Gang War (1928 film)
| Gang War | |
|---|---|
Charles Kerr (assistant) | |
| Story by |
|
| Starring | |
| Cinematography | Virgil Miller |
| Edited by | Archie Marshek |
| Music by | Al Sherman |
Production company | (FBO) |
| Distributed by | Film Booking Offices of America |
Release date |
|
Running time | 70 minutes |
| Country | United States |
| Languages | Sound (part-talkie) English intertitles |
Gang War (released as All Square in the UK) is a 1928 American sound part-talkie gangster film directed by Bert Glennon, best known for being the main feature attached to Steamboat Willie, the debut of Mickey Mouse in sound.[1] In addition to sequences with audible dialogue or talking sequences, the film features a synchronized musical score and sound effects along with English intertitles. The soundtrack was recorded using the RCA Photophone sound-on-film system. Despite the synchronised sound as well as the all-star cast, the film is largely unknown in its own right. One reel of an original 35mm positive print of nitrate film survives at the BFI film archive. The rest of the film appears to be lost.[2] The film has been overshadowed by its far more famous preceding short, Steamboat Willie. The film starred Jack Pickford in his last major role as "Clyde", a saxophone player whose love for a dancer named Flowers (Olive Borden) traps him in the middle of a gang war.[3]
Plot
The film follows the saxophone player Clyde, who
Cast
- Jack Pickford as Clyde Baxter
- Olive Borden as Flowers
- Lorin Raker as Reporter in the Prologue
- Jack McKee as Reporter in the Prologue
- Mabel Albertson as Reporter in the Prologue
- Eddie Gribbon as Blackjack
- Walter Long as Mike Luego
- Frank Chew as Wong
Music
The film featured a theme song entitled "My Suppressed Desire" which was composed by Chester Conn and Ned Miller. Another song entitled "Ya Comin' Up Tonight Huh?," which was composed by Abe Lyman, Al Lewis and Al Sherman, was also featured on the soundtrack of the film. Other songs heard on the sound are "Low Down" by Jo Trent and Peter Rose and "I Love Me" by Will Mahoney.
Production
Gang War was produced in
Reception
Reception to the film was rather muted; while The New York Times called it "better than the majority of its ilk", the paper still dismissed it as "More Gang Fights". In particular, the paper found the film to be rather cliché – it balked at the sentimentality of Blackjack's death scene and claimed the writers "would confer a favor upon a patient public if they mutinied against the use of some words, especially that simple monosyllable, 'well' ".[6]
See also
References
- ^ "Gang War (1928)". IMDb. Retrieved November 30, 2007.
- ^ https://collections-search.bfi.org.uk/web/Details/ChoiceFilmItems/154597175
- ^ Allmovie. Retrieved November 30, 2007.[permanent dead link]
- ^ "Gang War: Review". TV Guide. Retrieved November 30, 2007.
- ^ "Progressive Silent Film List: Gang War (1928)". silentera.com. Retrieved November 30, 2007.
- New York Times. Retrieved November 30, 2007.
External links
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