Thunderbolt
(1929) American
B&W : Eight reels / 85 minutes
Directed by Josef von Sternberg

Cast: George Bancroft [‘Thunderbolt’ Jim Lang], Fay Wray [‘Ritzy’ Mary], Richard Arlen [Bob Morgan], Tully Marshall [warden], Eugenie Besserer [Mrs. Morgan], James Spottswood [‘Snapper’ O’Shea], Fred Kohler [‘Bad Al’ Friedberg], Mike Donlin [Kentucky Sampson], E.H. Calvert [District Attorney McKay], George Irving [Mr. Corwin], Robert Elliott [prison chaplain], S.S. Stewart [negro convict], William L. Thorne [police inspector], Elmer Ballard, King Tut

Paramount Famous Lasky Corporation production; distributed by Paramount Pictures Corporation. / Produced by B.P. Fineman. Screenplay by Charles Furthman with dialogue by Herman J. Mankiewicz, from a story by Jules Furthman and Charles Furthman. Production design by Hans Dreier. Songs by Sam Coslow + [Karl Hajos]. Cinematography by Henry W. Gerrard. Sound engineer M.M. Paggi. Intertitles by Joseph L. Mankiewicz. Edited by Helen Lewis. / © 20 June 1929 by Paramount Famous Lasky Corporation [LP487]. Released 22 June 1929. / Standard 35mm spherical 1.37:1 format. / The sound version was released at 8571 feet. A silent version was also released at 7311 feet. [?] Website-IMDb lists Josef von Sternberg as a writer on the film. [?] Parish-Gangster p. 392 lists the film’s runtime as 95 minutes. / Full-sound film.

Drama: Crime.

Synopsis: Synopsis available in AFI-F2 n. F2.5703.

Survival Status: Prints exist in the UCLA Film and Television Archive film archive [two 35mm positives].

Keywords: Criminals - Death Row - Law: District attorneys - Nightclubs - Police: Detectives - Prison - Synchronized sound film - USA: New York: New York - Wardens

Listing updated: 23 March 2007.

References: AFI-F2 n. F2.5703; Everson-Detective p. 110; Katchmer-Eighty pp. 10, 12; Limbacher-Feature p. 251; Parish-Gangster pp. 33, 392-393, 400; Ryall-Blackmail p. 10; Sarris-Sternberg pp. 8, 16, 23-24; Sklar-Movie p. 179; Vermilye-Twenties p. 186 : Website-IMDb.