The Man Who Cheated Himself (1950)

A veteran homicide detective who has witnessed his socialite girlfriend kill her husband sees his inexperienced brother assigned to the case.

Slyly convoluted crime drama is lively and efficient; more sophisticated than the usual fare.

Halliwell (no star): "Efficient crime drama."

Maltin**1/2: "Generally absorbing murder yarn."

Call Northside 777 (1948)

A Chicago reporter re-opens a ten year old murder case.

Captivating and superbly cast crime drama, a bit long, but always holds one's interest.

Halliwell**: "Overlong semi-documentary crime thriller based on a real case. Acting and detail excellent, but the sharp edge of Boomerang is missing."

Maltin***1/2: "Absorbing drama...handled in semi-documentary style."

Lee J. Cobb

The Exorcist (1973)

When a teenage girl is possessed by a mysterious entity, her mother seeks the help of two priests to save her daughter.

It's effective as a horror movie (although it takes an hour to build up the thrills) and counts as a classic of the genre, but the idea is still as silly as it was in the 70s; unfortunately, it inspired a whole series of likewise irrational movies loosely based on Christian themes.

Halliwell*: "Spectacularly ludicrous mishmash with unconfortable attention to physical detail and no talent for narrative or verisimilitude. Its sensational aspects, together with a sudden worldwide need for the supernatural, assured its enormous commercial success."

Maltin***1/2: "Intense, well-mounted adaptation of William Peter Blatty's best-seller, calculated to keep your stomach in knots from start to finish."

 

Golden Boy (1939)

Despite his musical talent, a young man wants to be a boxer.