SILVER HORDE (DVD/FF) DVD

The Silver Horde
A somewhat primitive early talkie version of Rex Beach's lusty 1909 novel of Alaska salmon fishers, RKO's The Silver Horde was one of Joel McCrea's earliest breaks. Although third-billed to the more established Evelyn Brent and character star Louis Wolheim, McCrea played the leading role of Boyd Emerson, an adventurer finding himself stranded in the Alaskan wilderness along with sidekick Fraser (Raymond Hatton). Saloon hostess turned copper mine proprietress Cherry Malotte (Brent) falls in love with the newcomer and persuades business associate Tom Hilliard (William Davidson) to bankroll a salmon fishing operation for Emerson and the brutish-looking but lovable Balt (Wolheim). Emerson, however, is in love with Seattle debutante Mildred Wayland (Jean Arthur), whose snobbish father (Purnell Pratt) schemes with salmon industry magnate Frederick Marsh (Gavin Gordon) to sabotage the new endeavor. The rival fishing fleets meet in hand-to-hand battle for superiority with the Emerson-Balt crew emerging the winners. In retaliation, Marsh attempts to slander Cherry Malotte, but is killed by an out-of-control Balt. A major star of the late silent era, Evelyn Brent is struggling to convey her trademark toughness before the microphone, but McCrea makes a stalwart hero and Louis Wolheim is watchable doing almost anything. Jean Arthur is merely window dressing this early in her career, but Blanche Sweet, an icon of the early silent era, is completely wasted in a bit part as the villain's former girlfriend. It became her final screen appearance. The Silver Horde had been filmed once before, by Goldwyn in 1916 starring Myrtle Steadman as Cherry and Curtis Cooksey as Emerson. ~ Hans J. Wollstein, All Movie Guide

Cast Blanche Sweet as Queenie Evelyn Brent as Cherry Malotte Jean Arthur as Mildred Wayland Joel McCrea as Boyd Emerson

Crew Max Ree - Art Director Max Ree - Costume Designer George Archainbaud - Director Otto Ludwig - Editor Leo Tover - Cinematographer John W. Boyle - Cinematographer William Sistrom - Producer William Le Baron - Producer Wallace Smith - Screenwriter Rex Beach - Book Author

The Silver Horde
(not reviewed)
 

(no awards)

General Specifications: Language Options: Subtitle Options: Sound Processing: DD2: Dolby Digital Stereo Additional Features: Introduction and film history by Lou Lumenick chief New York Post film critic The Life of a Child Star: Bill Winckler on his father bobby Winckler Lloyd Kaufman on the portrayal of business on film The exciting first chapter of the Roan serial The Last Frontier starring Lon Chaney, Jr. Radiation March...and more MPAA Rating: DVD Discs Included: 1 DVD Sides: 1 DVD DVD Region Code: All Content Length: 90 min   DVD Chapters: Disc #1 -- The Silver Horde 1. Unwanted Men [14:11] 2. Strange Trail This Time [5:29] 3. You Can't Marry a Pauper [12:27] 4. Telephone for Emerson [10:16] 5. Fisticuffs by Torch Light [9:11] 6. Marsh Shows His Hand [12:57] 7. While the Salmon Run... [10:37]