Author Archive: Retro

The sagebrush sizzles as hot western woman Kent and her miner father become the targets of two thugs, one of whom is played by Oliver Hardy! Dir. Monty Banks.

Owen Davis’ 1898 barnstormer about a fun-loving socialite turned castaway on her former fiancee’s South Seas island came to the screens in 1928 courtesy of poverty row company Gotham Productions. Margaret Livingston, who played the vamp in Murnau’s Sunrise (also 1928), here acted Diane Garrett, the spoiled London society belle who promises John Lancaster to marry him on his faraway island. Time passes and Diane cannot make herself give up the social whirl. She does take an ocean journey, however, and soon finds herself a castaway on Lancaster’s island. There is a jealous native girl (Natalie Joyce), but she is soon killed off and Diane decides that her proper place is at John’s arms. In a bit of inventive casting, the role of the romantic male lead was awarded Clyde Cook, the rubber-limbed Australian comic, here appearing sans his trademark toothbrush moustache.

A little girl is lost at the depot when she leaves the train to chase a puppy. Art cares for her till her mother returns.

Captain Fracasse is a 1929 French silent adventure film directed by Alberto Cavalcanti and Henry Wulschleger and starring Pierre Blanchar, Lien Deyers and Charles Boyer. It is based on the 1863 novel of the same name by Théophile Gautier.

A man falsely imprisoned through the testimony of the real criminal, and must be exhonerated by “the power of the press”, a reporter who learns of his innocence.

A young woman at a crossroads is shown what her future would be like for each choice.

Reformed husband-and-wife criminal team are now respected and affluent members of the community, until a former associate threatens to expose them unless they help him pull one more heist. COLOR TINTED.

Richard of Gloucester uses manipulation and murder to gain the English throne.

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.