Walter Rodgers Movies
An imposing character actor from the stage, Walter Rodgers made a screen career of portraying Ulysses S. Grant. Rodgers was Grant in D.W. Griffith's Abraham Lincoln (1924), Hoot Gibson's The Flaming Frontier (1926), The Heart of Maryland, and the talkies Silver Dollar (1932) and Gold Is Where You Find It (1938). ~ Hans J. Wollstein, Rovi- 1927
The winning combination of star May McAvoy and director Byron Haskin was reteamed in Warner Bros.' Irish Hearts. McAvoy stars as Sheila, an Irish immigrant who lands a job as a short-order cook in New York. Scrimping and saving, Sheila gives all her money to fellow immigrant Emmett (Warner Richmond), on the assumption that he plans to marry her. But when the ungrateful Emmett throws her over for another colleen, Sheila finds solace in the arms of handsome Rory (Jason Robards Sr.). But Emmett isn't let off the hook for his duplicity: in the final scene, a fiery Sheila pelts her ex-sweetie's wedding party with rotten vegetables! ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
- Starring:
- May McAvoy, Jason Robards, Sr., (more)
- 1927
New York subway guard Barry Baline (Monte Blue) is struck down by a speeding car on New Years' Eve. The driver, a mentally unhinged millionaire named Johnson Craigle (John Miljan), exchanges clothing with the unconscious Barry. When he awakens, Barry is assumed to be Craigle, leading to a series of amazing adventures, culminating in an episode with a gang of blackmailer-kidnappers. Deciding to assume Craigle's identity for expedience's sake, Barry pretends to play along with the blackmailers' schemes so that he can rescue abducted housemaid Minnie Humphrey (Patsy Ruth Miller). The subway-chase finale reportedly rivalled the similar climax in 1977's The Taking of Pelham One-Two-Three. Wolf's Clothing was one of seven 1927 films starring Monte Blue, moneymakers all. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
- Starring:
- Monte Blue, Patsy Ruth Miller, (more)
- 1925
This Cape Cod melodrama was based on a novel by Joseph C. Lincoln. Calvin Homer (Warner Baxter) expects to be promoted to captain of the Setuckit Life Saving Station, but Bartlett (Wallace Beery) is appointed because of his political connections. Bartlett's daughter Norma (Lois Wilson) convinces Homer to stay in spite of her father's antagonistic ways. Soon a romance springs up between the two of them, even though Myra Fuller (Phyllis Haver) has already finagled a proposal out of Homer. Eventually Myra breaks it off, however, leaving Homer free. When a storm blows, Bartlett's religious fanaticism proves to be nothing but a cover for his cowardice and he refuses to send his crew out to rescue a vessel in distress. Homer takes charge and saves the day. Bartlett is fired from his position, and Norma becomes angry with Homer. When he takes heroic measures to rescue Bartlett -- who dies in spite of his efforts -- she forgives him and the couple are reunited. ~ Janiss Garza, Rovi
- Starring:
- Lois Wilson, Wallace Beery, (more)
- 1921
In this 15-chapter adventure serial produced by Vitagraph, a young girl (Carmel Myers) must build a railroad line from the Alaskan gold fields to the ocean in order to claim her inheritance. She is opposed by a gang of crooks, but finds an ally in a handsome young engineer (Wallace MacDonald). Leading lady Carmel Myers was the daughter of a rabbi and became mainly known for portraying exotic sirens (e.g. the temptress Iras in Ben-Hur, 1925). A notorious scene-stealer, on as well as off the screen, Myers remained a familiar name in Hollywood society right up to her death in 1980. Released in late 1921, Breaking Through also featured Vincente Howard, Walter Rodgers, Martha Mattox, and William McCall. ~ Hans J. Wollstein, Rovi
- 1921
The husband-and-wife team of William Duncan and Edith Johnson starred in this modest silent Western about a noble cowboy helping an Eastern girl locate her missing husband. The husband turns out to be a notorious outlaw and does not survive his meeting with Duncan, leaving Miss Johnson and her stalwart rescuer free to contemplate a future together. A former body-builder hailing from the Scottish highlands, William Duncan was a more natural looking cowboy hero than rivals such as Broncho Billy Anderson and J. Warren Kerrigan. His career was on the wane by the 1920s, but Duncan continued to star in the odd Western and serial, almost always opposite his wife. He retired in 1934 and should not be confused with a later William Duncan (1874-1945), who appeared in B-Westerns in the 1930s and 1940s. ~ Hans J. Wollstein, Rovi
- Starring:
- William Duncan, Edith Johnson, (more)
- 1921
This mystery melodrama was based on a novel by British author William Garrett. Antonio Moreno stands out as Guy Fenton, an American newspaper correspondent based in London. When he rescues a girl in distress he embroils himself in a mystery. The girl, Marion (Lillian Hall), has an uncle who has been murdered by fortune hunters. The code Fenton discovers leads him to a country home where his every move is watched. The house itself is full of hidden panels and secret passageways. In spite of these obstacles, Fenton is able to find the hidden book containing the rest of the code, which reveals a treasure that is buried in the Scottish highlands. He also discovers a trap door which leads him to a secret chamber where a band of counterfeiters have been doing their dirty work. Fenton manages to fend off the bad guys and recover the treasure, along with winning Marion. ~ Janiss Garza, Rovi
- Starring:
- Antonio Moreno, Lillian Hall, (more)
- 1921
This Graustark-ian tale stars virile Earle Williams. After serving in the Great War, international crook Anthony Trent (Williams) resolves to go straight. He wants to track down the English private who saved his life, and discovers his true identity is Arthur Grenvil (Geoffrey Webb), the son of the Earl of Rosecarrel (Emmett King). Trent falls in love with Grenvil's sister, Daphne (Kathryn Adams), and sets out to win the Earl's approval. He discovers that the Earl is being blackmailed by Count Michael Temesvar, the prime minister of Croatia (Eric Mayne), over some documents. To get them, Trent gets a job as chauffeur of the silver car that the Count buys in London. He travels to Croatia and, with the help of a pretty dancer, he faces danger to obtain the papers. The Count kills the dancer, but Trent makes it back to England to receive Daphne's love and the Earl's blessings. ~ Janiss Garza, Rovi
- Starring:
- Earle Williams, Kathryn Adams, (more)
Rating Systems
Blockbuster
BLOCKBUSTER name, design and related marks are trademarks of Blockbuster L.L.C.
2013 Blockbuster L.L.C. All rights reserved.
Portions of Content Provided by Rovi Corporation. 2013 Rovi Corporation.