Fred Malatesta Movies

In the sentimental world of filmmaker D.W. Griffith, the greatest thing in life is love. Obtaining it and understanding it, however, isn't so easy, as Jeanette Peret (Lillian Gish) learns. While working in her father's Greenwich Village cigar store, she meets an attractive but arrogant Southern youth, Edward Livingston (Robert Harron). She and her father (Adolphe Lestina) visit their country of origin, France, but unbeknownst to Jeanette, Edward has paid for the trip. While in France, Jeanette meets and marries an earthy and rather plodding grocer, Monsieur le Bebe (David Butler). The first World War begins, and both Jeanette's husband and Edward wind up enlisting. In battle, the insolent young Edward learns a lot about humanity while Monsieur le Bebe is killed. Edward returns from the war a changed man and finally finds a permanent place in Jeanette's heart. When The Greatest Thing in Life was released, much ado was made over a new photographic effect used in the film -- the soft-focus close-up. Also, notably, there is a touching scene between Harron's character and an African-American soldier. The soldier saves Edward's life, but is mortally wounded. When the dying man calls out for his mother, Edward pretends to be his mother, cradling him in his arms and even giving him a kiss. This is quite a difference in attitude toward blacks compared to The Birth of a Nation. Griffith was not a racist, he was merely a product of his Southern background. The Greatest Thing in Life, along with Griffith's other Artcraft-distributed features (there were seven), was underappreciated in its time. Other films from this period of Griffith's career (such as A Romance of Happy Valley) have grown in stature. Unfortunately, it is doubtful that the true value of The Greatest Thing in Life will ever be realized, as it remains a lost film. ~ Janiss Garza, All Movie Guide

Roseanne (Ethel Clayton) has grown up near some diamond mines in South Africa. As a child, she became ill and a Malay nurse, Rachel Bangat (Fontaine La Rue) promised to cure her. That she did, but she also worked some voodoo on the child, who, as a grown up now displays a powerful desire for diamonds and the ability to throw evil curses on those who displease her. Sir Dennis Harlenden falls for her in spite of this, and in spite of her insistence that she is too wicked for him. Roseanne gets involved with a group of diamond smugglers headed by Syke Ravenal (Fred Maletesta). Sir Harlenden saves her from Ravenal's influence, and the old nurse dies, which enables Roseanne to immediately change into a regular, good-hearted young lady. ~ Janiss Garza, All Movie Guide

Gladys Walton is the self-reliant heroine of All Dolled Up. A humble salesgirl, she comes to the rescue of wealthy Florence Turner when the latter is victimized by pickpockets and blackmailers. Literally pummelling the crooks into insensibility, Walton earns a million dollar reward. Though she rises to the top of the social ladder, she remains as likeable and down-to-earth as ever. All Dolled Up was the sort of fare that was eagerly lapped up by all the shopgirls and clerks in the audience, who believed that "There but for the grace of the screenwiter..." ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Famed character actor William V. Mong wrote the screenplay to this drama, in which he is also starred. Although his acting is better than his screenwriting ability (with the story's broad scope, it's clear he's bitten off more than he could chew in five reels), he's aided by an excellent supporting cast. A Russian Jewish couple, Nathan and Esther Levinsky (Mong and Marcia Manon), are persecuted in their home country, so they escape to America. Eventually Esther runs away with the shady Max Levy (Fred Malatesta), and circumstances force her to give up her little boy, David (Bruce Guerin), to be adopted by the wealthy Danvers family. Nathan travels to California, where he builds up a ranch next door to John Comstock (Charles French), who is prejudiced against the Jewish race. Little does he know that Jimmy Danvers (Edward Sutherland), the sweetheart of his daughter, Helen (Mary Wynn), is Nathan's long-lost son. Nathan himself only discovers the truth when Jimmy bares his arm in a fight and reveals an identifying mark. He says nothing, however, and when a fire wipes him out, he starts over again in San Francisco. Jimmy's adopted father reveals the truth of his parentage, and the young man goes in search of Nathan. Although Comstock is shocked to discover that Jimmy is Jewish, he and Helen go in search of him anyhow. Once they reach the city, Helen vanishes. Nathan runs into Esther and finds Helen in Max Levy's company. He risks his life to rescue her. Comstock overcomes his prejudices, and gives his blessing to Helen and Jimmy. ~ Janiss Garza, All Movie Guide

