The Bat Whispers 1930 N/R, 82 min. Genre: Mystery
Director: Roland West Cast: Chester Morris, Chance Ward, Una Merkel, Richard Tucker, Wilson Benge, Maude Eburne, Gustav von Seyffertitz, Spencer Charters, William Bakewell, DeWitt Jennings, Sidney D'Albrook
Director Roland West's remake of his 1926 "The Bat" again uses interesting camera shots and a dark mood to set the tone. This time around, the masked super-criminal sets his sights on a country mansion filled with assorted characters–and the spoils from a robbery.
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By Appointment Only 1933 N/R, 66 min. Genre: Drama
Director: Frank R. Strayer Cast: Lew Cody, Aileen Pringle, Sally O'Neil, Marceline Day, Edward Morgan, Edward Martindel, Wilson Benge, Claire McDowell, Pauline Garon, Gladys Blake
Dr. Michael Travers (Lew Cody) gains legal custody of teenager Judy (Sally O'Neil) after her mother dies. Although he is engaged to Diane (Aileen Pringle), Michael leaves on a three-year business trip to Europe, and on his return he falls in love with the now-17-year-old Judy. Whatever will become of Diane?
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False Pretenses 1935 N/R, 67 min. Genre: Comedy / Drama
Director: Charles Lamont Cast: Irene Ware, Sidney Blackmer, Russell Hopton, Betty Compson, Edward Gargan, Herbert Clifton, Lucy Beaumont, Marshall Ruth, John Picorri, Dot Farley, William Humphrey, Wilson Benge
Pretty waitress Mary Beekman (Irene Ware) yearns to find a wealthy husband and work her way up the social ladder. She convinces millionaire Kenneth Alden (Sidney Blackmer), who is secretly in love with her, to help her find the man of her dreams. In a comedy of errors, Mary ends up with retired bootlegger Pat Brennan (Russell Hopton) who has used his own social deceptions and believes Mary is the daughter in a wealthy family.
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The Ghost Walks 1934 N/R, 69 min. Genre: Mystery
Director: Frank R. Strayer Cast: John Miljan, June Collyer, Richard Carle, Spencer Charters, Henry Kolker, Johnny Arthur, Donald Kirke, Eve Southern, Douglas Gerrard, Wilson Benge, Harry Strang
One dark and stormy night a playwright, a theatrical producer, and a secretary seek refuge in the home of the playwright's fiancee where the lights mysteriously fail during dinner, and a ghost takes over the evening's mysterious events.
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The Man in Half Moon Street 1945 N/R, 92 min. Genre: Drama / Thriller / Sci-Fi
Director: Ralph Murphy Cast: Nils Asther, Helen Walker, Reinhold Schunzel, Paul Cavanagh, Edmund Breon, Morton Lowry, Mathew Boulton, Brandon Hurst, Forrester Harvey, Wilson Benge, Harry Cording, Frank Hagney, Eustace Wyatt, Konstantin Shayne, Leyland Hodgson
Artist and scientist Julian Karell (Nils Ashter) falls in love with Eve (Helen Walker) while painting her portrait. What Eve does not know is that Julian has been receiving gland transplants for 60 years to keep him young. The donors have all died during the gland transplants, and Julian's endocrinologist Dr. Kurt Van Bruecken (Reinhold Schunzel) is refusing to perform the next operation. Julian rescues medical student Allen Guthrie (Morton Lowry) from a suicide attempt and, later, finds another doctor to use Guthrie as his next donor. Guthrie dies during the operation, and Scotland Yard begins an investigation. Meanwhile, Julian confesses his operations to Eve who marries him anyway, and they take off on an ill-fated honeymoon. The film was remade in 1959 as "The Man Who Could Cheat Death."
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Mr. Boggs Steps Out 1938 N/R, 68 min. Genre: Comedy
Director: Gordon Wiles Cast: Stuart Erwin, Helen Chandler, Toby Wing, Tully Marshall, Spencer Charters, Otis Harlan, Walter Byron, Peter Potter, Harry Tyler, Milburn Stone, Eddie Kane, Nora Cecil, Harrison Greene, Wilson Benge
After winning $1,500 in a bean-guessing contest, statistician Oliver Boggs (Stuart Erwin) quits his office job and moves to Peckham Falls where he buys a barrel factory and attracts the attentions of both Oleander Tubbs (Helen Chandler) and Irene Lee (Toby Wing). All goes well–until Oliver runs into trouble when conniving lawyer Dennis Andrews (Walter Byron) enters the scene with his own plans for the nearby pickle factory that uses Oliver's barrels.
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Murder at Glen Athol 1936 N/R, 64 min. Genre: Mystery
Director: Frank R. Strayer Cast: John Miljan, Irene Ware, Iris Adrian, Noel Madison, Oscar Apfel, Barry Norton, Harry Holman, Betty Blythe, Wilson Benge, E.H. Calvert, James P. Burtis, Lew Kelly
While on vacation, detective Bill Holt (John Miljan) attends a party at a country mansion where death takes center stage when three guests are murdered.
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Pursuit to Algiers 1945 N/R, 65 min. Genre: Adventure / Drama / Mystery
Director: Roy William Neill Cast: Basil Rathbone, Nigel Bruce, Marjorie Riordan, Rosalind Ivan, Martin Kosleck, John Abbott, Morton Lowry, Frederick Worlock, Gerald Hamer, Rex Evans, Leslie Vincent, William "Wee Willie" Davis, Wilson Benge, Tom Dillon, Sven Hugo Borg
While sailing from London to Algiers, Sherlock Holmes (Basil Rathbone) and Dr. Watson (Nigel Bruce) protect a prince, Far Eastern regent Nikolas (Leslie Vincent), on his trip home following his father's assassination. Nikolas is disguised as Watson's son in an effort to confuse possible assassins who are on Nikolas' trail. As luck would have it, the assassins are among the passengers, and Holmes must weed out the good passengers from the bad.
