The Valiant (1929 film)

The Valiant (1929) is a part-silent/part-talkie film directed by William K. Howard and released by Fox Film Corporation in the Fox Movietone sound-on-film system.

The film stars Paul Muni, Marguerite Churchill, DeWitt Jennings, Henry Kolker, Edith Yorke, Richard Carlyle, and Johnny Mack Brown. The film was Muni's film debut and Howard's first sound film.

Screenwriters Tom Barry and John Hunter Booth adapted the play by Holworthy Hall and Robert Middlemass. The original play opened on Broadway on May 4, 1926 for just one performance.^[1]

Cast

• Paul Muni - James Dyke
• Marguerite Churchill - Mary Douglas
• DeWitt Jennings - Warden Holt
• Henry Kolker - Judge
• Edith Yorke - Mrs. Douglas
• Richard Carlyle - Father Daly
• Johnny Mack Brown - Robert Ward
• Clifford Dempsey - Police Lieutenant
• Robert Elliott - (scenes cut)
• George C. Pearce - Dr. Edmondson
• Don Terry - Policeman

Plot

A man condemned to execution (Muni) tries to convince two women (Yorke and Churchill) and that he is not their son and brother, and that they must get on with their lives.

Comparison with original play

The original play's plot is actually quite convoluted. The basic story of the plot is that a half an hour before a murderer's execution, the Warden and the Prison Chaplain attempt to discern the prisoner's identity. He meets his long lost sister, although the end is slightly ambiguous if one is not paying attention. The play ends with the exit of the murderer, the Chaplain and the Warden.

Awards

Paul Muni was nominated by the Academy Awards for Best Actor in a Leading Role and the screenwriters for Best Writing, Achievement.

Preservation status

George Eastman House has restored the film, which was shown on Turner Classic Movies on December 14, 2011.

References

External links

• The Valiant at the Internet Movie Database
• The Valiant at SilentEra
• The Valiant at AllRovi