In addition to the Silver Chalice and Rachel, Rachel Warner Brothers has released three additional movies in the Paul Newman Collection:

The Helen Morgan Story depicts the rags (actually grass skirt) to riches rise and eventual booze fueled descent of a Torch singer during the roaring 20’s. Ann Blyth lip sings her way from obscurity to stardom before taking an elevator all the way to the basement. Her willingness to do all of the right things with the wrong men includes the worst of the bunch played by Paul Newman. In a cautionary tale, strangely relevant in today’s American Idol fixated society Newman plays the part of Larry Maddox. His role of a conniving small town hustler and less than lovable bootlegger is prototype of the bad boy characters that are yet to come. His irresistible bad penny characterization will eventually evolve into the smug, overconfident, ego centric persona’s Newman portrayed in Sweet Bird of Youth, The Long Hot Summer and, of course, Hud.

This disc contains no special features. It does include a rare early dramatic performance by Comedian Alan King. As the loyal and somewhat lovable cohort of Newman it was a good idea that he didn’t quit his day job. The film also includes cameos by superstars of the day Rudy Vallee and Walter Mitchell (and his microphone). The vocals for the songs from the Broadway show Showboat and Ms. Morgan’s other hits were actually beautifully song by Gogi Grant, an actual Torch Singer, waiting for her own movie to be made.

ComicsOnline gives The Helen Morgan Story 3 out of 5 stars.
 

When Time Ran Out is a Disaster movie directed by Irwin Allen involving a simmering Volcano located on an unnamed and previously undeveloped Hawaiian Island. James Franciscus has inherited this Island from his disapproving father, who thought that growing sugarcane was the safest activity for this particular Volcano laden piece of real estate. Instead Franciscus decides to build a Luxury Hotel within erupting distance from the less than quiescent volcano. His partner in this ill fated venture is William Holden. A Hotel mogul with little mojo, especially with his assistance Jacqueline Bisset. Ms. Bisset is mooning over Hank, the oil wildcatter, who has also partnered up with Mr. Franciscus’ character to explore for oil on this Island. The only company he hasn’t gone into business with is the Dharma Initiative. The supposed fun is this type of movie is to watch and wait for which character will be taking a very hot Jacuzzi lava bath. Or who will stay in hotel built adjacent to a volcano poised to erupt at any second and believe that room service will still be available. Paul Newman, of course is the unflappable Hank. He has the good sense to use this opportunity to reunite with Ms. Bisset and attempt to flee the impending eruption which will make Pompeii look like an evening on fantasy Island. He leads a group of Hollywood hasbeens composed of Ernest Borgnine, Red Buttons, and Burgess Meredith away from certain death. Unfortunately, he leaves a litany of Television actors merely trying to jump start their careers onto the Silver Screen but ending up as volcanic ash.

The special effects are sort of cheesy. Actually, Edward Arnold’s shag style haircut was a lot scarier than the chunks if molten lava propelled into the penthouse as Victoria Hamel was playing Mirror Mirror on the Wall, whose the hottest one of all. This was the first of the two disaster movies that Paul Newman starred in. The second was The Towering Inferno, co-staring Steve McQueen, it had a lot more intensity than this film.

ComicsOnline gives When Time Ran Out 3 out of 5 stars.
 

The Outrage is the very next film that Paul Newman starred in after his career making performance in Hud. Both films were directed by Martin Ritt. Lightning certainly did not strike twice. Somehow it seemed like a pretty good idea to cast a Connecticut Yankee as a unrepentant loathsome Mexican bandito by the name of Carrasco. Newman appears to anglicize Spanish words attempting to convey a world weary outlaw. His supposed victims are a southern confederate couple attempting to rebuild their lives after the family plantation, with all of the free labor, now a distinct memory. Of Course, who better to play a retired confederate Colonel than noted British actor Laurence Harvey. His hapless wife was portrayed by Claire Bloom. The film consists of a seemingly unending series of vignettes attempting to depict what actually occurred when the Southern couple was waylaid by the sinister Carrasco. Unfortunately, Ms. Bloom can’t seem to catch a break during any of these accounts of her experiencing a ‘fate worse than death.” No one appears to be too upset about that particular outrage, only what happens afterwords.

The most interesting aspect in this movie is the portrayal by William Shatner of a preacher who loses his faith after witnessing frontier justice. His scenes with Edward G. Robinson as a craggy con man add the transitional glue between the various Rashomon accounts of what really unfolded. Shatner wears his collar with the same assuredness that he will later command when he dons the uniform of a star fleet captain. By the end of the movie you may actually understand what happened between the bandito and the Confederate refugees. I’m just not sure that you’ll care.

ComicsOnline gives The Outrage 2 out of 5 stars.