The Coming of Amos (Silent)

Country bumpkin Amos Burden journeys to his wealthy uncle's estate on the French Riviera. He meets Nadia Ramiroff, an exiled Russian princess who is charmed by the young man's naivete. Their torrid affair comes to an abrupt halt when Amos discovers that all of the princess's former lovers died under mysterious circumstances. The culprit is Ramón García, Nadia's jealous husband. Learning of her latest infidelity, the scoundrel kidnaps Nadia and chains her up in his offshore castle, vowing that no man will ever touch her again. Now Amos must confront this murderous madman to save Nadia from a fate worse than death...

The Coming of Amos was adapted by famed screenwriters Garrett Fort (Dracula, Frankenstein) and James Ashmore Creelman (King Kong) from a novel by William John Locke. It features elaborate costumes and sets (including a castle with a trapdoor) that are most surely the work of producer Cecil B. De Mille. Dashing leading man Rod La Rocque rocketed to fame after appearing in De Mille's first version of The Ten Commandments (1923). Though he was the first actor to portray the famous radio hero, the Shadow, on film (in The Shadow Strikes, 1937) success mostly eluded him in the sound era. After a small role in Frank Capra's Meet John Doe (1941), La Rocque retired from acting to sell real estate. Noah Beery, who plays the fim's villain, was the brother of Academy Award winner Wallace Beery and the father of longtime TV supporting player Noah Beery, Jr.