Noir Alley

[jamesjazzguitar]

I had seen The Big Caper before, a long while ago. Found it good entertainment again. Mary Costa reminded me of Piper Laurie who died yesterday.
Lately I have been watching reruns of Rory Calhoun's The Texan TV series which are fairly enjoyable if somewhat standard for the period.
Back in 1970 I was a pay officer in the Army once. My guard and I reported to post HQ and picked up payroll for out unit, which was all cash. The irony was that the HQ pay personnel had already divided it up into exactly the right denominations to the penny for each soldier drawing pay. Some, mostly officers and NCO's were on direct deposit at the post bank, but still had to pay out a lot of money in exact amounts. Always wondered about these movies where they knock over a military payroll as also in The Big Steal, what they did with all the coins. And how much of the one million would have been in coins and one and five and ten dollar bills.

I've also been watching The Texas on Gritt TV and I find it to be the best work I've ever seen from Calhoun. While the storylines are basic there are supporting actors I enjoy, and a lot of action packed into these 20 minute or so episodes.

So far, I have enjoyed all of The Texan shows, but the ones featuring his work for a railroad became a little boring.

Yea, the railroad episodes did become a little boring. One of the things I didn't like about them was the stubborn and pigheaded Irish leader of the crew. I did not wish for the Texan to help out this guy! One thing that also messed up those railroad episodes is that Gritt does not show episodes back-to-back. Instead Gritt skips one. E.g., in one hour, they show episode #20 and then #22. The next day Gritt shows #21 and #23.

This type of programming by Gritt also impacted the cattle drive episodes, and the episodes about a town near the Mexican border that featured Barbara Stuart.

[ziggy6708a]

ANYbody familiar with this??

[jameselliot]

The end of The Big Caper was too abrupt. Roy disappears and the fist fight was by the numbers. It looked as if the writer didn't know how to end it.

[Hibi]

One of the worst caper movies I've ever seen!!! Takes over an hour before the caper even begins! What a bunch of losers! That criminal gang goes into a town and waits 4 MONTHS to knock off a bank??????????????? Then the leader lets his girlfriend live with Rory Calhoun for 4 months??? Yeah, right!!!! I almost bailed on the film I was so bored, but I wanted to see how the heist played out so I stuck with it. They tried for a happy ending, but you know the two would have to do jail time! Harris was so creepy as was that blonde body builder (forget his name) They couldnt find a better explosive man than a guy who's drunk and staggering around 24/7???????? UGH! The blonde getting knocked off was a surprise in an otherwise mundane film. I give B films a lot of leeway, but this was just a bad storyline.

[Hibi]

I had seen The Big Caper before, a long while ago. Found it good entertainment again. Mary Costa reminded me of Piper Laurie who died yesterday.
Lately I have been watching reruns of Rory Calhoun's The Texan TV series which are fairly enjoyable if somewhat standard for the period.
Back in 1970 I was a pay officer in the Army once. My guard and I reported to post HQ and picked up payroll for out unit, which was all cash. The irony was that the HQ pay personnel had already divided it up into exactly the right denominations to the penny for each soldier drawing pay. Some, mostly officers and NCO's were on direct deposit at the post bank, but still had to pay out a lot of money in exact amounts. Always wondered about these movies where they knock over a military payroll as also in The Big Steal, what they did with all the coins. And how much of the one million would have been in coins and one and five and ten dollar bills.

Wow. Hadnt heard about Piper Laurie. Not getting much news outside of the M.E. crisis. Sorry to hear this.

[Andree]

I have a soft spot for heist films, even if the plots and characters are often similar. And there is a difference in
quality too. I'd put The Big Caper in the somewhat above average category. The caper crew is certainly
unusual, even for a heist film. The alkie pyromaniac, the airhead beach boy, and Paul Picerni who doesn't do
much of anything. It's a wonder they got as far as actually getting the million bucks out of there. What I liked
best was Rory and Mary gradually deciding to give up the criminal life and settling into straight suburbia. Maybe
they were haunted by the spirit of Ward and June Cleaver. Hope those two kids make it. I loved the corny shot
of Robert Harris going to plant the bomb while the kids sing America. And one more thing--Howcum Rory
and Mary have that nice house but they drive around in an old bucket of bolts. Hello, the guy owns a gas station.
James Gregory topless. Priceless. Not.

