Subgenre Sampler
Classics: 3628 Films to Buy & Rent
Adventures of Francis the Talking Mule, The - Volume 1 (Francis, Francis Goes to the Races, Francis Goes to West Point, Francis Covers the Big Town) (1949-1952)
- Dir. Arthur Lubin
Feat. Donald O'Connor, Chill Wills, Piper Laurie…
- The first four comedies starring O'Connor as an affably naive young man, who is assisted through life by a berating, smart–arsed talking mule…
Africa Screams (1949)
- Dir. Charles Barton
Feat. Bud Abbott, Lou Costello
- More dependable comedy from the Abbott and Costello duo, this time running amok in Africa, complete with racial stereotypes.
All the King's Men (1949)
- Dir. Robert Rossen
Feat. Broderick Crawford, John Ireland, Mercedes McCambridge
- Broderick Crawford brilliantly plays a well intentioned but bullheaded Southern senator whose thirst for power sets him on the road to ruin. Fine…
Batman and Robin (1949)
- Dir. Spencer Gordon Bennett
- The first screen incarnation of Bob Kane's comicbook duo – a 15–episode serial following the caped crusaders portentous perils. Two…
Battleground (1949)
- Dir. William A. Wellman
Feat. Van Johnson, John Hodiak, Ricardo Montalban…
- A tough depiction of WW2 combat set among an American squad during the gruelling Battle of the Bulge, that stands as something of an early classic.…
Big Steal, The (w/ Illegal) (1949-1955)
- Dir. Don Siegel, Lewis Allen
Feat. Robert Mitchum, William Bendix, Jane Greer…
- On the run after being framed for a payroll robbery, GI Robert Mitchum evades William Bendix, teaming up with Jane Greer enroute to Mexico. Exciting…
Black Magic (1949)
- Dir. Gregory Ratoff
Feat. Orson Welles, Nancy Guild, Akim Tamiroff
- Orson Welles excels an 18th century hypnotist, part Gypsy charlatan, part demonic master of the black arts, who uses his powers for revenge against…
Boys in Brown, The (1949)
- Dir. Montgomery Tully
Feat. Jack Warner, Richard Attenborough, Dirk Bogarde…
- Soft youth rebellion drama with Jack Warner as warden of a borstal struggling to keep his tempestuous young charges in line. Mostly of note for its…
Caught (1949)
- Dir. Max Ophuls
Feat. Robert Ryan, Barbara Bel Geddes, James Mason
- Noir–melodrama hybrid has half–mad millionaire Robert Ryan (a role based on Howard Hughes), wrapping Barbara Bel Geddes in the coils of a…
Champion (1949)
- Dir. Mark Robson
Feat. Kirk Douglas
- Kirk Douglas is sensational as a hot–blooded prize–fighter who winds up hurting himself after alienating the friends and family who aided…