O Temerário

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.

On returning home, a polo player discovers that his millionaire father has been killed. He heads West to confront a rancher who may be at the heart of the mystery.

An uninteresting pre-code adventure film that lacks a decent script. George O'Brien stars as the son who is seeking answers to his father's death but the film is only interesting thanks to an early appearance by Hollywood legend Humphrey Bogart in a supporting role.

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 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.