Lost Movies From 1932
US movies from 1932 (fourth year of the "pre-code" era) which are listed as lost on IMDB. Many of these films have user ratings and reviews. The mere existence of reviews didn't cause a film to be excluded from this list. Some reviews could be from people who saw the film before it was lost. On the other hand, some reviews seem based not on actually having seen the movie, but on something the reviewer has read elsewhere, or that the reviewer does/doesn't like an actor/the director, doesn't like old movies, or whatever, and wants to chime in based on that. And frankly, some reviews I have read come across as fabrications ("I had an exclusive showing of this otherwise lost film in the home of a private collector").
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- DirectorWallace FoxStarsReed HowesMolly O'DayWheeler OakmanJohn Moore (Reed Howes), a young sea captain has a romance with Kay Wheeler (Molly O'Day), daughter of a trusted trader, "Pop" Wheeler (A.S. 'Pop' Byron), on a Pacific island. He also acquire the enmity of "Shanghai" Morgan (Wheeler Oakman), a notorious sea captain who shanghais his crew and his women. Back in San Francisco, Morgan seduces and kidnaps Moore's sister, Mary (June Marlowe),who escapes but dies from the shock. Moore sails out for revenge and follows Morgan to his sweetheart's island.
- DirectorClifford SmithStarsJay WilseyMary DunnYakima Canutt
- DirectorHenry MacRaeRay TaylorStarsJack LloydWallace GeoffreyMuriel AngelusA detective matches wits with a group of thieves out to steal a priceless amulet.US/UK production, which is close enough to "US movie" to make the list.
- DirectorWalter FordeStarsArthur WontnerGillian LindGordon HarkerSentenced to death, a murderer uses hypnotism skills to make a judge go out and kill the people who had accused him of the crime.
- DirectorJohn G. BlystoneStarsWarner OlandAlexander KirklandH.B. WarnerCharlie is the intended murder victim here, and he avoids death only by chance. To find the murderer (since, of course, murder does occur), Charlie must outguess Scotland Yard and New York City police.300+ ratings on a lost movie? The 2 reviews confirm it is lost. Odd.
- DirectorBruce MitchellStarsJack PerrinBen CorbettElinor FairA cowhand and his sidekick come to the Texas border country looking for the man who had lured the cowhand's sister in bondage in Mexico. But the man doesn't want to be found and has hired some gunmen to see that he isn't.In spite of the spelling, IMDB says this is a US film.
- DirectorLeslie S. HiscottStarsArthur WontnerJane WelshMiles ManderSherlock Holmes goes on the trail of a Rembrandt painting, stolen by a drug-addicted artist.
- DirectorGeorge B. SeitzStarsDorothy RevierForrest StanleyMickey RooneyA woman married to a defense lawyer leaves him when he refuses to stop defending criminals she believes are guilty.
- DirectorGeorge B. SeitzStarsJack MulhallBlanche MehaffeyEddie PhillipsTo fulfill the requirements for obtaining a large inheritance, a man must travel around the world. In his travels he comes upon a deposed princess, and falls in love.
- DirectorHarry L. FraserStarsTom TylerAdele LacyRaymond KeaneHeck Claibourne has been involving young Russ Whitely in his cattle rustling schemes, and when they are nearly caught by Sheriff Doug Barrett and deputy O'Hara, their cohort, Luke, shoots and kills O'Hara. Heck and Russ return to the ranch where Russ works before Doug arrives and act as though they have been there all along. In private Doug, who is fond of Russ and is engaged to Russ's boss, ranch owner Diane, asks the boy to stay away from Heck, because he is aware of Heck's illegal activities and fears injuring Russ while bringing Heck to justice. Russ denies his involvement with Heck's gang. Later, Doug asks Diane if she would break their engagement and try to influence Russ to go straight, as Russ has long been in love with her. Diane promises to try, and announces her broken engagement to Russ. Doug is pressured by Baker, leader of the ranchers, to capture the rustlers, but Doug is reluctant to use his gun without first having proof. When renowned gunslinger Bat Morrison threatens Russ for taunting him, Doug intervenes and hires Bat as his deputy. Doug then goes to Diane's ranch to arrest Luke, but Luke refuses to surrender himself and is killed by Bat. Russ blames Doug for Luke's death, although Doug reminds him that Luke was a murderer. When Luke's brother, butcher Butch Grimes, hears of his brother's death, he vows revenge, and Heck promises to help him exact it. Doug tries to find out if Butch has been buying stolen beef for his shop, but in order to entrap Doug, Butch only reveals that Heck is out to kill Russ. After Heck tells Russ of his plans to kill Doug, Russ asks Diane to tell Doug that his life is in danger. Unwilling to arrest Russ after he has made this attempt to save his life, Doug turns in his resignation, and Baker authorizes Bat to do whatever he must to bring in the outlaws. Russ bids farewell to Diane, telling her he is going across the border to the "land of vanishing men." After getting a confession from Butch, Bat tries to arrest Russ, but Doug, fearful that Bat will kill him, insists on accompanying them to jail. When Heck and his gang arrive, Bat threatens to shoot Russ if they are fired upon. Bat shoots Russ, and then is killed by Doug. Doug turns Heck and his gang over to Baker, who arrests them, while Doug takes the injured Russ back to his ranch to start life anew.
