''Hangman's House'' is a 1928 American romantic

drama Drama is the specific Mode (literature), mode of fiction Mimesis, represented in performance: a Play (theatre), play, opera, mime, ballet, etc., performed in a theatre, or on Radio drama, radio or television.Elam (1980, 98). Considered as a g ...

genre

silent film A silent film is a film without synchronized recorded sound (or more generally, no audible dialogue). Though silent films convey narrative and emotion visually, various plot elements (such as a setting or era) or key lines of dialogue may, w ...

set in

County Wicklow County Wicklow ( ; ) is a Counties of Ireland, county in Republic of Ireland, Ireland. The last of the traditional 32 counties, having been formed as late as 1606 in Ireland, 1606, it is part of the Eastern and Midland Region and the Provinces ...

, Ireland, directed by

John Ford John Martin Feeney (February 1, 1894 – August 31, 1973), better known as John Ford, was an American film director and producer. He is regarded as one of the most important and influential filmmakers during the Golden Age of Hollywood, and w ...

(uncredited) with inter-titles written by

Malcolm Stuart Boylan Malcolm Stuart Boylan (April 13, 1897 – April 3, 1967) was an American screenwriter, writer, and founder of the U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary. Screenwriting Boylan entered the entertainment industry as a stage actor while working as a newspa ...

. It is based on a novel by Brian Oswald Donn-Byrne. It was adapted by Philip Klein with scenarios by Marion Orth. The film is also notable for containing the first confirmed appearance by

John Wayne Marion Robert Morrison (May 26, 1907 – June 11, 1979), known professionally as John Wayne, was an American actor. Nicknamed "Duke", he became a Pop icon, popular icon through his starring roles in films which were produced during Hollywood' ...

in a John Ford film.

Plot

While stationed in

Algiers Algiers is the capital city of Algeria as well as the capital of the Algiers Province; it extends over many Communes of Algeria, communes without having its own separate governing body. With 2,988,145 residents in 2008Census 14 April 2008: Offi ...

, Commandant Denis Hogan receives a letter containing bad news and requests leave to return to his home country of Ireland, where he is a wanted man. In Ireland, Baron James O'Brien is told by his doctor that he has no more than a month to live. He decides to marry off his only daughter Connaught to a socialite, John D'Arcy, despite her love of childhood friend Dermot McDermot. Hogan returns to Ireland and disguises himself as a holy man. On his way to the O'Brien's house he is recognised by a gatekeeper, to whom he reveal his intention to kill a man. Hogan meets Dermot McDermot and the three men witness the lights of Glenmalure's chapel being lit, signifying a wedding is taking place. Later that night, after Connaught and D'Arcy have been wed, the Baron dies. On the night of his funeral Hogan sneaks about the grounds of Hangman's House and is spotted by D'Arcy. D'Arcy tries to sleep with Connaught but she rejects his advances. A community race is held on

Saint Stephen's Day Saint Stephen's Day, also called the Feast of Saint Stephen, is a Christian saint's day to commemorate Saint Stephen, the first Christian martyr or protomartyr, celebrated on 26 December in Western Christianity and 27 December in Eastern Ch ...

and Connaught's horse, The Bard, is due to race. The horse's

jockey A jockey is someone who rides horses in horse racing or steeplechase (horse racing), steeplechase racing, primarily as a profession. The word also applies to camel riders in camel racing. The word "jockey" originated from England and was used ...

goes missing just before the race because of interference from D'Arcy, who has bet against the horse. Dermot is required to jockey the horse and he wins the race, leading a drunken D'Arcy to shoot The Bard. D'Arcy is ostracised by the community because of this. Hogan is arrested at the race. At night Dermot and D'Arcy meet in a pub where D'Arcy reveals that he had an affair with Hogan's sister. Dermot gives D'Arcy money to leave Ireland and threatens that if he ever sees him again, he will kill him. Hogan escapes from prison and a gunfight erupts between his men and the guards. Dermot and Connaught visit Hogan's hideout and Hogan reveals that his sister died following D'Arcy's desertion. Connaught returns to Hangman's House to discover that D'Arcy has returned. After a struggle she flees to Dermot's house. Hogan and Dermot go to Hangman's House and confront D'Arcy. During a fight between the men a fire breaks out and burns down the house. Hogan and Dermot escape but D'Arcy falls to his death as a balcony collapses. Connaught and Dermot see Hogan off at the port as he returns to Algiers. Connaught and Dermot depart together as Hogan watches.

