over the last year. He got washed up in his ugly divorce with his ex-wife Arlene and now suffers from loneliness to the point where he considers trying to get back with Arlene, which Mitch equates to a criminal willingly checking himself back into Alcatraz prison. To help him out of his funk, Mitch invites Phil over for his birthday dinner with his family. On the train ride back home, Mitch swears he sees Curly on the train but it turns out to be a stranger that just looks like him. The nightmare and the vision lead Mitch to wonder aloud if Curly was truly dead when they buried him but Phil believes that Mitch is just seeing things, since they checked Curly and confirmed he was dead before burying him. When they arrive home, Mitch is shocked to find his younger brother Glen (Jon Lovitz) has arrived unexpectedly. Mitch has a strained relationship with his brother because he is mostly immature, irresponsible, keeps borrowing money from everyone without ever returning it, moves from one relative to another without an invitation until he gets thrown out, and has an irritating fixation on the Godfather trilogy. Seeing how Barbara is already irritated by Glen's presence and wanting to be alone with his wife, Mitch arranges for Glen to leave with Phil after dinner. Finally alone with Barbara, Mitch, looking to role play for his wife puts on Curly's hat and feels something poking him. He then finds a piece of paper, with a missing corner, hidden inside the hat that looks like a treasure map supposed to lead to one million dollars worth of gold bullion and dated from 1908. Interrupted by his wife, Mitch hides the map but then sees Curly staring at him from outside his window and screams. The next day, back at work, Mitch tells Phil that he saw Curly again but when he went outside he had disappeared. Phil questions Mitch as to why Curly would travel all the way to New Rochelle and Mitch reveals the map he found in Curly's hat. Interrupted by Glen, Phil takes the map and heads to the library to do some research. Meanwhile, Glen inquires as to why Phil has a job at the station but not him since he asked Mitch for a job a few months ago. Mitch reveals he doesn't trust Glen since he pulled some strings in the past to get him a job and Glen never bothered to show up. Glen is deeply hurt and leaves but Mitch convinces him to come with him and Phil to a Las Vegas business convention they are attending over the upcoming weekend where Glen might make business connections of his own. Mitch then joins Phil at the library where they analyze the map and surmise that it belonged to Lincoln Washburn who robbed a Western Pacific train carrying gold back in 1908. Quick calculations tell them that one million dollars worth of gold back in 1908 would now be worth about 20 million dollars (in 1994). They also find that the trail starts not far away from Las Vegas where they happen to be going in just a few days. Mitch is reluctant to pursue the treasure or even believe it exists until they find a picture of Lincoln Washburn and realize he was obviously Curly's father. Having already invited Glen for the weekend, Mitch decides to let him in on the treasure and offers him to join them. He also lies to his wife about missing out the convention and potentially jeopardizing his career. The three of them rent horses and supplies from store owners to whom Mitch tries to lie about their motives but quickly finds out Phil has already told them everything. Following the awkward encounter, the three of them head out to find the treasure. After being lost for a moment, they find the very first indicator that the map is real when they find a rock formation that looks like a hand pointing the way just like the map says. However, their excitement is short lived when Glen accidentally sets fire to the map and Mitch almost falls off a cliff to retrieve it. Fortunately, Glen only burned a small hole and they are able to continue their journey. Mitch decides to draw a copy of the map in case of another accident and give it to Phil which causes an argument because Glen whines about his brother not trusting him again. Mitch then gives the copy to Glen. The next day, Phil stops for a bathroom break. As he's squatting, he feels a painful sting on his butt. When he turns around, he finds a rattlesnake and believes he was just bitten. Thinking he is about to die, having heard a horror story from the store owners earlier, he pleads with his friends to suck out the poison. After a short argument, Mitch prepares himself mentally and is about to do it when he finds a cactus spine embedded in Phil's butt cheek. Phil gets emotional when he realizes what his best friend was willing to do to save him. The journey resumes and soon they find more road indicators featured on the map letting them know they're on the right path. As they're having a lunch break, they are interrupted by the store owners who show up with guns to steal the map. They surrender the copy of the map and the store owner ties them up. Just as they're poised to kill them however, a familiar face appears and fights them off. Mitch assumes his thoughts that Curly was not dead are correct, but their savior is actually Duke (Jack Palance), Curly's identical twin brother. Duke reveals he was indeed on the train and outside Mitch's house that night. He explains that long ago, their father had plans to find the gold with his sons once he was no longer being monitored, but he died before it could happen and without ever telling his sons about the map. On her death bed, a year ago, their mother gave Curly the map, and he contacted Duke to come find him so that they could seek the gold together, but he then died shortly after. Duke learned from Curly's friend Cookie that Mitch had taken Curly's belongings, and so sought him out to get the map and claim his family's treasure. Duke then asks for the map but Glen tells him the store owners took it from them. Fortunately, Mitch reveals they took a copy of the map that will only lead them to the closest highway, which causes another row with Glen, and gives the real map to Duke. Duke takes the map and sends them away, intending to find the treasure on his own much to their disappointment. In a moment of courage, Mitch chastises Duke for his attitude, reasoning that Curly would not approve. Mitch explains that Curly was a friend and how Curly explained his philosophy about life ('One thing, just one thing'). Surprised that Curly told Mitch about his "one thing" philosophy, Duke realizes Mitch was someone Curly must've liked. Out of respect for Curly's memory, Duke agrees to let Mitch, Phil and Glen join him, provided that Duke gets half and the three of them have to split the other half amongst themselves. On the road, Duke reveals that, while Curly was in love with the land and cattle driving, he was in love with the sea and spent most of his life in the Navy and then working on all kinds of ships and boats, having traveled the world several times . As they're riding, Mitch sees a wild white stallion just like the one he rode in his dream. Feeling he should ride with it, Mitch chases it for a while until he's able to touch it, feeling elated from the experience. Unfortunately, the scared stallion soon returns with a whole mob of wild