Tide of Empire

The California Gold Rush provides the backdrop for this late-term western "silent" from MGM and director Allan Dwan. Early in his career, handsome young Tom Keene (as Dermod D'Arcy) makes a likable cowboy star; billed under his real name George Duryea, Mr. Keene would make a good dramatic impression in King Vidor's "Our Daily Bread" (1934). Her career winding down prematurely, painted leading lady Renée Adorée (as Josephita Guerrero) goes through the motions and emotions well; her small character roles from the period are surprisingly more memorable.

The two stars are upstaged by trouble-making brother William Collier Jr. (as Romauldo), who not only runs, but also gallops away with the film's best characterization. The Spanish ballad "Josephita", heard as Mr. Keene arrives for dinner with Ms. Adorée, reveals the later Anita Bryant (1960) and Marie Osmond (1973) melody "Paper Roses" was not very original. While nicely-produced and directed, the story, performances, and synchronized sound effects were old-fashioned when "Tide of Empire" was released; the film retains more of an out-of-sync than artful look.

****** Tide of Empire (3/23/29) Allan Dwan ~ Renee Adoree, Tom Keene, William Collier Jr., Fred Kohler