''The Shakedown'' is an American

pre-Code Pre-Code Hollywood was the brief era in the American film industry between the widespread adoption of sound in film in 1929LaSalle (2002), p. 1. and the enforcement of the Motion Picture Production Code censorship guidelines, popularly known ...

1929

action Action may refer to: * Action (narrative), a literary mode * Action fiction, a type of genre fiction * Action game, a genre of video game Film * Action film, a genre of film * ''Action'' (1921 film), a film by John Ford * ''Action'' (1980 fil ...

comedy Comedy is a genre of fiction that consists of discourses or works intended to be humorous or amusing by inducing laughter, especially in theatre, film, stand-up comedy, television, radio, books, or any other entertainment medium. The term o ...

/sports

drama Drama is the specific mode of fiction represented in performance: a play, opera, mime, ballet, etc., performed in a theatre, or on radio or television.Elam (1980, 98). Considered as a genre of poetry in general, the dramatic mode has b ...

film, directed by

William Wyler William Wyler (; born Willi Wyler (); July 1, 1902 – July 27, 1981) was a Swiss-German-American film director and producer who won the Academy Award for Best Director three times, those being for '' Mrs. Miniver'' (1942), ''The Best Years of ...

and starring James Murray,

Barbara Kent Barbara Kent ( Barbara Cloutman) December 16, 1907 – October 13, 2011) was a Canadian film actress, prominent from the silent film era to the early talkies of the 1920s and 1930s. In 1925, Barbara Kent won the Miss Hollywood Beauty Pageant. ...

, and Jack Hanlon. Considered a

part-talkie A part-talkie is a partly, and most often primarily, silent film which includes one or more synchronous sound sequences with audible dialog or singing. During the silent portions, lines of dialog are presented as "titles"—printed text briefly ...

, the film was released in parallel silent and sound versions. Once believed lost, ''The Shakedown'' was discovered and restored by the staff of the George Eastman House in 1998. Director William Wyler made the move up to talking pictures with this blend of action and comedy.

Synopsis

Dave Roberts (James Murray) is a professional boxer better at losing in fixed matches than in knocking out his opponents. He turns up in towns and is part of a group who sets up corrupt boxing matches. Dave's life on the margins changes after he meets an honest woman and rescues an orphan from an oncoming train. As he begins to care for them, he ultimately has to decide whether to continue in his low-life ways or turn the tables on those who have been forcing him to participate in them.

Cast

* James Murray as Dave Roberts *

as Marjorie *

George Kotsonaros George Kotsonaros ( el, Γεώργιος Κωτσονάρος; October 16, 1892 in Nafplio, Greece – July 13, 1933 in Eutaw, Alabama) was a Greek-born professional wrestler and film actor. He acted mostly in silent pictures. His original name ...

as Battling Roff *

Wheeler Oakman Wheeler Oakman (born Vivian Eichelberger; February 21, 1890 – March 19, 1949) was an American film actor. Early years Oakman was born as Vivian Eichelberger in Washington, D.C., and educated in that city's schools. He grew up in Fairfax, Vir ...

as Manager * Jack Hanlon as Clem * Harry Gribbon as Dugan *Annabelle Magnus as Little Girl (uncredited) *George Marion as Screaming Fight Spectator with White Beard (uncredited) *Jack McHugh as Boy that fights Clem (uncredited) *Jack Raymond as Salesman (uncredited) *

Harry Tenbrook Harry Tenbrook (born Henry Olaf Hansen, October 9, 1887 – September 4, 1960) was an American film actor. Henry Olaf Hansen was born in Christiania (now Oslo), Norway. His family migrated to the United States in 1892. Under the stage nam ...

as Manager's Henchman (uncredited) *

as Photographer at Fight Arena (uncredited)

External links

* * 1929 films American silent feature films Films directed by William Wyler American black-and-white films Transitional sound comedy-drama films Universal Pictures films American action comedy-drama films 1920s action comedy-drama films 1920s sports comedy-drama films American sports comedy-drama films 1929 comedy films 1929 drama films 1920s English-language films 1920s American films Silent American comedy-drama films {{sport-film-stub