I have just finished viewing this film on a Kino Lorber dvd, and it is one beautiful print. The sound is good, and the optics are as fresh and sharp as they must have been when the film first came out in 1956. Granted the script is a bit pedestrian, but Marla English sure looks great in a swim suit, and Ben Cooper's hot rod would be a winner at any classic car show. For those who are wondering, the State of California maintained a number of isolated mountain cabins for government hydrologists whose job it was to measure the snow pack throughout the winter. Luther and his sister Terry were state employees, and that is why a state-of-the-art "snow cat" would be sent to investigate when they stopped transmitting data. The Kino Lorber dvd includes a very informative audio commentary by film historians Toby Roan and Jay Dee Witney.
13 Reviews
An average adventure
Red-Barracuda21 August 2009
This is quite an unremarkable 50's crime flick. It's about a gang of armed robbers who take a young hotrod hostage and hide out in the mountains in an isolated weather station, taking a further two innocent people hostage.
The whole thing is quite contrived and although it's not particularly interesting it's not that bad either. It's a pretty cheap production but the cast acquit themselves OK, and the story moves along at a decent pace. Things are ultimately wrapped up what is close to a non-ending. It's a half-hearted resolution at best.
Overall it's really not that strange an adventure. But, you know what, I've seen a lot worse.
The whole thing is quite contrived and although it's not particularly interesting it's not that bad either. It's a pretty cheap production but the cast acquit themselves OK, and the story moves along at a decent pace. Things are ultimately wrapped up what is close to a non-ending. It's a half-hearted resolution at best.
Overall it's really not that strange an adventure. But, you know what, I've seen a lot worse.
Mediocre B pic: some fast driving, sudden weather change, plenty of holes in story
adrianovasconcelos29 October 2021
I do not know director William Witney, never heard of him before and doubt very much that I will in the future on the strength of this mediocre effort.
The film's greatest merit is its clear photography. The script has more character inconsistencies and holes than Swiss cheese (Marla English keeps jumping from the arms of Jan Merlin to those of Ben Cooper and back, and no one seems to mind as plain-faced Joan Evans starts smooching Cooper too, for instance).
Merlin has the plum role, playing the nefarious, impulsive, trigger happy but not stupid Kutner. What detracts from a successful performance is the poor script that has him suddenly and needlessly kill a compliant security van driver, then fail not kill Cooper when he could and probably should. Although he uncovers Cooper's and Evans' ploy involving a portable radio, he fails to detect that blocked nose, constantly sniffing Nick Adams has replaced the heist dough with pine cones, and finally crazily places himself in the line of fire.
Supposed femme fatale English is not that fatal, except to herself (she gets a stiff prison sentence). Besides traveling between the arms of Merlin and Cooper, and leaving a gun for the latter to pick up and point at Merlin, English's most memorable moments involve her light clothing and high heel shoes while everyone else wears warm clothes and the snow builds up outside.
Pretty boy Cooper seems in love with English, then falls for Evans. You can see that he is the one who can do something to turn the tables on Merlin and Adams, but at the crucial moment he fails to make meaningful use of the gun English gives him. He also drives a car needlessly fast when he is not even being chased - the script never clarifies whether he is just a fast driver by nature.
Talking about Nature: the sudden change from sunny weather to snow is too improbable for words. How Cooper and the authorities track down the heist stash hidden in the snow is never explained, you just learn that Cooper and Evans are getting a reward for returning the proceeds, when a minute earlier Cooper kept repeating that he had had nothing to do with replacing the money with pine cones, and had no idea where the dosh might be.
Too many character motivation holes, not enough action, bad script. Waste of valuable time.
The film's greatest merit is its clear photography. The script has more character inconsistencies and holes than Swiss cheese (Marla English keeps jumping from the arms of Jan Merlin to those of Ben Cooper and back, and no one seems to mind as plain-faced Joan Evans starts smooching Cooper too, for instance).