- DirectorLouis KingStarsRex BellMarceline DayLina BasquetteA reporter and a detective team up to solve the murder of a nightclub singer who had been involved in a divorce scandal.
- DirectorRichard ThorpeStarsSally BlaneJohn DarrowJohn St. PolisA rich young man falls for a model, but his father is vehemently opposed to the relationship.
- DirectorKurt NeumannStarsTom BrownMaureen O'SullivanJames GleasonA crooked jockey tries to reform.
- DirectorChristy CabanneStarsEstelle TaylorEdmund BurnsLucien PrivalA fancy masquerade party is the scene of a jewel robbery, and later several suspects in the robbery are discovered to be aboard the same train.
- DirectorRay TaylorStarsTom TylerNoah Beery Jr.Cecilia ParkerIn Africa, two hunters meet a girl and her father who are searching for her lost brother. Their search is complicated by rival hunters who are after ivory and by a tribe of hostile natives.
- DirectorE. Mason HopperStarsGilbert RolandNoah BeeryBarbara KentAn assistant district attorney tries to stop his girlfriend's father from being swindled out of his money by a crooked lawyer in a racetrack scam.
- DirectorE. Mason HopperStarsGilbert RolandNoah BeeryBarbara KentAn assistant district attorney tries to stop his girlfriend's father from being swindled out of his money by a crooked lawyer in a racetrack scam.
- DirectorGeorge MelfordStarsDorothy RevierTheodore von EltzPhyllis BarringtonA woman's cheating husband is murdered at their country estate, and suspicion immediately falls on her.
- DirectorHamilton MacFaddenStarsTom MixTony the HorseMargaret LindsayLearning that Molly O'Rourke owns the entire town of Stillwell but the back taxes have not been paid, Ben Jones takes over. When Molly arrives and learns of the tax situation, Tom rides off to pay them. But Jones is on to Tom and sends his entire gang after him.
- DirectorRichard ThorpeStarsEvalyn KnappWalter ByronMarie PrevostA drunk stranger offers to provide a woman accused of prostitution with an alibi in court. Things escalate quickly, and before the court hearing is over, the judge has married the two.
- DirectorDwain EsperJames P. HoganStarsStuart JamesVictoria VintonGeorge LeMaireYou shall not commit adultery. Also known as Sins of Love.This would be interesting to see if a print is ever found. From the IMDB Trivia:
After he viewed this film, Joseph Breen declared that it was, without question, the most "thoroughly vile and disgusting" movie he had ever seen.
That's about the highest praise a pre-coder can receive! - DirectorD. Ross LedermanStarsWilliam Collier Jr.Joan MarshWheeler OakmanA mechanic works for his sweetheart's father, who builds racing boats. He begs for and gets the chance to race a new-design boat, but his rival gets him intoxicated before the race and he wrecks the boat. Now he has to make good and show he has the right stuff.
- DirectorAlbert RayStarsBetty CompsonClaudia DellTom DouglasRuth Payne, innocent to begin with, is trying to extradite herself from the clutches of a gang-mob who obtained her release from prison on a falsified confession because they thought she knew something they didn't want known. Maizie, the hard-boiled gang-moll and sweetie of the hard-boiled gang-boss comes to her aid.
- DirectorRichard ThorpeStarsSarah PaddenOtis HarlanGloria SheaA homeless woman living at the city dump hears of the death of a wealthy industrialist and puts in a claim on his estate for her daughter, who is actually the rightful heir.According to the trivia, there is a nitrate print of this at the UCLA Film and Television Archives. So, technically not "lost", but not likely to ever be seen again by the public.
- DirectorChristy CabanneWilfred LucasStarsGreta NissenRichard 'Skeets' GallagherMary BrianA film producer is found murdered on a ship, and among the suspects are a young woman whose mother was mistreated by him and his recently fired electrician.
- DirectorAlan JamesStarsWallace MacDonaldVirginia Brown FaireBen CorbettA cowboy finds himself blamed for a series of crimes he didn't commit, so he sets out to find the real criminal.
- DirectorCharles HutchisonStarsEvalyn KnappJames MurrayMargaret SeddonAs punishment for speeding, a young man is forced to "adopt" a mother from a local old-age home in the hopes that she can help change his life.
- DirectorRobert Emmett TanseyStarsRobert Emmett TanseyBilly O'BrienKarla CowanA cowboy comes to the aid of a young woman and her brother being terrorized by outlaws who keep raiding their ranch searching for a mysterious map.
- DirectorAlbert HermanStarsWilliam Collier Jr.Barbara KentRaymond HattonA young doctor, Jim Harper, is hired by gangster Marty to attend to his thugs. When Jim's policeman friend is killed by Marty, Jim continues working for him in order to obtain evidence. Unaware of his motivations, Jim's fiance Ruth, a nurse, breaks their engagement. They are reunited, however, when they care for the deceased policeman's son, and Jim turns the gang over to the police.