horses and Mitch and his friends get caught up in a stampede which destroys most of their supplies and equipment. Mitch is able to save Glen's life which draws them closer. However, Duke reveals that the stampede caused him to loose the map. It also destroyed Mitch's cell phone which guarantees Barbara is about to find out Mitch did not go to the business convention. Things seem grim until Glen tells the others that due to his photographic memory, he's able to recall the last part of the map. With no other choice but trusting Glen or heading back to Las Vegas, Mitch decides to give Glen a chance and the group resume their journey. That night, they get caught up in a cold storm. Out of matches and supplies, the men are desperate to keep warm and not freeze to death when Phil suggests they cuddle together to share their body warmth. Mitch invites Duke to join them but he adamantly refuses. Duke then asks Mitch if Curly ever spoke about him to which Mitch has to admit he never did. Duke then asks if Curly died happy which Mitch confirms he died doing what he loved best. Duke then reveals he had not seen Curly for a very long time but is still sad to have lost his brother. He then reveals that he lost his boat two years ago and have been working at a seafood restaurant impersonating a happy pirate which he absolutely hates. The reason he is so passionate about finding the gold is because it would allow him to retire at sea, his one last dream. The next morning, having survived the cold, Duke pulls a prank on Mitch by pretending to have died just like Curly. He then shows Mitch that Glen was right about the last part of the map as he can see the "buffalo's back" and the "frozen people" Glen was recalling from the map. They find a cave and, after a little fright and more shenanigans, they find a chest filled with gold bullion. As they're celebrating their discovery, they find themselves set upon by bandits. A fight ensues and Glen gets shot while trying to save Mitch. However, Duke soon realizes the bullets were blanks with paint pellets. Just then, another familiar face shows up: Clay Stone (Noble Willingham), who was in charge of the cattle drive ranch where Curly worked and where Mitch and his friends went the year before. Clay reveals that the gold is just lead covered in gold paint and the bandits are actually his sons acting their part. He explains that he invested in one of Curly's idea to take tourists out on a western treasure hunt adventure. The tourists were given printed copies of a similar map Curly had in his hat. Stone also reveals that Curly used to come to the same cave often but never found anything, hence why he allowed Stone to copy the map. Duke inquires as to why Curly would tell him they would get rich to which Clay Stone explains that the endeavor promised to be quite lucrative and Curly wanted to give Duke a piece of the action. The four men are quite brokenhearted that their whole journey turned out to be fake and they were dumb enough to believe it, especially Duke. With nothing left to find, Duke thanks Mitch for being Curly's last friend and parts ways with the three men, having decided to keep looking for the gold. Before he leaves, he reveals he never understood Curly's "one thing" philosophy, which Mitch explains. Mitch, Phil and Glen then reflect on their adventure and realize they are quite proud of what they've accomplished even though the treasure was not real. They did it on their own, without luxuries, and they all found true values in themselves as they all tried to save each other's life at one point or another. Mitch tells Glen he is proud of him for the first time in his life which draws the brothers even closer. Mitch returns to Las Vegas, preparing for a night of trying to reconcile with his wife after having explained everything to her. However, he is surprised when Duke shows up in his hotel room. Duke reveals he finally found his "one thing" in life and it is honesty. He reveals he was planning to cheat Mitch, Phil and Glen out of the gold all along but found himself unable to. He then reveals a secret he had purportedly kept from the other three: the map that Curly had, which was also used as a tourist attraction, had a corner missing. Duke then provides the missing corner, revealing that his mom had given the map to Curly but had taken out the last part and sent it to Duke to make sure the brothers would have to reunite if they ever wanted to seek the treasure. The missing piece reveals that, in 1909, Lincoln Washburn had relocated the treasure further away into the mountains where Curly's map stopped. Mitch thinks that Duke is just messing with him, until Duke produces a solid gold bar...the real thing. He then adds: "It's got friends!" Mitch and Duke starts singing "come and get me" as the two celebrate having found the real treasure.

On the verge of turning 40, an unhappy Manhattan yuppie is roped into joining his two friends on a cattle drive in the southwest. Mitch is a middle-aged big-city radio-ads salesman. He and his friends Ed and Phil are having mid-life crises. They decide that the best birthday gift is to go on a two-week holiday in the Wild West, driving cattle from New Mexico to Colorado. There they meet cowboy Curly who not only teaches them how to become real cowboys, but also one or two other things about life in the open air of the west. —Sami Al-Taher <staher2000@yahoo.com> Pushing 40, miserable New York City executive Mitch Robbins finds himself struggling to find his long-lost smile and meaning in life. But Mitch's equally-bored best friends, Ed and Phil, aren't doing any better. However, this year, to escape the dreaded midlife crisis, the lifelong companions have decided to follow their instinct and try their luck at getting a sense of accomplishment. Now, the utterly unprepared thrill-seekers are playing cowhands on a real-life, two-week cattle drive from New Mexico to Colorado to find freedom. Will the clueless city slickers ever become real cowboys? —Nick Riganas

A group of young gunmen, led by Billy the Kid, become deputies to avenge the murder of the rancher who became their benefactor. But when Billy takes their authority too far, they become the hunted. 1878 in New Mexico: John Tunstall picks up young gun men from the road to have them work on his ranch, but also to teach them reading and to civilize them. However he's a thorn in the side of the rich rancher Murphy, as he's a competitor in selling cattle. One day he's shot by Murphy's men. Judge Wilson can't do anything, since Sheriff Brady is one of Murphy's men. But attorney Alex persuades him to constitute Tunstall's young friends to Deputies and give them warrants of arrest for the murderers. Instead of arresting them, William Bonney just shoots them down. Soon the 5 guys become famous and William gets the name "Billy the Kid" - but they're also chased by dozens of Murphy's men and the army. The people however honor him as fighter for justice. —Tom Zoerner <Tom.Zoerner@informatik.uni-erlangen.de>

