James Pierce Movies
James Hubert Pierce belongs to that special fraternity of athletes-turned-actors -- exemplified by Johnny Weissmuller, Buster Crabbe, and Bruce Bennett (aka Herman Brix) -- who were very popular with action film audiences in the early- to mid-20th century. He also shared a component of his career with all of the aforementioned actors, as they all portrayed Edgar Rice Burroughs' lord of the jungle, Tarzan. And, along with Herman Brix, he shared the unusual distinction of having gotten the imprimatur of Burroughs himself for the role.Pierce was a former All-American football player at Indiana University and he was working as a coach at Glendale High School in 1926, when he was noticed by Burroughs at a celebration for the author's daughter being given at his home. The author declared Pierce to be the most perfect realization of the Tarzan character that he'd ever encountered and he arranged for a screen test for him at FBO (Film Book Offices Studios, the precursor to RKO), which was planning a new Tarzan movie. Pierce passed his audition and was cast as Tarzan in what proved to be the last silent Tarzan feature film, Tarzan and the Golden Lion. Released in May 1927, it was a modest success, and it logically might have led to a follow-up film but for the fact that two Tarzan serials, Tarzan the Mighty and Tarzan the Tiger, both starring Frank Merrill, went into production at Universal during the closing years of the silent period.
Tarzan and the Golden Lion was also to be Pierce's only leading role, he later played villains in Westerns, as well as police officers, doormen, and other small roles in mysteries and comedies. He also occasionally appeared in major films (Wings, Horse Feathers, Northwest Mounted Police, My Favorite Brunette) well into the sound era. The party that he attended at the Burroughs home, however, was to have a much more important and beneficial effect upon Pierce's life than any agent or producer could have predicted -- a romance blossomed between Pierce and Burroughs' daughter, Joan, and the two later married. He desired to play Tarzan again -- in a talkie -- and his father-in-law had a clause requiring that Pierce be cast as the jungle king in the production agreement that he made with producer Sol Lesser in 1933 for the movie Tarzan the Fearless. By then, Pierce was no longer in as good condition as he had been six years earlier and he was beaten out for the role by Buster Crabbe, a champion swimmer from the 1932 Olympics. Ironically, the biggest role that Pierce ever had in talkies was as Prince Thun, the leader of the Lion Men of Mongo, in the 1936 Universal serial Flash Gordon, Space Soldiers, starring Buster Crabbe. Pierce was a startling figure in that chapterplay, with his six-foot-four frame clad in armor, sporting a thick mane of shoulder-length hair, and leading an army of Lion Men against the palace of the Emperor Ming.
Even more ironic is the fact that Thun, the Prince of the Lion Men, is the only role for which Pierce ended up being remembered. Tarzan and the Golden Lion is essentially a lost film, unaccounted for since the 1940s. Pierce gave up acting after 1947, instead focusing on his family life. He and Joan Burroughs were married for 40 years, until her death in 1972. ~ Bruce Eder, All Movie Guide
- 1924
James Fenimore Cooper's Leatherstocking came to the screen in 1924, courtesy of former cattle rancher C.W. Patton, who produced this ten-chapter serial version for Pathé release. Harold Miller starred in the title role, a white boy growing to manhood as a member of the Delaware Indian tribe. In typical Fenimore Cooper style, Leatherstocking becomes the protector of pretty Judith Hutter (Edna Murphy), her hysterical sister, Hetty (Lillian Hall), and their father (Whitehorse), whose houseboat has come under the attack from the villainous Hurons, a tribe in the employ of the French imperialists. Serial regular Frank Lackteen played the evil Huron chief Briarthorn and David Dunbar portrayed Chingachgook, the Last of the Mohicans. In one of his earliest screen appearances, future B-Western hero Tom Tyler played Lackteen's henchman. ~ Hans J. Wollstein, All Movie Guide
- 1924
