The coming of sound to the cinema not only brought a host of stage trained actors but there was a crash demand for new material with dialog, the better to exhibit the new medium. The Valiant is a prime case in point. It was a flop play on Broadway written by Robert Middlemass, not only closing after one performance in its debut, but it was revived and again closed after a single performance. But now such work was being snapped up by Hollywood.
Speaking of stage trained actors, Paul Muni who learned his craft in the Yiddish theater made his Hollywood debut here and was given an Oscar nomination for what I would have to say was a most restrained performance given the fact that a lot of players were still using silent histrionics to create their characters. Muni was most restrained as a world weary man who kills someone and then just walks into a police station and confesses. Suicide by electric chair. He even gives an obviously fake name and awaits his execution.
But his story makes Marguerite Churchill think that he might just be her long lost brother. So most of the last part of the film is between Muni and her as both reach a strange accommodation.
Though Muni got the first of his Best Actor nominations for The Valiant I have to say that Churchill matched him every step of the way in their scenes. Pity she wasn't similarly recognized. Muni lost that year to Warner Baxter playing the Cisco Kid in In Old Arizona.
I doubt The Valiant will be given another remake (it did have one with Lloyd Nolan in the Forties). It's why too old fashioned a story. Still it's a curiosity and a good debut for an acting legend.
Speaking of stage trained actors, Paul Muni who learned his craft in the Yiddish theater made his Hollywood debut here and was given an Oscar nomination for what I would have to say was a most restrained performance given the fact that a lot of players were still using silent histrionics to create their characters. Muni was most restrained as a world weary man who kills someone and then just walks into a police station and confesses. Suicide by electric chair. He even gives an obviously fake name and awaits his execution.
But his story makes Marguerite Churchill think that he might just be her long lost brother. So most of the last part of the film is between Muni and her as both reach a strange accommodation.
Though Muni got the first of his Best Actor nominations for The Valiant I have to say that Churchill matched him every step of the way in their scenes. Pity she wasn't similarly recognized. Muni lost that year to Warner Baxter playing the Cisco Kid in In Old Arizona.
I doubt The Valiant will be given another remake (it did have one with Lloyd Nolan in the Forties). It's why too old fashioned a story. Still it's a curiosity and a good debut for an acting legend.