Gangland boss Vic Morono presides over a mixed pack of cards with the trumps being the "The Four Deuces": Chip Morono, Mickey Navarro, Ben Arlen, and Smokey Ross. Gangland boss Vic Morono presides over a mixed pack of cards with the trumps being the "The Four Deuces": Chip Morono, Mickey Navarro, Ben Arlen, and Smokey Ross. The abundance of humor, sadness, and blood in this fast-moving film culminates in the final shoot-out with just one left standing, but who will it be--and has he been dealt the worst hand of all? —pombear

In 1913, in Oklahoma, oil derrick owner Lena Doyle (Faye Dunaway), aided by her father (Sir John Mills) and a hobo (George C. Scott), is stubbornly drilling for oil despite the pressure from major oil companies to sell her land. It's oil boom time in Oklahoma, and Lena Doyle (Faye Dunaway), a hard-bitten, cyncial feminist has a fight on her hands. The big oil companies don't like the fact that she's working a potentially profitable wildcat rig. Reluctantly, Lena must accept the aid of her estranged father Cleon Doyle (Sir John Mills), and Noble Mason (George C. Scott), the man he hires to help. The three form an unlikely team: Lena hates men, Mason is out for himself, and Lena's father is trying to make up for a lifetime of neglecting his daughter. But together, they take on the big guys and put up a terrific fight. —A.L.Beneteau <albl@inforamp.net> It's the early twentieth century. Lena Doyle (Faye Dunaway) is an independently minded woman who has no need for others in her life, men or women. She owns a piece of property on the Oklahoma plain on which she is speculatively drilling for oil. She is approached by Pan-Oklahoma Oil who want to pay her for the oil rights to her property, they figure that they easily have the resources to drill a hundred wells, and even if one comes through, it will have made up their investment. Lena, however, vehemently declines their offer, wanting instead to drill on her own terms. Lena's decline of their offer leads to a stand-off of sorts between the two. Although Lena does not want his help, her father, Cleon Doyle (Sir John Mills), who was largely not there for her when she was growing up, hires an itinerant oil worker, Noble Mason (George C. Scott), to be her right-hand man. Lena accepts their help only on the condition that she remains the boss. Of what naive Cleon is unaware, when he hired Mason, is that Mason is the type of person whose allegiance goes to the highest bidder, and as such, he has no loyalty to Lena. But as the stand-off between her and Pan-Oklahoma, led by the vicious Captain Hellman (Jack Palance), increases, as Lena receives unofficial legal advice on the matter, and as Mason begins to get to know Lena, the two may begin to have a different type of relationship, one that doesn't have much of a chance against the wranglings of Pan-Oklahoma unless they strike oil quickly. —Huggo

In 1870s New Mexico, a half-breed kills a bigoted sheriff in self-defense but the posse that eventually hunts him finds itself in dangerous territory. After a deadly confrontation with the racist local sheriff in the town's whites-only bar, the half-Apache, Pardon Chato, flees into the unforgiving desert. Hell-bent on making Chato pay, the famed former Confederate officer, Captain Quincey Whitmore, assembles an angry posse of blood-thirsty men; however, who is the hunter, and who is the hunted? Do Whitmore's toughs stand a chance of surviving in Chato's dangerous land? —Nick Riganas

During the Civil War, ex-parson Josiah Galt and his sons are Confederate raiders but they become common robbers after the war, save for son David who goes straight. During the Civil War, Josiah Galt, a former parson, and his sons David, Jacob and Adam, become a gang of bandits who plunder, rob and rape for pleasure. Disgusted by the massacre of the whole population of St. Thomas, Kansas, David drops out of the gang and joins his wife Laura. After their son Pauly was born, David and Laura settle down in Chilon, Texas. A few years later, Galt's gang come there with a view to robbing the local bank. —Guy Bellinger

A carnival sideshow, Dr. Diablo's Torture Garden, pulls people in for the admission price of 2'6. The barker cries, "All in fun; no harm done". A group of five people are drawn in and fill beneath a chandelier with purple cloth festoons and shown the usual array of waxwork horrors - a prisoner in a spiked cage, a condemned person getting her head chopped off by an executioner, two styles of torture racks. Dr. Diablo tells his audience, "There is no end to man's humanity to man. Now I am going to show you death. Thousands of volts will sear every nerve in his body." The grand finale is an alleged murderer executed via the electric chair. Dr. Diablo indicates this is the conclusion of the regular sideshow but continues with an offer to see some real Torture Garden horrors. It will cost an additional 5 pounds. All five customers opt to continue. They are taken to a chamber occupied a figure of Atropos, the Greek goddess of fate and destiny. She holds in one hand strands of the Skein of Life. Each colored thread is a human life. In the other hand are the Shears of Fate. Atropos has the ability to reveal to each of them the ultimate horror that is hidden inside them. The primordial monstrosities that lurk beneath the surface of the mind. Diablo invites his guests to approach and concentrate on the Shears. Tale 1 - Enoch: The first participant to do so is Colin Williams. He has come to visit his dying Uncle Roger, already anticipating his inheritance to cover a few thousand pounds of financial obligations. He is met at the door by the somber nurse Nora Tucker. She indicates that his uncle advised her of his expected arrival but cautions him that Roger's heart is very weak. If there is trouble, he is to contact Dr. Silversmith. She then climbs on her bicycle and rides off. Colin greets his uncle who remarks that it has been three years since his last visit. He predicts that his time is short and that Colin is his only living relative. Colin admits to currently being in a fix financially. Roger scolds that he was not invited to visit about money. He admonishes him to mend his ways, find a job. A life based on these principles is the greatest legacy that he can leave with him. Colin assures him that he has learned his lessons. He has a job promised to him as soon as he clears up a few thousand pounds of obligations. Roger tells him that's out of the question. Colin queries him about his fortune. He reminds Roger that he has been on his own for 30 years without any visible source of income. He asks how he pays his bills. Roger replies that it's none of his business. Colin reveals that he has asked about Roger in the village. They told him that payment is always in cash - gold coins to be exact. He reminds Roger that the cottage was derelict until he renovated it. Did it belong to a witch? Roger says it belonged to a harmless, old, eccentric woman. Colin asks if she was a miser with a hidden hoard of gold that you discovered. He wants to know where the money is hidden. He begins to choke his uncle to underscore his desperation. Uncle Roger starts coughing, having trouble catching his breath. He requests Colin bring his medicine quickly. Colin grabs it off the mantle but withholds it, just out of grasp. "Tell me where the gold coins are," he repeats. When his uncle reaches for the glass, Colin rudely pushes the wheelchair away with his foot. Roger tries in vain to stand. The medicine glass is knocked