Producer Philip Golstone took a minor western actor named Carl Ullman, changed his name into the more commercially sound William Fairbanks and launched him in a series of very low-budget oaters that was a credit to no one. In Her Man, Fairbanks plays a cowboy rescuing a debutante (Margaret Landis) from a kidnapper. Despite that heroic gesture, the girl's father still does not approve of a cowboy as a potential son-in-law, until, that is, Fairbanks reveals that he is a member of the social register himself. Not even rural moviegoers, Goldstone's primary target, went for this one. ~ Hans J. Wollstein, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- William Fairbanks, Tom McGuire, (more)
- 1927
James Pierce is one of the lesser-known film Tarzans, partly because this picture -- his debut as an actor -- has apparently been lost, and partly because it was his only starring role. He is a fairly significant Tarzan, however, because his association with author Edgar Rice Burroughs led to a romance with Burroughs' daughter, Joan. Pierce and Joan wed, and the union lasted 40 years. This Tarzan film was one of the better late-'20s productions from low-budget filmmaker J.P. McGowan. Here, Tarzan is the master of a golden lion and ruler of the jungle, including the natives who have an amazing diamond mine. Estaban (Fred Peters) learns of the "city of diamonds" and in his attempt to get his hands on the gems, he kidnaps Ruth (Edna Murphy) and a guide. Tarzan, his lion, and the natives come to the rescue. Ruth is restored to her sweetheart, Burton (Harold Goodwin), while Tarzan goes home to his wife, Jane (Dorothy Dunbar). ~ Janiss Garza, 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)
- 1927
Wings, the first feature film to win an Academy Award, tends to disappoint a little when seen today. Too much time is afforded the wheezy old plotline about two World War I aviators (Buddy Rogers, Richard Arlen) in love with the same woman (Jobyna Ralston), while the comedy relief of El Brendel is decidedly not to everyone's taste. But during the aerial "dogfight" sequences, the film is something else again: a grand-scale spectacular, the likes of which has never been duplicated, not even by more expensive efforts like Hell's Angels (1930) and The Blue Max (1965). Twenty-eight-year-old director William Wellman, himself a wartime aviator, was fortunate enough to have the full cooperation of the US War department at his disposal (even though his legendary temper nearly lost him that cooperation on more than one occasion!) Brilliantly handled though the aerial scenes may be, they are matched by the Earthbound combat sequences, including the now-famous shot of a long trench caving in on hundreds of unfortunate doughboys. The storyline is as follows: Jack Powell (Rogers) and David Armstrong ($owell) hate each other during basic training, grow to like each other, and fall out again while competing for the affections of Sylvia Lewis (Ralston). Mary Preston (Clara Bow) sacrifices her own nursing career to save a drunken Powell from disgrace, Powell goes on a rampage when he believes his pal Armstrong has been killed, inadvertently shoots down Armstrong while decimating the German air corps, and is finally reunited with the nurse. Wrapped up in nurse's garb throughout most of the film, the ebullient Clara Bow is permitted a sequence in which, disguised as a Parisian floozie while trying to rescue a revelling Rogers, she displays a great deal of epidermis. One of the film's chief claims to fame is its "introduction" of Gary Cooper (who'd actually been in films since the early 1920s), in a brief but crucial role as veteran flyer with a cheerily fatalistic attitude. When originally released, Wings included a sequence lensed in the wide-screen "Magnascope" process; even when seen "flat", however, the film contains some of the best flying sequences ever captured on celluloid. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Clara Bow, Charles "Buddy" Rogers, (more)
- 1928
Duke Carlton (Tom Tyler), a former ranch-hand-turned-touring-company-actor, finds himself stranded when his manager takes off with the payroll. He manages to obtain a job at the O'Brien ranch and quickly falls for the rancher's pretty daughter Patsy (Duane Thomspon). Patsy's former suitor (James Pierce), does not take kindly to his presence, however, and neither does visiting actress Vera Van Schwank (Marjorie Zier), who falsely claims to be Carlton's wife! Who the phantom of the title is remains a mystery, however. ~ Hans J. Wollstein, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Tom Tyler, Charles P. McHugh, (more)