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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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Queen of the Amazons 1947 N/R, 61 min. Genre: Adventure
Director: Edward Finney Cast: Robert Lowery, Patricia Morison, J. Edward Bromberg, John Miljan, Amira Moustafa, Bruce Edwards, Keith Richards, Jack George, Wilson Benge, Cay Forester, Vida Aldana, Darby Jones
After her fiancee, Gary (Robert Lowery), is captured by a tribe of Amazon women, Jean (Patricia Morison), hires a guide to take her through the jungle in search of Gary.
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Raffles 1930 N/R, 72 min. Genre: Drama
Director: Harry d'Abbadie D'Arrast Cast: Ronald Colman, Kay Francis, Bramwell Fletcher, Frances Dade, David Torrence, Alison Skipworth, John Rogers, Wilson Benge, Virginia Bruce
Based on E.W. Hornung's story of an ex-policeman (Ronald Colman) who finds thievery more profitable than that of his former profession, this is an entertaining film.
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Robin Hood 1922 N/R, 110 min. Genre: Family / Action / Adventure / Romance
Director: Allan Dwan Cast: Douglas Fairbanks, Wallace Beery, Enid Bennett, Alan Hale, Sam De Grasse, Paul Dickey, William Lowery, Billie Bennett, Roy Coulson, Wilson Benge, Willard Louis, Bud Geary, Lloyd Talman, Ann Doran, Frank Austin
Douglas Fairbanks is at his swashbuckling best in this high-budget, silent epic. The Earl of Nottingham (Fairbanks) follows King Richard the Lion Hearted (Wallace Beery) to the Crusades. But, the King's brother, Prince John (Sam De Grasse), who was left behind in charge, ursurps the throne and becomes an oppressive ruler. The Earl takes on the pseudonym of "Robin Hood" and returns to save the day.
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The Shadow Strikes 1937 N/R, 61 min. Genre: Mystery
Director: Lynn Shores Cast: Rod La Rocque, Lynn Anders, James Blakely, Walter McGrail, Kenneth Harlan, William Kellogg, Cy Kendall, Norman Ainsley, John Carnivale, John St. Polis, Wilson Benge, James C. Morton
The popular radio sleuth, Lamont Cranston/"The Shadow" (Rod La Rocque), who could "cloud men's minds" is brought to the screen as he pursues the killer of a wealthy man while the police try to pin the killing on him.
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Song of Songs 1933 N/R, 90 min. Genre: Drama / Romance
Director: Rouben Mamoulian Cast: Marlene Dietrich, Brian Aherne, Lionel Atwill, Alison Skipworth, Hardie Albright, Helen Freeman, Morgan Wallace, Wilson Benge, Hans Schumm, Eric Wilton, James A. Marcus, Florence Roberts, Adrienne D'Ambricourt
Peasant girl Lily Czepanek (Marlene Dietrich) is orphaned but finds a short happiness with aspiring sculptor Richard Waldrow (Brian Aherne). Then, Baron von Merzbach (Lionel Atwill) enters the picture, talks Richard into leaving Lily, and marries her himself. Lily is soon disgusted with the hedonistic Baron, and when Richard visits the castle, she learns about the deal the two men made. Lily leaves the Baron and heads for Berlin where she becomes a cabaret singer. One night, Richard appears at the nightclub and tells Lily that he still loves her. But, will Lily allow Richard back into her life?
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This Thing Called Love 1929 N/R, 72 min. Genre: Comedy
Director: Paul L. Stein Cast: Edmund Lowe, Constance Bennett, Roscoe Karns, Zasu Pitts, Carmelita Geraghty, John Roche, Stuart Erwin, Ruth Taylor, Wilson Benge, Jean Harlow
Robert Collings (Edmund Lowe) returns home after making a fortune in Peru with the intent of buying a house and finding a wife. But when he goes to his real estate agent's house for dinner and sees the bickering, he decides that marriage is out but still would like to share his house with someone. He meets Ann (Constance Bennett), she moves in, and fulfills the duties of a wife in most respects–except they can each date others. Of course they fall in love. Jean Harlow makes an early film appearance in a bit part.
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Twin Husbands 1934 N/R, 68 min. Genre: Drama
Director: Frank R. Strayer Cast: John Miljan, Shirley Grey, Monroe Owsley, Hale Hamilton, Robert Elliott, Wilson Benge, William Franklin, Maurice Black, Al Bridge, Joseph W. Girard
Jerry Van Trevor (John Miljan) awakens and learns that he has been kidnapped by Chloe (Shirley Grey) and her accomplice, Colton Drain (Monroe Owsley). They plan to use Jerry's striking resemblance to Chloe's wealthy husband (also played by John Miljan), as the means to steal valuable bonds. But, Jerry is not who he seems to be and waits patiently to outwit his kidnappers.
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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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| 1. The Bat Whispers (1930)
2. By Appointment Only (1933)
3. False Pretenses (1935)
4. The Ghost Walks (1934)
5. The Man in Half Moon Street (1945)
6. Mr. Boggs Steps Out (1938)
7. Murder at Glen Athol (1936)
8. Pursuit to Algiers (1945)
9. Queen Kelly (1929)
10. Queen of the Amazons (1947)
11. Raffles (1930)
12. Robin Hood (1922)
13. The Shadow Strikes (1937)
14. Song of Songs (1933)
15. This Thing Called Love (1929)
16. Twin Husbands (1934)
17. Untamed (1929)
18. Wallaby Jim of the Islands (1937)
In The News
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