"The Hawk" is a strange film. It was released in 1931 and quickly pulled from circulation. I assume it's because although the film was in color (a rarity in 1931) the story stank. Or, perhaps the company which made it went bankrupt. Or, more likely, both.
A few years later, the film was bought by another company. They then filmed some new material and re-edited the story...and renamed it "The Phantom of Santa Fe".
When the story begins, there is a lengthy prologue with lots of exposition. It tells a lot of backstory...stuff that SHOULD have been shown in the film but was apparently added this way to save money. But none of this is spoken or acted...just words that appear on the screen. It's as if to say "this part of the film is missing and here's what you missed"! Talk about cheap!
As for the story, it's about a religious relic that was stolen. The man who is assumed to have done it, of course, didn't and he spends most of the film in disguise trying to prove who did the crime. By the end, everyone seems quite happy...except for the real criminal and his gang.
I found the story a bit incomprehensible and apart from the color (which looks very good for 1931), I think the movie should have just been left on the shelf.
A few years later, the film was bought by another company. They then filmed some new material and re-edited the story...and renamed it "The Phantom of Santa Fe".
When the story begins, there is a lengthy prologue with lots of exposition. It tells a lot of backstory...stuff that SHOULD have been shown in the film but was apparently added this way to save money. But none of this is spoken or acted...just words that appear on the screen. It's as if to say "this part of the film is missing and here's what you missed"! Talk about cheap!
As for the story, it's about a religious relic that was stolen. The man who is assumed to have done it, of course, didn't and he spends most of the film in disguise trying to prove who did the crime. By the end, everyone seems quite happy...except for the real criminal and his gang.
I found the story a bit incomprehensible and apart from the color (which looks very good for 1931), I think the movie should have just been left on the shelf.