[Hibi]

I have a soft spot for heist films, even if the plots and characters are often similar. And there is a difference in
quality too. I'd put The Big Caper in the somewhat above average category. The caper crew is certainly
unusual, even for a heist film. The alkie pyromaniac, the airhead beach boy, and Paul Picerni who doesn't do
much of anything. It's a wonder they got as far as actually getting the million bucks out of there. What I liked
best was Rory and Mary gradually deciding to give up the criminal life and settling into straight suburbia. Maybe
they were haunted by the spirit of Ward and June Cleaver. Hope those two kids make it. I loved the corny shot
of Robert Harris going to plant the bomb while the kids sing America. And one more thing--Howcum Rory
and Mary have that nice house but they drive around in an old bucket of bolts. Hello, the guy owns a gas station.
James Gregory topless. Priceless. Not.

LOL. Yeah, I could've done w/out that pool shot! I didn't realize FTN was 2 shows, not one long one until I checked the schedule yesterday. I found the first episode boring and tuned to something else for awhile and came back. I hate busybodies! Especially sanctimonious ones! (Bible classes) If they hadn't stuck their noses in it wouldn't have happened. Now the 2nd one was more interesting! I kind've enjoyed seeing that couple getting offed. Justifiable homicide! What idiots egg on someone to shoot them??? Am sure the hood is a lot quieter now.

[Andree]

LOL. Yeah, I could've done w/out that pool shot! I didn't realize FTN was 2 shows, not one long one until I checked the schedule yesterday. I found the first episode boring and tuned to something else for awhile and came back. I hate busybodies! Especially sanctimonious ones! (Bible classes) If they hadn't stuck their noses in it wouldn't have happened. Now the 2nd one was more interesting! I kind've enjoyed seeing that couple getting offed. Justifiable homicide! What idiots egg on someone to shoot them??? Am sure the hood is a lot quieter now.

Yeah, someone get this man an extra large beach towel. They also had a rerun in the 8-9 slot, the vet with the
metal plate in his head. Yeah, a metal plate is going to be trouble. I liked the second one better too, the
neighborhood bullies. They looked more aggressive in the show than they actually did IRL. While I can't
excuse the guy for shooting them, they were kind of stupid to just stand there and keep yelling at him even
after he came out with his gun. What did they think he was going to do? D'uh.

[Hibi]

LOL. Yeah, I could've done w/out that pool shot! I didn't realize FTN was 2 shows, not one long one until I checked the schedule yesterday. I found the first episode boring and tuned to something else for awhile and came back. I hate busybodies! Especially sanctimonious ones! (Bible classes) If they hadn't stuck their noses in it wouldn't have happened. Now the 2nd one was more interesting! I kind've enjoyed seeing that couple getting offed. Justifiable homicide! What idiots egg on someone to shoot them??? Am sure the hood is a lot quieter now.

Yeah, someone get this man an extra large beach towel. They also had a rerun in the 8-9 slot, the vet with the
metal plate in his head. Yeah, a metal plate is going to be trouble. I liked the second one better too, the
neighborhood bullies. They looked more aggressive in the show than they actually did IRL. While I can't
excuse the guy for shooting them, they were kind of stupid to just stand there and keep yelling at him even
after he came out with his gun. What did they think he was going to do? D'uh.

Seemed like their whole lives revolved around antagonizing and making their neighbor's lives miserable. I can't justify what he did either, but it was funny how he granted their wish to be shot. What idiots!

Yeah, I watched the rerun also. I'd seen it, but it was one of the weirder ones. Why would the city and police allow that guy to run rampant and live in that condemned building?? The judge didnt even send him to jail, just allowed him to go free after trying to run down that guy. I hope the family took the them to court.

