Gene Cameron Movies
- 1927
A simple but well-received silent Western, this film starred popular Buck Jones as a young rancher tracking down the rustler (Jack Baston) who stole his herd of purebred horses. Jones' leading lady in this film, Diane Ellis (here for some reason billed "Dione Ellis"), was a blonde newcomer from Los Angeles who would tragically succumb to a rare tropical disease while honeymooning in India in December of 1930. Chain Lightning was a remake of The Brass Commandments (1923), which was also from Fox and which starred the veteran William Farnum. ~ Hans J. Wollstein, All Movie Guide
- 1927
As the comic relief in What Price Glory?, Sammy Cohen and Ted McNamara were hits. Unfortunately, when the Fox studios tried to feature them on their own, they weren't anywhere near as successful. Wealthy Dick Wright (Gene Cameron) wants to fight in WWI, but he's turned down by both the army and navy because he is a sleepwalker. He decides to join an ambulance unit, and his chauffeur and valet (Cohen and McNamara) go along to protect him. The three of them, however, wind up on a regular troop train and land in France as privates. They get involved in a lot of wild adventures, and the chauffeur and valet happen upon an enemy detachment. By disguising themselves in German uniforms, which fit almost as poorly as their army uniforms did, they capture the enemy soldiers. As a result, they return home as heroes. Cohen and McNamara were teamed a couple more times, including in director Henry Lehrman's When Sailors Go Wrong, but McNamara died in 1928, ending a partnership that was never very successful to begin with. ~ Janiss Garza, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Sammy Cohen, Ted McNamara, (more)
- 1926
This early Janet Gaynor vehicle was based on Pigs, a play by John Golden. While vain Gladys O'Connell busies herself with her romantic pursuits, O'Connell's kid sister Gaynor tries to keep the family of her boyfriend Richard Walling from going broke. Gaynor works up a business arrangement, whereby she will sell Walling's father's 250 pigs for a dollar each. Though O'Connell is appalled by Gaynor's "disgraceful" behavior, the younger girl quickly earns the respect of everyone in town. Midnight Kiss bears a striking resemblance to Fox's "Jones Family" "B"-picture series of the 1930s. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Janet Gaynor, Richard Walling, (more)
- 1925
Norma Shearer and Conrad Nagel star in this farce based on the successful stage play by Rupert Hughes. Lieutenant Harry Mallory (Nagel) wins a promotion for his valor and is ordered to go to the Philippines. His fiancée, Marjorie Newton (Shearer), wants to go with him so they decide to get married. They're unable to find a minister before the train leaves for San Francisco. They see one boarding the train, however, and chase after him. When they can't track him down, Mallory finds himself consigned to the wash room for the night. Various misunderstandings ensue -- Mallory runs into a former sweetheart, Francine (Renée Adorée), and Marjorie believes that he is the father of her little boy. Then there's the drunk, Jimmy Wellington (Bert Roach), who just won't go away, and the convention of ministers at one train stop. The train overturns while trying to avoid a burning bridge and Mallory has to be rescued. Somehow, he and Marjorie are able to get married in time to catch the boat headed for the Philippines. ~ Janiss Garza, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Norma Shearer, Conrad Nagel, (more)
- 1924
Mae Murray's pictures were the ultimate in jazz-era extravagance. This one is based on the novel by Vicente Blasco Ibanez, the same author who wrote the book on which The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse was based. Cecilie Brunner (Murray) was raised in a convent, but after her mother's death, she becomes a cynical vamp, who, like the mythical character Circe, brings men to their ruin. Because of the generosity of her unfortunate men friends, Cecilie is able to live well on Long Island. But then she falls in love with her next-door neighbor, Peter Van Martyn, a surgeon (James Kirkwood). Van Martyn disapproves of Cecilie's lifestyle and lets her know it. When he refuses to have anything to do with her, Cecilie parties even harder and winds up gambling away her home. Finally she realizes that Van Martyn was right and she returns to the convent. She is hit by a car and paralyzed while saving a child, but she miraculously regains the use of her legs when Van Martyn comes to her. ~ Janiss Garza, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Mae Murray, James Kirkwood, (more)
- 1922
George Beban, who was famed for his ethnic characterizations, especially Italians, in the 1910s and 1920s, starred in this sentimental drama, which was based on his own stage play. Incidentally, although it has a Christmas theme, the picture was actually released in July. It is Christmas Eve and Philip Griswold (Gene Cameron) is furious that his brother, William (Charles H. Elder), has not given him his usual present of five thousand dollars. William thinks it's about time that his brother make his own way in the world, but Philip doesn't agree and decides to get the money by underhanded means. He kidnaps William's daughter, Dorothy (Jeanne Carpenter), and holds her for ten thousand dollars' ransom. The Griswolds find the note and believe that it was written by an Italian. As a result, their first suspect is kindly Pietro (Beban), who had delivered the Christmas tree shortly before Dorothy disappeared. Pietro's life is already sad enough -- his daughter, Rosa, has just been killed in an automobile accident, and he believes that his missing wife is dead. Pietro is arrested when he goes to a flower shop and his innocence is proven only when Philip shows up with Dorothy. The Griswolds, feeling bad over the incident, give Pietro the ten thousand dollars. His missing wife returns, making his happiness complete. ~ Janiss Garza, All Movie Guide
