USA, 1921
70m
35mm film, black and white, 1.33:1
silent
Reviewed at The EOFFTV Review
An American comedy horror film directed by Marshall Neilan and Henry Roberts Symonds. The film was long thought to be lost until a complete print turned up at the Cineteca Italiana film archive in Milan, Italy in 2021.
Plot Summary
Star reporter Kirk Connelly works for the Gazette, a failing rag that’s in danger of being sold out to its rival The Herald by slimy editor “Shut the Door” Gordon, so named because of his repeated shouting at staff to close his office door as they leave. The paper has recently been inherited by Helen Allen following her father’s death, and she soon attracts Connelly’s eye after they meet in war torn France. Helen starts working at the Gazette under an assumed name and helps Connolly to investigate a series of hotel suicides. Elsewhere scientist Dr Ord is up to no good, transplanting the brain of a recently executed murderer, Jim Hogan, into the skull of a gorilla, Ferry. Ord is murdered by his own creation before the monster, now wearing a suit, takes out the judge who found Hogan guilty and the prosecutor who pressed for the death penalty and going after his own brother, who testified against him. While all this going on, Helen races to find out who’s trying to ruin the paper – it’s not that hard to work out – before bankruptcy beckons.
Credits
Crew
Directed by: Marshall Neilan, Henry Roberts Symonds
Marshall Neilan Productions
Produced by: Marshall Neilan
Scenario by: Frances Marion
Story by: Marion Fairfax
Director of Photography: David J. Kesson
Make-up: Cecil Holland
Cast
Pat O’Malley (Kirk Connelly)
Wesley Barry (Dinty)
Agnes Ayres (Helen Allen)
J. Barney Sherry (‘Shut the Door’ Gordon)
Charles Hill Mailes (J.L. Rich)
Noah Beery Sr (Dr Ord)
Bull Montana (Ferry the ape creature)
Walter Long (Jim Hogan)
Lydia Yeamans Titus (Lilly Doody)
George Dromgold (Thomas Hickson)
Edward Cooper (W.W. Crocker)
Charles West (Slim Hogan)
Ring Lardner
Irvin S. Cobb
Arthur Brisbane
Robert Edgren
Fred L. Wilson
Alternative Titles
Avisdrengen Dinty – Denmark
Le avventure di un reporter – Italy
Första klassens sensation – Sweden
Le système du Docteur Ox – France
Senzacija dnevnika – Harbour City – Yugoslavia
烏人獣人 – Japan
Links
See also
The Monster and the Girl (1940)
References
Periodicals
- The Bioscope vol.45 no.738 (2 December 1920) p.65
Books
- American Silent Horror, Science Fiction and Fantasy Feature Films, 1913-1929 by John T. Soister and Henry Nicolella with Steve Joyce and Harry H. Long p.229 – credits, article
- The Aurum Film Encyclopedia: Science Fiction by Phil Hardy (ed) p.64-65
- The Palgrave Encyclopedia of American Horror Film Shorts 1915-1976 by Gary D. Rhodes and David J. Hogan p.132
- Reference Guide to Fantastic Films by Walt Lee p.166
- Vintage Science Fiction Films, 1896-1949 by Michael Benson p.149
