The Thirteenth Hour (aka:The 13th Hour) is a 1927 American silent mystery film produced and distributed by Metro Goldwyn Mayer and directed by Chester Franklin.[2][3] The film stars Lionel Barrymore in a role where, as noted criminologist Professor Leroy, he dons a weird series of disguises to hide a dark secret.[4][5][6] This was the first film where Barrymore was cast opposite talented dogs,[7] and the first where he was cast as a serial killer.[8][9]
| The Thirteenth Hour | |
|---|---|
 1927 lobby card | |
| Directed by | Chester M. Franklin |
| Written by | Edward T. Lowe Jr. |
| Screenplay by | Chester M. Franklin Douglas Furber |
| Story by | Chester M. Franklin Douglas Furber Sydney Horler(novelization)[1] Intertitles: Wellyn Totman |
| Starring | Lionel Barrymore Jacqueline Gadsdon Charles Delaney |
| Cinematography | Max Fabian |
| Edited by | Dan Sharits |
| Distributed by | Metro Goldwyn Mayer |
Release date |
|
Running time | 6 reels, 5,252 feet |
| Country | United States |
| Languages | Silent film (English intertitles) |
A print of this film survives in 16mm.[10]
Plot edit
Junior detective Gray (Charles Delaney) discovers that the eccentric criminologist Professor Leroy (Lionel Barrymore) is both a crook and a murderer.[11] A German Shepherd chases the elusive LeRoy throughout a large house filled with secret rooms.
Cast edit
- Lionel Barrymore as Professor Leroy
- Jacqueline Gadsdon as Mary Lyle
- Charles Delaney as Matt Gray
- Fred Kelsey as Detective Shaw
- Polly Moran as Polly
- Napoleon the Dog as the dog "Flash"
- Sojin
See also edit
References edit
- ^ The 13th Hour, novelization, by Sydney Horler UK 1930
- ^ 2012, 1927, English, Book, Illustrated edition: Extract from The 13th hour, illustrated with scenes from the photoplay {electronic resource} (National Library of Australia Trove)
- ^ Everson, William K. (1972). The detective in film (illustrated ed.). Citadel Press. pp. 29, 35, 217. ISBN 9780806502984.
- ^ Hadden, Briton; Luce, Henry Robinson (1927). "The Thirteenth Hour". Time Magazine. pp. Volume 10. Retrieved November 27, 2010.
- ^ Pitts, Michael R. (2004). Famous movie detectives III, Volume 3. G - Reference, Information and Interdisciplinary Subjects Series (illustrated ed.). Scarecrow Press. p. 285. ISBN 9780810836907.
- ^ The Educational screen, Volume 7. Educational Screen, Inc. 1928. p. 16.
- ^ Lionel Barrymore, Cameron Shipp (1974). We Barrymores (illustrated ed.). Greenwood Press. p. 258. ISBN 9780837175508.
- ^ Rigby, Jonathan (2007). American Gothic: Sixty Years of Horror Cinema (illustrated ed.). Reynolds & Hearn. p. 53. ISBN 9781905287253.
- ^ Al Hirschfeld caricature of The Thirteenth Hour cast (Al Hirschfeld Foundation website)
- ^ The Thirteenth Hour at Silent Era Database
- ^ "Mr. Barrymore's New Idea" (The New York Times, November 28, 1927)
External links edit
- The Thirteenth Hour at IMDb
- The Thirteenth Hour at AllMovie
- The Thirteenth Hour at the American Film Institute Catalog
- The Thirteenth Hour at the TCM Movie Database
- The 13th Hour at Silent Era
- Screen cap of Lionel Barrymore in the film
- French pressbook(archived)