away. Roger falls and quits breathing. Colin is upset that he can no longer force his uncle to reveal the coin's location. He calls the doctor who pronounces him dead. The body is removed in a coffin. Dr. Silversmith queries Colin as to the time-line of his uncle's death. He politely asks if Colin will mind spending the night alone in his uncle's cottage. Colin begins searching everywhere. (The camera angle reveals a trap door hidden by the bed.) He spots the trap door when he pulls up the mattress on the bed. Upon opening it, he sees a steep stairway with cobwebs hanging from the floor beams. At the bottom of it is a dirt floor with a shovel nearby. He immediately sets to digging, eventually unearthing a wooden box. Colin pries the box open with the shovel. A cat scurries out. Still remaining in the box is a skeleton with a smoldering spot at the top of the spine where there is no skull. Colin reburies the box. The cat sits atop the mantle as Colin tries to sleep on the couch. It hops to the wheelchair and stares at Colin who says, "Yes, I can hear you. Your name is Balthazar." The cat answers in Colin's mind, "You've come to stay with me, to serve me as did your uncle. I will reward you for things you must do for me. Your uncle grew ungrateful, buried me away in darkness. Now I'm free and I'm hungry." The outside door opens and the cat exits. Colin follows him and finds a man sleeping in the hay of the barn. Balthazar tells him to use the handy pitchfork on the man. Colin protests briefly, but complies. Colin awakes in the morning and examines the trap door again. He goes down the stairs on the cat's prompting and digs up a small chest of gold coins. He has some dreadful thoughts about being led to the coins. He rushes to the barn and finds the bloody remains of the tramp whose head is missing. He returns to bury the chest in guilt. The cat drops some coins on the stair as his reward. Next, the cat tells Colin he must kill nurse Tucker when she returns. Colin refuses at first but then says he'll do it. She comes in, alarmed at finding the body in the barn. He approaches her with the shovel. Colin is outside getting ready to load a chest bearing both the tramp's and the nurse's headless bodies. The constable arrives to ask about a tramp that was reported in the area. Colin disavows any knowledge of it. Unfortunately, the constable notices blood leaking from the trunk. The doctor visits Colin in his jail cell to ask why the two murders. Colin responds with, "Balthazar. He's inside my head. I've got to obey him or he starts scratching and clawing. Both bodies in the trunk have no heads. It's what he feeds on when hungry. Don't leave me. He'll come back!" The doctor leaves and Colin spots the cat up on the cell's window sill. He calls the guard for help. The guard finds nothing there and leaves. Shortly, a scream is heard. Colin's headless body is in the cell with the cat at the door. The Shears snip as Colin returns from his trance. He is surprised that so much time passed during his vision. Dr. Diablo delivers a theory that the past, the present, and the future are all but different aspects of the same memory. Tale 2 - Terror over Hollywood: Aspiring actress Carla Hayes shares an apartment with her friend Millie. Millie is getting ready for an important date with Mike Charles, a producer with connections into Hollywood's A-listers. Carla, being self-motivated, offers to iron Millie's dress while she showers. While Millie is in the shower, she intentionally leaves the iron sitting on Millie's fancy dress, ruining it. Millie is crestfallen when she discovers the "accident". She moans that she went without lunches for a month to buy the ruined dress. Carla conveniently offers to greet Mike and relay the news that she has the flu. Thus, she has maneuvers herself into going out for a fancy dinner. At the restaurant, she notices leading man Bruce Benton sitting at a table with producer Eddie Storm. Bruce quietly hopes that Mike has not seen him - no such luck. Mike approaches Bruce to see if he has any positive news on his proposal. The answer is no. Eddie takes Mike off to discuss the issue while Bruce orders a drink for Carla who has seated herself at the table. Carla expresses how big a fan she is of Bruce's work, gushing forth about several titles. In response to her enthusiasm, he offers her a second-lead role as a sister in his current production. Meanwhile, Mike is getting as drunk as he is angry. He swears to get even with the "finks". Carla mentions that the Top 10 stars never seem to age. She also notes that he is not eating his dinner as she works through her own. He makes a light-hearted excuse. The bartender tells Eddie that Mike is threatening to reveal their secret. Eddie has the bartender drive Mike home, use some knock-out drops, and leave him unconscious in the car as it idles in a closed garage. The next morning, Millie reads Carla a news article about Mike's death from carbon monoxide poisoning. Carla tells Millie about her potential movie role. When Carla meets up with Bruce the next time, he says he has had an extra scene written for her. Carla presents him with a fancy watch. He insists she can't afford presents like this. At the end of the day's shooting, Carla exclaims, "I'm beat. Where do you get all your energy?" She hopes he will take her to dinner, but he begs off. Carla is trying on a hat as Eddie Storm comes in to tell her that Bruce is not right for her. She goes with Bruce where two of the worst hoodlums in town accost them. She watches as Bruce takes a bullet in the forehead and falls to the ground. Eddie reassures her that he will be okay. At the Sunset Rest Sanatorium, Doc Heim emerges from the operating room and confirms that Bruce is doing fine. Carla is positive that she saw him dead. She tells Eddie that she needs to talk to him. When she queries him for the truth, he indicates that Bruce had some gambling debts that got him in trouble. The person she saw shot dead was a double. Carla counters this explanation with some information she has dug up on her own from the newspaper morgue. She read clippings about Eddie's terrible boating accident in 1944 at Newport Beach in which his skull and chest were crushed. He answers that he was rushed to the clinic where Dr. Heim saved him. Carla tells him she is seeing Bruce tonight. Later, Bruce calls the studio gate and request that Dr. Heim be sent to Stage G when he arrives. On set, she sees he is wearing the watch that was supposedly on the double that was shot. In shock, she grabs Bruce's face affectionately to declare she is in love with him. Bruce pulls back. Some of his facial skin has pulled off revealing an underlying layer of metal. Suddenly, Carla understands. The Top 10 immortals of the screen never age. Their brains have been encased in synthetic bodies. They are cyborgs! Bruce indicates that he lives on applause and fame. He also confides in her that Mike wanted to be one of us, but he lost his temper and threatened to reveal their secret, so he was eliminated. Bruce then indicates that Carla could be one of them, a member of the Top 10. He asks Dr. Heim how soon could he operate. Carla is seen at an event with a crowd of fans pushing and shoving to see her, a major star, up close. One of