Thunderbolt (1929)

Overview: A criminal known as Thunderbolt is imprisoned and facing execution. Into the next cell is placed Bob Moran 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 Moran for romancing his girl.

Director: Josef von Sternberg

Cast: George Bancroft, Fay Wray, Richard Arlen, Tully Marshall, Eugenie Besserer

Original Language: EN

Original Title: Thunderbolt

Budget: N/A

Revenue: N/A

MPAA Rating: PG

Keywords: film noir, pre-code

CinemaSerf (June 6, 2022)

If you can get past the really rather stilted production here - almost stage bound in it's presentation, this is quite an entertaining film that sees the authorities on the trail of the most wanted "Thunderbolt" (George Bancroft). He is elusive, though - and their only route to him might be through his ex-girfriend "Ritzie" (Fay Wray) - but she isn't playing ball for reasons of her own. It's only when "Thunderbolt" makes good on an earlier threat he made to her about seeing anyone else, that the police see some light. The performances are fine, not great but the writing is really quite good - plenty of quirky vernacular and it moves along well despite the frequent silent movie style direction and scene framing from Josef von Sternberg. There is also quite an enjoyable contribution from a blues ensemble and though certainly dated, this is still worth a watch almost 100 years later.