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Legacy posts about films from the silent and classic Hollywood film eras.
When Twentieth Century-Fox decided to drop the Charlie Chan series after Castle in the Desert (1942), Sidney Toler purchased the rights to the series and took it to Monogram Pictures. After making 11 films with Twentieth Century-Fox, Toler would make 11 Charlie Chan films with Monogram Pictures. Shadows Over Chinatown (1946) was the ninth film that Toler made for Monogram
Juve vs. Fantomas (1913) is Louis Feuillade’s second film adaptation (affiliate link) of the popular crime series by Marcell Allain and Pierre Souvestre. Rene Navarre plays the role of Fantomas and his many aliases. Edmund Breon portrays Inspector Juve. George Melchior plays the role of Jerome Fandor, a young journalist, who assists Juve in his investigations of Fantomas. Juve and
Universal Pictures released the thirteenth (affiliate link) of fourteen Sherlock Holmes films starring Basil Rathbone as Sherlock Holmes on February 1, 1946. Twentieth Century-Fox produced the first two films. Universal produced the final 12 films. Terror By Night (1946) finds Holmes hired to protect the Star of Rhodesia diamond on a train bound for Scotland. Rodney Carstairs hires Holmes to
Tangled Destinies (1932) is an example of an early “B” film, the film shown first on a double bill. However, this film (affiliate link) holds up well despite being released during the early transition to sound films. Frank R. Strayer directed the film for Mayfair Pictures Corporation. Strayer was a better than average “B” film director. He also directed another
One of the earliest talkie films based on the Sherlock Holmes stories, The Speckled Band (1931) is a public domain film heavily edited from its original form. British and Dominion Films Corporation produced the film, which they released on March 5, 1931. Raymond Massey has his first starring role as Sherlock Holmes. The film is set in 1930s England. Sherlock
Dark Alibi (1946) is one of the last Charlie Chan films starring Sidney Toler. This film (affiliate link) and the three subsequent movies made in 1946 were filmed while Toler was dying from cancer. He was so weak, he could barely walk during these films. He somehow managed to make these last four films even though he was 72 years
On January 29, 1940, First National Pictures, the Warner Brothers “B” film company, released the spy thriller British Intelligence (1940). The film (affiliate link) is set in Britain during World War I. Released almost two years before the attack on Pearl Harbor, the film showed that Hollywood and probably most of the countries sympathies were with Britain and the Allies.
Dangerous Money (1946) is the second to last Charlie Chan film starring Sidney Toler from Monogram Pictures. After Sidney Toler’s death, Roland Winters would take over the role for nine more films. This film (affiliate link) allows us to appreciate Toler’s portrayal of Inspector Chan for close to the last time. This film was the tenth for Monogram and his
The Gorilla (1939) is a comedy-mystery “B” film (affiliate link) starring the Ritz Brothers, Joseph Calleia, Bela Lugosi and Lionell Atwill. The film was produced by Twentieth-Century Fox before they quit making “B” films, the first film on a double bill. The Ritz Brothers were active between 1925 and the 1960s, when Al Ritz the oldest brother passed away. The
The Woman in Green (1945) is the ninth of twelve Sherlock Holmes (affiliate link) produced by Universal Pictures. Basil Rathbone returns as Holmes in the eleventh of fourteen turns as the English sleuth. The film is one of the few “B” series films, which could have been an “A” film. Sherlock Holmes investigates the murder of several young London women.