The Big Sleep (1978)

 

Grizzled American private detective in England investigates a complicated case of blackmail turned murder involving a rich but honest elderly general, his two loose socialite daughters, a pornographer and a gangster.

From memory: This adaptation of the classic Raymond Chandler is an attempt to repeat the success of the excellent Farewell, My Lovely of three years earlier and does achieve to find its tone, pace and downbeat humor, but is simply just not as good as the previous film.

Halliwell (no star): "Straight remake of the 1946 film, curiously and ineffectively set in London."

Maltin**: "...less a remake of the Hawks classic than a more faithful rendering of the Chandler novel, albeit updated and set in London. If you get by that, it's tolerable with a strong cast, fresh locations, and thankful lack of camp." 

 

 

I Bury the Living (1958)

A cemetery director discovers that by arbitrarily changing the status of plots from empty to occupied on the planogram causes the death of the plots' owners.

Good, above-average horror tale with an imaginative plot and a simple, but surprising twist ending.

Halliwell (no star): "Unusual enough to be encouraging, sloppy enough to disappoint even mystery lovers."

Maltin***: "Crisp little chiller..."

Hombre (1967)

John Russell, disdained by his "respectable" fellow stagecoach passengers because he was raised by Native Americans, becomes their only hope for survival when they are set upon by outlaws.

Excellent Revisionist Western carries a strong anti-racist message and exposes moral hypocrisy; Paul Newman, although dubiously portraying a "half-breed", is as cool as ever.

Halliwell**: "Slow but suspenseful Western melodrama which works up to a couple of good climaxes but falls away in an unnecessary tragic ending."

Maltin***: "Interesting Western......well acted, entertaining."

Man Without a Star (1955)

A drifter working as foreman for an iron-fist female rancher must chose sides between his attractive employer and the other neighboring settlers who are mistreated by her.

Above-average Western with some complex plot development; as so often, Kirk Douglas carries the show.

Halliwell*: "Conventional but entertaining star Western."

Maltin***: "Boisterous Western..."