Woman Trap
About Woman Trap
Police captain Dan Malone (Hal Skelly) and his brother Ray (Chester Morris), a criminal, are estranged. Kitty Evans (Evelyn Brent), sister of Ray's former partner, whom Dan helped convict, offers to get Ray away and then tells the police where he is. She regrets the call too late. Rather than be arrested by his brother, Ray kills himself. Over the body, Kitty and Dan come to an understanding.
Cast & crew
More about Woman Trap
William A. Wellman directed. Bartlett Cormack wrote the screenplay and Louise Long the scenario, from Edwin J. Burke's one-act play Brothers. Henry W. Gerrard photographed it. Karl Hajos wrote the music. Shooting began 22 May 1929. It opened at the Paramount Theatre in Brooklyn on 30 August 1929 and was released on 28 September 1929. Paramount issued a Movietone sound version and a silent version.
Themes
Background
A Paramount crime drama of 1929, shipped both as a Western Electric Movietone talkie and as a silent print for houses that were not yet wired.
Technique
Recorded with Western Electric Movietone sound-on-film. A separate silent cut was also released.
Music
Karl Hajos wrote the music for the Movietone version.
Preservation
A copy is on Wikimedia Commons.
Notes
- The sound version runs 6,168 feet. The silent version runs 6,384 feet.
- Joseph L. Mankiewicz plays a reporter.
- Leslie Fenton plays Eddie Evans. William B. Davidson plays Watts. Effie Ellsler plays Mrs. Malone.
- A Chicago opening followed on 20 September 1929, at the Chicago Theatre.
Scenes
- Kitty sends the police to Ray and then wishes she had not.
- Ray kills himself rather than be taken by Dan.
Influenced by
- Edwin J. Burke's play Brothers
Also available
- Wikimedia Commons (Woman Trap (1929).webm)
