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Although Douglas Sirk was Universal's house director in the mid-late 1950's turning out glossy soap after glossy soap (1954's "Magnificent Obsession", 1955's "All That Heaven Allows", 1959's "Imitation of Life"), he took a slight diversion with "The Tarnished Angels". Besides being in black and white, this actioner is much less sudsy than Sirk's other films of the era. Using the prinipal players from his 1956 epic soap "Written on the Wind", he creates a fast-paced melodrama following the adventures of a family of airplane stunt people and the reporter who is drawn into their world. Robert Stack is Roger Shumann, a stunt pilot, Dorothy Malone is his beautiful parachutist wife, and Rock Hudson is Burke Devlin, the intrigued reporter.

Roger is devasated when he crashes his prized plane, so another pilot(Robert Middleton) makes Roger a deal. He'll give Roger his plane in exchange for Roger's wife,LaVerne(Malone). Meanwhile, a used and abused LaVerne falls for Burke. There's not much here at all by way of plot. In fact, the film is really dull in that aspect. But what gives this movie legs are the brilliantly directed action sequences(some of the best ever captured on celluloid)and tremendous performances from Stack, Malone, and Hudson. Malone is especially amazing, following up her Oscar-win the previous year for "Written on the Wind". Mediocre film, interesting especially to Sirk fans.

The amazing Joan Crawford never diappoints. In "The Damned Don't Cry", she gives yet another stellar performance during her 1940's-50's heyday. Like "Mildred Pierce", this film is done via flashback. Crawford plays a dowdy housewife, who soon after the tragic death of her young son, becomes a glamorous gangster's wife. Watching her transform herself is a riot, and seeing her work her way up to the top is brilliant fun. Her co-stars are equally as good. The beautiful black and white cinematography really enhances an already good film. Check this one out.

Before becoming a big name in the 1950's as Universal's house director(1954's "Magnificent Obsession", 1959's "Imitation of Life"), Douglas Sirk dabbled in westerns and film noir-ish mysteries. "Lured" is one such mystery that stars a pre-"I Love Lucy" Lucille Ball, George Sanders, and Boris Karloff. Ball stars as a showgirl in London who gets drawn into the search for a serial killer when one of her dancer friends becomes an apparent victim of this killer. The killer preys on London's most beautiful women via personal columns. Ball is hired by Scotland Yard to answer personal columns in an attempt to track the real killer. She encounters frightening situations and odd characters in her search. When she falls in love with one of the men, she begins to fear for her life as he may indeed be the killer. Sirk's direction is really quite impressive with his shadowing and his uncanny ability to beautifully capture women on film. Ball, too, is good, although she really seems to be a bit out of place when it comes to high drama. And the always excellent Sanders doesn't disappoint. Overall, "Lured" is a good, solid worthwhile thriller.