Background to Danger 1943 N/R, 80 min. Genre: Drama / Adventure / Thriller
Director: Raoul Walsh Cast: George Raft, Brenda Marshall, Sydney Greenstreet, Peter Lorre, Osa Massen, Turhan Bey, Frank Puglia, Pedro de Cordoba, Steven Geray, Nestor Paiva, Willard Robertson, Kurt Katch, Jean Del Val, Michael Mark, Wilhelm von Brincken
During World War II, American espionage agent Joe Barton (George Raft) is sent to Ankara where he is given an envelope containing maps showing where the Germans will invade Turkey. Nazi agent Colonel Robinson (Sidney Greenstreet) knows about the maps and orders his agents to severely beat Barton, but he is rescued by Turkish official Zaloshoff (Peter Lorre) and his sister Tamara (Brenda Marshall). The maps are stolen by Robinson's agents, and the chase is on as Barton will stop at nothing to retrieve them.
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Crimson Romance 1934 N/R, 70 min. Genre: Action / Drama
Director: David Howard Cast: Ben Lyon, Sari Maritza, Erich von Stroheim, Hardie Albright, James Bush, William Bakewell, Herman Bing, Bodil Rosing, Vince Barnett, Arthur Clayton, Oscar Apfel, Purnell Pratt, Jason Robards Sr., Wilhelm von Brincken
American friends Bob Wilson (Ben Lyon) and Fred von Bergen (James Bush) join the German air force prior to the U.S. entry in World War I. When America enters the war, Bob remains loyal to America and fights for his country, but Fred continues to fight for Germany and is killed in action. Bob consoles Fred's love Alida (Sari Maritza), and his actions lead to their marriage. Meanwhile, Fred's mother (Bodil Rosing) delivers an anti-war eulogy.
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International Crime 1938 N/R, 62 min. Genre: Mystery
Director: Charles Lamont Cast: Rod La Rocque, Astrid Allwyn, Thomas E. Jackson, Oscar O'Shea, Wilhelm von Brincken, William Pawley, Walter Bonn, Peter Potter, Lou Hearn, Tenen Holtz, John St. Polis, Jack Baxley
Based on the popular radio show, "The Shadow"–but without the ability to "cloud men's minds"–this film follows Lamont Cranston (Rod La Rocque), a radio and newspaper reporter, as he solves the murder of a banker.
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Miss V from Moscow 1942 N/R, 68 min. Genre: Drama aka: Intrigue in Paris
Director: Albert Herman Cast: Lola Lane, Noel Madison, Howard Banks, Paul Weigel, John Wosper, Anna Demetrio, Wilhelm von Brincken, Juan de la Cruz, Kathryn Sheldon, Victor Kendell
Working with the Free French underground during World War II, Russian spy Vera Marova (Lola Lane) and downed American pilot Steve Worth (Howard Banks) send secret messages alerting the Allies of Nazi submarine movements.
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Panama Patrol 1939 N/R, 67 min. Genre: Drama
Director: Leon Ames Cast: Leon Ames, Charlotte Wynters, Weldon Heyburn, Adrienne Ames, Abner Biberman, Sidney Miller, Don "Red" Barry, Hugh McArthur, Frank Darien, Wilhelm von Brincken, Paul McVey, Philip Ahn
Army officers Phillip Waring (Leon Ames) and his aide, Helen Lane (Charlotte Wynters), are engaged to be married, but plans are put on hold when they are sent to the Panama Canal. They uncover plans of an Oriental espionage ring that has gained information that puts the Canal in jeopardy, and then, and only then, they continue on with wedding plans. This is a sequel to 1938's "Cipher Bureau."
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The Prisoner of Zenda 1937 N/R, 100 min. Genre: Adventure / Drama / Romance
Director: John Cromwell Cast: Ronald Colman, Madeleine Carroll, Douglas Fairbanks Jr., Mary Astor, C. Aubrey Smith, Raymond Massey, David Niven, Montagu Love, Byron Foulger, Spencer Charters, Wilhelm von Brincken, Philip Sleeman, Eleanor Wesselhoeft, Charles Halton, Torben Meyer
This is an excellent version of the classic story of Englishman Rudolph Rassendyll (Ronald Colman) who travels to a mythical European country where he is a distant cousin of Prince Rudolf V (also played by Colman). The cousins greatly resemble each other, and Captain Fritz von Tarlenheim (David Niven) and Colonel Zapt (C. Aubrey Smith) take Rudolph to the Prince's hunting lodge where they meet. The next day, it is discovered that the Prince has been kidnapped, and now Rudolph becomes involved in palace intrigue and romance–with the Prince's fiancee Princess Flavia (Madeleine Carroll)–when he is asked to impersonate the Prince.