Merlin has the plum role, playing the nefarious, impulsive, trigger happy but not stupid Kutner. What detracts from a successful performance is the poor script that has him suddenly and needlessly kill a compliant security van driver, then fail not kill Cooper when he could and probably should. Although he uncovers Cooper's and Evans' ploy involving a portable radio, he fails to detect that blocked nose, constantly sniffing Nick Adams has replaced the heist dough with pine cones, and finally crazily places himself in the line of fire.
Supposed femme fatale English is not that fatal, except to herself (she gets a stiff prison sentence). Besides traveling between the arms of Merlin and Cooper, and leaving a gun for the latter to pick up and point at Merlin, English's most memorable moments involve her light clothing and high heel shoes while everyone else wears warm clothes and the snow builds up outside.
Pretty boy Cooper seems in love with English, then falls for Evans. You can see that he is the one who can do something to turn the tables on Merlin and Adams, but at the crucial moment he fails to make meaningful use of the gun English gives him. He also drives a car needlessly fast when he is not even being chased - the script never clarifies whether he is just a fast driver by nature.
Talking about Nature: the sudden change from sunny weather to snow is too improbable for words. How Cooper and the authorities track down the heist stash hidden in the snow is never explained, you just learn that Cooper and Evans are getting a reward for returning the proceeds, when a minute earlier Cooper kept repeating that he had had nothing to do with replacing the money with pine cones, and had no idea where the dosh might be.
Too many character motivation holes, not enough action, bad script. Waste of valuable time.
Stranger than fiction.
ptb-824 August 2021
I have no idea why this film exists, nor what audience it was intended for. This 1955 Republic drama in widescreen looks terrific and allows for some great L. A. background of the era. Adele Palmer costumes are good and the cast are quite effective, especially Ben Cooper. The film almost exists just to make a good trailer, which is well worth seeing how they salvaged the best bits for that. So much of the information is not shown, eg that Ben is a hot rod driver, so they just tell us. Also I have never seen a film end so abruptly. They just tell us what happened and cut to the fade out. I really enjoy Republic titles especially mid 50s but this one plays like Television in Cinemascope and contrives scenes and locations just to make a good trailer glimpse. The snow tractor on the poster is only there for 30 sec. I wanted to like this more but was continually shortchanged by the film just being cheap and silly. However days afterwards I kept thinking about it and how I now now want to see it again. Republic made about a dozen of these really cheap widescreen action dramas at the time and whilst each are interesting in their low budget way, they really are a suburban time capsule of their time. I have no idea who would go to see these in any cinema when first released. SNOWBOUND HOODLUMS would have been a far better title.
Decent JD-type flick...
rarer00126 March 2004
Warning: Spoilers
I am attempting to give you my opinion of the film, while providing the basic story, but not revealing any real "spoilers"... This is a decent JD-type flick. Starts out at a motel run by a mother and her son, Harold. Harold is into cars and girls. When pretty girl Lynn Novack is staying at the motel, she gets Harold tangled up with some bad guys in the middle of a plan to rob an armored car. The main bad guy, Al Kutner is played by Jan Merlin, who basically slaps the girls around and counts the money, while his sidekick, played by the late Nick Adams, does little more than sneeze, sniffle, and talk like he has a clothespin on his nose.
The roads are blocked and they end up at a weather station in the mountains, run by Luther Dolgin and his sister Terry, played by lovely Joan Evans. She becomes a love interest for Harold. One highlight of the movie occurs when has to change her blouse in one scene, providing us with a glimpse of her in a bra.
The money ends up hidden in the snow and they try to blame Harold for its disappearance.
I give it 8/10 because it succeeded as an engaging, mildly exploitive JD-type flick.
That's all I care to say, but I might add, if they remade this film, they would have to do things differently now!
The roads are blocked and they end up at a weather station in the mountains, run by Luther Dolgin and his sister Terry, played by lovely Joan Evans. She becomes a love interest for Harold. One highlight of the movie occurs when has to change her blouse in one scene, providing us with a glimpse of her in a bra.
The money ends up hidden in the snow and they try to blame Harold for its disappearance.
I give it 8/10 because it succeeded as an engaging, mildly exploitive JD-type flick.
That's all I care to say, but I might add, if they remade this film, they would have to do things differently now!
