Thunderbolt main backdrop
Thunderbolt main poster

Thunderbolt

Visit website

5.8/10 • 27

1929-06-201h 25m

CrimeDrama

George Bancroft making Love With the Determination of a Bull Dog! Fay Wray His Foil and Richard Arlen His Enemy

A criminal known as Thunderbolt is imprisoned and facing execution. Into the next cell is placed Bob Moran, an innocent man who has been framed and who is in love with Thunderbolt's girl, without knowing of their relationship. Thunderbolt hopes to stave off the execution long enough to kill young Moran for romancing his girl.

Directors
Josef von Sternberg
Writters
Herman J. Mankiewicz
Editors
Helen Lewis

Top Billed Cast

View Credits
  1. George Bancroft

    George Bancroft

    Thunderbolt Jim Lang

  2. Fay Wray

    Fay Wray

    Ritzy

  3. Richard Arlen

    Richard Arlen

    Bob Moran

  4. Tully Marshall

    Tully Marshall

    Warden

  5. Eugenie Besserer

    Eugenie Besserer

    Mrs. Moran

  6. James Spottswood

    James Spottswood

    'Snapper' O'Shea

  7. Fred Kohler

    Fred Kohler

    'Bad Al' Friedberg

  8. Robert Elliott

    Robert Elliott

    Prison chaplain

  9. E.H. Calvert

    E.H. Calvert

    Dist. Atty. McKay

Reviews1

View Reviews
CinemaSerf Avatar

CinemaSerf

Jun 6, 2022

6/10

If you can get past the really rather stilted production here - almost stage bound in it's presentation, this is quite an entertaining film that sees the authorities on the trail of the most wanted "Thunderbolt" (George Bancroft). He is elusive, though - and their only route to him might be through his ex-girfriend "Ritzie" (Fay Wray) - but she isn't playing ball for reasons of her own. It's only when "Thunderbolt" makes good on an earlier threat he made to her about seeing anyone else, that the police see some light. The performances are fine, not great but the writing is really quite good - plenty of quirky vernacular and it moves along well despite the frequent silent movie style direction and scene framing from Josef von Sternberg. There is also quite an enjoyable contribution from a blues ensemble and though certainly dated, this is still worth a watch almost 100 years later.

Media

  • Thunderbolt backdrop
  • Thunderbolt backdrop
  • Thunderbolt backdrop
  • Thunderbolt backdrop
  • Thunderbolt backdrop
  • Thunderbolt backdrop
  • Thunderbolt backdrop
  • Thunderbolt backdrop
  • Thunderbolt backdrop

Recommendations

  • The Big Gundown main backdrop

    The Big Gundown

    7.3

  • A Perfect Ending main backdrop

    A Perfect Ending

    6.2

  • Cornered main backdrop

    Cornered

    6.0

  • The Batman main backdrop

    The Batman

    7.7

  • The Shape of Water main backdrop

    The Shape of Water

    7.2

  • Aftersun main backdrop

    Aftersun

    7.7

  • Cold Prey main backdrop

    Cold Prey

    6.2

  • Hellhole main backdrop

    Hellhole

    6.2

  • Knives Out main backdrop

    Knives Out

    7.8

  • Let Him Go main backdrop

    Let Him Go

    6.8

  • Vicious Fun main backdrop

    Vicious Fun

    6.5

  • The Invisible Man main backdrop

    The Invisible Man

    7.1

  • Venom main backdrop

    Venom

    6.8

  • Stalker main backdrop

    Stalker

    8.1

  • Alien: Romulus main backdrop

    Alien: Romulus

    7.2

  • Your Name. main backdrop

    Your Name.

    8.5

  • Dark Water main backdrop

    Dark Water

    6.8

  • The Platform main backdrop

    The Platform

    7.0

  • The Gauntlet main backdrop

    The Gauntlet

    6.6

  • Joker main backdrop

    Joker

    8.1

Status
Released
Original Language
English
Budget
--
Revenue
--
Keywords
film noirpre-code