Ralph Bushman Movies

An innocent man is put on trial, but is he really as innocent as he claims? Diplomat David Talbot (William Powell) and his bride Lucienne (Hedy Lamarr) are enjoying a honeymoon in Paris when David is confronted by extortionists who demand money in exchange for not turning him in to the police. David has no idea what the men are talking about and ignores their threats, but the men prove good to their word, and David finds himself on trial for a series of thefts. At the trial, David's name is cleared when Henri Sarrow (Basil Rathbone) testifies that he knew the man who committed the crimes, a friend of his who recently died. However, after the trial, David meets Sarrow, who informs David that he lied under oath; according to Sarrow, David did indeed commit the robberies while suffering from amnesia after a severe blow to the head, and if he wants to keep the facts quiet, he'll do whatever Sarrow says. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide

William Powell and Myrna Loy re-team for this (literally) crazy screwball comedy about a happily married couple who, thanks to a visit from mother, find their marriage on the rocks and the husband committed to a mental institution. Poised to celebrate their fourth wedding anniversary, Steven (William Powell) and Susan Ireland (Myrna Loy) find their domestic bliss shattered by a visit from Susan's mother (Florence Bates). Susan's mother sprains her ankle and extends her visit, just in time to draw the wrong conclusions when her son-in-law pays a friendly visit to his old girlfriend Isobel (Gail Patrick). Susan's mother eavesdrops and reports it all to Susan, who in a jealous rage tries to make Steven jealous. But she winds up being chased through the hallway of her apartment building by half-naked archery enthusiast Ward Willoughby (Jack Carson). The couple agree on a divorce, but Steven then has second thoughts. On the advice of his lawyer, George Renny (Sidney Blackmer), Steven pretends he is insane, since the law prohibits Susan from divorcing him if Steven is mentally ill. Unfortunately, Susan is wise to his charade and has him committed to an asylum. ~ Paul Brenner, All Movie Guide

Frank Borzage directed this doomed romance starring Joan Crawford as Olivia Riley, the young bride of Henry Linden (Melvyn Douglas), an upper-crust conservative. Olivia is a show girl in a New York nightclub and when Henry brings her home to his family -- his brother David (Robert Young) and spinster sister Hannah (Fay Bainter) -- on his family's estate, Olivia is given the cold shoulder, particularly by David, who is actually attracted to Olivia himself. Olivia strikes up a friendship with David's wife Judy (Margaret Sullivan), who feels as shut out from the family as Olivia does. Olivia is attracted to David herself, and Hannah tries to drive Olivia away before things really heat up. Judy recognizes the attraction and is willing to leave David so he can pursue his romance with Olivia. David has no idea how to handle the situation, and Henry is blissfully unaware of the simmering passions between David and his wife. But Hannah brings the situation to its inevitable, and tragic, outcome buy setting fire to the estate. ~ Paul Brenner, All Movie Guide

Based upon the book The Four Marys, by Fanny Heaslip Lea, Man-Proof involves members of the smart and sophisticated set of Manhattan, circa 1938. Mimi Swift (Myrna Loy), the daughter of a successful romance novelist, is having no luck in getting the man she loves. Although she has made her interest very clear to Alan Wythe (Walter Pidgeon), he is more concerned with marrying someone who can support him. Still, Mimi is unprepared for the shock of discovering that Alan is engaged to her wealthy friend Elizabeth Kent (Rosalind Russell) -- and even more unprepared when they want her to suffer through the ceremony firsthand, as a bridesmaid. Ever the lady, Mimi forces herself to attend the wedding and attempts to put up a good front; unfortunately, she takes a little too much advantage of the free flowing champagne, with the result that she lets Alan know that she hasn't given up on him. While Alan and Elizabeth are on their honeymoon, Mimi becomes involved with Jimmy Kilmartin (Franchot Tone), an illustrator at the New York Chronicle. After the honeymooners return, Mimi tries to accept the fact that lan is Elizabeth's, but she just can't and lets Elizabeth know that things will never be the same. For his part, Alan seems to want to have his cake and eat it, too, and indicates to Mimi that perhaps something can be worked out. As they are talking, Elizabeth enters, puts two-and-two together and tells Alan she knows he only married her for her money and suggests they get a divorce. Eventually, Elizabeth takes Alan back and Mimi suddenly realizes that there is more to Jimmy than she had previously observed -- and more than enough to make her happily forget about Alan. ~ Craig Butler, All Movie Guide