- 1928
The principal lady in Ladies of the Mob is jazz-baby Clara Bow. After her father is executed, Bow goes to heck in a handbasket, consorting with the riffiest raff of the underworld riff-raff. Upon falling in love with her partner in crime Richard Arlen, Bow vows to set him on the straight and narrow path (where did this plot twist come from?) To dissuade him from a life of crime, Bow shoots Arlen--whereupon he immediately reforms, as does she! Who cared in 1928 if Ladies of the Mob made any sense? It had Clara Bow, and that was enough. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Clara Bow, Richard Arlen, (more)
- 1928
The outcome of a love triangle is once again decided by a "big race" in this lighthearted silent comedy-drama from FBO, the forerunner of RKO. Lifeguard and champion college swimmer Hugh Trevor saves pretty Duane Thompson from drowning and they become engaged. But after a misunderstanding, Duane leaves Hugh in favor of his rival Harold Goodwin, whose fraternity pin she promises to wear if he wins the big swimming race. Naturally, Harold loses the race to Hugh, who clears up his misunderstanding with Duane. Sally Blane, the sister of Loretta Young, appeared as one of Duane Thompson's girlfriends. ~ Hans J. Wollstein, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Hugh Trevor, Duane Thompson, (more)
- 1931
Coney island vendors Baltimore Clark (Bill Boyd), Dutch Herman (Robert Armstrong) and Skeets O'Reilly (James Gleason) spend their off-hours (and some of their on-hours) carrying on a friendly rivalry for the affections of pert drugstore counter girl Sally (Ginger Rogers). But when America enters WW1, our three heroes leave Sally behind and join the Navy. Before long, Baltimore, Dutch and Skeets find themselves smack in the middle of an ongoing conflict between the German U-boat fleet and a shadowy "mystery" ship. Naturally, the boys are crewmen on the aforementioned mystery vessel, which is used as a decoy to bring the enemy out into the open. Despite this tense situation, the film spends a goodly amount of time showing the three protagonists cheerfully cheating on Sally with fetching foreign damsels in other ports of call. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Robert Armstrong, James Gleason, (more)
- 1932
If ever there was an archetypal Marx Brothers comedy, it was the team's 1932 offering Horse Feathers. Groucho Marx is cast as Professor Quincy Adams Wagstaff, the newest president of Huxley College. As he delivers his introductory speech before the assembled student body ("As I look out among your smiling, eager faces, I can readily understand why this college is flat on its back"), he maps out his plans for the future by singing those deathless hits Whatever It Is, I'm Against It and I Always Get My Man. He then has a powwow with his son Frank (Zeppo Marx), who has been a Huxley student for 12 years. Frank tells his old man that Huxley has had a new president every year since 1888, the year the college won its last football game. The only way to save the establishment is to hire a couple of good football players, Mullen and McHardie (Jim Pierce and Nat Pendleton), who hang out at the local speakeasy. With his usual efficiency, Professor Wagstaff signs up the wrong men for the Huxley team: Baravelli (Chico Marx), the ice man/bootlegger, and Pinky (Harpo Marx) the dog catcher. Meanwhile, gambler Jennings (David Landau), who has all his money bet on Darwin College in the upcoming Thanksgiving Day football game, instructs his girlfriend Connie Bailey (Thelma Todd), the college widow, to get her hands on Huxley's secret football signals. This leads to a frenetic four-way courtship in Connie's apartment, as Wagstaff, Baravelli, Pinky and Frank duck in and out of doors and windows to romance the heroine. Later on, Baravelli and Pinky try to kidnap Mullen and McHardie to keep them out of the Big Game, only to end up kidnapped themselves. Miraculously, all four of our heroes show up at the Huxley-Darwin game in time, achieving victory through some of the most creative cheating in gridiron history. Written