Author Archive: Retro

Vampish Glaum is a spy whose assignment is to prevent a British agent’s African desert safari from reaching its destination. Produced and Supervised by J. Parker Read.

Beautiful German spy Florence Vidor, caught between clueless Jack Holt and wily Sessue Hayakawa. The men are trying to protect information about a convoy in the Pacific where a new German force is rampaging — remember, this is World War One, and the Japanese were on our side — and Vidor is trying to find out about it, while fighting her feelings as Jack Holt keeps proposing to her. Well composed shots and skilled actors keep this one moving along. Charles Ogle is a bit over the top of Vidor’s ruthless doctor/spymaster, but in a movie like this, some one has to be.

A federal agent is sent to a small town to bust up a counterfeiting ring, which is apparently headquartered in the local railway station. The counterfeiters have framed the station’s manager for the crime, and she must work with the agent to clear her name and get the goods on the real counterfeiters.

John Trimble has embezzled and obtains another identity by having a mutilated body buried in his place. He is later arrested for murdering himself. During the trial his mother, before dying from shock, asks him to keep his identity secret since his wife is now married to the Governor and expecting a child.

A look at the 1912 clash between striking factory workers & Czarist troops. Directed by Sergei Eisenstein, his debut. English titles. Dir. William Nigh.

Three centuries before Christus. Young Cabiria is kidnapped by some pirates during one eruption of the Etna. She is sold as a slave in Carthage, and as she is just going to be sacrificed to god Moloch, Cabiria is rescued by both Fulvio Axilla, a Roman noble, and his giant slave Maciste. Maciste is captured just after having confided Cabiria to Sophinisbe’s safe keeping, while Fulvio Axilla manages to escape from Carthage. Ten years went away with Punic wars before he is able to come back to Carthage…

A young married woman in a small town is visited by her sister, a single “flapper” who causes a scandal in town with her bobbed hair and short skirts. She attracts the attentions of some of the local men, which causes an even greater scandal–which is made worse when her sister abruptly leaves her boorish husband for another man.

U.S. Marshal rides into danger when he investigates a diamond-smuggling crook who has kidnapped a girl and her father who have discovered his activities. Directed by Victor (Denver Dixon) Adamson (father of Al Adamson of Independent-International Pictures) and Malon Andrus. Item #4528 $14.99 Format: VHS Unit Dir. Victor (Denver Dixon) Adamson and Malon Andrus.

Elaine Hammerstein stars in this independently produced drama. She plays Mary Dolan, a dancer at a Bowery café, who is in love with co-worker Jimmy Evarts (Theodore Von Eltz). Jimmy gets in a fight with an East Side tough and finds a wallet on him belonging to a big theatrical manager. Jimmy, however, is accused of being the one who stole it and is thrown in jail. While he is incarcerated, Mary is discovered by producer Mark Kelsey (John Sainpolis), who makes her into a Broadway star. Kelsey’s partner, Phillip Andrews (Stuart Holmes), tries to have his way with Mary, but is unsuccessful. Jimmy, however, finds them together when he is released from jail and he suspects the worst of Mary. He leaves her, but eventually he realizes he is wrong and returns to ask forgiveness. Unfortunately, he is too late because Mary has just wed Kelsey.