Wilfred North Movies

In this drama, an amateur pilot is driven to living life in the fast lane after he pilots that plane that crashed and killed his parents and his sister. He goes on to marry. He and his new wife live in terrible conditions until he suddenly inherits $8,000 which he uses to buy a plane and start up a commuter service. Unfortunately, he finds himself again in debt. His disgusted wife leaves, but when he is hurt in a car crash, she eventually returns. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide

This truly offbeat filmization of Jean Bart's stage drama The Man Who Reclaimed His Head has been misleadingly released to TV as part of the "Shock Theater" package, even though the film is more melancholy than horrific. At the height of WW I, the trembling, near-lunatic Paul Verin (Claude Rains) arrives at police headquarters, carrying an ominously heavy handbag. Before revealing the bag's gruesome contents, he relates his tragic story in flashback. At one time a promising writer, Verin was married to the beautiful and ambitious Adele (Joan Bennett), who pushed and prodded him to advance himself. Accordingly, he sold his "head" -- that is, his integrity -- to powerful publisher Henri Dumont (Lionel Atwill), ghostwriting Dumont's anti-war editorials. By the time he realized that the hypocritical Dumont had himself sold out to the pro-war business interests, Verin had lost his wife and child to the scheming publisher. Driven mad on the battlefield, he made his way back to Dumont's mansion, exacting a horrible but appropriate revenge (hence the film's title). The Man Who Reclaimed His Head was remade in 1945 as Strange Confession -- with the pacifist angle completely removed! ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Edna May Oliver makes the first of three appearances as Hildegarde Withers, the schoolteacher/sleuth created by mystery writer Stuart Palmer. While conducting her students on a tour of the Battery Park Aquarium, Hildegarde spots a dead body in the penguin pool. Police inspector Piper (James Gleason) believes it's an open-and-shut case when he collars the faithless wife (Mae Clarke) of the victim, but Hildegarde suspects there's more to the case than meets the eye. Detective and teacher mellow from antagonists to friends in the course of the investigation, the denouement of which isn't revealed until the suspect is put on trial, where she is defended by her attorney-lover (Robert Armstrong). The murderer's identity isn't too surprising, but Penguin Pool Murder takes several unexpected twists all the same, including a neat reversal on the old "reunited lovers" finale. At the end, Hildegarde and Piper are contemplating marriage, but in the subsequent Edna May Oliver/James Gleason "Hildegarde Withers" films (Murder on the Blackboard, Murder on a Honeymoon) they retain their single status. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Directed by Harry Beaumont, the courtroom drama Unashamed stars Robert Young as Dick Ogden, who will do anything to protect his sister Jean (Helen Twelvetrees). Unfortunately, Jean is in love with the sleazy Harry Swift (Monroe Owsley), who is only interested in her fortune. After Harry (Owsley) manipulated Jen (Twelvetrees) into spending the night alone with him, Mr. Odgen (Robert Warwick) refused to give them permission to marry. A furious Harry threatens to ruin Jean's reputation, but is shot by Dick (Young) before he can say anything. Heartbroken, Jean does not forgive her father or brother and plans to testify against Dick even if it means the death penalty. It looks as if Dick will be sent to the gas chamber until the very end, when his sister suddenly has a change of heart. ~ Tracie Cooper, All Movie Guide

In this romance, an early talkie containing approximately 4 minutes of dialog and a song, a man is paroled from prison provided he adheres strictly to "Rule No. 3," which states that he cannot get romantically involved, nor marry until he is off parole. He encounters trouble when he saves a doe-eyed girl from drowning and falls instantly in love. Fortunately, his parole officer is sensitive and the office grants the parolee special dispensation to wed. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide

Would you trust an adventurer named "Captain Careless"? Hero Bob Steele bears this curious moniker, though in his case "Careless" translates to "Reckless". When heroine Mary Mabery is shipwrecked on an island inhabited by cannibals, Steele rushes to her rescue. Though he experiences many a life-threatening scrape, there is little doubt that Bob Steele will survive. After all, he wrote the script. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Vitagraph had already made successful pictures out of two of A.S.M. Hutchinson's novels when they filmed this one. Because of his father's secret marriage, Ralph (Malcolm McGregor) is cheated out of his inheritance. Nevertheless, his Aunt Maggie (Mary Alden) prepares him to someday take the place of those who usurped his title and estate. Ralph decides to build his strength by becoming a prize fighter and joining a circus. He falls in love with Dora (Alice Calhoun), the pretty daughter of the circus owner. Finally Ralph is ready and he vanquishes the enemy from his boyhood -- but he also becomes friends with his son. Because of his affection for the boy, he renounces his claim to the estate. In the end, he has found something far more valuable in Dora's love. ~ Janiss Garza, All Movie Guide

