One of the finest examples of the Hollywood film noir, made before the code was adopted in the mid-thirties, "The Mighty" (1929) is the film in which charismatic George Bancroft turns in one of his finest performances.
The support cast is great too: Warner Oland plays the villain, the lovely Esther Ralston, the heroine, Dorothy Revier, the floozy, while Raymond Hatton makes the most of a character part as our hero's cheer-leader pal.
It is Morgan Farley, however, who engineers the movie's strongest also-ran, as the cowardly lieutenant who wants to be "a fighting fool".
Most inventively directed by John Cromwell, this large-budget Paramount production was once available on an excellent Vintage Film Buff DVD.
The support cast is great too: Warner Oland plays the villain, the lovely Esther Ralston, the heroine, Dorothy Revier, the floozy, while Raymond Hatton makes the most of a character part as our hero's cheer-leader pal.
It is Morgan Farley, however, who engineers the movie's strongest also-ran, as the cowardly lieutenant who wants to be "a fighting fool".
Most inventively directed by John Cromwell, this large-budget Paramount production was once available on an excellent Vintage Film Buff DVD.