The Phantom of the West (1931)

User Rating:

6.4/10   

Director:

D. Ross Lederman

Writers:

Wyndham Gittens (story)
Ford Beebe (story)

Release Date:

1 January 1931 (USA)

Genre:

Horror | Romance | Western

Plot:

A young man's father is murdered and the man convicted of the crime escapes prison, leaving a note intimating...

Plot Keywords:

Killer | Sheriff | Murderer | Vigilante | Canyon

Cast

Tom Tyler	...	Jim Lester
William Desmond	...	Martin Blair
Tom Santschi	...	Bud Landers
Dorothy Gulliver	...	Mona Cortez, alias Mary Smith
Philo McCullough	...	Royce Macklin
Frank Lanning	...	Francisco Cortez
Tom Dugan	...	Oscar
Joe Bonomo	...	Keno - Beefy Gunman [Chs.1-4, 7-9]
Frank Hagney	...	Sheriff Jim H. Ryan
Halie Sullivan	...	Ruby Blair [Chs.1,4-9] (as Hallie Sullivan)
Kermit Maynard	...	Peter Drake
Dick Dickinson	...	Harvey Stewart
James Carlisle	...	Sam Hollister [Chs.1-4,10] (as James Carlyle)
W.J. Holmes	...	Lafe Johnson

Runtime:

USA:172 min (10 chapters)

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Filming Locations:

Kernville, California, USA

Company:

Mascot Pictures

Trivia:

Chapter Titles: - 1. The Ghost Riders - 2. The Stairway of Doom - 3. The Horror in the Dark - 4. The Battle of the Strong - 5. The Leagoe of the Lawless - 6. The Canyon of Calamity - 7. The Price of Silence - 8. The House of Hate - 9. The Fatal Secret - 10.Rogue's Roundup

Quotes:

[first lines]
[Jim helps an escaped prisoner who is dying of thirst]
Francisco Cortez: You're not going to send me back are ya?
Jim Lester: Why shouldn't I?
Francisco Cortez: Because I didn't do the things I'm charged with. I didn't do it. I swear I didn't! I was railroaded. You believe me, don't you? Fifteen years in that hellhole - fifteen years for something I never done!

Soundtrack:

Range Law

Typical early talkie serial.

I love Mascot serials! This being one their early 100% all-talking serial however it does creak a bit, but that's the charm of any early talkie. Frank Lanning, the actor playing Cortez is without doubt the most uncomfortable with sound,in chapter 10 actually reading his lines out of camera! Tyler is good as the hero, as always and would go on to better pictures later. Tom Dugan (in my opinion) is absolutely annoying as the stuttering "deputy", comedy-relief, hardly, just annoying! Maybe I missed something but I believe Joe Bonomo is killed in Chap.1, but amazingly makes appearances all thru the rest of the serial.Keep in mind these weren't made to be seen all at once, but 1 chap each week. I LOVE MASCOT SERIALS!!!!!