Starring Wallace Beery, Bessie Love, Lewis Stone, Lloyd Hughes, Alma Bennett
Directed by Harry O. Hoyt
(actor & director credits courtesy IMDB.com)
The irascible Professor Challenger leads an expedition to an African plateau hoping to prove his claim that living dinosaurs still exist there.
An early cinematic showcase for the stop-motion effects of Willis O'Brien, who would later supervise the effects for the classics King Kong and Mighty Joe Young, this film is a treasure as well, with O'Brien bringing an allosaurus, a triceratops, a pterodactyl, a brontosaurus, and more to vivid life in footage that had to have amazed audiences of the time. Most of the animation still holds up remarkably well, although the film is dated in other areas, especially in the inclusion of an actor in blackface speaking in fractured English. Otherwise, the cast is fairly entertaining, with Beery ideally cast as Challenger, Hughes very earnest as the young reporter Edward Malone, and Stone a welcome sight years before his memorable run at MGM. Also notable for being an adaptation of a work by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, better known as the creator of Sherlock Holmes, it's not a close adaptation, but remains an important piece of cinema history.
Showing posts with label Lewis Stone. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Lewis Stone. Show all posts
Saturday, March 17, 2018
Sunday, January 15, 2017
The Thirteenth Chair (1937)
Starring Dame May Whitty, Madge Evans, Lewis Stone, Elissa Landi, Thomas Beck
Directed by George B. Seitz
(actor & director credits courtesy IMDB.com)
After a man is murdered, a police inspector reluctantly agrees to a plan by one of his friends to expose the murderer by inviting the suspects to a seance.
The third filmed version of a stage play by Bayard Veiller, this production brings together a cast featuring several of MGM's contract players, as well as Dame May Whitty, probably best known from her role in Alfred Hitchcock's The Lady Vanishes. Whitty gives a good performance, and it's interesting to see Henry Daniell in one of his earlier roles, but overall it's not that compelling a mystery, save for a unique twist in the hiding of the murder weapon. In an interesting side note, Holmes Herbert plays the same role he played in the 1929 filming of the play. For more on the 1929 version, see Dan Day Jr.'s informative post here.
Directed by George B. Seitz
(actor & director credits courtesy IMDB.com)
After a man is murdered, a police inspector reluctantly agrees to a plan by one of his friends to expose the murderer by inviting the suspects to a seance.
The third filmed version of a stage play by Bayard Veiller, this production brings together a cast featuring several of MGM's contract players, as well as Dame May Whitty, probably best known from her role in Alfred Hitchcock's The Lady Vanishes. Whitty gives a good performance, and it's interesting to see Henry Daniell in one of his earlier roles, but overall it's not that compelling a mystery, save for a unique twist in the hiding of the murder weapon. In an interesting side note, Holmes Herbert plays the same role he played in the 1929 filming of the play. For more on the 1929 version, see Dan Day Jr.'s informative post here.
Tuesday, December 13, 2016
The Mask Of Fu Manchu (1932)
Starring Boris Karloff, Lewis Stone, Karen Morley, Charles Starrett, Myrna Loy
Directed by Charles Brabin
(actor & director credits courtesy IMDB.com)
The discovery of the tomb of Genghis Khan sets off a race between a British archaeologist and the nefarious Dr. Fu Manchu to claim its prizes, but the evil doctor has operatives everywhere.
Boris Karloff's performance is a highlight of this version of one of Sax Rohmer's stories of the famed master criminal, as the actor's mirthful expressions while torturing his victims make for a very memorable characterization. Among the other cast, Myrna Loy as Fu Manchu's daughter, who has her own designs on Fu's male captives, is certainly striking, while Karen Morley is a bit grating as the archaeologist's daughter who routinely plunges into hysterics. Although Wikipedia indicates the film was controversial upon its release for depicting the Chinese villains with broad strokes, it seems tame today, except for a few bits of dialogue. However, the best reason to watch the film is for its absolutely stunning production design and art direction, delivering visuals which feature terrifying golden figures guarding Khan's burial chamber, intricately designed death traps within Fu Manchu's lair, and a destructive device which shoots out bolts of electricity that figures prominently in the climax.
Directed by Charles Brabin
(actor & director credits courtesy IMDB.com)
The discovery of the tomb of Genghis Khan sets off a race between a British archaeologist and the nefarious Dr. Fu Manchu to claim its prizes, but the evil doctor has operatives everywhere.
Boris Karloff's performance is a highlight of this version of one of Sax Rohmer's stories of the famed master criminal, as the actor's mirthful expressions while torturing his victims make for a very memorable characterization. Among the other cast, Myrna Loy as Fu Manchu's daughter, who has her own designs on Fu's male captives, is certainly striking, while Karen Morley is a bit grating as the archaeologist's daughter who routinely plunges into hysterics. Although Wikipedia indicates the film was controversial upon its release for depicting the Chinese villains with broad strokes, it seems tame today, except for a few bits of dialogue. However, the best reason to watch the film is for its absolutely stunning production design and art direction, delivering visuals which feature terrifying golden figures guarding Khan's burial chamber, intricately designed death traps within Fu Manchu's lair, and a destructive device which shoots out bolts of electricity that figures prominently in the climax.
Monday, February 9, 2015
The Mystery Of Mr. X (1934)
Starring Robert Montgomery, Elizabeth Allan, Lewis Stone, Ralph Forbes, Henry Stephenson
Directed by Edgar Selwyn
(actor & director credits courtesy IMDB.com)
After his latest theft is tied in with the crimes of a serial killer, a debonair jewel thief tries to help the police find the murderer.
A worthy showcase for the talents of Robert Montgomery, this unusual mystery affords the actor a choice role he imbues with charm and cleverness. The beautiful Allan makes a tempting prize for his character on the right side of the law and Forrester Harvey is quite good in one of his many blustery character parts. The rest of the film is as winningly assembled as the cast, as the filmmakers move along the story at a logical pace, and build a suspenseful climax as Montgomery hunts the killer in an abandoned warehouse.
Directed by Edgar Selwyn
(actor & director credits courtesy IMDB.com)
After his latest theft is tied in with the crimes of a serial killer, a debonair jewel thief tries to help the police find the murderer.
A worthy showcase for the talents of Robert Montgomery, this unusual mystery affords the actor a choice role he imbues with charm and cleverness. The beautiful Allan makes a tempting prize for his character on the right side of the law and Forrester Harvey is quite good in one of his many blustery character parts. The rest of the film is as winningly assembled as the cast, as the filmmakers move along the story at a logical pace, and build a suspenseful climax as Montgomery hunts the killer in an abandoned warehouse.
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