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Thieves' Gold

Thieves' Gold
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Directed byJohn Ford
Written byFrederick R. Bechdolt
George Hively
StarringHarry Carey
CinematographyJohn W. Brown
Ben F. Reynolds
Distributed byUniversal Film Manufacturing Company
Release date
  • March 18, 1918 (1918-03-18)
Running time
50 minutes
CountryUnited States
LanguagesSilent
English intertitles

Thieves' Gold is a 1918 American Western film directed by John Ford and featuring Harry Carey. It is considered to be a lost film.[1]

Plot

Cheyenne Harry tries to help his outlaw friend Padden evade arrest after Padden has drunkenly shot another man. In the end, the two mismatched friends fight it out, leaving Padden dead. In a romantic subplot, Harry's fiancée Alice leaves him, but finally returns.

Cast

Production

Thieves' Gold was released as a Universal Special Feature in 1918. It was a 50-minute silent film on five reels, part of the "Cheyenne Harry" series of film featurettes. The original story, "Back to the Right Train" by Frederick R. Bechdolt, was adapted for the screen by scenarist George Hively. This installment of "Cheyenne Harry" won notably negative reviews by critics at the time of its release.[2]

Reception

Like many American films of the time, Thieves' Gold was subject to cuts by city and state film censorship boards. For example, the Chicago Board of Censors cut, in Reel 2, six scenes of women at bar and women drinking, flashed two scenes of tough dancing by Cheyenne Harry and young woman, Harry shooting a Mexican, Reel 4, four holdup scenes, Reel 5, shooting of Padden, two scenes of Harry shooting.[3]

See also

References

  1. ^ "Progressive Silent Film List: Thieves' Gold". silentera.com. Retrieved February 27, 2008.
  2. ^ Gallagher, Tag (1986). John Ford: The Man and His Films. University of California Press. p. 505. ISBN 0-520-06334-1.
  3. ^ "Official Cut-Outs by the Chicago Board of Censors". Exhibitors Herald. 6 (16). New York City: Exhibitors Herald Company: 31. April 13, 1918.