Thunder (film)

Thunder
Directed by	William Nigh
Produced by	Hunt Stromberg
Written by	Ann Price (scenario); Joseph W. Farnham (intertitles)
Screenplay by	Byron Morgan
Story by	Byron Morgan
Starring	Lon Chaney; Phyllis Haver; James Murray; Tom Keene; Frances Morris; Wally Albright
Cinematography	Henry Sharp
Edited by	Ben Lewis
Distributed by	Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer
Release date	July 8, 1929;
Running time	86 minutes
Country	United States
Language	Silent; English intertitles
Box office	$1,018,000[1]

Thunder is a 1929 American silent melodrama film starring Lon Chaney and directed by William Nigh. The film has no audible dialogue but featured a synchronized musical score and sound effects.[2] Thunder was Chaney's penultimate film appearance and his last silent film.[3]

The majority of Thunder is now considered lost, with only a half a reel of the entire footage known to survive.[4]

Plot

Lon Chaney plays Grumpy Anderson, a railroad engineer with an obsession for running his train on time. His slavishness to promptness causes several tragedies which alienate him from his family. By the story's end, the engineer restores their faith in him and validates his obsession by forcing his train through a flood to bring badly needed Red Cross supplies to the victims.

Cast

Lon Chaney as Grumpy Anderson
Phyllis Haver as Zella
James Murray as Tommy
Tom Keene as Jim
Frances Morris as Molly
Wally Albright, Jr. as Davey
John MacIntosh as Railroad Man
Jay Berger as uncredited
Frankie Genardi as uncredited

Production notes

Still from a 9.5mm home movie made by Wencel Brezinski in March 1929 on the set of "Thunder" in Northeastern Wisconsin

The film was shot on location in Manitowoc, Wisconsin, Green Bay, Wisconsin, Pulaski, Wisconsin, Green Valley, Wisconsin, and Chicago, Illinois.[5] It was there that Chaney caught a cold during the snow scenes which then developed into walking pneumonia. Production was shut down for a time but was eventually completed.[6] Chaney's illness combined with his throat cancer led to his death two months after the release of his last film, and only talkie, 1930's The Unholy Three.[7]

Reception

Thunder was released to theaters on July 8, 1929 and eventually grossed a total of $1,018,000.[1] It was Lon Chaney's fifth highest-grossing film for Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer.[8]

References

Blake, Michael Francis (1995). A Thousand Faces: Lon Chaney's Unique Artistry in Motion Pictures. Rowman & Littlefield. p. 331. ISBN 1-879-51121-5.
Blake, Michael F. (2001). The Films of Lon Chaney. Madison Books. p. 187. ISBN 1-568-33237-8.
Blake, Michael F. (1997). A Thousand Faces: Lon Chaney's Unique Artistry in Motion Pictures. Vestal Press. p. 262. ISBN 1-461-73076-7.
Thunder at silentera.com database
Blake 1997 p.263
Basinger, Jeanine (2000). Silent Stars. Wesleyan University Press. p. 262. ISBN 0-819-56451-6.
Dixon, Wheeler Winston (2010). A History of Horror. Rutgers University Press. p. 13. ISBN 0-813-55039-4.
Blake 1997 p.267

External links

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[blake-1] Blake, Michael Francis (1995). A Thousand Faces: Lon Chaney's Unique Artistry in Motion Pictures. Rowman & Littlefield. p. 331. ISBN 1-879-51121-5.

[2] Blake, Michael F. (2001). The Films of Lon Chaney. Madison Books. p. 187. ISBN 1-568-33237-8.

[3] Blake, Michael F. (1997). A Thousand Faces: Lon Chaney's Unique Artistry in Motion Pictures. Vestal Press. p. 262. ISBN 1-461-73076-7.

[4] Thunder at silentera.com database

[5] Blake 1997 p.263

[6] Basinger, Jeanine (2000). Silent Stars. Wesleyan University Press. p. 262. ISBN 0-819-56451-6.

[7] Dixon, Wheeler Winston (2010). A History of Horror. Rutgers University Press. p. 13. ISBN 0-813-55039-4.

[8] Blake 1997 p.267