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Queen Kelly 1929 N/R, 101 min. Genre: Drama
Director: Erich von Stroheim Cast: Gloria Swanson, Walter Byron, Seena Owen, Sidney Bracey, Wilhelm von Brincken, Sylvia Ashton, Tully Marshall, Gordon Westcott, Wilson Benge, Florence Gibson
Originally completed in 1929 this film, financed by Gloria Swanson, was not released in the U.S. until it was restored in 1985. A convent inhabitant, Patricia (Swanson), is kidnapped and seduced by the betrothed prince Wolfram (Walter Byron) of mad Queen Regina (Seena Owen), the ruler of a small country in Europe. Wolfram is imprisoned while Patricia eventually inherits a string of brothels from her aunt in East Africa. Patricia marries a lecherous old man, and tragedy eventually follows. A treatise on the degradation of the human race and the last silent film by Erich von Stroheim.
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Tempest 1928 N/R, 105 min. Genre: Drama
Director: Sam Taylor, Lewis Milestone, Viktor Tourjansky Cast: John Barrymore, Camilla Horn, Louis Wolheim, Boris de Fast, George Fawcett, Ullrich Haupt, Michael Visaroff, Wilhelm von Brincken, Michael Mark, Gregory Gaye, John Bleifer, Albert Conti
Set during the Russian Revolution, this is the story of a peasant, Ivan Markov (John Barrymore), who rises to the rank of Lieutenant in the final days of Czarist Russia. He is scorned by the "higher-class" officers and by Princess Tamara (Camilla Horn), a general's daughter. He is imprisoned and stripped of his rank after a trumped-up charge, and released during the Revolution. Ivan quickly rises in the ranks, and now the tables are turned as the Princess and her family's fate depends on Ivan's mercy.
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Thank You, Mr. Moto 1937 N/R, 67 min. Genre: Mystery
Director: Norman Foster Cast: Peter Lorre, Thomas Beck, Pauline Frederick, Jayne Regan, Sidney Blackmer, Sig Ruman, John Carradine, Wilhelm von Brincken, Nedda Harrigan, Philip Ahn
This is the second in the series of J.P. Marquand's detective, and it's one of the best. Mr. Moto (Peter Lorre) tackles the problem of seven Chinese scrolls, which, when put together, reveal the hidden treasure of Genghis Khan. He has the seventh one and attempts to get it to the rightful owners who have the other six. Unfortunately, the bad guys also want that seventh scroll and will stop at nothing to get it.
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Wallaby Jim of the Islands 1937 N/R, 61 min. Genre: Adventure / Musical / Drama
Director: Charles Lamont Cast: George Houston, Ruth Coleman, Douglas Walton, Wilhelm von Brincken, Mamo Clark, Juan Torena, Syd Saylor, Colin(2) Campbell, Warner Richmond, Nick Thompson, Wilson Benge, Ian Keith, Edward Gargan, Kenneth Harlan, Chris-Pin Martin
Wallaby Jim (George Houston) has problems involving associate Norman Brooks' (Douglas Walton) gambling problem, and danger also looms for Jim and his crew on a pearl fishing expedition as they sail the South Pacific. Jim's rival, Adolph Richter (Wilhelm von Brincken), jumps Jim's claim because of Norman's gambling, which has put the operation in jeopardy and, in true pirate fashion, tries to take control of the pearls.
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A Yank in Libya 1942 N/R, 67 min. Genre: Drama
Director: Albert Herman Cast: H.B. Warner, Walter Woolf King, Joan Woodbury, Harry Parke, Duncan Renaldo, George J. Lewis, Wilhelm von Brincken, Howard Banks, Amarilla Morris
Unwilling to give in when authorities fail to listen to his claims that Nazis are providing Libyan natives with guns, American correspondent Mike Malone (Walter Woolf King) continues the investigation on his own.
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| 1. Background to Danger (1943)
2. Condemned (1929)
3. Crimson Romance (1934)
4. International Crime (1938)
5. Miss V from Moscow (1942) aka: Intrigue in Paris
6. Panama Patrol (1939)
7. The Prisoner of Zenda (1937)
8. Queen Kelly (1929)
9. Tempest (1928)
10. Thank You, Mr. Moto (1937)
11. Wallaby Jim of the Islands (1937)
12. A Yank in Libya (1942)
In The News
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