by such renowned wits as S. J. Perelman, Will B. Johnstone, Bert Kalmar and Harry Ruby, Horse Feathers is a comedy smorgasbord, offering generous doses of all four Marx Brothers performing some of their best-ever material. Who could not love a film in which, just before Chico Marx launches into his obligatory piano solo, Groucho saunters up to the camera and growls "I've got to stay here, but that's no reason why you folks can't go into the lobby until this thing blows over"? In addition, this is the film that introduced the semi-satirical romantic ballad Everyone Says I Love You, which was used over six decades later as the title of a Woody Allen picture. Unfortunately, current prints of Horse Feathers are incomplete, with nearly five minutes of comedy material missing; the search goes on for a pristine, uncut negative. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Groucho Marx, Chico Marx, (more)
- 1934
Originally titled It Ain't No Sin until the censors prevailed, then St. Louis Woman and Belle of New Orleans, until complaints were registered from those two communities, Belle of the Nineties was Mae West's first post-Production Code film. West is cast as cabaret entertainer Ruby Carter, plying her trade along the Mississippi. Having no trouble surviving on her own terms in a man's world, Ruby fends off the unwarranted attentions of a steady stream of libidinous males, reserving her affections for a muscular boxer called The Tiger Kid (Roger Pryor). In keeping with the star's casual liberality, a number of black entertainers and athletes are given ample opportunities in this film, notably Duke Ellington and His Orchestra. The surest sign that the Code had "tamed" West a bit is the fact that she actually marries the hero at film's end. The musical highlights include West's unforgettable rendition of "My Old Flame". ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Mae West, Roger Pryor, (more)
- 1935
Spencer Tracy plays a hard-driving newsman with a special instinct for solving sensational murders before the police can. This earns him the grudging respect of his peers, but his editor always puts him in his place. Tracy spends most of his time solving cases and almost never sleeps at home. This worries his lovely colleague Virginia Bruce who secretly loves him and wants him to settle down. Trouble comes after Tracy's estranged wife commits suicide and con-artists destroy the life of Tracy's dad. Vengefully, Tracy begins plotting the perfect murder of these larcenous crooks. This was Tracy's first film for MGM. He would remain with the studio for the next twenty years. Murder Man also marks the debut of Jimmy Stewart who appears as a cub reporter jokingly named "Shorty." ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Spencer Tracy, Virginia Bruce, (more)
- 1935
Mae West is Goin' to Town in this elegant post-Production Code vehicle. West plays Cleo Borden, a nouveau riche cattle rancher who hopes to crash into high society. Though she is willing to subject herself to "refinement" lessons, she still has a high old time puncturing the pretensions of those around her: when aristocratic Ivan Valadov (Ivan Lebedeff) haughtily announces that he is the backbone of his family, West gives him the once-over and replies "Then your family'd better see a chiropractor." Through the connections of her husband-by-convenience Fletcher Colton (Monroe Owsley), Cleo is able to move freely among the glitterati of Southhampton but is forced to rely on her tried-and-true "street smarts" when she crosses swords with haughty villainess Grace Brittony (Marjorie Gateson) at a Buenos Aires race track. Through it all, aristocratic British engineer Edward Carrington (Paul Cavanaugh) awaits the opportunity to claim Cleo for his own -- as if anyone could ever "own" our fiercely self-reliant heroine. The film's highlight is a society operatic gala, in which Mae West delivers a serious (and most effective) rendition of "My Heart at Thy Still Voice" from Samson and Delilah. In a more characteristic vein, the star gets down and dirty (well, at least semi-dirty) with "He's a Bad Bad Man, But He's Good Enough for Me." ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Mae West, Paul Cavanagh, (more)
- 1935
