Sat 18 Sep 2010
A Movie Review by Walter Albert: LORRAINE OF THE LIONS (1925).
Posted by Steve under Action Adventure movies , Reviews , Silent films[5] Comments
LORRAINE OF THE LIONS. Universal, 1925. Norman Kerry, Patsy Ruth Miller, Fred Humes, Doreen Turner, Harry Todd, Philo McCullugh, Joseph J. Dowling.
Scenario by Isadore Bernstein & Carl Krusada; screenplay by Isadore Bernstein. Director: Carl Krusada. Shown at Cinevent 42, Columbus OH, May 2010.
Herewith a feminist Tarzan ripoff that I wouldn’t have missed for anything other than a screening of the sole surviving print of London After Midnight.
After a storm demolishes the ship bringing Lorraine (Patsy Ruth Miller), her parents, and their jungle circus back from an Australian tour, Lorraine is washed up on a desert island, where she is raised by one of the surviving animals, a gorilla named “Bimi” (played by Fred Humes).
Years later, her wealthy grandfather; who’s been searching for survivors, enlists the aid of an itinerant psychic (Norman Kerry) who leads a rescue party to the island, returning the initially reluctant Lorraine, along with Bimi, to civilization, represented by her grandfather’s palatial San Francisco mansion.
The print was excellent, and even though I kept telling myself that this was pure, unadulterated schlock, the kid in me didn’t believe a word of it.
I would give this an unconditional recommendation for the junior set if it were not for an unfortunate plot turn that involved Bimi and cast a pall over the traditional happy ending.
Would Tarzan have treated Kala the way Lorraine treated Bimi? I think not.
I was also bothered by the fact that Kerry and the lead villain both sported the same pencil-thin moustache, were slender in build, and tended to wear what appeared to be the same grey suit.
Well, what do you expect of a film in which the only real emotional resonance comes from a man in a gorilla suit?
September 19th, 2010 at 6:37 am
This goes on my must see list. A female Tarzan ripoff from this early has to be rare.
Patsy Ruth Miller sounds familiar, did she do some silent serials, or am I thinking of someone else? I may be confusing her with Walter Miller and another Ruth. Guess I’ll have to go the IMDb though I hate their new format.
Thanks for this one though. The ten year old who dominates one part of my brain can’t wait.
September 19th, 2010 at 7:01 am
Ah, that’s why the name was so familiar — she was Esmerelda in Chaney’s HUNCHBACK OF NOTRE DAME and the silent CAMILLE.
The silent serial star I was thinking of was Ruth Rolland, a rival to Pearl White.
September 19th, 2010 at 7:26 am
I enjoyed Ms. Miller in The Hunchback of Notre Dame and I have heard she was an accomplished short story writer.
September 19th, 2010 at 1:10 pm
I’m glad you sorted that out, David.
I didn’t know that IMDB had a new format. It doesn’t sound as though this is an “improved” version.
September 20th, 2010 at 10:50 am
I don’t much care for the improved IMDB, either, but I thought it was just me, since I always always hate it when websites go through their annual redesigns, whether they need it or not.
Whatever they do to the main page doesn’t ever bother me, since I never read any of it. But the movie and actor pages themselves have more emphasis on graphics, videos, photo galleries than I need, and everything’s spaced out more.
Rather than having all of the information you need (or most of it) in one compact screen, I find I’m constantly scrolling up and down, and the links that used to be on the left side are now way down at the bottom.
I imagine I’ll get used it. And when they do their next update, I’ll complain again. So be it.