Alfred L. Werker Movies
In films from 1917, director Alfred L. Werker was either a competent craftsman or talented hack, depending on which of his colleagues you consulted. After paying his dues in a series of secondary production jobs, Werker began directing Fred Thompson westerns in 1925. He began his long association with Fox Studios (later 20th Century-Fox) with 1928's Chasing Through Europe. When Erich Von Stroheim was pulled off his 1932 directorial effort Walking Down Broadway, Werker took over, finishing the film (released as Hello Sister) minus screen credit. The Werker and Stroheim sequences were as different as night and day, fueling the rumor that Werker was, at base, a second-rater. How, then, does one explain such excellent Werker productions as House of Rothschild (1934) and The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes (1939), the latter regarded by many as the all-time best of the Rathbone/Bruce "Holmes" pictures. During the early 1940s, Werker was assigned several comedies, notably Disney's The Reluctant Dragon (1941; live-action sequences only), Laurel & Hardy's A-Haunting We Will Go (1942) and Milton Berle's Whispering Ghost (1943); none were particularly distinguished. Briefly associated with the young-and-hungry Eagle Lion studios in the late 1940s, Werker turned out some of his best work, including the intriguing murder melodrama Repeat Performance (1947). Outwardly, his finest achievement during this period was He Walked By Night (1948), though much of this film was the handiwork of an uncredited Anthony Mann. Werker retired in 1957. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide- 1927
Silent cowboy star Fred Thomson raised quite a bit of controversy by portraying the famous outlaw in a sympathetic vein -- there were still a few oldsters around in those days who remembered the furor raised by the James gang. This role was a surprising turn for Thomson, whose films were generally known for their non-violent, clean-living heroes. Here, he polishes up Jesse James' character, gives him a love interest (Nora Lane), then uses the better part of the film to do what Thomson always did best -- perform elaborate tricks with his horse Silver King. The only difference from his prior films was a higher production value -- this was his first film for Paramount. While Hollywood features, for the most part, have dispensed with history in favor of drama (or the star's or director's whims), Thomson's take on Jesse James was not taken lightly, and this disapproval was quite a turnaround from the widespread esteem the actor was used to receiving. ~ Janiss Garza, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Nora Lane, Montagu Love, (more)
- 1925
The first western produced by the newly established Fred Thomson unit at FBO, Ridin' the Wind was severely panned by critics, one of whom found the film to be "as connected as a jackrabbit's tail after being blown to pieces by a shotgun." The story was the old one about the honest rancher whose kid brother joins a gang of outlaws. Thomson's Jim Harkness goes after the masked bandits, capturing only brother Dick (Lewis Sargent), whom he admonishes to go straight. The stubborn kid refuses of course and doesn't repent until the gang captures brother Jim and his girlfriend May (Jacqueline Gadsdon). Thomson had earlier starred in a series of westerns produced by Monogram for release by FBO. Despite the lukewarm reception of this film, the star's first under a new contract with the company, Thomson managed to almost rival the king of the genre, Tom Mix, before his untimely death in 1928.The original story for this film was penned by one "Frank M. Clifton," the nom-de-plume of Thomson's wife, screenwriter Frances Marion. ~ Hans J. Wollstein, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Fred Thomson, Lewis Sargent, (more)
