A Holy Terror

I have never heard of this little film, from director Irving Cummings, about whom the best and most known film will forever remain BELLE STARR, starring Gene Tierney and Randolph Scott. Except this film, the rest of Cumminngs' filmography is purely very hard to purchase; most is from the silent era. This one is just a rare and curious film, pre Code period, and that's why it is interesting to watch. But you can live without it, it is only destined to gem diggers. I am not even sure it was aired on TCM. I don't understand the title...Terror, i thought of a horror thriller. However, because it is from Irving Cummings - the director of BELLE STARR - I wanted to watch it, at least once in my life.

The only reason that most people will track down this minor Western is the presence of Humphrey Bogart in one of his earliest roles.

The Old West was never really looked right on Bogie and this performance, his first with Stetson and Six-gun, could be seen just as a dry run for his appearance as Whip McCord in the James Cagney vehicle 'The Oklahoma Kid'. In fact it was the first time Bogart ever appeared on the wrong side of the law and his depiction of a violent, shiftless man with no moral centre shows that he had this kind of role down pat five years before his breakthrough in 'The Petrified Forest'. He even manages to engage a little audience sympathy when constantly rejected by the virtuous heroine, a fact that also provides a little character motivation, unusual in a picture of this type. It almost goes without saying that he is really the only reason to watch.

Elsewhere George O'Brien tries hard to be handsome and charming in the lead role but is merely stiff and wooden, whilst Sally Eilers does a little better as the heroine. The story holds few surprises, and very little in the way of action or thrills, but the resolution is more original than expected. Technically, it's a little basic but some location work and the use of a few crane shots help a little.

If it weren't for Bogart this picture would probably be long forgotten and it really won't hold much appeal outside of his loyal fanbase.

The copy of this movie that I looked at was in poor condition. A five-minute chunk was missing, the image was dark and every once in a while the title "Fade In" would appear. Nonetheless, it was interesting for reasons having nothing to do with the production.

James Kirkwood comes to visit Robert Warwick. They talk about Warwick's dead wife and his son, George O'Brien. When O'Brien comes home from his polo match, he finds his father shot dead. The only clue is in his vault: a name change and a detective's report stating they are ending a quarter of a century's surveillance on "William Drew." O'Brien heads out, crashing his plane into Sally Eiler's bath room while she's taking a shower. Drew's cow hands, Humphrey Bogart and Stanley Price, take a dislike to O'Brien. Miss Eilers and Rita Laroy are sort of interested.

It's derived from a Max Brand novel that had been filmed with Tom Mix a decade earlier as TRAILIN'. O'Brien is interesting to old movie fans. In this one, it's clear that Fox had him leading a programmer. Stanley Fields gives a fine, psychopathic performance, but Bogart, while he shows plenty of menace, seems miscast. Even so, it's Bogart who holds the most interest for the modern viewer, and he gives a clear and recognizable performance.

I wound up with a copy of this film by accident--and figured I'd watch it before sending it back to the collector who made me a copy of this instead of the film I'd actually requested, so I had little or no expectations...just wanted to see what it was. The first few scenes take place back east and feature Robert Warwick, so I was thinking "oh no, another of those 'dude goes West' films." However, the film soon shifts into high gear with Warwick's death, which motivates George O'Brien to go out to Wyoming. There's some well-placed humor in the film, such as when O'Brien lands his plane in a lady's bathroom (!), but the film is as much a mystery as it is a western. There's also a nice "Bad Day At Black Rock" kind of feel to the small town in which O'Brien arrives, asking questions. The way the plot develops is suspenseful, and the finale, which ends cold right after the climax, is powerful. The film, as with most 1931 productions, has no music, so ending the film abruptly and in silence is a powerful technique. The heavy in the film is played by the young Humphrey Bogart, in what must have been one of his first significant roles, and he is menacing and intense, just as he would be a few years later in PETRIFIED FOREST. George O'Brien, best known today for the silent classic SUNRISE and for his work in John Ford films, can play an upper-class polo-playing young man, but he is also genuinely tough (not a surprise, considering he was a boxing champ earlier in his life), has a keen sense of humor, and has a warm screen presence. He's also a fine horseman. In under one hour, this film tells a complex story, yet is exciting and plays like a good mystery, though in a western setting. Some who aren't that familiar with early-sound films may find it a bit slow going, but it's actually quite fluid for a 1931 film, and I give it a full 10 star rating. It completely achieved what it set out to do and holds up well today. (interestingly, my copy had "fade in" and "fade out" on the screen in between a number of films--was this a television print with those meant for the local TV station projectionist???). I don't get the Fox Movie Channel, but as this was a Fox film, maybe it will be shown there sometime. Watch for it...and don't get up to get a soda or a snack. Watch it uninterrupted.

I saw this movie in 1977 at London's NFT paired with A DEVIL WITH WOMEN (1930) and introduced by William K Everson. The copy presented was nice and clear, and much better than ones I have encountered on YouTube, which look horrible. Hopefully good copies of this film exist as it is quite possible that some of the negative views have been affected by these frightful uploads.