John Gilbert and Renee Adore star with Noble Johnson and Wilfred North in this average melodrama. Scenes shift from Paris to Normandy and contrasts the underground urban grime with the pastoral beauty of the rural region. ~ Dan Pavlides, All Movie Guide

English-born character star Victor McLaglen made his Hollywood debut in this highly successful Western melodrama about brothers, separated in early childhood, who wound up as opponents in a side-show wrestling match. There is a dance-hall girl (Marguerite de la Motte) and the usual Western trappings but the film's true highlight is the climactic wrestling match between McLaglen and co-star William Russell, a battle that reminded several reviewers of the legendary slugfest in the first version of The Spoilers (1914). The Beloved Brute was directed with a great deal of verve by J. Stuart Blackton, one of the founders of the Vitagraph Company. ~ Hans J. Wollstein, All Movie Guide

Wallace Reid, famous for his speed-mad films, may have died earlier in 1923, but another Wally, Wally Van, stepped in to keep the genre alive and lively with this fast-paced comedy-drama. Hal Locke (Van) dearly loves Sylvia Moorehead (Patsy Ruth Miller), but her father (Alec B. Francis) does not approve. Hal is a speed demon who is constantly getting citations for his reckless driving. But the day comes when Hal's fault becomes an asset; an important check which safeguards all of Moorhead's assets has been delayed in the mail and the railroads have been halted by a strike. Now Hal's lead foot comes in handy, and he promises to deliver the check cross-country to New York in a mere six days (a feat in the days before routine airplane travel, faxes, and the Internet). He makes his deadline, but not without his fair share of wild adventures and delays set up by Moorhead's business rival. Needless to say, Hal wins the girl for his efforts. ~ Janiss Garza, All Movie Guide

Aquila Kempster's then-popular novel Salvage was the basis for this average programmer. John Peters (Earle Williams) is an English gambler whose luck has run out. He is about to throw himself into the Thames when he discovers a new opportunity by eavesdropping on a conversation between two men. He knocks one of them, Rudolph Kluck (Earl Schenck), unconscious, changes clothes with him, and heads for America. He makes a fresh start as David "Lucky" Carson, earns a fortune at the race track, then multiplies it by cornering the cotton market. Kluck comes to the U.S. and, not recognizing Carson, asks for his help -- he needs to get some letters back from Madame Maranoff, an adventuress (Gertrude Astor). Carson retrieves the letters, but then Kluck misunderstands his relationship with the woman. They argue and Carson reveals his true identity. The animosity between the two men spreads to Kluck's sister-in-law, Doris (Betty Ross Clarke). But Carson proves to be a good guy after all and amends are made. ~ Janiss Garza, All Movie Guide

Guy Empey, a soldier in World War I, became famous when he wrote a book about the war called Over the Top. He penned the story for this film and starred in it, too -- although his performance proved that he was no actor. Jack Duncan (Empey) returns from France, expecting to get his old job back at the steel mill. But his old position is gone and he winds up in the machine shop. He falls under the influence of the Reds, especially after he loses his job and naively believes their ideals. But when he finally realizes that his comrades are planning to overthrow the U.S. government, he fights against them for the sake of his country. Even though the U.S. was undergoing a Red scare when this picture was made, its patriotic drivel was, shall we say, over the top. ~ Janiss Garza, All Movie Guide

Lily UpJohn (Anita Stewart), a girl from the slums of London, becomes a chorus girl who gets her big break when a prop man knocks a can of paint off the theater scaffolding. Her admonishment to "Mind the paint!" is overheard by a composer and it ends up as the inspiration for the hit song of the play he is working on. Lily, now known as Lily Parradell, gets to sing this unlikely number and becomes a star overnight. The "Mind the Paint Girl" winds up with two suitors: Captain Nicholas Jeyes (Conway Tearle) who loves her so much that he gives up his army career to be near her, and the aristocratic Lord Francombe (Victor Steele). Jeyes' jealousy causes a rift between him and Lily, and it gets even worse when he finds her in Lord Francombe's embrace. But eventually she and Jeyes are reconciled and they marry. This picture was based on the hit play by Sir Arthur Wing Pinero. The ladylike Anita Stewart was miscast as Lily. Tearle, on the other hand, was well-suited for the role of Jeyes. ~ Janiss Garza, All Movie Guide