Warner Archive Collection New Releases May 20: All Widescreen!
THE VIOLENT ROAD (1958) Brian Keith toplines this tense tale of wildcat teamsters taking a spin to eke out some wages of fear. Propelled by one of the most startling starts to ever begin a cinema suspenser, “Violent Road” sees a sextet of desperate men transporting deadly and explosive chemical ingredients for rocket fuel over abandoned road and mountain passes in a race for fortune over fatality. The ragtag team includes The Trucker (Keith), The Scientist (Efrem Zimbalist Jr.), The Kid, The Mechanic, The Vet and The Gambler. Join them on their soul-searing journey across a twisted path of noir and noise! 16×9 Widescreen.
A FEVER IN THE BLOOD (1961) Efrem Zimbalist Jr. takes center chair as a jurist infected with higher ambitions in this courtroom drama cum political thriller cum neo-noir co-starring a bevy of the best Warner Bros. players. With a script by the great Roy Huggins (“The Fugitive,” “The Rockford Files,” “77 Sunset Strip,” “Maverick”) and directed by Vincent Sherman (“The Return of Doctor X”), the central trio of “A Fever in the Blood” are a judge (Zimbalist), a district attorney (Jack Kelly) and a senator (Don Ameche) who all have their eye on the upcoming gubernatorial nomination. When a society girl is murdered, the trial and scandal draws their machinations out of the back room and into the courtroom. Also stars Angie Dickinson, Ray Danton and Carroll O’ Connor (in his big screen debut). 16×9 Widescreen.
ONIONHEAD (1958) Andy Griffith stars as a Coast Guard cook in this naval comedy-drama directed by Norman Taurog co-starring the equally iconic and laconic Walter Matthau. Griffith plays Al Woods who enlists in the Coast Guard as a lark after a fight with his college sweetheart. Unfortunately for the tyro ship’s cook, he signed up shortly before Pearl Harbor and his coming-of-age on board blends light comedy and dark drama as ‘Onionhead’ learns how to serve his country and his humanity. Also stars Felicia Farr, Ray Danton, Joey Bishop and Claude Akins. 16×9 Widescreen.
THE GIRL HE LEFT BEHIND (1956) “The Burning Hill’s” pair of Natalie Wood and Tab Hunter re-team for this tale of a spoiled mama’s boy journey to manhood though the military. Andy Shaeffer (Hunter) gets life spoon-fed to him by his smothering mother, while his sweetheart Susan Daniels (Wood) works her way through school. After a falling out causes Andy to flunk out of college the draft comes calling. The unwilling recruit is dismissed as worthless by his fellow troops, but some officers may just have the plan to change the boy into a man. Also stars Jim Backus, James Garner and David Janssen. 16×9 Widescreen.
WALL OF NOISE (1963) “Bronco’s” Ty Hardin stars in this romance drama set amid the high stakes and fast paced world of horse racing. After a row with his best gal (Dorothy Provine), horse trainer Joel Tarrant (Hardin) takes a gig with crude contractor Matt Rubio (Ralph Meeker). Rubio’s loose spouse (Suzanne Pleshette) makes a bid for Joel via prize pony Escudero, but the hose has other plans© 16×9 Widescreen.
JUMP INTO HELL (1955) The fall of Dien Bien Phu is depicted in this tale of the doomed and valiant French troops stationed there when the Vietnam War was known as the Indochina War. With the Viet Cong overrunning the North, the fort of Dien Bien Phu sits Alamo like, surrounded by the enemy. The call goes out for volunteers and four very different men volunteer for four very different reasons. A fascinating look at the horror of war made all the more poignant by hindsight. Starring Jack Sernas, Kurt Kazner, Peter Van Eyck and Norman Du Pont. 16×9 Widescreen.
TARGET ZERO (1955) Rock solid actioner depicts a squad of combat happy joes trying to make their way back to easy company while stuck miles behind enemy lines in Korea. Led by laid-back and super-steady Lt. Flagler, the boys have the backing of Sgt. Gaspari (Charles Bronson) and include radioman Pvt. Moose (Chuck Connors), cynical Pvt. O’Hara (L.Q. Jones), sharpshooting Pvt. Geronimo (Abel Fernández) and native recruit Pvt. Sung (Richard Park). Along the way they pick up a pair of mortar men, a British tank unit led by Yank-hating Sgt.Kemsemmit (Richard Stapley) and a stranded U.N. biochemist (Peggie Castle). It’s a good thing they do — because the squad soon find themselves with a new mission: to hold a hill against an enemy horde. 16×9 Widescreen.
