Thunderbolt (1929 film)
| Thunderbolt | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| Directed by | Josef von Sternberg |
| Produced by | B. P. Fineman |
| Written by |
Charles Furthman Jules Furthman Herman Mankiewicz |
| Starring |
George Bancroft Fay Wray Richard Arlen Tully Marshall Eugénie Besserer |
| Cinematography | Henry W. Gerrard |
| Edited by | Helen Lewis |
| Distributed by | Paramount Pictures |
|
Release date
|
|
|
Running time
|
85 minutes |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
Thunderbolt is a 1929 American Pre-Code proto-noir film which tells the story of a criminal, facing execution, who wants to kill the man in the next cell for being in love with his girlfriend. It stars George Bancroft, Fay Wray, Richard Arlen, Tully Marshall and Eugenie Besserer.
The movie was adapted by Herman J. Mankiewicz, Joseph L. Mankiewicz (titles) and Josef von Sternberg from the story by Charles Furthman and Jules Furthman. It was directed by Sternberg.
Bancroft was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Actor.
Thunderbolt Jim Lang (George Bancroft (actor)), wanted on robbery and murder charges, ventures out with his girl, "Ritzy" (Fay Wray), to a Harlem nightclub, where she informs him that she is going straight. During a raid on the club, Thunderbolt escapes. His gang shadows Ritzy and reports that she is living with Mrs. Moran (Eugenie Besserer), whose son, Bob (Richard Arlen), a bank clerk, is in love with Ritzy. Fearing for Bob's safety, Ritzy engineers a police trap for Thunderbolt; he escapes but is later captured, tried, and sentenced to be executed at Sing Sing. From the death house, he successfully plots to frame Bob in a bank robbery and killing. Bob is placed in the facing cell, and guards frustrate Thunderbolt's attempts to get to his rival. When Ritzy marries Bob in the death house, Thunderbolt confesses his part in Bob's conviction. He plots to kill the boy on the night of his execution, but instead at the last minute his hand falls on Bob's shoulder in a gesture of friendship.
...
Wikipedia