Thunderbolt (1929)

A criminal known as Thunderbolt is imprisoned and facing execution. Into the next cell is placed Bob Morgan, an innocent man who has been framed and who is in love with Thunderbolt's girl, ... See full summary »

Director:

Josef von Sternberg

Writers:

Charles Furthman (story), Jules Furthman (story),

Stars:

George Bancroft, Fay Wray, Richard Arlen

Nominated for 1 Oscar.

Cast

Complete credited cast:
George Bancroft	...	Thunderbolt Jim Lang
Fay Wray	...	Ritzy
Richard Arlen	...	Bob Morgan
Tully Marshall	...	Warden
Eugenie Besserer	...	Mrs. Morgan
James Spottswood	...	'Snapper' O'Shea
Fred Kohler	...	'Bad Al' Friedberg
Robert Elliott	...	Prison chaplain
E.H. Calvert	...	Dist. Atty. McKay
George Irving	...	Mr. Corwin
Mike Donlin	...	Kentucky Sampson
S.S. Stewart	...	Convict
William L. Thorne	...	Police inspector

Storyline

A criminal known as Thunderbolt is imprisoned and facing execution. Into the next cell is placed Bob Morgan, an innocent man who has been framed and who is in love with Thunderbolt's girl, without knowing of their relationship. Thunderbolt hopes to stave off the execution long enough to kill young Morgan for romancing his girl.

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Plot Keywords:

new york city | underworld | harlem manhattan new york city | manhattan new york city | prison | 

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Taglines:

The dynamic star of the screen

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Genres:

Crime | Drama

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Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

20 June 1929 (USA)

Also Known As:

Debandada

Company Credits

Production Co:

Paramount Pictures

Technical Specs

Runtime:

85 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Sound System) Silent (one version)

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.20 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

One of the earliest of over 700 Paramount productions, filmed between 1929 and 1949, which were sold to MCA/Universal in 1958 for television distribution, and have been owned and controlled by MCA ever since.

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Soundtracks

"Thinkin' About My Baby"
Written by Sam Coslow

User Reviews

George Bancroft and Richard Arlen Shine

For some reason I thought this film was a talkie remake by Josef von Sternberg of his great silent Underworld. Although George Bancroft is again the star here (and won an Oscar nomination for best actor) this is an entirely different storyline.

Bancroft stars a a tough hood in love with Fay Wray. But she's trying to go straight with Richard Arlen, who works in a bank. A man hunt captures Bancroft and convicts him to death row. But even from the cell, Bancroft is able to frame Arlen for a murder during a ban robbery. Arlen is sentenced to death row and ends up across the hall from Bancroft. Will there be fairness? Will there be redemption? As in Underworld, Bancroft is terrific as the obsessed and all-powerful thug. His voice is great as he growls and groans and threatens. Wray looks stunning, and Arlen is good as the innocent man.

For a 1929 talkie, this film has its stagnant moments when the editors didn't know when to cut. But it also features some terrific work by von Sternberg.

The entrance scene into the jazz club is a barrage of trellises and picket fences... quite beautiful... and also boasts a really nice song from Theresa Harris (who usually played a maid). There's also a wondrous scene where Arlen has been hurt and is being tended by his mother (Eugenie Besserer). While's she's applying iodine, he pulls his hands away and the bottle smashes. Both try to clean it up and the scene ends in a giggling tickle fight. Totally unexpected and totally wonderful.

Fred Kohler plays a convict. Tully Marshall is marvelous is a jittery warden.

The ending is probably expected but is beautifully done.