IT'S THE JAN STERLING SHOW...STUDIO "REPUBLIC" CLOSING DOORS...IGNORED THIS ...GOOD HEIST-HOSTAGE B-MOVIE
LeonLouisRicci24 August 2021
Jan Sterling had a Disappointing B-Movie/TV Career Considering.
The Fact that He Displayed On-Screen a Good-Looking, Psychopath,
that Slapped, Punched, Shot, Killed, and Sadistically Dominated Anyone that Crossed His Path.
He Could Con Women into His Life of Brutality, Abuse Them and Abandon Them in a Blink-of-Eye.
Men were even Less of an Effort for the Alpha-Male
Here All of that "Charm" is on Full-Display and He Dominates and Steals the Show from the Get-Go.
Marla English is His Latest Gang-Co-Hort.
While She is in Full-Control of Her Femme-Fatale, She is a Slave-Subservient to the Rage..
Ben Cooper is the Christ to the Anti-Christ Leader.
Handsome, Clean-Cut and a Light to the Darkness that is His Counterpart. He Always Does the Right Thing.
Nick Adams is Reduced to a Bennie-Inhaler Addict.
That Does Take a Stand Behind Sterling's Back in the End.
Joan Evans is the Headliner, a Freckle -Faced Cutie who Shows-Up Late and Manages some Screen-Time as a Feisty Hostage.
Everyone Takes a Back-Seat in this Ignored Effort from the Door-Closing Studio,
to the Cynical Dialog, Violence, and the Noirsh Fatality of it All.
Here's a Quote that Sums it ..."He (Sterling) Shot-Gunned 20 Squirrels Today for Practice." Blowing their Heads-Off would Make "Tommy Udall" Proud.
So Jan Sterling Never Made the Big-Time Like Richard Widmark,
but the Evidence in this Little Movie says Maybe He Should Have and got Some A-List Work.
He would Live a Long-Life. Died at the Age of 94.
Note...The contrive ending is a tacked-on "Code Pleaser" that is a confusing and a bow to the "sanctity" of the Judicial System.
The Fact that He Displayed On-Screen a Good-Looking, Psychopath,
that Slapped, Punched, Shot, Killed, and Sadistically Dominated Anyone that Crossed His Path.
He Could Con Women into His Life of Brutality, Abuse Them and Abandon Them in a Blink-of-Eye.
Men were even Less of an Effort for the Alpha-Male
Here All of that "Charm" is on Full-Display and He Dominates and Steals the Show from the Get-Go.
Marla English is His Latest Gang-Co-Hort.
While She is in Full-Control of Her Femme-Fatale, She is a Slave-Subservient to the Rage..
Ben Cooper is the Christ to the Anti-Christ Leader.
Handsome, Clean-Cut and a Light to the Darkness that is His Counterpart. He Always Does the Right Thing.
Nick Adams is Reduced to a Bennie-Inhaler Addict.
That Does Take a Stand Behind Sterling's Back in the End.
Joan Evans is the Headliner, a Freckle -Faced Cutie who Shows-Up Late and Manages some Screen-Time as a Feisty Hostage.
Everyone Takes a Back-Seat in this Ignored Effort from the Door-Closing Studio,
to the Cynical Dialog, Violence, and the Noirsh Fatality of it All.
Here's a Quote that Sums it ..."He (Sterling) Shot-Gunned 20 Squirrels Today for Practice." Blowing their Heads-Off would Make "Tommy Udall" Proud.
So Jan Sterling Never Made the Big-Time Like Richard Widmark,
but the Evidence in this Little Movie says Maybe He Should Have and got Some A-List Work.
He would Live a Long-Life. Died at the Age of 94.
Note...The contrive ending is a tacked-on "Code Pleaser" that is a confusing and a bow to the "sanctity" of the Judicial System.