the fans remarks that Carla is a living doll. Carla's trance is broken and Dr. Diablo chortles that this is a warning to can-be's. Tale 3 - Mr. Steinway: As Dorothy Endicott focuses on the shears, she begins to hear Beethoven's Für Elise being played. She is at the door of Leo Winston's apartment. When she rings the bell, the door is answered by Maxine Chambers, his manager. Maxine insists that Leo must rehearse today and won't have much time to spare for the interview she has planned. Dorothy enters the room where Leo is practicing. She gushes over his playing. Interpreting her reactions as a deep love for music, he suggests that she had better meet Euterpe, his piano that was named for the Greek muse of music. He adds that the piano was a gift from his mother. Leo sits down and begins to play Schumann's Traumerei for her. He invites her to have dinner with him. At dinner, he confesses that he is attracted to her. His piano, however, has picked up on this and is jealous, making him commit too many mistakes while he is playing. Manager Maxine tells Dorothy that she needs to stop pursuing a relationship with Leo, that it will ruin his career. Leo, however, claims, "I love her and she loves me. For the first time in my life, I am truly happy." Later, Leo, struggling with the piano, slumps over the keyboard. Dorothy, who has been listening at the door, enters. She presents him with a framed photo of herself. Leo tells her they have been invited to an 8 o'clock party. Dorothy sits at the piano and puts her hands on the keys. The piano slams the cover down in an attempt to injure her. She suggests they have a drink to relax. Dorothy asks Leo, acting like he is in a trance, what is wrong. When he says nothing is the matter, she presses for the truth. He reluctantly announces that Euterpe resents her. "She is trying to protect me from you interference." The piano has smashed the framed photo of Dorothy on the floor. She tells Leo he needs to cancel his upcoming tour. Maxine rebuts with, "You're smothering him." She accuses her of just wanting to be the wife of a famous pianist. The next time Dorothy arrives at the apartment, she hears music coming from the piano. Leo opens the door. Dorothy realizes he could not move that fast from the piano to the door. When she says she heard music, Leo replies that he was not play, that it was Euterpe herself. Dorothy is getting panicky. She insists that Euterpe is just a piano, not something with a life of its own. She entreats Leo to go away together with her to clear his mind. He says he asked Maxine to cancel his tour. They agree that they will leave tonight and kiss. Dorothy leaves to pack. Upon Dorothy's return, Euterpe starts playing Chopin's Funeral March. When she tries to exit the studio, the piano chases her. As she stands in front of the window, the piano charges, pushing her out. She falls to the sidewalk far below. Euterpe is now playing a sweet melody. Dorothy's trance ends. Tale 4 - The Man Who Collected Poe: Pipe smoking Ronald Wyatt enters his trance at an exhibit of rare books. What he is most interested in are early American editions of works by Edgar Allen Poe. They are from the collection of Lancelot Canning, Esq. One of the volumes is a first edition for which only six copies are known to exist. Wyatt is introduced to Canning and asks if it is for sale, indicating that he would be willing to pay a handsome price. The answer is no. Canning gives Wyatt a card with an invitation to visit him when back in the U.S. Wyatt does just that, coming to see Canning's collection at his museum-like home in Maryland. He is shown, for example, the cravat that Poe wore for his last lecture and his flute in a glass bell jar. He offers Wyatt a drink as he tells of his grandfather and father before him being avid Poe fans. He mentions that collecting can become a mania. Wyatt encourages Canning to drink more so that he might take advantage of him. Canning invites Wyatt to see the collectibles in his basement, mentioning that what he is about to see must remain a secret. He indicates no one has been down there since his father died. With lighted candles, the two start down. Wyatt is astonished to find unpublished Poe manuscripts! He begs Canning to part with one for his collection. The answer is again, "No." Wyatt spots a decorative box. As he tries to open it, Canning stops him, promising to tell him about it when they return upstairs. Wyatt holds one of the unpublished works to the light and is mystified to find it written on watermarked paper that is dated 1966. He insists Canning explain how that can be, vowing to break his promise of silence if he is not told. Canning opens the box saying it held Poe's ashes. The box, however, is empty. Canning continues by saying that his grandfather was an occultist who reanimated the dust. Thus, Poe is still alive. Canning suggests they go back upstairs, but Wyatt wants to know what another key opens. He snatches the key and heads for a door. Canning interferes, but Wyatt clobbers him with a candlestick. When Wyatt opens the door, he finds a chamber with a pentagram on the floor with a goat's head design in the middle. As he enters, the door closes on its own behind him. There, in a chair, is the figure of Edgar Allen Poe, himself. Poe says, "Want to help me release my new works? I made a deal with the Devil. I can only be released by replacing me with another living soul. Another way is by subjecting the other soul to fire. You must tell me about the unknown beyond death. You are trapped. You'll be the best subject for my last Poe story." Wyatt wakes from his trance. "Who are you?" he asks. Dr. Diablo says that he simply provides excursions into the mind. Gordon Roberts, the fifth member of the spectator party, accuses Dr. Diablo of being demented. He grabs the Shears of Fate and stabs Dr. Diablo in the chest. The others rush away in horror. When they are gone, Gordon and Dr. Diablo start chuckling, congratulating each other on their performance. It was all a ruse to get the others to leave quickly. But Wyatt has stayed hidden just around the corner. He reappears and also commends their performance. He asks Dr. Diabolo if he wants to make a deal between the two of them. It seems like the right time. Before leaving, he reaches forward to light a cigarette for the doctor using the same lighter he borrowed in his vision. Dr. Diablo, whose back has been turned, faces the camera. He has horns sprouting from his forehead, revealing himself to indeed be Satan.

