Harry Todd Movies

Patsy Ruth Miller plays a female Tarzan in this adventure drama. When John Livingstone marries a circus performer, his father (Joseph J. Dowling) is furious. Nevertheless, he offers to raise the couple's daughter, Lorraine (Doreen Turner). The boat taking the circus to the States wrecks and everyone is reported lost. Lorraine lands on an island, along with her companion, a gorilla named Bimi (Fred Humes), an elephant, and a cage of lions. Lorraine lives amongst these creatures for a decade while her grandfather, who is convinced she is alive, goes in search for her. He finally locates her with the help of Don Mackay (Norman Kerry), a student of the occult. Lorraine and Bimi are brought back to civilization and the girl, now a young lady (as portrayed by Miller), must acclimate herself to a new way of living. When Bimi misbehaves, he is put in a cage. A storm blows and without Lorraine around, Bimi panics and breaks out. He finds the girl and runs off with her. Mackay gives pursuit and rescues Lorraine. Bimi's fate is not so bright -- he is shot and killed. Lorraine is disconsolate at the loss of her friend, but finds happiness in the arms of Mackay. ~ Janiss Garza, All Movie Guide

One of the rare late silent westerns dealing with Indians, Quicker'n Lightnin' starred minor-league cowboy Buffalo Bill, Jr. (AKA Jay Wilsey). This one has everything: marauding Indians, medicine men, nasty white gun runners and even a girl (Dorothy Dorr) almost burned at the stake! Unfortunately, the whole thing was produced by the miserly Lester F. Scott, Jr. so the audience watched a great deal of stock footage. ~ Hans J. Wollstein, All Movie Guide

Universal's top western ace Hoot Gibson enjoyed fine support from another of the studio's sagebrush stars -- cowgirl Josie Sedgwick -- in this average silent oater. He is a college boy from the East who joins a Wild West show, she the man-hating Calamity Jane, victim of a series of practical jokes. Played for laughs despite the participation of veteran bad guy G. Raymond Nye, Sawdust Trail was typical Gibson fare and vastly popular with less-discriminating audiences. ~ Hans J. Wollstein, All Movie Guide

A lanky cowboy from Nebraska, J.B. Warner, became a star in a series of inexpensive oaters produced in 1923-1924 by Greek-born Hollywood entrepreneur Anthony J. Xydias' Sunset Productions. Warner was personable, a reasonably talented thespian, and handled comedy with more ease than some of his competitors. Sadly, he died of tuberculosis in 1925 and is all but forgotten today. In Horseshoe Luck, Warner and comedy sidekick Harry Todd play miners who get in trouble with a gang of claim jumpers. This Western, like all Xydias product, was released on the states rights market for a flat fee and played only in the hinterlands. ~ Hans J. Wollstein, All Movie Guide

While competently made and well cast, this drama still wasn't all that entertaining. Writer Sheila Dorne (Marguerite de la Motte) agrees to marry Westerner Jim Russell (John Bowers) only when he promises to allow her to pursue her career. But to his chagrin, her writing takes up all her time, and then after her novel is published she insists that they must move to New York. Russell takes a menial job as a truck driver, and Sheila's book draws the attention of playwright Rudolph Martin (Milton Sills). They collaborate on a project and Russell feels more and more out of place. Even though Sheila still loves her husband, it's clear that he doesn't fit in with her new friends. In addition his boorish behavior makes her doubt her decision to return West with him. But she goes, and brings Martin with her so they can continue working together. Russell has an engineering job on a dam, but during a raging storm, it bursts. Russell risks his life to save Martin because he thinks that Sheila loves him. Only afterwards does he learn that his wife is perfectly happy with their marriage, and the couple reconciles. ~ Janiss Garza, All Movie Guide

This is not one of the better collaborations between director King Vidor and his then-wife, Florence Vidor. She stars as Judith Stafford, who comes from a moneyed family. A recent trip to Europe has turned her into a snobby and pretentious young woman. She returns engaged to a count of no-accounts and refuses to even consider the young man her father wants her to marry, the cowboy son of an old friend (David Butler). To solve this dilemma, Stafford arranges it so that Judith and the young man are marooned on a South Sea island together. It takes the better part of the three months they are there for Judith to realize that, according to filmland tradition, she is supposed to fall madly in love with the rugged Westerner. Finally she does, and when the count comes to fetch her, she dumps him flat in favor of the cowboy. ~ Janiss Garza, All Movie Guide

Future director David Butler plays a hobo who aspires to become a business success. Taking a correspondence course which advises him (in part) to "put on a big bluff", Butler heads to a small town, where he poses as a prominent miner. Before the ruse can be revealed, Butler has rescued the town from financial disaster. He also wins the girl, played by Helen Ferguson. Directing According to Hoyle with his customary express-train speed was Woody "One Take"VanDyke. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Irving Bacheller was a popular American author during the 1910s, but he refused to allow his stories to be filmed because he didn't think that motion pictures could do them justice. He finally relented with this tale of social climbing in a small town, and the resulting picture was amusing and well received. Lizzie (Enid Bennett) is the daughter of Sam Henshaw, the grocer of a small country town (Otis Harlan). Lizzie's childhood sweetheart is Dan Pettigrew (Edward Hearn), the son of Henshaw's rival (Harry Todd). Since Henshaw thinks his Lizzie can do better than Dan, he ships her off to finishing school. Dan's father, meanwhile, is not to be outdone and sends his son to Harvard. Lizzie returns a little too finished -- she has become a social snob and wants little to do with Dan, who has quickly recovered from his own bout of snobbery and come back to earth. Inspired by Lizzie's new ways, the townsfolk all become social climbers and spend money they don't have -- but which Soc Potter (W. Landers Stevens) cheerfully lends them -- to keep up with her. Lizzie accompanies a wealthy widow to Europe and returns with Count Louis Roland (Leo White), whom she intends to marry. Dan senses something fishy about the oily European, and unmasks him as a phony just in time to prevent the wedding. Sadder but wiser, Lizzie finally realizes what -- and who -- is important in her life. ~ Janiss Garza, All Movie Guide

Girls Don't Gamble proclaims the opening title of this 1921 drama. The film was based on a magazine story by George Weston, which was more accurately titled Girls Don't Gamble Anymore. Whatever the case, the plot concentrates not on a girl but a guy: poor-but-honest chauffeur David Butler (later a prominent director). Accused of robbing the department store owned by his employer, the chauffeur clears himself in a two-fisted finale. But here's the shocker: he doesn't marry the boss' daughter! Though cheaply produced, Girls Don't Gamble had plenty of "sock" entertainment value. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

An early directorial effort by King Vidor, The Jack Knife Man is based on a sentimental story by Ellis Parker Butler. Vidor avoids many of the obvious Pathos pitfalls of the Butler original, turning out a story that is as credible as it is heartwarming. Fred Turner stars as a lonely old man who lives on a decrepit houseboat. His dour outlook on life is brightened a bit when he meets a small orphaned boy. The two "outcasts" share many an adventure over the next five reels, enjoying a happy ending despite several last-reel reverses. Florence Vidor, then the wife of the director, appears in Jack Knife Man in the small role of Mrs. Montgomery. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide