The Land of Missing Men is a 1930 American pre-Code Western film written and directed by John P. McCarthy – with a script from Bob Quigley – and produced by Trem Carr for his studio Trem Carr Productions. Starring Bob Steele, Al St. John, Eddie Dunn, Caryl Lincoln, Al Jennings and Fern Emmett.
| The Land of Missing Men | |
|---|---|
| Directed by | John P. McCarthy |
| Written by | John P. McCarthy Bob Quigley (script) |
| Produced by | Trem Carr[1] |
| Cinematography | Harry Neumann |
Production company | |
| Distributed by | Tiffany Productions |
Release date |
|
Running time | 55 minutes |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
The film was released on September 22, 1930, in the United States by Tiffany Productions, and received mostly positive reviews from critics. It was the third film in a series of Trem Carr productions starring Western actor Bob Steele, following Near the Rainbow's End and Oklahoma Cyclone (both 1930), the latter also directed by McCarthy.[1]
Plot
editSteve O'Neil and his partner, Buckshot, after being accused of holding up a stagecoach in cattle country, are asked by a dying man to save his daughter from a planned stagecoach holdup.[1][3]
Cast
editThe American Film Institute lists the following cast for the film:[1]
- Bob Steele as Steve O'Neil
- Al St. John as Buckshot
- Eddie Dunn aa Sheriff Bower
- Caryl Lincoln as Nita Madero
- Al Jennings as John Evans
- Fern Emmett as Martha Evans
- Emilio Fernandez as López
- Noah Hendricks as Texas
Production
editProduction began on August 1, 1930.[4] The sound was recorded with the RCA Photophone.[1]
Release and reception
editThe six reel Western, approximately 5,100 feet long,[1] runs for 55 minutes, and was released on September 22, 1930, distributed in the United States by Tiffany Productions.[2] The October 5, 1930, issue of The Film Daily called the film "a standout among Westerns", and praised the direction of McCarthy and Bob Steele's performance, adding that "Bob Steele does the best work of his career under this able direction".[5] The October 29 issue of Variety reviewed the film less favourably, however, and considered the film to be an "average Western".[6] J.L.K. of Exhibitors Daily Review and Motion Pictures Today (later Motion Picture Daily) criticised the screenplay but praised the performances, saying "there are many more moments that stand out as the some of the best and most original stuff ever shot in westerns [sic]".[7]
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ a b c d e f The Land of Missing Men. American Film Institute. Retrieved June 13, 2021.
- ^ a b Harrison's Reports (1930), November 8, 1930 – via the Internet Archive. p. 208. Retrieved June 13, 2021.
- ^ Pitts, Michael R. (2005) "Poverty Row Studios, 1929-1940: An Illustrated History of 55 Independent Film Companies, with a Filmography for Each". Ed. 2, 2015. McFarland. p. 415–17. Retrieved 12 October 2021.
- ^ Variety, August 6, 1930. p. 28. "Batting Out Westerns". Via the Internet Archive. Retrieved June 22, 2021.
- ^ The Film Daily, October 5, 1930. p. 10. Via the Internet Archive. p. 926. Retrieved June 13, 2021.
- ^ Variety, October 29, 1930. p. 27. "Film Reviews" at the Internet Archive. p. 330. Retrieved June 13, 2021.
- ^ Exhibitors Daily Review and Motion Pictures Today, October 2, 1930. p. 2. Via the Internet Archive. p. 452. Retrieved June 22, 2021.
External links
edit- The Land of Missing Men is available for free viewing and download at the Internet Archive
- The Land of Missing Men at IMDb
- The Land of Missing Men at the AFI Catalog of Feature Films
- The Land of Missing Men at the TCM Movie Database