The Way of the Strong
About The Way of the Strong
In Prohibition, the bootlegger Handsome Williams (Mitchell Lewis) cannot stand the sight of his own face and steals Tiger Louie's liquor shipments. After a shooting he carries the blind street violinist Nora (Alice Day) back to his tavern and hires her to play with the pianist Dan (Theodore von Eltz). When she asks to touch his face he puts Dan in front of her. Louie and his barmaid Marie (Margaret Livingston) kidnap Nora while Handsome is out buying a ring, and they demand that he leave their whiskey alone. He agrees, then raids the hideout after Marie, jealous because Louie is after Nora, tells him where she is.
Cast & crew
More about The Way of the Strong
Frank Capra directed. Harry Cohn produced for Columbia. William M. Conselman wrote the story and Peter Milne the script. Ben F. Reynolds photographed it. William Norton Bailey plays Tiger Louie. The AFI catalog dates the release to 19 June 1928.
Themes
Preservation
A print is in the Sony Pictures collection, formerly Columbia's. Complete copies are also at the Cinémathèque royale de Belgique and the Danish Film Institute.
Notes
- Willie Fung plays a Chinese cook, uncredited on some prints. Jack Perry and Blackie Whiteford play Handsome's men.
- AFI subject headings for the film include blindness, bootleggers, a violinist, a pianist, hijackers, and a kidnapping.
- The print indexed by Wikipedia runs 58 minutes. AFI and Wikidata give 61 minutes.
- Complete copies are at Sony Pictures Entertainment, the Cinémathèque royale de Belgique, and the Danish Film Institute.
Scenes
- Handsome pushes Dan forward so Nora will think the face under her hands is his.
- Marie watches him with the street violinist and sends word to Tiger Louie.
- Marie tips the raid after Louie tries to seduce Nora.
