Beloved Rogue 1927 N/R, 100 min. Genre: Adventure / Drama / Romance
Director: Alan Crosland Cast: John Barrymore, Conrad Veidt, Marceline Day, Lawson Butt, Henry Victor, Mack Swain, Slim Summerville, Angelo Rossitto, Nigel De Brulier, Lucy Beaumont, Otto Matieson, Jane Winton, Rose Dione, Bertram Grassby, Dick Sutherland
Poet Francois Villon (John Barrymore) is the hero in this story about political intrigue in 15th-century France. Villon is sent into exile by King Louis XI (Conrad Veidt) after Villon insults Duke Charles of Burgundy (Lawson Butt). While escaping the clutches of Charles, Villon falls in love with the king's ward, Charlotte (Marceline Day). Later, Charles' men kidnap Charlotte, but when their evil deeds are revealed, the king bestows his blessing on Charlotte and Villon.
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The Case of the Black Cat 1936 N/R, 65 min. Genre: Mystery
Director: William C. McGann, Alan Crosland Cast: Ricardo Cortez, June Travis, Jane Bryan, Craig Reynolds, Carlyle Moore Jr., Bill Elliott, Nedda Harrigan, Garry Owen, Harry Davenport, George Rosener
Ricardo Cortez takes on the role of Perry Mason in the fifth entry in the series. Perry is called to a client's estate at night to write the client's granddaughter out of his will as an incentive to keep her from marrying a suspected fortune hunter. The client is killed in a suspicious fire, the gardener is murdered, and a treasure hunt for missing jewelry follows. The granddaughter's boyfriend is accused of the murders, but with Perry on his side, the real culprit will soon be identified. Director Alan Crosland was killed in an auto accident; the film was completed by William McGann.
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The Case of the Howling Dog 1934 N/R, 75 min. Genre: Mystery
Director: Alan Crosland Cast: Warren William, Mary Astor, Allen Jenkins, Grant Mitchell, Helen Trenholme, Helen Lowell, Dorothy Tree, Gordon Westcott, Harry Tyler, Arthur Aylesworth
This is the first film of Erle Stanley Gardner's Perry Mason, and the series continued for five more movies; Warren William stars as our hero defender in the first four. Unlike the sober entries starring Raymond Burr, these are light-hearted, if not as well written and acted. In this episode, Perry gets involved in a family feud that ends up in murder. He amazes all as he identifies the killer in the courtroom.
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Everybody's Sweetheart 1920 N/R, 55 min. Genre: Drama
Director: Alan Crosland, Laurence Trimble Cast: Olive Thomas, William Collier Jr., Joseph J. Dowling, Aileen Manning, Martha Mattox, Hal Wilson, Bob Hick, Matt Moore
This is Olive Thomas' last film before her mysterious death by poisoning at the age of 26. It is the story of Mary (Thomas) and John (William Collier Jr.) who were raised on a farm after being rescued in a train wreck when they were young. Separated when the farm changed hands, they run away together and end up at the farm of General Bingham (Joseph J. Dowling) who turns out to be John's grandfather
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The Flapper 1920 N/R, 57 min. Genre: Comedy
Director: Alan Crosland Cast: Olive Thomas, Warren Cook, Theodore Westman Jr., Katherine Johnston, Arthur Housman, Louise Lindroth, Charles Craig, William P. Carleton, Marcia Harris, Bobby Connelly, Norma Shearer
The fun and adventures of girls at a seminary are depicted in this film, centered on Ginger (Olive Thomas). Thomas played a girl of 16, nearly 10 years younger than her age. She would die later that year (1920) under mysterious circumstances. Norma Shearer's first screen appearance.
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The Jazz Singer 1927 N/R, 89 min. Genre: Musical
Director: Alan Crosland Cast: Al Jolson, May McAvoy, Warner Oland, William Demarest, Roscoe Karns, Myrna Loy, Eugenie Besserer, Otto Lederer, Robert Gordon, Richard Tucker, Nat Carr, Will Walling
Although this film is considered the first "talkie," in reality it is a silent film with a musical score. Al Jolson plays Jack Robin, the son of a cantor (Warner Oland) who, to his father's regret, finds jazz more appealing than the music of his father's synagogue. Warner Brothers received an Honorary Oscar for this pioneer talkie.
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| 1. Beloved Rogue (1927)
2. The Case of the Black Cat (1936)
3. The Case of the Howling Dog (1934)
4. Don Juan (1926)
5. Everybody's Sweetheart (1920)
6. The Flapper (1920)
7. The Jazz Singer (1927)
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