''$30,000'' is a 1920 American silent

mystery film A mystery film is a film that revolves around the solution of a problem or a crime. It focuses on the efforts of the detective, private investigator or amateur Detective, sleuth to solve the mysterious circumstances of an issue by means of clues, ...

directed by Ernest C. Warde and starring J. Warren Kerrigan,

Fritzi Brunette Fritzi Brunette (born Florence Brunet; May 27, 1890 – September 28, 1943) was an American actress. Early years Fritzi Brunette was born Florence Brunet in Savannah, Georgia, or in Boston although some sources list her birthname as Florence Si ...

and

Carl Stockdale Carl Stockdale also known as Carlton Stockdale (February 19, 1874 – March 15, 1953) was one of the longest-working Hollywood veteran actors, with a career dating from the early 1910s. He also made the difficult transition from silent fi ...

Plot

When Sydney Lloyd pawns a necklace to pay his gambling debts, his sister turns to a struggling attorney, John Trask, who is given $30,000 to purchase the necklace. The necklace belongs to Christine Lloyd's wealthy uncle, and was stolen by Sydney for gambling with. The gambler, Ferdinand Spargo, has a paste copy of the necklace and wants to swap it for the real one, and gain the $30,000. Spargo hires Aline Norton to take the fake necklace to Trask and steal the $30,000, which is hidden behind a picture in Trask's office. Aline's father is the building's janitor and upsets the picture and discovers the money concealed behind it, which he liberates. Trask enters the gamblers hideout to investigate and wins $30,000 at roulette, he gives it Aline in exchange for the fake necklace, which he quickly finds out about. He raids the gambler's den to obtain the original and returns the necklace and the additional $30,000 to Sydney's uncle. A prologue reveals a sage is prophesying the story to his harem, who push him to show more, and he looks further into the future to depict Trask and Aline's wedding.

Cast

* J. Warren Kerrigan as John Trask *

as Aline Norton *

as Ferdinand Spargo * Nancy Chase as Christine Lloyd * Joseph J. Dowling as Annester Norton *

Arthur Millett Arthur Nelson Millett (April 21, 1874 in Pittsfield, Maine – February 24, 1952 in Los Angeles, California), was an early American motion picture actor whose career was at its height in the silent film era. Biography Born in 1874, Millett wa ...

as 'Shadow' Dan * Frank L. Gereghty as Charley Foster * Jack Rollens as Sydney Lloyd *

Tom Guise Tom Guise (1857–1930) was an American male actor on stage and screen. He appeared in numerous films in the decade spanning 1917 to 1927. He was one of the popular stars in the film adaptation of the controversial book '' Black Oxen''. His perfo ...

as Mat Lloyd * Gertrude Valentine as Mrs. Hutchinson

Reception

''$30,000'' received mixed reviews upon release, with Wid's Daily reporting that it's "fair story material being spoiled by either a bad continuity or lack of application on the part of the director."

Variety Variety may refer to: Arts and entertainment Entertainment formats * Variety (radio) * Variety show, in theater and television Films * ''Variety'' (1925 film), a German silent film directed by Ewald Andre Dupont * ''Variety'' (1935 film), ...

had kind words to say about the acting but that the inclusion of an "oriental sage" as part of the continuity, "falls flat."

References

Bibliography

* Connelly, Robert B. ''The Silents: Silent Feature Films, 1910-36, Volume 40, Issue 2''. December Press, 1998. *Wlaschin, Ken. ''Silent Mystery and Detective Movies: A Comprehensive Filmography''. McFarland, 2009.

External links

* 1920s American films 1920 films 1920s mystery films 1920s English-language films American silent feature films English-language mystery films American black-and-white films Films directed by Ernest C. Warde Pathé Exchange films Films distributed by W. W. Hodkinson Corporation Silent American mystery films {{1920s-US-film-stub