In the final years of the Mexican Revolution, American rancher J.W. Grant (Ralph Bellamy) hires four men, who are all experts in their respective fields, to rescue his kidnapped wife, Maria (Claudia Cardinale), from Jesus Raza (Jack Palance), a former revolutionary leader-turned-bandit. Grant has withdrawn $100,000 in gold coins from his local bank. Henry "Rico" Fardan (Lee Marvin) is a weapons specialist, Bill Dolworth (Burt Lancaster) is an explosives expert, Hans Ehrengard (Robert Ryan) is the horse wrangler, and Jake Sharp (Woody Strode) is a traditional Apache scout, skilled with a bow and arrow. Grant gathers the Rico, Hans and Sharp on his private train and explains that a week ago Raza kidnapped his wife. Grant says that Raza is the bloodiest cut-throat in Mexico. Raza has kept Maria in the middle of the desert in his fortress. The fortress (situated in the Painted Mountains in Mexico) is covered by the desert for 100 miles in every direction, and it would take a battalion a month just to find him. Raza's men know every geological detail of the terrain. Raza has 150 soldiers. Grant offers $1000 per person in advance and $9000 per person if they bring Maria back. Grant says that he has arranged the ransom money of $100,000, but still is not sure if he will get Maria back alive. Rico says that he needs a weapons specialist for the mission and suggests Bill. Bill is in jail for being an adulterer with married women and Rico bails him out for $700. Fardan and Dolworth, having both fought under the command of Pancho Villa, have a high regard for Raza as a soldier. But as cynical professionals, they have no qualms about killing him. They cannot believe that Raza would kidnap a woman, but Grant has the ransom note to prove it. Grant married Maria 4 years ago. A few days ago, she went riding across the border, as she was from Mexico and perhaps missed it. By the time she was found missing, the ransom note arrived. After entering Mexico, the professional track a group of Mexican bandits who confront them in a narrow mountain canyon the next day. The bandits open fire, but Rico was well prepared and had already asked Sharp and Hans to take positions in the surrounding cliffs. They easily dispatch the bandits and take their supplies. Bill wants to shoot the horses as they don't have food and water to feed them, but Hans argues to set them free instead. Bill tells Rico that they are 3 days ride away from Coyote pass, where the Mexican rebels buried 2 million dollars in Spanish Gold. Bill wants Rico to abandon their quest and to go for the gold, but Rico refuses. Rico sends Bill ahead to scout for dangers and he follows with Hans and Sharp. Bill is captured by 3 bandits who rob him and hang him upside down. Rico reaches the location and through signals (an upside down cross) he determines that Bill is in danger. These bandits were colleagues of the ones killed earlier and had found the riderless horses. The bandits prepare to kill Bill, but Rico intervenes. The bandits are killed, and Bill rescued. They realize that this narrow canyon between the mountain, where Bill was captured, is a perfect escape route for them on their way to the US. They know that Raza will take the same route and decide to rig it with explosives. Close to Raza's fortress, the professionals witness soldiers on a government train being massacred by Raza's small army. Raza's men sabotage the rails to stop the train. After a brutal fight, they kill all the surviving Government soldiers and reinstall the rails. The officers of the government are hanged and lynched. Bill explains that the soldiers on the train were Colorados, expert marksmen and expert at torture. A few years ago, they burned and looted a town with 3000 people. When they were done, only 40 were left. Rico's wife was one of the lucky 40. She was stripped naked and made to run through the cactus till her skin peeled off and she died. They follow the captured train to the end of the line. After the bandits leave, they take the train before moving on to the camp, where they observe Raza and his followers - including a female soldier, Chiquita (Maria Gomez) (who had once been in a relationship with Dolworth). They find that the camp has milk, supplied by the goat-keeper. Grant's 2nd in command Ortega (Joe De Santis) had told them that the goat-keeper Eduardo Padillia is a friend and will do anything to help. Eduardo recognizes Oretga's medallion presented by Rico and agrees to help. Eduardo confirms the location of Maria inside the camp. Rico plans an elaborate attack on the camp to provide an escape route with Maria. He hopes to convince Raza and his troops that they are being attacked by the Mexican government, and as they take defensive positions, Rico will escape with Maria. At nightfall, Fardan infiltrates the camp, but he is stopped from killing Raza in his quarters; after witnessing the beautiful Maria, Grant's kidnapped wife, about to willingly make love with Raza, Dolworth is forced to conclude that they have been duped. After bringing Maria back to the train, a shootout starts because it has been retaken by the bandits. These bandits are colleagues of the ones killed earlier by the Professionals. They had taken Hans hostage. The bandits surrender when Rico realizes that they are afraid to hit Maria. Rico drives the train away. Pursued by Raza and his men, the professionals are forced to take refuge in nearby canyon lands. That night, Maria reveals that they haven't rescued Grant's "kidnapped wife" but rather, Raza's lover - that Grant had bought her in an arranged marriage (when Grant bought her father's ranch in Mexico), from which she escaped at the earliest opportunity to return to her true love in Mexico. The following day, Maria hops on a horse and rides off through the narrow canyons to rejoin Raza, but Dolworth sets off explosives he had planted in the canyon walls, which collapse and close off the canyon, preventing her escape. That night Maria tries to seduce Bill to allow her to escape, but he refuses. She appeals to Rico and Bill saying that they served the revolution for 6 years loyally and that Raza speaks very highly of them. Yet, Rico says that he is bound by his promise to Grant. As Raza and his remaining men close in, Dolworth volunteers to stay behind to allow the other professionals to escape with Maria. In the ensuing fight, Raza is wounded and captured, and Dolworth is almost killed by a dying Chiquita, whose pistol has run out of bullets. Bill and Raza catch up with Rico just before the US border. Grant and his men meet the professionals (with Raza and Maria) at the US border. The wealthy rancher tells Fardan that their contract has been satisfactorily concluded. He then orders one of his men to kill the wounded Raza. But before he can fire, Dolworth shoots the guns from his hand. The other professionals step in to protect Maria and Raza. They collect the wounded Raza, laying him on the back of a horse-drawn wagon with Maria at the reins, and send both back to Mexico. Grant angrily turns to Fardan and declares him to be a dishonorable man. Rico retorts that while Rico was born that way, but Grant became that way all by himself. The professionals then ride off, following the wagon across the border to Mexico.

Aging gunslinger Jacob Wade hopes to settle down with his estranged son, but his old enemies have other plans for him. Gunslinger Jacob Wade finds his long-abandoned son Riley, now a young man who hates his father but has nowhere else to go. Hoping to settle down, Jacob finds no town will have him. They end at Monolith, the ranch of Jacob's former girlfriend Ada, to whom he had no intention of returning. A mustang hunt finds Riley himself attracted to the shapely Ada...and Jacob having trouble with his eyesight. And his visions of a quiet life are doomed by the re-appearance of enemies from his past... —Rod Crawford <puffinus@u.washington.edu>