Cast

* Victor McLaglen as Citizen Denis Hogan *

June Collyer June Collyer (born Dorothea Heermance; August 19, 1906 – March 16, 1968) was an American film actress of the 1920s and 1930s. Early life Born in New York City, Collyer chose to use her mother's maiden name when she decided to pursue acting. ...

as Connaught "Conn" O'Brien * Earle Fox as John D'Arcy * Larry Kent as Dermot McDermot *

Hobart Bosworth Hobart Van Zandt Bosworth (August 11, 1867 – December 30, 1943) was an American film actor, director, writer, and producer. Bosworth began his career in theater, eventually transitioning to the emerging film industry. Despite a battle with ...

as Lord Justice O'Brien *

as Horse Race Spectator/Condemned Man in Flashback (uncredited) *

Brian Desmond Hurst Brian Desmond Hurst (12 February 1895 – 26 September 1986) was an Irish people, Irish film director. With over thirty films in his filmography, Hurst was hailed as Northern Ireland's best film director by BBC film critic Mike Catto.Scree ...

as Horse Race Spectator and witness to the horse shooting (uncredited)

Production

The film began production in January 1928 and took seven weeks to film.

Reception

The film received positive reviews, Wilfred Beaton of Film Spectator called it "the finest program picture ever turned out by a studio". In particular he praised the photography which he said "almost outdoes for sheer beauty the shots in '' Street Angel'' and ''

Sunrise Sunrise (or sunup) is the moment when the upper rim of the Sun appears on the horizon in the morning, at the start of the Sun path. The term can also refer to the entire process of the solar disk crossing the horizon. Terminology Although the S ...

''". Variety shared this opinion by proclaiming the film had "some of the most striking touches of composition seen on the screen since those swampland shots in ''

'', which they often resemble." However the film was not a box office success as

Fox Film Corporation The Fox Film Corporation (also known as Fox Studios) was an American independent company that produced motion pictures and was formed in 1914 by the theater "chain" pioneer William Fox (producer), William Fox. It was the corporate successor to ...

did not promote the film.Gallagher, Tag ''John Ford: The Man and his Films'' (University of California Press 1986) p.58

Home media

The film was released on

DVD The DVD (common abbreviation for digital video disc or digital versatile disc) is a digital optical disc data storage format. It was invented and developed in 1995 and first released on November 1, 1996, in Japan. The medium can store any ki ...

North America North America is a continent in the Northern Hemisphere, Northern and Western Hemisphere, Western hemispheres. North America is bordered to the north by the Arctic Ocean, to the east by the Atlantic Ocean, to the southeast by South Ameri ...

by Fox on December 4, 2007. The film can be obtained three different ways: * In the ''Ford at Fox - The Collection'' box set which is a 21 disc collection containing most of the films John Ford made at Fox. * In the ''Ford At Fox Collection: John Ford's Silent Epics'' which also contains '' Just Pals'', '' Four Sons'', '' The Iron Horse'' and '' 3 Bad Men''. * As a separate release also containing '' 3 Bad Men'' on the opposite side of the disc. The DVD begins with a disclaimer stating that the film has been brought to DVD using the best surviving elements possible. The DVD has an option to view the film accompanied with a musical score by Tim Curran.

References

External links

* * {{DEFAULTSORT:Hangman's House 1928 films American black-and-white films American silent feature films Films directed by John Ford Fox Film films Films set in Ireland 1928 romantic drama films 1920s American films Silent American romantic drama films 1920s English-language films Articles containing video clips English-language romantic drama films