Vaudeville humorist Walter C. Kelley, who toured for years as "The Virginia Judge," repeated the characterization in this 1935 Paramount film. When not busy dispensing pearls of bucolic wisdom in the courtroom, Judge Davis (Kelly) of Tidewater, Virginia, tries to straighten out his hotheaded stepson Jim Preston (Robert Cummings, in one of his first major roles). The story reaches a dramatic peak when Jim is arrested for shooting his best friend Bob (Johnny Downs) during a quarrel over pretty Mary Lee Calvert (Marsha Hunt). Things look bad for a while, but Judge Davis is able to solve everyone's problems in record time. The presence of Stepin Fetchit in the cast of Virginia Judge indicates that Paramount hoped to build up Walter C. Kelly as a replacement for the late, beloved Will Rogers, who'd co-starred with Fetchit in the remarkably similar Judge Priest (1934). ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Walter "Judge" Kelly, Marsha Hunt, (more)
- 1936
Like most of Kermit Maynard's "northerns" for Ambassador Films, Timber War is ostensibly based on a story by James Oliver Curwood. Maynard is cast as Jim Dolan, a two-fisted young man forced by circumstance to impersonate weak-willed playboy Larry Keene (Lawrence Gray), scion of a powerful lumber family. In this guise, Dolan saves Keene's relatives from the sinister machinations of timber-baron Murdock (Wheeler Oakman). Along the way, he also rehabilitates the wastrelly Keene, who proves to have more backbone than previously suspected. Most of the lumberjack sequences in Timber War were lifted from stock footage, but the thrilling climax is all "new," and all Kermit Maynard. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Kermit Maynard, Lucille Lund, (more)
In 1936, Universal Pictures created a sensation with Flash Gordon, a 13-part adventure serial based on the popular comic strip of the day about a dare-devil do-gooder in outer space. Flash Gordon: Rocketship is a condensed version of that original serial, compressing the original twelve episodes into an efficient 97 minute feature. Flash Gordon (Buster Crabbe) heads into space with brilliant scientist Dr. Zarkoff (Frank Shannon) and his sweetheart Dale Arden (Jean Rogers) in an effort to throw the planet Mongo off course; it is expected to crash into the Earth within a matter of days. However, once Flash and his crew arrive on Mongo, they have to deal with the supremely evil Ming the Merciless (Charles B. Middleton) and his wicked minions; Ming also appears to have a "fate worse than death" in mind for Dale, while Ming's daughter Princess Aura (Priscilla Lawson) has similar designs on Flash. Sharp-eyed film buffs will notice that many of this film's sets, costumes, and musical cues were borrowed from other Universal productions of the period, most notably The Bride of Frankenstein. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Larry "Buster" Crabbe, Jean Rogers, (more)
This lesser Astaire/Rogers vehicle is one of several screen versions of the venerable Hubert Osborne stage play Shore Leave. For reasons unknown, Fred and Ginger are virtually supporting players here, spending most of their time trying to patch up the romance between Fred's fellow sailor Randolph Scott and Ginger's sister Harriet Hilliard (better known as Harriet Nelson, of Ozzie and Harriet fame). One of the sillier aspects of the plot hinges on raising enough money to renovate a broken-down old ship; to do this, Fred and Ginger stage a lengthy musical number that must have cost five times as much money as they raised! But that number, a languorous dance rendition of Irving Berlin's "Let's Face the Music and Dance", compensates for all the nonsense that has gone before. One fringe benefit of Follow the Fleet is spotting two fresh-faced starlets named Betty Grable and Lucille Ball. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Fred Astaire, Ginger Rogers, (more)
- 1936
- NR
