Ellis Island (1936)
6/10
it was nice to see Peggy Shannon
22 January 2008
Peggy Shannon was a pretty Follies show girl, who along with Sylvia Sidney was recruited by Paramount as insurance against Clara Bow, who was starting to become "difficult". (She had been worked so hard by Paramount in the 20s that by the early 30s her nerves were worn to pieces.) Sylvia Sidney became a legend but Peggy Shannon??? Unfortunately by the mid 30s she already had a drinking problem.

"Ellis Island" is a ho-hum crime drama. A criminal is sent to jail for a bank robbery. When he is released 10 years later at Ellis Island, he is met by some rival gangsters who hope he will take them to the money that has never been recovered.

Winsome Peggy Shannon plays Betty, the jailed gangster's niece, who along with Donald Cook and Kipp (who is on his way to his own wedding)try to solve the mystery of the missing money. Johnny Arthur, who usually played timid, henpecked types was Kip, Cooks offsider.

Betty Compson plays Adele, his bride to be.

Jack La Rue played one of the gangsters.

When Betty is kidnapped by rival gangsters because she happens to be in the wrong place at the wrong time, the film's action speeds up. The film is over so fast - with not even a kiss and fade out from the two stars - Donald Cook and Peggy Shannon.
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