Let's Get Real
Hitchcoc8 February 2007
Sometimes it's as if we can forgive the most trying stretches of believability, just because a film was made in an era like the 50's with a shoestring budget. I don't like that. Good, believable films were made at this time as well as clinkers. This has some things going for it, but the way these nasty characters behave is beyond imagination. They wave their guns around, threaten, but don't seem to want to act. Hostages are left to wander all over the place. There is tension among the thieves, but it is dealt with in such a silly, haphazard way, it doesn't work. A slip up of any kind, and their whole project is down the chute. If we are to believe the whole business about being locked up in the woods in the winter, it seems at some point, someone would begin to make realistic plans to get on their way. Are they already murderers? I don't know, but they could have certainly done a better job of getting on with their plot. Then there is the ending (I'm not going to do any spoilers). This is the most ho-hum, contrived mess I've ever seen. It's as if they ran out of time and just decided to create this ending. Judge for yourself. The bottom line is, people just don't act this way--they just don't.
Ben Cooper Learns the Hard Way
wes-connors15 February 2009
"A young man with a passion for hot rods and pretty girls finds himself in trouble when he gets mixed-up with some criminals. A pretty border at his mother's motel talks our hero into a drive that ends up as a part of her gang's armored car robbery. Forced to drive them to a remote cabin to hide from the police, our hero must think of a way to save he and his fellow hostages, and foil the plans of the bank robbers," according to the DVD sleeve's synopsis.
A dullish 1950s "rebellious youth" film. Ben Cooper (as Harold Norton) is the passionate hot rod man. Marla English (as Lynn Novak) is the beautifully built gangster's "Doll", who lures innocent Mr. Cooper into the fold. She alternates between Cooper and gang leader boyfriend Jan Merlin (as Al Kutner). Later on, the sweet sister and brother team of Joan Evans and Peter Miller (as Terry and Luther Dolgin) are taken hostage by Mr. Merlin. Nick Adams (as Phil Davis) fights off a cold, and assists Merlin.
**** A Strange Adventure (1956) William Witney ~ Ben Cooper, Marla English, Jan Merlin
A dullish 1950s "rebellious youth" film. Ben Cooper (as Harold Norton) is the passionate hot rod man. Marla English (as Lynn Novak) is the beautifully built gangster's "Doll", who lures innocent Mr. Cooper into the fold. She alternates between Cooper and gang leader boyfriend Jan Merlin (as Al Kutner). Later on, the sweet sister and brother team of Joan Evans and Peter Miller (as Terry and Luther Dolgin) are taken hostage by Mr. Merlin. Nick Adams (as Phil Davis) fights off a cold, and assists Merlin.
**** A Strange Adventure (1956) William Witney ~ Ben Cooper, Marla English, Jan Merlin
More Dull Than Strange
boblipton2 August 2021
Psychopath Jan Merlin, would-be femme fatale Marla English and general bad guy Nick Adams con Ben Cooper into driving the getaway car for their armored car robbery. When they flee, they wind up at a snowed-in mountain cabin where Joan Evans and her brother, Peter Miller, are doing something for the weather bureau.
It's a nice set-up for a crime drama, and it's decently plotted, but director William Witney isn't able to bring much to it. Some of the trouble with the movie might be that it was shot for 3D, and the version I looked at was flat; certainly films converted that way are often dull. Most of the problem, however, lies with the line readings. While Adams is okay, the rest of the cast is too fresh-faced to be convincing in their dull lines and underwritten characters. Miss English gives a performance that seems more like a spoiled child than someone alluring.
There's some nice long shots of the car fleeing from the authorities, but when it comes to the actors, there's little of interest.
It's a nice set-up for a crime drama, and it's decently plotted, but director William Witney isn't able to bring much to it. Some of the trouble with the movie might be that it was shot for 3D, and the version I looked at was flat; certainly films converted that way are often dull. Most of the problem, however, lies with the line readings. While Adams is okay, the rest of the cast is too fresh-faced to be convincing in their dull lines and underwritten characters. Miss English gives a performance that seems more like a spoiled child than someone alluring.
There's some nice long shots of the car fleeing from the authorities, but when it comes to the actors, there's little of interest.
crime B-movie
SnoopyStyle6 November 2023
Young hot-rodder Harold Norton helps out at the family motel. He falls for seductive guest Lynn Novak who is joined by two men. They turn out to be robbers. They have an inside man for their armored truck heist. After losing a guy, they need a new getaway driver.
This is a crime B-movie. Everything is generally B in this one. Sadly, it's a scale from A to B. The acting is broad melodramatic or stiff. The production is weak. There are holes in the story which includes a whiplash weather change. It's all very 50's. It needs better action to distract from all the bad acting and general problems.
This is a crime B-movie. Everything is generally B in this one. Sadly, it's a scale from A to B. The acting is broad melodramatic or stiff. The production is weak. There are holes in the story which includes a whiplash weather change. It's all very 50's. It needs better action to distract from all the bad acting and general problems.
Great cast capable of something better
yonhope19 May 2007
This poor attempt at producing a movie fails over and over. Terrible bursts of music that might wake up the sleeping audience. Dumb characters. Good people are dumb and bad people are dumb. The music should have been dum, dum, dum, dum.
This could have been a sexy, robbery gone wrong, cute good girl, beautiful bad girl, even prettier young guy male lead, Ben Cooper action suspense adventure. My guess is the director was spending too much time studying for his grade school graduation test and he could not devote enough focus to this. Hey, the viewer can't focus on this either.
Beautiful cars in the first half of the movie. A bit of a look at a supermarket of the 1950s. Good hairstyles and make up for all the cast. They don't ever look stupid. That's just the way they act. They are all good actors, but this contrived bunch of nonsense never gives anyone a hint of reality or danger or intelligence.
What happened to the money? They needed a few more scenes when they ran out of film. I know where it was when we last saw it, but what happened to the money? Where's the money? Ben could have done so well if he could have rewritten each of his scenes. He should have been shirtless in the snow with the girl searching for the dough. Ben never got his Bonnie and Clyde role. This could have been like that with just a few changes on each page.
Tom Willett
This could have been a sexy, robbery gone wrong, cute good girl, beautiful bad girl, even prettier young guy male lead, Ben Cooper action suspense adventure. My guess is the director was spending too much time studying for his grade school graduation test and he could not devote enough focus to this. Hey, the viewer can't focus on this either.
Beautiful cars in the first half of the movie. A bit of a look at a supermarket of the 1950s. Good hairstyles and make up for all the cast. They don't ever look stupid. That's just the way they act. They are all good actors, but this contrived bunch of nonsense never gives anyone a hint of reality or danger or intelligence.
What happened to the money? They needed a few more scenes when they ran out of film. I know where it was when we last saw it, but what happened to the money? Where's the money? Ben could have done so well if he could have rewritten each of his scenes. He should have been shirtless in the snow with the girl searching for the dough. Ben never got his Bonnie and Clyde role. This could have been like that with just a few changes on each page.
Tom Willett
"A swimming pool Delilah"
bkoganbing27 November 2015
With John Wayne no longer under contract and their stable of cowboy heroes gone or gone to television Republic Pictures turned out a lot of mediocre films until Herbert J. Yates pulled the plug on his business. Occasionally they did a good film, but mostly mediocre. A Strange Adventure was worse than mediocre.
Marla English is in a small town western motel spending a lot of time sun bathing and getting the hormones of the hotrodding son of the owner into overdrive. Ben Cooper no way Jose looked like a minor kid, but he's checking out English big time and she's leading him on.
But that's her stock in trade, English also has armored car driver Paul Smith ready to help heist his own car. That's what happens when her confederates Jan Merlin and Nick Adams arrive and they shoot the luckless Smith. They also take Cooper and his hotrod which does 90 miles as a possible getaway vehicle.
As arranged the gang is supposed to hide in an abandoned cabin in the mountains that will soon be snowed in and then make a getaway in spring. But the cabin isn't so abandoned as brother and sister Peter Miller and Joan Evans are there.
The cinematography is mediocre and the sound quality horrible on A Strange Adventure. The players do their best with some off the wall dialog. Jan Merlin especially overacts with gusto to cover up the film's deficiencies.
A Strange Adventure is directed by William Witney who ten years earlier was grinding out Roy Rogers and Gene Autry westerns along with the rest of the Republic cowboy stable. I'll bet he wished he was back in the saddle again.
Marla English is in a small town western motel spending a lot of time sun bathing and getting the hormones of the hotrodding son of the owner into overdrive. Ben Cooper no way Jose looked like a minor kid, but he's checking out English big time and she's leading him on.