Working on the theory that the only thing funnier than Laurel and Hardy is two sets of Laurel and Hardys, Our Relations milks its central mistaken-identity situation for all it's worth. Stan Laurel and Oliver Hardy are two solid citizens, happily married and highly respected in their community. One morning, Hardy receives a letter from his mother, containing an old photo of himself and Laurel with their twin brothers, Alf Laurel and Bert Hardy. Mamma also reveals that Alf and Bert turned out to be "bad lads" and ran off to sea, and that reportedly they'd been hanged for taking part in a mutiny. "Isn't that calamitous!" remarks Hardy, who conspires with Laurel to hide the facts about their no-good brothers from their wives. Meanwhile, in another part of town, the S.S. Periwinkle pulls into port. Among the crew members are the selfsame Alf and Bert, who have decided to entrust their pal Fin (James Finlayson) with their month's salary. Fin has promised to invest the dough so that the boys will become millionaires "before you can say Jack Robinson". Alf and Bert are then summoned to the cabin of their captain (Sidney Toler), who orders them to pick up a valuable package for him, then meet him later at Denker's Beer Garden. While waiting for the captain at Denker's, Alf and Bert are captivated by a pair of waterfront floozies, Alice (Iris Adrian) and Lily (Lona Andre). Talked into buying the girls a huge meal for which they haven't the necessary funds, Alf and Bert decide to go back to Fin and reclaim their money, leaving the contents of the captain's package-a valuable pearl ring-with tough waiter Joe Groagan (Alan Hale) as security. Later, Laurel and Hardy take their wives Betty (Betty Healy) and Daphne (Daphne Pollard) to lunch-and, inevitably, they end up at Denker's Beer Garden, where the equally inevitable mix-ups begin to occur. Things snowball from bad to worse before both sets of twins, an angry captain, a disgruntled Fin, the wives, the floozies, a genial drunk (Arthur Housman) and a brace of smooth gangsters (Ralf Harolde and Noel Madison) all converge at the upscale Pirate Club. Several slapstick complications later, Laurel and Hardy are captured by the gangsters, who threaten to dump the boys in the river with their feet encased in cement if they don't cough up the pearl ring. Alf and Bert come to the rescue, and all is well, at least until the film's boffo punchline. Based on W.W. Jacobs' short story The Money Box, Our Relations is perhaps the most plot-heavy of Laurel and Hardy's features for Hal Roach Studios. It is also one of their funniest, as well as their most lavishly produced. The film was officially listed as "A Stan Laurel Production"-as if Laurel hadn't been the prime creative force behind all of the team's previous films. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Stan Laurel, Oliver Hardy, (more)
- 1937
When Errol Flynn insisted that Warner Bros. cook up a non-swashbuckler for his next vehicle, the result was Green Light. Based on a novel by Lloyd C. Douglas (Magnificent Obsession, The Robe etc.), the film tells the story of a young surgeon (Flynn) who willingly takes blame for a fatal mistake committed by an older doctor (Henry O'Neill). Disgraced, Flynn takes the near-suicidal assignment of testing a new vaccine for spotted fever; to ascertain the serum's effectiveness, he must expose himself to the disease. Flynn's fiancee (Anita Louise), having learned that her lover was not responsible for the older doctor's error, is reunited with Flynn as he lies recuperating from the fever. Weaving in and out of Green Light is the kindly old spiritual leader (Cedric Hardwicke) who espouses the values of sacrifice and faith. Green Light did acceptable box office business, but Errol Flynn was back at his sword-wielding best in his next film, The Prince and the Pauper. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Errol Flynn, Anita Louise, (more)
- 1937
The Ritz Brothers play three goofballs working their way through college by putting in time at a tailor shop. The college football team's star player is Nat Pendleton, a wealthy Native American who has donated a large amount of money to the school. As long as Pendleton is able to play, the football coach (Fred Stone) feels safe in putting the Ritz boys in the game at the last minute, when their zany antics can't possibly effect the final score. In Jim Thorpe fashion, the Indian student is disqualified when it is learned he once played professionally. Thus the coach is forced to utilize an untried player(Dick Baldwin) in the Big Game--and when that player is injured, it's the Ritz Brothers to the rescue. Life Begins in College gives plenty of attention to the comedy of the Ritz Brothers, if that's your idea of a good time. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- The Ritz Brothers [Al, Jimmy, Harry], Joan Davis, (more)
