High Voltage (1929)

A busload of passengers gets stranded in a snowstorm and take refuge in an abandoned church, where they run into a mysterious man who may be on the run from the law.

Director:

Howard Higgin

Writers:

Elliott J. Clawson (story), James Gleason (screen play),

Stars:

William Boyd, Carole Lombard, Owen Moore

Cast

Complete credited cast:
William Boyd	...	Bill (The Boy) (as Bill Boyd)
Carole Lombard	...	Billie Davis (The Girl) (as Carol Lombard)
Owen Moore	...	Det. Dan Egan (The Detective)
Phillips Smalley	...	J. Milton Hendrickson(The Banker)
Billy Bevan	...	Gus (The Driver)
Diane Ellis	...	The Kid

Storyline

A small busload of passengers, which includes an escaped female convict and the lawman who has re-captured her, gets stuck in a heavy snowfall. The driver and passengers take refuge in a church building, but they quickly find out that they are not alone, as another man has already taken refuge there with a stock of food. His confrontational attitude towards the newcomers quickly complicates the already strained relationships amongst the stranded passengers.

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Plot Keywords:

passenger | church | stranded | snowstorm | abandoned church | 

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Taglines:

A Slip on the Ice - a Fall into Each Other's Arms - and They Found Love! (original lobby card)

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Genres:

Crime | Drama

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Certificate:

Passed

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

29 June 1929 (USA)

Also Known As:

Wanted

Company Credits

Production Co:

Pathé Exchange

Technical Specs

Runtime:

63 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (RCA Photophone System) Silent

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.20 : 1

Did You Know?

Connections

Referenced in Hollywood Hist-o-Rama: Carole Lombard (1961)

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Soundtracks

"Colleen o'Kildare"
(uncredited)
Music by George Green
Lyrics by George Waggner

User Reviews

High Voltage...low wattage

OK the movie is none too clever, but I did enjoy one or two things. I was impressed that the filmmaker allowed off-screen dialogue although obviously hampered by the difficulty in being unable to have different sound levels. I guess I was most impressed by my first encounter with William Boyd. I guess his hokey, folksy voice went a long way in his future career as "Hopalong", but I must say that I was bowled over by his assured performance and his naturalistic style which for the late twenties was a breath of fresh air. He was particularly impressive in his reflective and thoughtful facial expressions. I sense that his style was ahead of its time and that he could have been a great actor in the Gene Hackman mould in the modern movies.