Arthur F. Beck Movies

A shipwreck strands a newpaperman, his fiancee, and a man falsely accused of murder, on an African island. ~ Jason Ankeny, Rovi

The Unnamed Woman stars veteran film player Leah Baird, who also wrote the script. The actress plays the greedy, covetous wife of wealthy businessman Herbert Rawlinson. Unhappy with his mercenary spouse, Rawlinson begins keeping time with Katherine MacDonald. Though the relationship is quite innocent, Baird believes otherwise, and sets about to destroy MacDonald's reputation. Only when MacDonald tries to commit suicide does Baird come to her senses, promising to become a better and less self-centered helpmate to her long-suffering hubby. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

Even though Clara Bow was close to achieving true stardom, she was still being cast in crass, low-budget fare. In fact, she has little to do in this overwrought melodrama -- Wallace MacDonald has the meaty role, and is billed above her. Bruce Armstrong (MacDonald) is quite wealthy. He is also a drinker, a gambler, and pretty much worthless as a human being. Even after he lames his little brother Jimmy (Pat Moore) in a drunken fit, he does not straighten up. For some reason, Marilyn Merrill (Bow), a successful dancer, sticks by him. In spite of this, he gambles with her boss, Tom Canfield (Stuart Holmes), and when he loses, he writes bad checks. In order to avoid jail, Armstrong gets involved in diamond smuggling and winds up in a brutal fight over the spoils. One of the men, Big Jim Snead (Tom Santschi), attacks Armstrong, who kills him. Jimmy is the only witness, so when Armstrong is put on trial, the boy is forced to testify. To keep him from having to take the stand, Armstrong confesses. But one of the other smugglers, Dude Talbot (Templar Saxe), comes forth and admits that Armstrong killed in self-defense. Armstrong goes free and proposes to the ever-patient Marilyn. ~ Janiss Garza, Rovi

Although the situations and backgrounds are thoroughly modern (by 1922 standards), this melodrama has the very same spirit as those Drury Lane tales of yore. Star Leigh Baird wrote the scenario herself. Clearly not afraid of being upstaged by an animal, she uses two here -- a pet monkey and a dog, played by Teddy, from Mack Sennett's studios. Viola Baxter (Baird) has inherited a fortune from her father, but her guardian, Marshall Walsh (William Conklin), is determined to get his hands on her money. He has Viola's sweetheart, Richard Fletcher (Jack Mower), arrested for bond theft, and then quickly marries her in his absence. She's unhappily wed, and she begins to uncover the truth when she sees some of the stolen bonds amongst the papers that her pet monkey has thrown around Walsh's library. Through Walsh's mistress, Madge Eller (Eulalie Jensen), Fletcher discovers the truth. He and Viola confront Walsh, who struggles for the gun they have pointed at him. But Viola's dog comes to the rescue. He subjects Walsh to a vicious death, leaving Viola and Fletcher to be together. ~ Janiss Garza, Rovi