Victor Potel Movies

Ten cents a dance, that's what they pay her -- "her" being downtrodden taxi dancer Barbara (Barbara Stanwyck). The only thing Barbara sells is her time, or at least that's the story she gives her jellyfish husband Eddie (Monroe Owsley). But when wealthy Carlton (Ricardo Cortez) starts making goo-goo eyes at Barbara, Eddie accuses his wife of infidelity. This, in Eddie's mind, provides him with an adequate excuse to steal money from Carlton, which action leads to the no-good husband's downfall. Barbara's fate is more merciful: she ends up with Carlton, with whom she has fallen in love. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

A well-staged battle between two wild horses became the centerpiece in this early musical Western starring diminutive Mexican actress Armida. She plays the owner of a hacienda who takes in a fugitive (Don Terry) from the Mexican authorities. Terry, of course, is completely innocent in the charge of horse stealing and gets a chance to clear his good name when Armida's ranch becomes a target for the real rustlers. Produced by the penny-pinching Lester F. Scott, Jr., Border Romance came complete with a sentimental theme song written by Will Jason and Val Burton. Scott, however, wanted his money's worth and the theme, according to the New York Times was "heard on the sands of the desert, in adobe huts, at fiestas, during horse raids and after every meal!" ~ Hans J. Wollstein, All Movie Guide

In this melodrama, a dancer works in a sleazy Marseilles portside dive that is really the front for a bordello. While dancing one night she meets a sailor and agrees to be his bride. Unfortunately, one of her former suitors suddenly shows up and a terrible fight ensues. The sailor kills his rival and ends up sentenced to Devil's Island. The only females allowed there are the wives of the guards, so, not wanting to be far from her beloved, the dancer marries the meanest guard in the prison. During a prison riot, the sailor proves his mettle and gets pardoned. The couple happily decide to return to the dancer's native Britain. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide

Gary Cooper, as a lanky Wyoming ranch and foreman, places his gun on a poker table after being insulted by one of the gamblers and intones, "If you want to call me that . . . smile." That much quoted line's origin is in this early sound version of the Owen Wister novel, The Virginian, directed by Victor Fleming. When the Virginian meets his old friend Steve (Richard Arlen), he gives him a job on his crew at the Box H Ranch near Medicine Bow, Wyoming. Newly arrived in town is the new schoolmarm, Molly Wood (Mary Brian), and both men take notice. Afterwards, in a saloon, The Virginian encounters the evil Trampas (Walter Huston), and the two get into an argument over a dancer. The Virginian calls Trampas' bluff but, although Trampas backs down, he seethes inside. Afterwards, following a christening party, The Virginian walks Molly back home, and a friendship grows between the two that burgeons into love. But when Steve joins up with Trampas and his gang of rustlers and is captured by a posse, The Virginian is forced to supervise Steve's lynching. After that, Molly spurns The Virginian. However, when The Virginian is wounded, Molly forgets all that, and nurses him back to health. They decide to finally marry, but Trampas interferes with their plans --Trampas wants The Virginian to leave town, and he is out gunning for him. ~ Paul Brenner, All Movie Guide

A groom's heart breaks when he discovers that his new wife loves another. To ease his pain, the husband joins the Army and ships out to fight WW I in France. There he meets a charming young woman and falls in love. She too loves him and selflessly cares for him after he becomes mute and deaf after a serious injury. Later she returns to the states to continue caring for him until he recovers. As soon as he does, he gives his cheating wife the boot and settles down with his new, true love for a lifetime of happiness. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide

Universal's first 100% all-talkie, Melody of Love was completed with the aid of borrowed Movietone sound equipment from Fox studios (it was largely filmed at night, when Fox was shutdown). Walter Pidgeon stars as Tin Pan Alley composer Jack Clark, who when WWI breaks out signs up for the army with his pal Lefty (Tom Dugan). The boys spend their time overseas plunking out tunes while enemy shells whiz past their head. Eventually, a stray bullet hits Clark in his right arm, rendering him unable to wield a pencil or play a piano. He is sent home, where his former sweetheart Flo Thompson, sensing that Jack isn't going to be much of a gravy train, sends him packing. But there's a happy ending in the offing when French chanteuse Madelon (Mildred Harris) comes back into Jack's life. Recovering the use of his arm, Jack writes a hit song dedicated to Madelon, a sequence which affords former musical-comedy leading man Walter Pidgeon a golden opportunity to show off his splendid singing voice. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

