White Tiger (1923)

User Rating:

6.6/10   

Director:

Tod Browning

Writers:

Tod Browning (screenplay)
Tod Browning (story)
(more)

Release Date:

17 December 1923 (USA)

Genre:

Crime | Drama | Mystery

Plot:

Three crooks pull off a magnificent crime. As they're forced to hide out together they slowly begin to distrust each other. |

Plot Keywords:

Chess | Detective | Color In Title | Animal In Title

Cast

Priscilla Dean	...	Sylvia Donovan
Matt Moore	...	Dick Longworth
Raymond Griffith	...	Roy Donovan
Wallace Beery	...	Count Donelli / Hawkes
Alfred Allen	...	Mike Donovan

Directed by
Tod Browning

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
Tod Browning		screenplay
Tod Browning		story
Charles Kenyon		writer

Cinematography by
William Fildew

Production Companies

• Universal Pictures (as Universal Jewel)

Distributors

• Universal Pictures (1923) (USA) (theatrical)
• Grapevine Video (video)
• LS Video (video)

Runtime:

Spain:86 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Sound Mix:

Silent

Company:

Universal Pictures

Trivia:

A Jewel Production. Universal did not own a proprietary theater network and sought to differentiate its feature product to independent theater owners. Carl Laemmle created a 3-tiered branding system: Red Feather (low budget programmers), Bluebird (mainstream releases) and Jewel (prestige films). Jewel releases were promoted as worthy of special promotion in hopes of commanding higher roadshow ticket prices. Universal ended branding in late 1929.

Movie Connections:

Featured in Kingdom of Shadows (1998) (V)

Lessor Unholy Three

After their underworld father is shot down, children Raymond Griffith (as Roy Donovan) and Priscilla Dean (as Sylvia Donovan) are brought up believing each other is dead; they are separated, and raised, by other criminals. Wallace Beery (as Bill Hawkes), the "Stool Pidgeon" who played a part in her father's death, raises Ms. Dean to be an accomplished London pickpocket. Meanwhile, enterprising Mr. Griffith scams pawns as "The Mechanical Chess-player". Mr. Beery, who calls himself "Count Donelli" invites Griffith to join himself and Dean. Soon, the unholy trio travel to New York's Fifth Avenue; there, they plan their biggest heist.

Tod Browning's "White Tiger" is entertainingly performed, and directed. Later in the running time, Matt Moore (as Richard Longworth) makes the troupe a fine acting quartet. The story situation requires too great a suspension of disbelief, however. You'll may wonder why Griffith and Dean don't dope things out sooner (just for starters). The "White Tiger" referred to in the title is, by the way, the criminal element that lives in the heart of the unholy criminal: "Fawning and hating the strong, ready to ravage the weak, faithless…suspicious…cruel and savage, fearing no God…trusting no man…that's White Tiger in the heart of the crook!"