A nun becomes convinced that a condemned woman stranded at her Norfolk convent in the midst of torrential rains is innocent. Can the nun save her before her looming execution?
Original Radio Broadcast Date: November 9, 1953
Originating in Hollywood
Starring: Claudette Colbert as Sister Mary; Barbara Rush as Valerie Carns; Norma Varden; Paul Frees; Mary Flynn; Herb Butterfield; Ottola Nesmith; Dan O’Herlihy; Joseph Kearns; Leo Britt; Jeanne Wood; Lois Corbett; Yvonne Peattie
For around a decade, the number of episodes of the 1950s Dragnet TV series circulating out there have remained consistent, with no new episodes to be found, and more than 200 of the 276 TV episodes still missing. Then, a few weeks ago, three of them dropped on YouTube, on the channel of a company named Movie Craft. I decided to review one of those episodes, “The Big Bed”.
“The Big Bed” was broadcast on June 5, 1958, and it was the thirty-sixth episode of Dragnet’s 7th season. In it, a woman reports her brother missing. Joe Friday (Jack Webb) and Frank Smith (Ben Alexander) investigate and find him in a scene that’s a bit intense by the standards of other existing episodes of the 1950s series. They then set about the work of finding the killer.
It has to be said that even in its seventh season, the original Dragnet TV series was still a very good television. True, it didn’t have the innovative edge of the early radio or TV series, but I think you’d be hard-pressed to say the quality of the series had declined from what we saw in season four. It managed to tell a sharp, realistic police investigation in twenty-six minutes of airtime. It had evolved to be a reliably good program and would remain so until the eighth season.
The episode did include a nod to Dragnet‘s only big attempt to build an ongoing storyline into the season, as Smith was studying for his Sergeant’s exam. The next season, Friday would become a Lieutenant and Smith a Sergeant, and it wouldn’t change much other than the opening logo. In isolation, the scene is amusing, but it’s tough to imagine anyone cared about this storyline even back then.
The episode features a guest appearance from William Boyett as Lt. Mort Geer, which is an Easter Egg, as Boyett is probably best remembered for his major role in the 1960s Dragnet spin-off Adam-12, as Sergeant MacDonald. This certainly calls to mind Webb’s 1960s productions. Yet, it wasn’t the only thing. While the series was just as good as an episode of three seasons prior, the series had changed stylistically. In many ways, Dragnet seemed to have evolved in the direction of what it would be like when it returned to TV in 1967,after a seven-and-a-half-year absence.
It really would be fascinating to see more episodes from these later seasons become available, so we can really get a feel for the evolution of the series during this era. Overall, this episode was a welcome addition to the ranks of circulating Dragnet episodes.
When a precious emerald known as the Green Eye of Calcutta vanishes, along with its owner Albert W. Winkler, Johnny is plunged into the bizarre home of Wilbert Kenworthy Blossom. As he navigates through the cluttered abode filled with treasures and trash, can Johnny recover the priceless gem and bring a killer to justice?
Original Radio Broadcast Date: January 20, 1957
Originating from Hollywood
Starring: Bob Bailey as Johnny Dollar; Howard McNear; Herb Ellis; Herb Vigran; Junius Matthews; Herb Butterfield; Frank Gerstle; Johnny Jacobs
In this gripping episode, Captain Braddock (Reed Hadley) unveil the treacherous world of illegal money lending through the harrowing tale of Carl Miller, a hardworking tailor ensnared by desperation and deceit. As Captain Braddock of the racket squad narrates, we witness the perils of “Desperate Money” and the dark underbelly of loan sharking. This real-life story, plucked from the case files of law enforcement, serves as a stark warning against the siren call of easy money and the ruthless predators lying in wait.
Today’s Mystery: From the bustling streets of Oslo to the shadowy corners of Hamburg, Mitchell races against time to intercept a stolen set of top-secret blueprints before they fall into the wrong hands.
Original Radio Broadcast Date: May 20, 1953
Originated in Hollywood
Stars: Brian Donlevy as Steve Mitchell, Herb Butterfield as the Commissioner, Brian Donlevy, Dan Riss, GeGe Pearson, Herb Butterfield, Jan Arvan, Paul Frees, Tom Holland
Bulldog Drummond takes on a gang of hijackers who are robbing trucks.
Audition Date: September 28, 1941
Today’s program was provided by Radio Archives. Email detectives@radioarchives.com to get a free audiobook, a free ebook, and free old time radio collection.
Thunder on the Hill is a 1951 Douglas Sirk film starring Claudette Colbert and Ann Blyth.
Torrential rains hit Norfolk, England, leading to a convergence of local residents taking refuge in a convent where Sister Mary (Colbert) is in charge of the hospital ward. It also leads to a condemned woman, Valerie Carns (Blyth) being brought to the convent. Carns had been convicted of murdering her invalid brother, and due to the storm, all the witnesses are there also. Sister Mary becomes convinced that the young woman is innocent and sets out to prove it.
The film’s center is Colbert’s performance and her character of Sister Mary, who becomes an amateur sleuth. Like many other sleuths, she barrels ahead with her investigation despite no official authority and in contravention of the police who have custody of Valerie. She gets Valerie’s hopes up and gets Valerie’s boyfriend into the convent to see her with the aid of a boat. Yet is what she’s doing good? Is her own instinctive sense that she’s right going to make things better or lead to a tragedy? Sister Mary goes on a character journey in this story that’s informed by her faith. Many films, even during Hollywood’s Golden Age, had only a superficial grasp of religion, and therefore their use of religion in the story is superficial at best. Here though, it works well, and informs her character’s journey.
The film is based on the play Bonaventure and has some very broad melodramatic performances that work within the confines of the story and are well-performed by the supporting cast. The climatic scene also deserves special praise. It’s easily the best-directed scene in the film.
The DVD itself is as bare-bones as you can get. It’s play-only with no trailers, and not even any scene selection. What you get is the chance to view a rarely-replayed film from one of the most iconic actresses of Hollywood’s Golden Age.
If you enjoy a character-driven noir film with a unique setting, this is definitely worth watching.
Rating: 4.0 out of 5.0
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Sent to Cairo on a mission to clear the United States’s name, Steve must navigate a treacherous path of false accusations and political machinations. From the bustling bazaars to the shadowy backstreets, join Steve as he unravels a conspiracy that could sabotage vital international talks. Tune in for a tale of espionage where asking to see a knife might just get you one in the back!
Original Radio Broadcast Date: May 13, 1953
Originating in Hollywood
Starring: Brian Donlevy as Steve Mitchell; Herb Butterfield as the Commissioner; Robert Boone; Paul Dubov; Byron Kane; Jan Arvan; Betty Lou Gerson
