Known for Acting
Dance of the Cookoos is merged a cinematic cross section with the high points from almost 100 works of Laurel & Hardy, into an original framework action
A heavy condensation of the original serial compresses the original thirteen episodes into an efficient 97 minute feature. Disaster seems imminent when scientists discover that the planet Mongo is about to crash into Earth. Luckily, heroic young Flash Gordon is on hand to lead an investigative mission into outer space and onto the speedily approaching planet. There, he and his best girl, Dale, who is along for the ride, learn that Ming, the devious ruler of Mongo, has purposely put the planet on a collision course with Earth, and only Flash can stop him.
In 1903, Doctor Huntington Bailey meets a friendly older lady during a train trip. She tells him that she is going to visit her brother Nick and his lovely young wife Allida. Once in New York, Bailey hears that his train companion suddenly died. Shortly afterward, he meets the strange couple and gets suspicious of Nick's treatment of his wife.
Dan Stanton and Condon are foreclosing on a group of ranchers in order to gain a land-monopoly. They have one of the ranchers, whose property supplies the others with water, killed. Ann Jennings, niece of the rancher, sends for U. S. Marshals Nevada Jack McKenzie and Sandy Hopkins, who organize the ranchers who take over the dead man's property and blast the dam releasing needed water to all the ranchers. Nevada and Sandy, aided by the sheriff, round up Stanton, Condon and their gang members.
Don't be fooled by the title. Christmas Holiday is a far, far cry from It's a Wonderful Life. Told in flashback, the story begins as Abigail Martin marries Southern aristocrat Robert Monette. Unfortunately, Robert has inherited his family's streak of violence and instability, and soon drags Abigail into a life of misery.
Ordered by a judge to get a job, Muggs McGinnis is hired by wealthy Mrs. Murray, who has a penchant for picking up trouble-prone servants. At an engagement party for Mrs. Murray's spoiled daughter Brenda, Muggs enlists his pals as extra help.
Merchant Marine sailors Joe Rossi (Humphrey Bogart) and Steve Jarvis (Raymond Massey) are charged with getting a supply vessel to Russian allies as part of a sea convoy. When the group of ships comes under attack from a German U-boat, Rossi and Jarvis navigate through dangerous waters to evade Nazi naval forces. Though their mission across the Atlantic is extremely treacherous, they are motivated by the opportunity to strike back at the Germans, who sank one of their earlier ships.
When honest ship captain Roy Glennister gets swindled out of his mine claim, he turns to saloon singer Cherry Malotte for assistance in his battle with no-good town kingpin Alexander McNamara.
Sadistic killer-for-hire Philip Raven becomes enraged when his latest job is paid off in marked bills. Vowing to track down his double-crossing boss, nightclub executive Gates, Raven sits beside Gates' lovely new employee, Ellen, on a train out of town. Although Ellen is engaged to marry the police lieutenant who's hunting down Raven, she decides to try and set the misguided hit man straight as he hides from the cops and plots his revenge.
Henry Courtney, a wealthy importer is found murdered and the famous DeNormand necklace has been stolen. The false testimony of two witnesses, Rand and Hobbs, puts Jim O'Brien in the shadow of the hangman's noose. Martha Courtney, widow of the murdered man and Jim's former sweetheart is convinced he isn't guilty, and promises crooked lawyer Roger Lanning the necklace - which Jim doesn't have - if he can arrange for Jim's escape. Rand and Lanning killed Courtney, but Lanning doesn't know that Rand has the necklace.
Dick Tracy goes up against a villain known as The Ghost, who can turn himself invisible.
Circumstance, an old flame and a mother-in-law drive a happily married couple to the verge of divorce and insanity.