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Weary River ()

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A gangster is put in prison, but finds salvation through music while serving his time. Again on the outside, he finds success elusive and temptations abound.
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Cast verified as complete

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Jerry Larrabee
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Alice
William Holden ...
Warden
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Spadoni
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Blackie (as George Stone)
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Elevator Boy (as Raymond Turner)
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Manager
Rest of cast listed alphabetically:
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Ex-Con in Alley (uncredited)
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Jerry's Guest (uncredited)
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Actress Backstage Who Locks Her Door (uncredited)
James Conaty ...
Attorney at Trial (uncredited)
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Prison Radio Announcer (uncredited)
Oliver Cross ...
Restaurant Patron (uncredited)
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Prison Chaplain (uncredited)
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Hatcheck Girl (uncredited)
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Plainclothesman with Sergeant (uncredited)
Sherry Hall ...
Prison Phone Operator (uncredited)
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Prison Photographer (uncredited)
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Bartender (uncredited)
Ernest Hilliard ...
Literary Club Host (uncredited)
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Prison Guard (uncredited)
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Friend at Barney's (uncredited)
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Police Sergeant (uncredited)
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Noisy Lady in Audience (uncredited)
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Audience Member (uncredited)
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Telephone Informer / Friend at Barney's (uncredited)
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Friend at Barney's (uncredited)
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Hoofer (uncredited)
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Prisoner in Bathtub (uncredited)

Directed by

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Frank Lloyd

Written by

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Courtney Ryley Cooper ... (story by) (as Courtney Riley Cooper)
 
Bradley King ... ()
 
Paul Perez ... (titles by)
 
Thomas J. Geraghty ... (dialogue) (uncredited)

Produced by

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Frank Lloyd ... producer (uncredited)

Music by

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Louis Silvers ... (uncredited)

Cinematography by

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Ernest Haller ... (photography) (as Ernie Haller)

Editing by

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James Gibbon
Edward Schroeder

Art Direction by

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John Hughes ... (as John J. Hughes)

Set Decoration by

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Ray Moyer ... (uncredited)

Costume Design by

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Max Rée ... (costume director) (as Max Ree)

Camera and Electrical Department

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Alvin Knechtel ... special photography

Music Department

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Louis Silvers ... conductor: Vitaphone Symphony Orchestra

Additional Crew

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Richard A. Rowland ... presenter
Johnny Murray ... singing voice: Richard Barthelmess (uncredited)
Crew verified as complete

Production Companies

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Distributors

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Special Effects

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Storyline

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Plot Summary

Jerry Larabee (Richard Barthelmess) is a gangster who can play piano and sing, mostly to entertain his girl Alice (Betty Compson), who is quite visibly thrilled by his crooning. But as the result of a gangland shootout he had with rival mobster Spadoni (Louis Natheaux), Larabee must do a stretch in prison. The kindly warden (William Holden) sees a potential for redemption in him, and talks Mary into giving him up, so he will break all contact with his previous life. Through his musical talents, Jerry is soon doing radio broadcasts with the prison orchestra, and one of his own compositions, "Weary River" is a smash hit with listeners. In no time, he's released, with a concert tour lined up. unfortunately, hecklers cause the overly sensitive ex-gunman to lose his confidence and he's a flop. Down on his luck, he drifts back to his old gang buddies and Mary, who's never stopped loving him. After learning that his stint up the river was a frame-up by Spadoni, a showdown is arranged at their hangout, a small café. A grim wait until the agreed minute is interrupted by the appearance of the warden, who's been tipped off by Mary. He saves Jerry from the resulting shootout and arrival of the police force. Spadoni's dead, and now avenged, and apparently reformed as well, the warden's happy to let Larabee go free to marry Mary. Written by WesternOne

Plot Keywords
Taglines Just like a melody From out of the sky when this convict boy sings and plays the song of his weary soul! Hear it on the Vitaphone. (Print Ad- Morning Leader, ((Regina, Sask.)) 2 May 1929) See more »
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Additional Details

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Also Known As
  • Le torrent fatal (France)
  • Pesma robijaša (Yugoslavia, Serbian title)
  • Уморената река (Bulgaria, Bulgarian title)
  • El príncipe de la melodía (Argentina)
  • Regeneração (Brazil)
  • See more »
Runtime
  • 86 min
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Did You Know?

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Trivia The film is part silent, with intertitles, and part sound, which was important to feature the main character's talent as a singer, although the title song Weary River was nevertheless dubbed by a professional singer. One scene near the end features an orchestra playing on-screen on set that is a radio studio, while traditional silent movie sound is substituted for real sound. Then the scene technology audibly changes to sound recorded on film, with the same orchestra appearing to play for real (possibly dubbed) as the main character begins to sing (although he is listed as dubbed) in a radio performance that prompts his sweetheart to call the radio studio. The scene is an unusual mix of technologies during a period of transition from silents to sound. See more »
Goofs When Jerry Larrabee is brought in to the prison bathroom, there is already an inmate having a bath, who has disappeared before the scene is over. See more »
Soundtracks Weary River See more »
Quotes Prison Warden: Oh, I know how you feel. But, things won't be half as bad if you'll only play ball with us.
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