Fritz Lang's first American film is a vigorous and perceptive indictment of mob law, starring Spencer Tracy and Sylvia Sidney. Katherine (Sidney) leaves her boyfriend, Joe Wilson (Tracy), behind in their Midwestern hometown when she takes a job in another city. Joe is a decent, hard-working soul, who wants to save up to buy a gas station and looks forward to the future when he and Katherine can get married. A year later, Joe is traveling to meet Katherine so that they can be married. Driving through a small town, Joe is stopped by a deputy sheriff waving a shotgun. Apparently there has been a kidnapping, and the fact that Joe has peanuts in his pocket circumstantially incriminates him in the crime. Joe is arrested and jailed. As Joe sits in his jail cell, the local townspeople begin to talk and whisper and spread rumors. Finally, a lynch mob forms and heads toward the jail. The mob tries to storm the jail and frustrated over their inability to penetrate the prison walls, they set the jail on fire. Joe barely manages to escape ("I could smell myself burning"), but the mob thinks that Joe has been burned to death. Behind the scenes, and with the help of his brothers, Joe tries to rig the verdict in the impending trial of the 22 vigilantes. ~ Paul Brenner, All Movie Guide

A far from factual filmed biography of Mexican patriot Pancho Villa, Viva Villa! was written by lengendary screenwriter Ben Hecht. We first meet the young Villa when his father is beaten to death after protesting Diaz' seizure of the Mexican peons' land. Pancho exacts a temporary revenge by knifing one of his father's killers, then heads for the hills, where he organizes a band of renegades. As he "matures," Pancho is played by child actor Phillip Cooper and adult star Wallace Beery. Though ruthless in his treatment of the rich, Pancho is a hero to the poor, who receive the spoils of Villa's raids. Befriended by American reporter Johnny Sykes (Stuart Erwin), Villa becomes internationally famous thanks to Sykes' articles concerning his exploits. Pancho also finds a strong ally in Don Felipe de Castillo (Donald Cook), who introduces the rebel bandit to Madero (Henry B. Walthall), the leader of the peon revolt. Madero convinces Villa to join forces with him, the better to oust the Diaz regime. His principal rival in this goal is ambitious General Pascal (Joseph Schildkraut), who intends to set up an even more despotic regime once Diaz is eliminated. Emerging victorious in his fight against the federales, Villa is encouraged to go back home by Madero. Illiterate and dangerously naïve, Villa quickly runs into trouble with the new government, giving Pascal a chance to humiliate his former "comrade in arms." Later, Pascal shows his true colors by assassinating Madero and assuming control of Mexico. Thirsting for revenge, Villa and his men go on a bloody rampage, culminiating in the ritualistic murder of the treacherous Pascal (he is staked out on an anthill and covered with honey). Made president of Mexico upon the elimination of Pacal, Villa once more finds himself in over his head. Unable to deal with political infighting, Villa retires to his ranch. One day, after running into his old friend Johnny Sykes (Stu Erwin), Villa is shot and mortally wounded by his onetime friend Don Felipe, who holds Pancho responsible for the death of his sister Teresa (Fay Wray). As he dies, Villa begs Johnny to tell him what his epitaph will be. Improvising quickly, Johnny tells of Villa's love for Mexico and his many accomplishments. Partially filmed on location in Mexico, Viva Villa was plagued with a multitude of production problems, not least of which was the diplomatic gaffe committed by Lee Tracy, the film's original Johnny Sykes: While standing on a balcony watching a military parade, an inebrieated Tracy relieved himself on the troops below and was immediately fired. Another crisis arose when the Mexican government objected to star Wallace Beery, on the grounds that Beery usually played villains or buffoons. Despite these and other setbacks, Viva Villa was finally completed under the assured directorial hand of MGM troubleshooter Jack Conway and the expert supervision of David O. Selznick. Though some critics objected to the film's violence, Viva Villa was a financial success. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Produced by Samuel S. Krellberg's parsimonious Regal Distributing Corp., this Northwest melodrama was made for the kiddie market, where slipshod production methods and subpar acting made little or no difference. Jim Caldwell (Murdock MacQuarrie) and his son Matt (Francis X. Bushman, Jr.) have secured the timber rights from a tribe of friendly Indians, but a villainous lumber king (J.P. McGowan desires the land for himself. The Caldwell dog, (Lightning the Wonder Dog), manages to hide the lease from the villains, but Jim is shot and left for dead during the ensuing melee. The dog nurses his master back to health but is himself wounded by the lumber baron's henchmen. The animal finds a caring nurse in pretty Helen Stevens (Alice Dahl) and, like his master, is nursed back to health, ready to take on the entire McGowan gang. Krellman promised the small fry a series of Lightning the Wonder Dog adventures, but only one subsequent film, Man's Best Friend, was actually produced. ~ Hans J. Wollstein, All Movie Guide

