![Richard Barthelmess Marion Nixon The Lash](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/9b/Richard_Barthelmess_Marion_Nixon_The_Lash.jpg)
''The Lash'' is a 1930 American
pre-Code
Pre-Code Hollywood was the brief era in the Cinema of the United States, American film industry between the widespread adoption of sound in film in 1929LaSalle (2002), p. 1. and the enforcement of the Motion Picture Production Code censorshi ...
Western
Western may refer to:
Places
*Western, Nebraska, a village in the US
*Western, New York, a town in the US
*Western Creek, Tasmania, a locality in Australia
*Western Junction, Tasmania, a locality in Australia
*Western world, countries that id ...
film produced and distributed by
First National Pictures
First National Pictures was an American motion picture production and distribution company. It was founded in 1917 as First National Exhibitors' Circuit, Inc., an association of independent theatre owners in the United States, and became the count ...
, a subsidiary of
Warner Bros.
Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. (commonly known as Warner Bros. or abbreviated as WB) is an American film and entertainment studio headquartered at the Warner Bros. Studios complex in Burbank, California, and a subsidiary of Warner Bros. D ...
It had an alternate title of ''Adios''. The film was directed by
Frank Lloyd
Frank William George Lloyd (2 February 1886 – 10 August 1960) was a British-born American film director, actor, scriptwriter, and producer. He was among the founders of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, and was its president ...
and stars
Richard Barthelmess
Richard Semler Barthelmess (May 9, 1895 – August 17, 1963) was an American film actor, principally of the Hollywood silent era. He starred opposite Lillian Gish in D. W. Griffith's '' Broken Blossoms'' (1919) and ''Way Down East'' (1920) and ...
,
Mary Astor
Mary Astor (born Lucile Vasconcellos Langhanke; May 3, 1906 – September 25, 1987) was an American actress. Although her career spanned several decades, she may be best remembered for her performance as Brigid O'Shaughnessy in '' The Maltese ...
,
James Rennie and
Marian Nixon
Marian Nixon (born Marja Nissinen; October 20, 1904 – February 13, 1983) was an American film actress. Sometimes credited as Marion Nixon, she appeared in more than 70 films.
Career
Born in Superior, Wisconsin, to parents of Finnish descent, N ...
. The film was issued in two formats:
Warner Bros.
Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. (commonly known as Warner Bros. or abbreviated as WB) is an American film and entertainment studio headquartered at the Warner Bros. Studios complex in Burbank, California, and a subsidiary of Warner Bros. D ...
65mm Vitascope wide screen and regular 35mm. The
Vitaphone
Vitaphone was a sound film system used for feature films and nearly 1,000 short subjects made by Warner Bros. and its sister studio First National from 1926 to 1931. Vitaphone was the last major analog sound-on-disc system and the only one th ...
sound system was used for recording. Exteriors were filmed at the current
Westlake Village, California
Westlake Village is a city in Los Angeles County on its western border with Ventura County. The City of Westlake Village incorporated in 1981 becoming the 82nd municipality of Los Angeles County.Baker, Pam (2002). ''Thousand Oaks Westlake Vill ...
and Russell Ranch of
Thousand Oaks, California
Thousand Oaks is the second-largest city in Ventura County, California, United States. It is in the northwestern part of Greater Los Angeles, approximately from the city of Los Angeles and from Downtown Los Angeles, Downtown. It is named af ...
areas near
Los Angeles
Los Angeles ( ; es, Los Ángeles, link=no , ), often referred to by its initials L.A., is the largest city in the state of California and the second most populous city in the United States after New York City, as well as one of the world' ...
. It was adapted for the screen by
Bradley King from a story ''Adios'' by Fred Bartlett and Virginia Stivers Bartlett.
[''Catalog of Holdings The American Film Institute Collection and The United Artists Collection at The Library of Congress'' p.100 c.1978 published by The American Film Institute]
Plot
When Francisco Delfino (
Richard Barthelmess
Richard Semler Barthelmess (May 9, 1895 – August 17, 1963) was an American film actor, principally of the Hollywood silent era. He starred opposite Lillian Gish in D. W. Griffith's '' Broken Blossoms'' (1919) and ''Way Down East'' (1920) and ...
) goes off to study for four years at a university in Mexico, his home in California is a part of Mexico. By the time he returns (around 1850), however, California in the hands of the United States. He finds his family living in fear and the family estate is in shambles. Although the land deeds granted by the Spanish throne are supposed to be recognized by the U.S. government as proof of ownership, some unscrupulous California land commissioners are attempting to cheat the landowners.
Delfino becomes embroiled in an argument with a Federal official, Peter Harkness (
Fred Kohler
Fred Kohler (April 20, 1888 – October 28, 1938) was an American actor.
Career
Fred Kohler was born in Kansas City, Missouri or in Dubuque, Iowa. As a teen, he began to pursue a career in vaudeville, but worked other jobs to support himself. ...