But that's her stock in trade, English also has armored car driver Paul Smith ready to help heist his own car. That's what happens when her confederates Jan Merlin and Nick Adams arrive and they shoot the luckless Smith. They also take Cooper and his hotrod which does 90 miles as a possible getaway vehicle.
As arranged the gang is supposed to hide in an abandoned cabin in the mountains that will soon be snowed in and then make a getaway in spring. But the cabin isn't so abandoned as brother and sister Peter Miller and Joan Evans are there.
The cinematography is mediocre and the sound quality horrible on A Strange Adventure. The players do their best with some off the wall dialog. Jan Merlin especially overacts with gusto to cover up the film's deficiencies.
A Strange Adventure is directed by William Witney who ten years earlier was grinding out Roy Rogers and Gene Autry westerns along with the rest of the Republic cowboy stable. I'll bet he wished he was back in the saddle again.
Dull hostage drama
kidboots23 August 2009
Warning: Spoilers
Marla English was a pretty starlet who looked very similar to Elizabeth Taylor. She started off in uncredited parts in prestigious movies ("About Mrs. Leslie" (1954), "Rear Window" (1954)) and then landed leads in a few good "bad" films ("The She Creature" (1956), "Runaway Daughters" (1956)) - and then no more. She made her last appearance in "Voodoo Woman" in 1957. She did marry around this time and retired to raise a family (she had 4 sons). "A Strange Adventure" was directed by William Witney, the first of a few J.D. films he did, ("The Young and the Wild", "The Cool and the Crazy") just before he retired. This was also one of Republic Pictures last releases.
Hal (Ben Cooper) is a keen hot rodder who falls under the spell of Lynn Novak (Marla English), a night club singer and also part of a gang of robbers (Nick Adams plays Phil, the one with the cold). They plan to rob an armoured car and Lyn goes to work, using her charms on the driver. She then reads that "Woody", her old boyfriend, has escaped from jail in Omaha and realises that Al, the hardened boss, probably double crossed him. They have to move fast with the robbery as Lynn finds out that Hal has contacted Woody and he is now in town.
The movie then changes entirely and Woody is not heard of again (very weird, as that seemed to be where the film was heading!!!) In trying to evade the police they turn off at a forest and end up taking a snow fall observer and his teenage sister hostage. Holed up in the cabin, everyone starts to realise how crazy Al is. Hal is working on his own escape plan which involves Terry and her brother. A gun battle ensues and Phil (who is the real brains) has been "squirreling" the money away in a log in the woods, and replacing it with rocks!!!! It sort of ends with Hal driving away with his two new friends and a police broadcast proclaiming that since neither Phil nor Al seem to know where the money is they are both going to jail for a long time.
Joan Evans, whose mother was Katharine Albert, a journalist for "Photoplay" magazine, plays Terry.
Not recommended.
Hal (Ben Cooper) is a keen hot rodder who falls under the spell of Lynn Novak (Marla English), a night club singer and also part of a gang of robbers (Nick Adams plays Phil, the one with the cold). They plan to rob an armoured car and Lyn goes to work, using her charms on the driver. She then reads that "Woody", her old boyfriend, has escaped from jail in Omaha and realises that Al, the hardened boss, probably double crossed him. They have to move fast with the robbery as Lynn finds out that Hal has contacted Woody and he is now in town.
The movie then changes entirely and Woody is not heard of again (very weird, as that seemed to be where the film was heading!!!) In trying to evade the police they turn off at a forest and end up taking a snow fall observer and his teenage sister hostage. Holed up in the cabin, everyone starts to realise how crazy Al is. Hal is working on his own escape plan which involves Terry and her brother. A gun battle ensues and Phil (who is the real brains) has been "squirreling" the money away in a log in the woods, and replacing it with rocks!!!! It sort of ends with Hal driving away with his two new friends and a police broadcast proclaiming that since neither Phil nor Al seem to know where the money is they are both going to jail for a long time.
Joan Evans, whose mother was Katharine Albert, a journalist for "Photoplay" magazine, plays Terry.
Not recommended.
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