Dynamite Smith
1924 silent film by Ralph Ince
- October 12, 1924 (1924-10-12) (U.S.)
Running time
Dynamite Smith is a 1924 American silent drama film directed by Ralph Ince and written by C. Gardner Sullivan. The film stars Charles Ray, Bessie Love, and Wallace Beery, and was distributed through Pathé Exchange.
The film was presumed lost until 2023, with the discovery of an 8mm print with Dutch titles.[3][4]
Plot
Gladstone Smith (Ray) is a young San Francisco literary editor, who, in his first assignment as a reporter, upsets murderer "Slugger" Rourke (Beery) so much that he must flee to Alaska with his sweetheart Kitty Gray (Logan). Gladstone brings the killer's pregnant wife Violet (Love) with him, so that her child can be born away from the saloons and bars of San Francisco. Slugger pursues them in Alaska, where the baby is born, and Violet dies shortly thereafter. Gladstone is able to trap Slugger in a bear trap. Gladstone lights a dynamite fuse, and changes his mind about using it at the last minute, but it explodes, killing Slugger. Gladstone, Kitty, and the baby are safe.[2][5][6][7]
Cast
- Charles Ray as Gladstone Smith
- Wallace Beery as "Slugger" Rourke
- Bessie Love as Violet
- Jacqueline Logan as Kitty Gray
- Ethelbert Knott as Dad Gray (credited as Adelbert Knott)
- Lydia Knott as Aunt Mehitabel
- Russell Powell as Colin MacClintock
- S.D. Wilcox as Marshall, White City
- Jim Hart as Faro Dealer[6][7]
Reception
The film received positive reviews,[8][9] and was commercially successful.[8]
Grace Kingsley of the Los Angeles Times, Florence Lawrence of the Los Angeles Examiner, and Guy Price of the Los Angeles Herald all gave high praise to Charles Ray for his performance[10] – which universally received rave reviews[2][6] – and the film served as a comeback vehicle for him.[9] The performances of Beery, Logan, and Love all received positive reviews as well.[2]
References
- ^ Love, Bessie (1977). From Hollywood with Love: An Autobiography of Bessie Love. London: Elm Tree Books. p. 152. OCLC 734075937.
- ^ a b c d "Charles Ray in 'Dynamite Smith'". The Film Daily. September 7, 1924. p. 8.
- ^ "Dynamite Smith / Ralph Ince [motion picture]". Library of Congress. 1924.
- ^ https://moviessilently.com/2023/03/26/dynamite-smith-1924-a-silent-film-review/
- ^ Munden, Kenneth W., ed. (1971). The American Film Institute Catalog of Motion Pictures Produced in the United States: Feature Films 1921–1930. New York: R.R. Bowker Company. p. 208. ISBN 9780520215214. OCLC 664500075.
- ^ a b c Sewell, C.S. (September 13, 1924). "Dynamite Smith". The Moving Picture World. p. 159.
- ^ a b Pardy, George T. (September 20, 1924). "Box Office Reviews". Exhibitors Trade Review. p. 41.
- ^ a b Powell, A. Van Buren, ed. (November 15, 1924). "Straight from the Shoulder Reports". Moving Picture World. p. 241.
- ^ a b "'Dynamite Smith' Classed as One of Best October Films". Moving Picture World. November 29, 1924. p. 427.
- ^ "'Dynamite Smith' Wins Praise of Los Angeles Reviewers". Moving Picture World. November 29, 1924. p. 557.
External links
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Dynamite Smith.
- Dynamite Smith at IMDb
- Dynamite Smith at AllMovie
- Dynamite Smith at the AFI Catalog of Feature Films
- Film stills at silenthollywood.com
- v
- t
- e
Films directed by Ralph Ince
- Mills of the Gods (1912)
- A Million Bid (1914)
- The Conflict (1916)
- The Combat (1916)
- The Co-Respondent (1917)
- To-Day (1917)
- Our Mrs. McChesney (1918)
- The Eleventh Commandment (1918)
- The Panther Woman (1918)
- Sealed Hearts (1919)
- The Perfect Lover (1919)
- Red Foam (1920)
- Out of the Snows (1920)
- His Wife's Money (1920)
- After Midnight (1921)
- Remorseless Love (1921)
- The Highest Law (1921)
- A Man's Home (1921)
- Tropical Love (1921)
- Wet Gold (1921)
- Channing of the Northwest (1922)
- A Wide Open Town (1922)
- Reckless Youth (1922)
- Counterfeit Love (1923)
- Homeward Bound (1923)
- Success (1923)
- Dynamite Smith (1924)
- The House of Youth (1924)
- The Chorus Lady (1924)
- The Moral Sinner (1924)
- The Uninvited Guest (1924)
- Playing with Souls (1925)
- Alias Mary Flynn (1925)
- Smooth as Satin (1925)
- Lady Robinhood (1925)
- Bigger Than Barnum's (1926)
- The Sea Wolf (1926)
- Breed of the Sea (1926)
- The Lone Wolf Returns (1926)
- The Better Way (1926)
- Home Struck (1927)
- Shanghaied (1927)
- Not for Publication (1927)
- Enemies of Society (1927)
- South Sea Love (1927)
- Wandering Girls (1927)
- Danger Street (1928)
- Chicago After Midnight (1928)
- Coney Island (1928)
- The Wreck of the Singapore (1928)
- Hit of the Show (1928)
- A Real Girl (1929)
- Hurricane (1929)
- Men of America (1932)
- Flaming Gold (1933)
- Lucky Devils (1933)
- No Escape (1934)
- A Glimpse of Paradise (1934)
- What's in a Name? (1934)
- The Black Mask (1935)
- Mr. What's-His-Name? (1935)
- Blue Smoke (1935)
- Rolling Home (1935)
- Murder at Monte Carlo (1935)
- Crime Unlimited (1935)
- It's You I Want (1936)
- Twelve Good Men (1936)
- Jury's Evidence (1936)
- Gaol Break (1936)
- Hail and Farewell (1936)
- Fair Exchange (1936)
- The Vulture (1937)
- The Perfect Crime (1937)
- It's Not Cricket (1937)
- The Man Who Made Diamonds (1937)
- Side Street Angel (1937)
 | This article about a silent drama film from the 1920s is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it. |
- v
- t
- e