). When Delfino shows an interest in Rosita (
Mary Astor
Mary Astor (born Lucile Vasconcellos Langhanke; May 3, 1906 – September 25, 1987) was an American actress. Although her career spanned several decades, she may be best remembered for her performance as Brigid O'Shaughnessy in '' The Maltese ...
), a girl that Harkness regards as his girlfriend, Delfino is tied up and lashed across the face. He is only saved from further assault by the sheriff, David Howard (
James Rennie).
Delfino embarks on a career of Robin Hood-style banditry to avenge the brutal treatment of the Spanish and Mexican settlers, and there is soon a price on his head. Now close friends with Delfino, Howard has fallen in love with his sister, Dolores (
Marian Nixon
Marian Nixon (born Marja Nissinen; October 20, 1904 – February 13, 1983) was an American film actress. Sometimes credited as Marion Nixon, she appeared in more than 70 films.
Career
Born in Superior, Wisconsin, to parents of Finnish descent, N ...
). When their father is shot, Delfino avenges his murder. He delivers the deed to his family's property to Howard, who allows him time to escape to Mexico — where Rosita promises to meet him.
Cast
*
Richard Barthelmess
Richard Semler Barthelmess (May 9, 1895 – August 17, 1963) was an American film actor, principally of the Hollywood silent era. He starred opposite Lillian Gish in D. W. Griffith's '' Broken Blossoms'' (1919) and ''Way Down East'' (1920) and ...
as Francisco Delfino
*
Mary Astor
Mary Astor (born Lucile Vasconcellos Langhanke; May 3, 1906 – September 25, 1987) was an American actress. Although her career spanned several decades, she may be best remembered for her performance as Brigid O'Shaughnessy in '' The Maltese ...
as Doña Rosita Garcia
*
Fred Kohler
Fred Kohler (April 20, 1888 – October 28, 1938) was an American actor.
Career
Fred Kohler was born in Kansas City, Missouri or in Dubuque, Iowa. As a teen, he began to pursue a career in vaudeville, but worked other jobs to support himself. ...
as Peter Harkness
*
Marian Nixon
Marian Nixon (born Marja Nissinen; October 20, 1904 – February 13, 1983) was an American film actress. Sometimes credited as Marion Nixon, she appeared in more than 70 films.
Career
Born in Superior, Wisconsin, to parents of Finnish descent, N ...
as Doña Dolores Delfino
*
James Rennie as David Howard
*
Robert Edeson
Robert Edeson (June 3, 1868 – March 24, 1931) was an American film and stage actor of the silent era and a vaudeville performer.
Life and career
Edeson was born in New Orleans, Louisiana, the son of manager and actor George R. Edeson. Afte ...
as Don Delfino
*
Erville Alderson
Erville Alderson (September 11, 1882 – August 4, 1957) was an American character actor, usually portraying strong-willed or wise men. He appeared in nearly 200 films between 1918 and 1957.
Life
Alderson was born in Kansas City, Missouri. He ...
as Judge Travers
*
Barbara Bedford as Lupe
*
Arthur Stone as Juan
*
William L. Thorne as Bella Union
cantina
A cantina is a type of bar common in Latin America and Spain. The word is similar in etymology to "canteen", and is derived from the Italian word for a cellar, winery, or vault.
In Italy, the word ''cantina'' refers to a room below the ground ...
landlord
*
Mathilde Comont
Mathilde Comont (9 September 1886 – 21 June 1938), credited also as Mathilda Caumont, was a French-born American actress, primarily of the silent era.
Biography
Born in Bordeaux, she appeared in films in her native country, particularly ...
as Concha (uncredited)
*
Xavier Cugat
Xavier Cugat (; 1 January 1900 – 27 October 1990) was a Spanish musician and bandleader who spent his formative years in Havana, Cuba. A trained violinist and arranger, he was a leading figure in the spread of Latin music. In New York City ...
as orchestra leader (uncredited)
*
Frank Lackteen
Frank Lackteen (born Mohammed Hassan Lackteen August 29, 1897 – July 8, 1968) was an American film actor best known for his antagonistic roles. He appeared in nearly 200 films between 1915 and 1965, including several Three Stooges shorts. ...
as caballero (uncredited)
*
Francis McDonald
Francis McDonald (August 22, 1891 – September 18, 1968) was an American actor whose career spanned 52 years.
Early years
Born on August 22, 1891, in Bowling Green, Kentucky, McDonald was the son of John Francis McDonald and Catherine Ashlu ...
as caballero (uncredited)
Box Office
According to Warner Bros records the film earned $565,000 domestically and $151,000 foreign.
References
External links
*
*
*
av-geek,com Title card for "The Lash"
{{DEFAULTSORT:Lash (1930 film), The
1930 films
1930s historical drama films
1930s English-language films
American historical drama films
American Western (genre) films
1930 Western (genre) films
Films about rebels
Films directed by Frank Lloyd
First National Pictures films
Films set in California
Films set in the 1840s
Films set in the 1850s
Mexican-American films
American vigilante films
Warner Bros. films
American black-and-white films
Hispanic and Latino American drama films
1930s American films