Europe 1944: Fragile Fox is a company of American G.I.s based in a Belgian town near the front line. They are led by Captain Erskine Cooney (Eddie Albert), a man who appears to be better at handling red tape than military strategy. Cooney is a natural coward who freezes under fire and cannot bring himself to send more men into battle to reinforce those already under attack. When Lieutenant Joe Costa (Jack Palance) sends a squad to take a pillbox, Cooney agrees to provide covering fire but freezes at the critical moment leading to the slaughter of Costa's squad, and the death of Lt. Ned Lathrop, another company officer who had attempted to rescue the squad. The increasing and unnecessary loss of life is causing morale problems among the troops and trying the patience of Platoon Leader Lt. Joe Costa, a bold and brave fighter and a natural leader of men. The Executive Officer, Lt. Harold Woodruff (William Smithers) is the "voice of reason" who tries to keep the peace between Cooney and Costa. Both Woodruff and Costa are respected by the enlisted troops. While Woodruff tries to get Cooney re-assigned to a desk job behind the lines, Costa hints at a more direct solution to the problem. It's a well-known fact that Cooney owes his position to battalion commander Lt. Col. Clyde Bartlett (Lee Marvin), a man who has known the Cooney family since he was a 14-year-old clerk in the office of Cooney's father, a top judge. The judge and his influence could be very useful to Bartlett's post-war political ambitions and it all depends on his and Cooney's war records. When Woodruff tries to appeal to Bartlett's honor and claims that Cooney is not capable of leading the unit and should be reassigned to a desk job, Bartlett dismisses him. Woodruff is promised that the war is coming to an end and it is highly unlikely that the platoon will ever see combat again. Neither Captain Erskine Cooney nor Bartlett are liked by the company: as Pfc. Bernstein (Robert Strauss) puts it: "When you salute them two, you have to apologize to your arm." When the Germans start the counter-attack known as the Battle of the Bulge, Bartlett orders Cooney to seize the town of La Nelle. Since there is no way of knowing if the Germans are there or not, Cooney overrules an all-out attack and decides that Costa should lead a reconnaissance mission. Costa agrees provided that both Cooney and Woodruff promise him to send in reinforcements if necessary. As he is about to leave, Costa warns Cooney of the consequences if he ever plays the "gutless wonder" again: "I'll shove this grenade down your throat and pull the pin!" As they approach La Nelle, the platoon comes under fire by German SS. Most of them are killed or injured. Costa and a handful of men take refuge in a farmhouse but find themselves under siege. The only survivors are Platoon Sergeant Tolliver, Private First Class Bernstein, Pfc. Ricks (James Goodwin) and Pvt, Snowden (Richard Jaeckel). When Costa calls for reinforcements, Cooney snaps, ignores the pressure from Woodruff to go in and turns to drink. A little strategy and deception enables Costa and his men to hold up but when Panzers appear he has no choice but to call a retreat. He furiously tells Woodruff over the radio to warn Cooney that he's "coming back!" In the confusion that follows the retreat, Costa becomes MIA. The rest of the men manage to get back to the main town, though another of them is killed, in addition to the many casualties during the initial move on La Nelle. The men show their contempt for Cooney: Bernstein (Robert Strauss) spits at his feet and Sergeant Tolliver (Buddy Ebsen) rejects his offer of a drink, telling him that where he comes from "We don't drink with another man unless we respect him." Bartlett appears and tells Woodruff and Cooney that they must hold their present position in spite of the German advance. Bartlett threatens to arrest Cooney if he falls back, as it would leave another company unprotected and the Germans would be able to "roll up the entire front line". When Cooney begs to be reassigned, an enraged Bartlett strikes him. Woodruff warns Bartlett that he is going to lodge a complaint with General Parsons, the Colonel's superior, over the handling of the company. With the pressure building, Cooney breaks down, telling Woodruff about having been beaten by his father in order to "make a man" out of him. Bartlett had told him that he is in command "as a favor to the judge. He's always wanted a son, now I'm trying to give him one." Feeling sorry for Cooney, Woodruff tells him to sleep it off and is about to assume command when Costa suddenly reappears, determined to kill Cooney. As they argue, they are told that the town is being overrun by Germans and that the surviving members of Costa's squad are cut off. Costa takes it on himself to save his men. Costa grabs a Bazooka and bravely disables a tank, only to have his arm crushed by its treads. A handful of men, including Woodruff and Sergeant Tolliver, take refuge in a basement. Private Bernstein is injured and, being a Hebrew, is unlikely to have his POW rights respected by the attacking SS. They try to get out but their way is blocked, and a drunken and erratic Cooney insists they are "holding for Bartlett". Cooney orders the men to surrender and just as he steps out of the basement to do so he is met by a severely injured Costa, his grievously mangled and bloody arm dangling uselessly. It is clear that Costa is gravely wounded and, as he collapses to the ground in front of Cooney, he appeals to God to give him enough strength to kill Cooney. Cooney mockingly kicks the gun away from him. With Costa dead, Cooney suggests that the rest of them surrender even though they have not been discovered. At that moment Woodruff warns him that he will shoot him if he does. When Cooney does make a move, Woodruff kills him. Feeling remorse, Woodruff instructs Tolliver to place him under arrest, but Tolliver and the other GIs reject his command. Each man, except Snowden, steps forward and shoots Cooney to prevent Woodruff from taking the blame. Snowden returns to report that the town is empty and American reinforcements are arriving with the Germans in full retreat. Bartlett finds the men and demands to speak to Cooney; the men point to his body. The men then intervene before Woodruff can confess and inform the Colonel that Cooney was killed by the Germans, but Bartlett senses immediately that they are covering for Woodruff. He dismisses the men and gets a moment along with Woodruff. Bartlett, who has always hated Cooney, contemptuously kicks him over, remarking "So the old judge wanted a son, huh? Looks like he had to lose one to get one." He gives Woodruff a field promotion to captain and tells him to forget about the threatened complaint to General Parsons; but he then announces that he is going to nominate Cooney for the Distinguished Service Cross. Outraged that a coward should be honored in this way, Woodruff openly accuses Bartlett of manipulating the whole thing in order to get rid of Cooney, who was a liability, and get favors with his powerful father. Bartlett remarks that Woodruff has too much to lose if he makes the whole affair public, and leaves after promising to get a medal for Costa too. As he leaves Woodruff decides to do the right thing to honor Costa, and calls the commanding general, Gen. Parsons, on the radio to file a full report.