[Andree]

Seemed like their whole lives revolved around antagonizing and making their neighbor's lives miserable. I can't justify what he did either, but it was funny how he granted their wish to be shot. What idiots!

Yeah, I watched the rerun also. I'd seen it, but it was one of the weirder ones. Why would the city and police allow that guy to run rampant and live in that condemned building?? The judge didnt even send him to jail, just allowed him to go free after trying to run down that guy. I hope the family took the them to court.

That seemed to be their hobby. Sooner or later, such behavior usually comes back to bite you, though not often fatally.
There was also the sudden placement of the no parking sign in front of the neighbor's house. Wonder if the Goys had some
friends in the police dept.

That was one of the strangest episodes. A guy sneaking into his condemned house every night and then taking a dump
in his back yard while his neighbors have lunch. Yuck. I wonder if law enforcement felt sorry for him or if he too had some
pals in the judicial system. He did finally pass away. I doubt the neighbors had a very long period of mourning.

I'm looking forward to the two Creepy Cinema films tonight. Mario seems more restrained than the last time I saw him.
Then it looked like he might jump into Ben's lap.

[ElCid]

I watch The Texan on FreeVee and I think it is in order. But, FreeVee has some very long commercial breaks.
For the heck of it I watched a couple of Calhoun's last movies - Angel and Avenging Angel. Was about half way through Angel before I realized that Calhoun was the Kit Carson character.

[ElCid]

I had seen The Big Caper before, a long while ago. Found it good entertainment again. Mary Costa reminded me of Piper Laurie who died yesterday.
Lately I have been watching reruns of Rory Calhoun's The Texan TV series which are fairly enjoyable if somewhat standard for the period.
Back in 1970 I was a pay officer in the Army once. My guard and I reported to post HQ and picked up payroll for out unit, which was all cash. The irony was that the HQ pay personnel had already divided it up into exactly the right denominations to the penny for each soldier drawing pay. Some, mostly officers and NCO's were on direct deposit at the post bank, but still had to pay out a lot of money in exact amounts. Always wondered about these movies where they knock over a military payroll as also in The Big Steal, what they did with all the coins. And how much of the one million would have been in coins and one and five and ten dollar bills.

Wow. Hadnt heard about Piper Laurie. Not getting much news outside of the M.E. crisis. Sorry to hear this.

I usually watch CNN because the scroll at the bottom provides news other than what the talking heads are blabbering about endlessly.

[ElCid]

Btw, another of the young music students in this film's opening scene and who would also go on to have a very long career in the biz, and who would also live well into her nineties until passing in 2016, was...

Patricia Barry

Patricia Barry had a very good role in an episode of Route 66.
Richard Erdman was in some episodes of Perry Mason, but for me his best role was in Cry Danger.

[ElCid]

I have a soft spot for heist films, even if the plots and characters are often similar. And there is a difference in
quality too. I'd put The Big Caper in the somewhat above average category. The caper crew is certainly
unusual, even for a heist film. The alkie pyromaniac, the airhead beach boy, and Paul Picerni who doesn't do
much of anything. It's a wonder they got as far as actually getting the million bucks out of there. What I liked
best was Rory and Mary gradually deciding to give up the criminal life and settling into straight suburbia. Maybe
they were haunted by the spirit of Ward and June Cleaver. Hope those two kids make it. I loved the corny shot
of Robert Harris going to plant the bomb while the kids sing America. And one more thing--Howcum Rory
and Mary have that nice house but they drive around in an old bucket of bolts. Hello, the guy owns a gas station.
James Gregory topless. Priceless. Not.

I think the old bucket of bolts was part of their cover. Of course this contrasted somewhat with them being able to purchase a gas station and a large house with a three car garage, even with loans. The house was needed to house all the criminals. At the beginning of movie Calhoun is driving a Chrysler New Yorker convertible, which was his actual car.

[Bronxgirl48]

James Gregory as a bigwig of anything makes me laugh since I feel his only memorable screen performance is the acquiescent Senator Iselin supremely manipulated by power-mad wifey Angela Lansbury in THE MANCHURIAN CANDIDATE.