DVD Review: RKO Classic Adventures offer vintage pre-code excitement
KINO's release of four RKO pre-code romantic dramas (reviewed here), was accompanied by this similar release featuring three pre-code adventure films. This is an even more entertaining collection, with vintage early talkies featuring then up-and-coming stars like Clark Gable and Joel McCrea. The following films are featured on this disc:
THE PAINTED DESERT (1931)
Often claimed as Clark Gable's film debut, Gable actually had made a handful of movies as far back as the silent era. However, his appearance in this western as a bewhiskered reformed criminal who defiantly shows no remorse for past crimes, resulted in fan mail that furthered interest in his career. It grew pretty quickly from this point. The story deals with two cowboys who happen upon an abandoned baby on the prairie. They fight over who gets custody, and it causes a permanent rift in their relationship.
The baby grows up to be William Boyd (about four years before he became Hopalong Cassidy) who works on his father's ranch. The father's rival lives nearby, and after a cattle stampede and a narrative that has Gable falling for pretty Helen Twelvetrees, the two old cowpokes are reconciled and all is well. This movie has been in the public domain for some time, but the print on this KINO set is remarkably sharp and clear. It's a good period western drama with action and solid performances by William Farnum, J. Farrell McDonald and the aforementioned cast members. Fun to also pick out appearances by Al St. John, Edmund Breese, Charles Sellon, and Richard Cramer, et al. Sadly, and tragically, the baby shown in the establishing scenes died during production while on location. This was a Pathe production distributed by RKO Radio Pictures.
THE PAY OFF (1930)
Lowell Sherman directed and stars in this underworld drama about a gangster whose mob has unusual scruples. They only prey on dishonest businessmen, and they never shoot or kill anyone. The second-in-command, however, wants to be a more traditional gang, and override these moral constraints. There is also a conflict between the two men over the attentions of a woman. The narrative continues when the second-in-command randomly robs a young couple in the park of their $200 savings which they were saving to get married. He is forced by the leader to give it back. Sherman is supported by Hugh Trevor and Marion Nixon, with welcome appearances by such 1930s favorites as William Janney (best known for the 1935 Laurel and Hardy feature Bonnie Scotland), George F. Marion, and Robert McWade. RKO would remake this film in 1938 as Law of the Underworld with Chester Morris, Anne Shirley, and Eduardo Ciannelli.
THE SILVER HORDE (1930)
Shot on location in Alaska, this romantic adventure deals with rival salmon fisherman whose further conflict involve their interest in the same woman. Corruption in the business, and a dance hall girl, both further enhance this conflict and disrupt the proceedings. Perhaps the chief interest here is seeing early appearances by a boyish Joel McCrea and a young Jean Arthur, long before their wonderful work together in "The More the Merrier" a dozen years later. Silent star Blanche Sweet makes her final performance in this movie, although she would come out of retirement for a few TV appearances in the 50s, and would live into the 1980s. Evelyn Brent, Louis Wolheim, Raymond Hatton, and Purnell Pratt round out the cast.
The three films featured here are historically important for being good examples of pre-code action dramas, and also for the early appearances by actors who would later become top stars. They are entertaining movies, and the quality is good for movies this old with limited pre-print quality due to their public domain status. These are easily the best prints of these films currently available.
The set is available here: RKO Classic Adventures