An ex-gunfighter defends homesteaders in 1889 Wyoming. Shane rides into a conflict between cattleman Ryker and a bunch of settlers, like Joe Starrett and his family, whose land Ryker wants. When Shane beats up Ryker's man Chris, Ryker tries to buy him. Then Shane and Joe take on the whole Ryker crew. Ryker sends to Cheyenne for truly evil gunslinger Wilson. Shane must clear out all the guns from the valley. —Ed Stephan <stephan@cc.wwu.edu> Enigmatic gunslinger Shane rides into a small Wyoming town with hopes of quietly settling down as a farmhand. Taking a job on homesteader Joe Starrett's farm, Shane is drawn into a battle between the townsfolk and ruthless cattle baron Rufus Ryker. Shane's growing attraction to Starrett's wife, Marian, and his fondness for their son Joey, who idolizes Shane, force Shane to realize that he must thwart Ryker's plan. —Jwelch5742

Chief of Scouts Ed Bannon works for the US Army at Fort Clark, Texas and he dreams of aiding in bringing peace to the region, despite opposition from both the Army and the Apaches. Chief of Scouts Ed Bannon narrowly avoids an Apache ambush while working with the cavalry stationed at Fort Clark, Texas. The US Army is trying to talk peace with the Apaches and move them to reservations in Florida, and they take Bannon's efforts as detrimental to their new policies, so they fire him. When the Apache chief's son Torinada returns from an Eastern education, Bannon becomes highly suspicious of his motives based run-ins with Torinada in the past. Bannon continues shadowing the proceedings to the chagrin of both the US Army and the Apache warrior. —Ed Sutton <esutton@mindspring.com> Chief of Scouts Ed Bannon doesn't trust Apache talk of peace. When he tries to warn the Army, they fire him. Toreano the son of Chief Chatez of the Tonto Apaches is scheduled to return from Indian School in the East. Bannon is the only one that doesn't trust that his return means peace. —acatlikeme

After an enigmatic, self-described pathologist rents the attic room of a Victorian house, his landlady begins to suspect her lodger is Jack the Ripper. London, 1888: on the night of the third Jack the Ripper killing, soft-spoken Mr. Slade, a research pathologist, takes lodgings with the Harleys, including a gloomy attic room for "experiments." Mrs. Harley finds Slade odd and increasingly suspects the worst; her niece Lily (star of a decidedly Parisian stage revue) finds him interesting and increasingly attractive. Is Lily in danger, or are her aunt's suspicions merely a red herring? —Rod Crawford <puffinus@u.washington.edu> With Jack the Ripper killing women in the Whitechapel district of London, people are on edge. Enter the mysterious Mr. Slade who arrives at the home of Helen and William Harley looking to rent rooms. Slade is a strange man. He is a respected pathologist and researcher at a major hospital but very much keeps to himself. He also happens to out of the house every time the Ripper strikes. Mrs. Harley becomes convinced that Slade is the Ripper but with tensions mounting across the city, the evidence is anything but clear. —garykmcd In 1888, all of England is horrified by the gruesome murders of streetwalkers in the Whitechapel district of London. One night, even though three thousand policeman are patrolling the area, the killer, dubbed "Jack the Ripper," claims his fourth victim. That same night, William Harley (Rhys Williams), an unsuccessful businessman, and his wife Helen (Frances Bavier) are surprised by a visit from Mr. Slade (Jack Palance), who is interested in their rooms for rent. Slade expresses dismay at the parlor's drawings of old-time actresses, but is interested in the attic, which he says will be useful for experiments. Explaining that he is a pathologist who keeps irregular hours, the soft-spoken Slade offers Helen a month's rent in advance. Helen, curious about Slade's aversion to actresses, tells him that her actress niece, Lily Bonner (Constance Smith), is about to open in London after a successful run in Paris. On the night of Lily's opening, the Harleys' maid, Daisy (Tita Phillips), is hesitant to attend, as she does not want to walk home alone, despite the presence of an additional thousand policeman to the area. Slade then meets the beautiful Lily, who is intrigued by the shy, lonely lodger. Later, as Lily prepares in her dressing room, she is visited by faded actress Annie Rowley (Lilian Bond), who admits that she now works in a brothel. Although Lily wants to help Annie, she disappears, and Lily goes onstage, where her revealing dances are welcomed with applause. After the show, Lily is visited by Scotland Yard inspector Paul Warwick (Byron Palmer), who informs her that Annie has become the Ripper's latest victim. The police believe they have a lead, however, as a man wearing an ulster and carrying a small black bag was seen near Annie's body. The following morning, Warwick visits the Harley home to see Lily, with whom he has become infatuated. When he is introduced to Slade, however, Warwick takes an instant dislike to him, and Slade returns his antipathy, for both men are jealous of the other's interest in Lily. Warwick expounds his theory that the Ripper is left-handed and is a maniac who kills at random, but Slade replies that he will never catch the Ripper, as he is only doing what he has to because of who he is. Soon after, Helen becomes uneasy when she discovers that Slade has burned a small black bag, although William shows her that he has hidden a similar bag of his own because any man carrying such a bag is under suspicion. The following day, Slade has tea with the flirtatious Lily, who kisses him, much to his surprise and delight. Slade turns away, however, when she inquires about his dislike of actresses. Slade then reveals that his mother was an actress and that her extraordinary beauty hid "the wretched heart of a Jezebel," and that after she left his father for a younger man, he died a drunkard. Slade relates that his mother eventually became an alcoholic streetwalker and died on the streets of Whitechapel, and Lily is surprised by the depth of his conflicting feelings for her. Their discussion is interrupted by Warwick, who invites Lily to tour Scotland Yard's Black Museum, which contains artifacts of notorious killers. Slade accompanies them and is disgusted by Warwick's attitude toward the artifacts, which he proudly regards as trophies. Warwick theorizes that the Ripper has broken his pattern of killing every five or six days, and that the compulsion to kill must be building within him. Angered by Warwick's professed expertise about the Ripper, Slade predicts that he will strike that night. A few hours later, Irish immigrant Mary Lenihan (Lisa Daniels) is murdered, and soon after, Lily awakens at home and finds Slade burning his ulster. Although the stains on his coat look like blood, Slade asserts that he is burning the ulster to prevent contamination due to a bungled experiment. The next morning, a nervous Helen wants to alert the police about Slade's strange activities, but William refuses to listen and assures Slade that he is welcome to stay. Slade then tells Lily that he will be attending her show that evening, although he jealously notes that Warwick will also be coming. Meanwhile, Warwick, suspicious of Slade, confirms that he is a pathologist at the University Hospital, and later that night, arrives at the Harley home to escort Lily to the theater. Before Lily comes downstairs, William reluctantly apprises Warwick of Slade's eccentricities, and the inspector searches Slade's room, in the hopes of obtaining a fingerprint to compare with one found at the latest crime scene. Lily is outraged when she finds Warwick snooping through Slade's belongings and stealing a portrait of his mother, and berates him. At the theater, Slade grows increasingly distraught by the lascivious stares Lily's dancing draws, while at Scotland Yard, Warwick is frustrated in his efforts to match Slade's fingerprints to those of the Ripper. Warwick's sergeant, Bates (Harry Cording), cracks the case, however, when he recognizes the portrait of Slade's mother as Anne Lawrence, the Ripper's first victim. Rushing to the theater, Warwick and his men search for Slade, who is with Lily in her dressing room. Slade begs Lily to go away with him, far from the stares of other men, but the nervous Lily states that she would never give up acting, despite her fondness for him. In anguish, Slade states that he must cut out the evil from her beauty and holds a knife to Lily's throat. Lily gasps that Slade cannot hurt her because he loves her, and as Warwick and his men pound on the door, Slade drops his knife and escapes through the window. After a long chase through the streets of Whitechapel, Warwick reaches the River Thames, into which Slade has disappeared. Although Warwick searches for the killer, it becomes apparent that he has drowned, and the inspector surmises that the river is not as deep and dark as where Slade is going.