The second and last of Eddie Cantor's silent vehicles, Special Delivery casts the wide-eyed comedian as a hapless mailman. While going through his swiftly appointed rounds, Eddie stumbles upon a gang of crooks who are planning a large-scale confidence scam. He exposes the villains and wins the love of heroine Madge (Jobyna Ralston). Though Cantor was a fine physical comic, he didn't truly score in films until the arrival of talkies allowed his fans to hear as well as see him. Special Delivery was directed by "William Goodrich," who in reality was comedian Fatty Arbuckle, hoping to stage a comeback after the sex scandal that destroyed his career. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Admittedly, gridiron flash Harold "Red" Grange was more at home on the football field than before the cameras, but he was an agreeable screen presence in his handful of starring films. In Racing Romeo, his second movie vehicle, Grange is cast as auto mechanic and aspiring racer Red Walden. For the sake of the lovely Sally (Jobyna Ralston), Red enters the obligatory Big Race. Three guesses as to who crosses the finish line ahead of the other cars (and the first two guesses don't count!) Providing strong support for the personable Mr. Grange are such sure-handed comic performers as Trixie Friganza and Walter Hiers. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Morganson's Finish was inspired by the Jack London story of the same name. The hero, Dick Gilbert (Johnnie Walker), is in love with wealthy Barbara Wesley (Anita Stewart), but he is disgraced in her eyes through the underhanded machinations of his rival Dan Morganson (Mahlon Hamilton). With nowhere else to go, Dick heads off to gold-rush territory in Alaska. Unbeknownst to our hero, Morganson likewise heads northward, intending to rid the world of Dick once and for all. But as indicated by the title, it is Morganson who meets his "finish" -- despite his strenuous efforts to toss Dick off a mountain cliff. Victor Potel, who'd been in films since 1908 at least, supplies comedy relief as a dull-witted Scandinavian. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

This melodrama required less stunts than usual from dog star Rin-Tin-Tin and more "acting." Always the trouper, Rin-Tin-Tin proved to be the histrionic equal of his co-stars. Slasher (Rin-Tin-Tin, a famed fighting dog, falls off the train that is carrying him. He is found, broken in spirit, by Donald Cass (John Harron). The dog is regenerated by Donald's love. Donald is equally devoted to his sweetheart, May Barton (June Marlowe), a minister's daughter. A wealthy young woman donates a large sum of money to the church and is later found murdered. The sinister Jamber Niles (Pat Hartigan) knows that the money is in Donald's safekeeping, and he attacks the young man. Slasher springs into action and kills his master's assailant. Jamber's half-wit brother Cuckoo (Victor Potel) sets a pack of bloodhounds on Donald and May, but once again Slasher comes to the rescue and fends them off. Evidence proves that Jamber was the woman's murderer. Donald, May, and the loyal Slasher look forward to a happy life together. ~ Janiss Garza, All Movie Guide

Irene Rich plays a selfish and tragic figure in this drama based on a best-selling novel by Willa Cather. Marian (Rich) is married to Captain Forrester (George Fawcett), an elderly railroad magnate, but she longs for the romance that is lacking in her May-December relationship. She finds it in Frank Ellinger (John Roche), and they elope. But then Marian hears that her husband has gone broke after giving away his fortune to a workingman's bank, and she goes back to him. She believes that Ellinger will return to her, but she finds out that he is about to wed someone else. She tries to go to him, but when she misses the train, she turns to another young lover, Neil Herbert (Matt Moore). Herbert takes her back to Forrester, and after he dies, she drowns herself in alcohol. Herbert sticks by her until he discovers her with another man. Then he finally walks out on her in disgust. Years later, Marian finally weds another old man, and moves away to South America. ~ Janiss Garza, All Movie Guide

Baby Peggy, a popular child star of the 1920s who grew up to become film historian Peggy Carey, who stars in The Law Forbids. This time around, little-miss-fix-it Carey prevents her mother (Elinor Fair) from making a big mistake by divorcing Daddy (Robert Remsen). Separated from her husband, mother packs Peggy off to the family's country estate. The precocious tyke accidentally-on-purpose gets lost, reuniting her wandering parents. Based on a story by Bernard McConville, The Law Forbids concludes with a tear-stained courtroom scene. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide