Without Honors (1932)

I like the storyline of this show,it attract me so much

Absolutely the worst movie.

It's funny, it's tense, it features two great performances from two actors and the director expertly creates a web of odd tension where you actually don't know what is happening for the majority of the run time.

The story, direction, characters, and writing/dialogue is akin to taking a tranquilizer shot to the neck, but everything else was so well done.

Director: WILLIAM NIGH. Continuity and dialogue: Harry Fraser. Story: Lee Sage. Photography: Edward Linden. Film editor: Holbrook Todd. Settings: Tec-Art Studios. Assistant director: Harry Fraser. Sound recording: B.J. Kroger. Associate producer: George M. Merrick. Presented by Louis Weiss. Produced by Supreme Sound Pictures (President: Alfred T. Mannon). Distributed by Weiss Bros., Artclass Pictures, Corp. No recorded New York opening. U.S. release: 2 January 1932. 66 minutes. SYNOPSIS: Peter Marlan is a professional gambler who works both sides of the border. When his brother, a Texas Ranger, is killed, Pete sets out to discover the killers. Along the way, he discovers that Bernie Donovan is actually...COMMENT: Although a bit rough at the edges (partly due to a few minutes of discarded footage), this is one of the best westerns of the year. And no wonder! It has a great story with interesting characters enacted by a great cast, produced on a fair-sized budget using some really atmospheric locations and sets, and it's directed with power by William Nigh, a top "A"-feature director in the 1920s, who was just beginning his descent into the "B" league. Ideally cast, Harry Carey gives one of his most impressive performances as the reluctant hero. Although his role is much smaller, Gibson Gowland is almost overpoweringly ferocious as the sadistic villain, while Mary Jane Irving enacts his victim so appealingly that we share every terrifying minute of her ordeal. AVAILABLE on a very good Platinum disc DVD.

During the silent years Harry Carey was a major screen cowboy hero, but before transitioning to character roles in sound he was gradually going down the scale of studios in his western. This one Without Honor was as poverty row a western as they get.In Without Honor Carey does a part he did a lot of on the silent screen, the good bad man. When his Texas Ranger brother is killed investigating a gang on a border town, Carey steps into the fray.He also clears up a decades old kidnapping and reunites mother and daughter and wins mom's everlasting gratitude.I have to say the gang really had a clever scheme at money laundering after a robbery. I'll say that the shallowness of the Rio Grande River aids and abets in this idea.Carey fans should like this, it would have been better with a major studio values.

Although fans of John Wayne's films will remember Harry Carey for his wonderful supporting roles, earlier in his career Carey had actually been a leading man--with many leading man roles in silent and talkies which included cowboy films as well as movies like "Trader Horn" and "Last of the Mohicans". "Without Honor" is one of his westerns where he was given the lead. Sadly, however, despite his nice and natural acting style that sets it apart from the average film in the genre, so much about the film is terrible that I just cannot recommend it for anyone.When the film begins, Pete Marlan (Carey) meets up with his brother, a Texas Ranger. It soon becomes obvious that Pete is the black sheep of the family. While not exactly a criminal, he's a tough gambler who is far from law abiding. But when the brother is murdered, Pete joins the Rangers and goes in search of justice.Why is this such a bad film? Well, the plot is extremely standard and offers few surprises...but what really bothered me while watching it is the acting and direction. For example, early in the film, Carey flubs a line (even fine actors do this on occasion) but the director didn't even bother re-doing the line! Additionally, Bernice (played by Mary Jane Irving) is a shrill and stupid character due to the bad acting and writing in the film. In fact, Irving's acting is so bad that I found myself laughing when she delivered some of her over-wrought lines! Another example of bad writing is when the baddies reveal the entire plan as Pete is hiding in the shadows! Who does this sort of exposition?! After all, the two guys KNEW what was happening--so why did they talk about it and the plan?! Overall, a dopey film that I wanted to like.

Harry Carey Sr. and the rest of the cast seem to be stuck in silent picture mode a good part of the time in this picture. Dialog between characters is punctuated by uncomfrortably long pauses, making the character interaction somewhat less than credible. Carey himself is involved in a lot of these scenes, and you have to wonder why the actors would think it would be a good idea to communicate this way. Combined with the stiff movements of the characters, this is a bit of a chore to make it through.Then there's the story. The bad guys were smuggling, but what it was I don't know. But the whole smuggling plot is interrupted by Pete Marlan's (Carey) quest to find his brother's killer, and reunite a former flame (Mae Busch) with her long lost daughter. But get this - remember the character Vanero (Ed Brady)? He stated that he was biding his time while Donovan (Gibson Rowland) raised her so that he could marry her. What?? - for how long, like twenty years? The kid was taken away from mother Mary right after villain Steve Henderson had Mary's husband killed. He then used a forged bill of sale to convince Mary that he bought their place! Then, if you thought THAT was hard to follow, how about the Ranger Captain, Frank Henderson (Lafe McKee)? Why did Pete Marlan keep calling him Chief White Eagle??? OK, he had white hair, but what was the connection to the Indian name? None of this was explained, and hence didn't make any sense.Notwithstanding Harry Carey's long and successful career in silent films, he's generally effective here even though a bit long in the tooth. My quick math puts him at fifty four at the time of the picture, and looking maybe even ten years older. Which is why he looked a tad old for Mary, and even creepily more so for Bernie (Mary Jane Irving) while she was hanging off him and begging to be taken away.