- 1938
In this gangster movie set in the Big Apple, a crime lord strong arms teamsters into paying him protection money. One young trucker with a very pregnant wife, stands up to the thug. His partner also refuses to pay in the hopes that they will help the other truck drivers. Naturally this enrages the king-pin and his mob. Simultaneously an idealistic young attorney is chosen by the DA to do all he can to get that crime boss convicted and off the streets for good. Back on the streets, the mobster manages to force the young trucker into paying up; this causes the man to quit and begin selling tomatoes. The lawyer finds him and offers him a chance to help the government and prosecute the gangster. He accepts and together the two do just that. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Humphrey Bogart, George Brent, (more)
- 1939
In 1824, Benito Juarez (Carlton Young), the president of the new Mexican Republic, worries that vitally important gold shipments from the San Mendolito Mines shall never reach Mexico City. The president's understandable fears are quelled, however, by local nobleman Don Francisco (Guy D'Ennery), who is organizing a "fighting legion" to protect the shipments and thus the safety of the six months old republic. Secretly opposing Juarez' endeavors are a group of influential capitalists, one of whom masquerades as Don del Oro, an ancient god of the local Yaqui Indian tribe. But when Don Francisco is killed by persons unknown, a visiting relative from California, handsome and affable Don Diego (Reed Hadley), assumes the disguise of Zorro to lead the legion in search of the identity behind the homicidal Don del Oro. To keep his own identity a secret, Don Diego acts the foppish dude, much to the dismay of his pretty cousin Volita (Sheila Darcy), who denounces him as a coward that could learn a thing or two from Zorro. Meanwhile, the Yaquis, acting on a command from Don del Oro, do indeed attack the gold shipment but are foiled by Zorro and the Legion. Just then an explosion set off by white henchmen Moreno (James Pierce) and Valdez (Charles King) causes an avalanche right in Zorro's path, making his sad demise almost a certainty. ~ Hans J. Wollstein, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Reed Hadley, Carleton Young, (more)
- 1939
In this comedy/drama, a feisty taxi-dancer (Lana Turner in her first starring role) takes on a sorority full of snooty debutantes after an equally snobbish Ivy Leaguer (Lew Ayres) who goes on a bender, meets her and invites her to his school's annual weekend bash. The next day, the fellow forgets all about the invite. When the party begins, the low-class girl shows up. The fellow then warns her that the catty debutante crowd will gleefully unsheathe their claws and rip her to shreds. The taxi-dancer is not so easily frightened and not only stays, she also stands up to every one of the wicked sorority sisters. She then gets sweet revenge by making herself the most popular girl of the weekend. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Lew Ayres, Lana Turner, (more)
- 1939
Cecil B. DeMille takes us back to the 1860s, then rebuilds the first intercontinental railroad in Union Pacific. The real-life spectacle is occasionally interrupted by the fictional adventures of railroad overseer Joel McCrea, postmistress Barbara Stanwyck (with an incredible Irish brogue), and McCrea's best pal Robert Preston. Unfortunately Preston has fallen in with Brian Donlevy, who is dedicated to destroying the Union Pacific railroad on behalf of a crooked political cartel. During an Indian attack, McCrea and Preston fight side by side to save Stanwyck, prompting Preston to turn honest. On the day in 1869 that the "Golden Spike" is to be driven at Promontory Point, Preston is killed saving McCrea from Donlevy's bullets. Union Pacific owes a great deal to John Ford's 1924 film on the same subject, The Iron Horse, even restaging one or two major action sequences from the earlier film. This DeMille spectacular was a big hit with audiences of 1939, who craved a booster shot of flag-waving now and again. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Barbara Stanwyck, Joel McCrea, (more)