Former silent teenage star Buzz Barton headlines this juvenile Western from low-rent Big 4 Film Corp. directed by the veteran J. P. McGowan. The freckled Master Barton plays Buzz Dale, a young boy who becomes a local hero after stopping a runaway stage. Buzz's heroic act, however, does not sit well with Duke Remsden (Edmund Cobb), the secret leader of a gang of stagecoach robbers who plans to frame his romantic rival Bart Travis (Francis X. Bushman Jr.) for the attempted robbery. Dressed as Travis, Remsden commits another crime, but Buzz discovers his hideout and is able to alert the sheriff (Franklyn Farnum). In the end, Bart is saved in the nick of time from a necktie party by Buzz and black stable hand Snowflake (Fred Toones). Remsden is finally brought to justice. ~ Hans J. Wollstein, All Movie Guide

This silent comedy from poverty row company Goodwill starred Francis X. Bushman as Ken Lanning, a young man whose prospective in-laws find him unsuitable for their daughter Alice (Patricia Palmer). A jealous suitor, Gregory (Erwin Renard), who the parents prefer, places a vamp (Hazel Howell) in Ken's room with the obvious results. Believing Ken to be a two-timing scoundrel, Alice agrees to marry Gregory, but the groom-to-be is intercepted on his way to the ceremony by Ken, who takes his place at the altar. The wedding is interrupted by Alice's irate parents who arrive to take the bride away. A wild chase ensues, during which Ken nabs his bride from a speeding car. The youngsters escape to a construction site, where they are finally wed on a hoist high above the city streets. Co-written by future star director Tay Garnett (The Postman Always Rings Twice), this minor farce was one in a series of Goodwill productions -- mostly action adventures -- to star the young son of early silent matinee idol Francis X. Bushman. Bushman later changed his name to Ralph Bushman and enjoyed a sporadic screen career lasting through the '30s. ~ Hans J. Wollstein, All Movie Guide

Victor Schertzinger both wrote and directed this melodrama. John Corbin (Percy Marmont) works for years on an invention, only to have it stolen by Jonathan "Iron Man" Moore, an iron magnate (Hobart Bosworth). When Corbin's mother (Lydie Knott) dies of starvation, he sinks to the gutter. He receives help from Grogan, a saloon keeper (George Siegmann), and redemption with the help of Hope, a mission worker (Jane Novak). When a party of slumming youths come to the saloon, Corbin has to rescue one of the girls, who turns out to be Moore's daughter, Joy (Eva Novak). Although he sees a way to get revenge on Moore, Corbin hands the girl over so Hope can take her home instead. It's only then that he discovers that Hope, too, is the daughter of Moore. He goes to the Moore home to ask forgiveness and is shot by an attendant. While he is recovering from the wound, Moore comes to see the error of his ways and makes amends. Hope, meanwhile, is won over by the man she redeemed. Jane and Eva Novak were also sisters in real life. ~ Janiss Garza, All Movie Guide

This Eminent Authors-Goldwyn production was based on the Mary Roberts Rineheart story about boarding school life, "Empire Builders," which appeared in the Saturday Evening Post. The scanty plot involves a pair of boys, Stoddard (Culen Landis) and "the Wop" (Howard Halston) -- an unfortunate nickname that nowadays would have Italians picketing the theaters, the movie studio and all points in between. The pair -- like most schoolboys -- are far more interested in finding ways to get into trouble than they are in learning anything. After Stoddard's latest trick (stuffing the rising gong), Professor Randall (Tom Pearse) gives him five more chances to behave, otherwise he can kiss boarding school good-bye. Stoddard counts them down and he's saved expulsion only because he gets sick from eating too many oysters and can't make any more mischief. ~ Janiss Garza, All Movie Guide