Star Pola Negri and director Ernst Lubitsch, who created an international sensation with the German superproduction DuBarry, Woman of Passion, were reunited in the frothy Hollywood comedy/drama Forbidden Paradise. Negri is cast as Catherine, the Czarina of an unnamed but very Russian-looking country. Rescued from revolutionaries by dashing Captain Alexis Czerny (Rod LaRocque), Catherine "repays" the Captain in the boudoir. Czerny falls madly in love with the Czarina, only to discover that he is the latest in a long line of royal consorts. Angrily, he joins the rebellion, vowing to topple the monarchy (but promising that Catherine will remain unharmed). When the revolution fails, Czerny is sentenced to death, but Catherine rescinds the order and allows him a happily-ever-after with his true love, lady-in-waiting Anna (Pauline Starke). Adolphe Menjou, a favorite of Lubitsch's, has all the film's best scenes as a rakish chancellor. Based on a play by Lajos Biro and Melchoir Lengyel, Forbidden Paradise was remade in 1945 as A Royal Scandal, with Tallulah Bankhead as Catherine; the 1945 film was produced by Ernst Lubitsch, who fell ill during shooting and was forced to relinquish the directorial responsibilities to Otto Preminger. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Jane Novak plays a dual role as mother and daughter in this drama. Tony (Robert Anderson) and Felipa (Novak) are an immigrant couple whose life together ends tragically. Tony's friend, Pietro (Fred Maletesta), tries to force himself on Felipa, and Tony kills him. Both husband and wife are arrested for his murder -- Felipa is considered an accessory. For his crime, Tony is hanged, and Felipa is sentenced to 20 years in prison. Shortly after her husband is executed, Felipa gives birth to a baby, Antoinette (Dorothy Marion Mack), and after three years, the child is taken away from her to be raised by the governor -- who was the judge that had sent the couple to their fates. After serving her prison term, Felipa is released, determined to find her daughter, now grown (and portrayed by Novak). But when she finally hunts her down and sees the elegant surroundings in which she was raised, she decides to give her up for her own good. Antoinette's adopted family shows their mercy for Felipa by inviting her to come live with them. ~ Janiss Garza, All Movie Guide

1910s screen vamp Theda Bara ended her film career at Hal Roach studios. Originally she had been signed to do a number of comedies, but after making this two-reeler, Bara's husband, director Charles J. Brabin, asked her to quit. Bara looks good in this film, and she plays up the comedy for all it's worth (and then some -- she was never known for her subtlety). The government hires Madame Mystery (Bara) to go on a mission in which she delivers a newly discovered explosive, helium nitrate, to New York. On the ship taking her across the Atlantic, secret service agents from an enemy country watch her closely. Two starving artists get tangled up in the plot, and they wind up with the little package that has been entrusted to Madame Mystery. One of them hides it in his mouth and accidentally swallows it. The helium causes him to expand like a balloon and he floats away, his pal clinging to his leg. A pelican pecks at the unfortunate man, who explodes.Oliver Hardy has a small role as a ship's captain (and was directed by his future partner, Stan Laurel). Incidentally, Bara got paid 15,000 dollars for her efforts. ~ Janiss Garza, All Movie Guide

In this, at times, hilarious silent, romantic comedy, love blossoms after a posterhanger has an highway mishap with a Broadway star. Later the hard-working fellow finds out that someone has stolen the actress' jewels from her New York home. Still smitten, he heads for the Big Apple to get them back and win her affection. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide

Several of Hollywood's best Chinese actors are prominently featured in the mystery melodrama Peacock Fan. The titular prop is a priceless Chinese artifact, which has brought tragedy to all of its owners. When the latest possessor of the precious fan is murdered, half-caste detective Chang Dorfman (Lucien Prival) launches an investigation. Also involved in the case is police sergeant O'Brien (Tom O'Brien), who is briefly diverted by the charming and mysterious Feliti (Lotus Long). Peacock Fan was produced by Chesterfield Pictures, a specialist in this sort of atmospheric exotica. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Charlie Murray and George Sidney, the Irish-Jewish duo who'd starred in so many The Cohens and the Kellys comedies of the silent era, team up again for Tiffany Studios' Caught Cheating. The burden of the plot falls on the shoulders of the portly Sidney, who is mistakenly put "on the spot" by a criminal gang. A rival gang comes to Sidney's rescue just in the nick of time. Top-billed Charlie Murray hasn't got much to do outside of reacting in mock dismay to Sidney's fractured English. Caught Cheating was written by W. Scott Darling, whose later scripts for Laurel & Hardy were likewise festooned with gangsters. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

This first film version of Ernest Hemingway's novel A Farewell to Arms stars Gary Cooper and Helen Hayes. Cooper plays Lt. Frederick Henry, a World War I officer who falls in love with English Red Cross nurse Catherine Barkley (Hayes)-after first mistaking her for a woman of ill repute. Henry's friend, Major Rinaldi, is envious of the romance, and pulls strings to have Catherine transferred to Milan. When Henry is wounded in battle, he ends up in the very hospital where Catherine works. They resume the affair, which reaches an ecstatic peak just before Henry is returned to the front. The now-pregnant Catherine remains in Switzerland, sending letters by the bushelfull to Henry. But the jealous Rinaldi sees to it that Henry never receives those letters, leading Catherine to conclude sorrowfully that Henry has forgotten her. As the Armistice approaches, Henry makes his way to Switzerland, hoping to find Catherine. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Filmed on what MGM considered a B-picture budget and schedule (14 days, which at Universal or Columbia would have been considered extravagant), The Thin Man proved to be "sleeper," spawning a popular film, radio, and television series. Contrary to popular belief, the title does not refer to star William Powell, but to Edward Ellis, playing the mean-spirited inventor who sets the plot in motion. The recently divorced Clyde Wynant (Ellis) discovers that his new girlfriend, Julia Wolf (Natalie Moorhead), has stolen 50,000 dollars and is carrying on with other men. Not long afterward, he disappears. Anxious to locate her father, Wynant' daughter, Dorothy (Maureen O'Sullivan), goes to private detective Nick Charles (William Powell) for help. Having just married the lovely and wealthy Nora (Myrna Loy), Nick has no desire to return to sleuthing, but the thrill-seeking Nora eagerly talks him into taking Dorothy's case. Shortly thereafter, Wynant's lady friend is murdered; so far as police detective John Guild (Nat Pendleton) is concerned, the still-missing Wynant is the guilty party. Nick is unsatisfied with this deduction, and with the help of his wire fox terrier, Asta, he manages to uncover several vital clues -- including a decomposed corpse. At a fancy dinner party, between cocktails and the first course, Nick solves the mystery and exposes a hidden murderer. The story itself, lifted almost verbatim by scenarists Albert Hackett and Frances Goodrich from the Dashiell Hammett novel on which The Thin Man is based, hardly matters. The film's strong suit is the witty repartee between Nick and Nora Charles, who manage to behave like saucily illicit lovers throughout the film even though they're married. The chemistry between William Powell and Myrna Loy would be adroitly exploited by MGM in several subsequent films, including five additional Thin Man mysteries produced between 1936 and 1948. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

A few unique touches aside -- notably the opening costume-party scene, in which the revellers are dressed as insects -- Rip Tide is a standard-issue Norma Shearer soap opera. Shearer plays Mary, a footloose and fancy-free American heiress who weds British nobleman Lord Rexford (Herbert Marshall). Five years later, Rexford embarks upon a business trip to New York, while Mary, urged on by her fun-loving aunt, vacations on the Riviera. Here she is reacquainted with her ex-boyfriend Tommie (Robert Montgomery), whose drunken misbehavior causes scandal to befall them both. Refusing to hear Mary's side of the story, Rexford begins divorce proceedings, but a happy ending finally manifests itself after reels and reels of endless high-toned dialogue. Legendary stage star Mrs. Patrick Campbell makes her Hollywood film debut in Rip Tide as Shearer's all-knowing Aunt Hetty, while Walter Brennan and Bruce Bennett show up in microscopic bit roles. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide