Narcotic (1933)

Directors:

Dwain Esper
Vival Sodar't

Writers:

A.J. Karnopp (story)
Hildegarde Stadie (screenplay)
(more)

Release Date:

March 1934 (USA)

Genre:

Biography | Drama

Tagline:

One night of bliss... A thousand nights of hell..!

Plot:

As the opening scroll tells us, Narcotic was "presented in the hope that the public may become aware...

Plot Keywords:

Party | Drug Addiction | Opium | Opium Den | Opium Addict

Cast

Harry Cording	...	Dr. William G. Davis
Joan Dix	...	Mrs. Davies
Patricia Farley	...	Mae
Jean Lacy	...	Lena (as Jean Lacey)
J. Stuart Blackton Jr.	...	Gee Wu
Paul Panzer	...	Cashier
Miami Alvarez	...	Drug addict
Charles Bennett	...	Hand wrestler
Josef Swickard	...	Federal narcotics agent
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Herman Hack	...	Burger (uncredited)
Celia McCann	...	Prostitute (uncredited)
Fred Parker	...	Policeman (uncredited)
Hildegarde Stadie	...	Blonde Waiting Outside Davies' Office (uncredited)
Blackie Whiteford	...	Dennison (uncredited)

Directed by
Dwain Esper
Vival Sodar't

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
A.J. Karnopp		story
Hildegarde Stadie		screenplay
Hildegarde Stadie		story

Produced by
Dwain Esper	....	producer
Hildegarde Stadie	....	producer

Distributors

• Roadshow Attractions (1934) (USA) (theatrical) (states rights system)
• Alpha Video Distributors (2007) (USA) (DVD)
• Exploited Film (2000) (UK) (VHS)
• Kino Video (1999) (USA) (DVD)
• Kino Video (????) (USA) (VHS)
• Reel Media International (2004) (worldwide) (VHS)
• Reel Media International (2007) (worldwide) (all media)
• Sinister Cinema (1999) (USA) (VHS)
• Something Weird Video (SWV) (????) (USA) (VHS)

Also Known As:

"Narcotic Racket" - USA (reissue title)
"Narcotic!" - USA (promotional title)
"Narcotic: As Interpreted by Dwain Esper" - USA (closing credits title)

Runtime:

57 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Filming Locations:

Los Angeles, California, USA

Trivia:

Cameo(Hildegarde Stadie): the film's author appears as an extra, seated in Davies' waiting room.

Goofs:

Boom mic visible: When Davies is persuading his wife that his plan will work, the boom shadow falls the wall behind them. Also, the mike dips briefly into the shot and, and the camera moves forward, the shadow of the accordion-style apparatus used to hoist the mike is also visible, almost distractingly so, on the wall, right behind the wife.

Quotes:

Mrs. Davies:But my husband has will power!
Gee Wu:Yes. Mr Davies has great will power!

Movie Connections:

Featured in American Grindhouse (2010)

unrealistic, but interesting example of exploitation genre

From the obviously Caucasian 'Chinaman' who introduces opium to the protagonist, to the patently absurd narcotics party scene, this film makes little attempt at realism, belying its claim that it accurately depicts the scourge of heroin addiction. Disguised as a public service type of message, it instead seeks to titillate the viewer, and is in this sense exploitive, prurient for its day, and intellectually dishonest.

Nice background music, though, including passages from Wagner's Gatterdammerung and Schubert's Unfinished Symphony.