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| based_on = {{based on|''The Gay Caballero''|[[Pierre Couderc]]<br>[[Hal Davitt]]}}
| based_on = {{based on|''The Gay Caballero''|[[Pierre Couderc]]<br>[[Hal Davitt]]}}
| writer = [[Gordon Rigby]]<br>[[William K. Wells]]<br>based on the story by [[Pierre Couderc]]<br>[[Hal Davitt]]
| writer = [[Gordon Rigby]]<br>[[William K. Wells]]<br>based on the story by [[Pierre Couderc]]<br>[[Hal Davitt]]
| starring = [[Fay Wray]]<br>[[Victor Varconi]]<br>[[Charles Judels]]<br>[[Robert Elliott (actor)|Robert Elliott]]<br>[[Bert Roach]]<br>[[Natalie Moorhead]]
| starring = [[Fay Wray]]<br>[[Victor Varconi]]<br>[[Charles Judels]]<br>[[Robert Elliott (actor, born 1879)|Robert Elliott]]<br>[[Bert Roach]]<br>[[Natalie Moorhead]]
| music = [[Xavier Cugat]]<br>[[David Mendoza (composer)|David Mendoza]]<br>[[Leon Rosebrook]]
| music = [[Xavier Cugat]]<br>[[David Mendoza (composer)|David Mendoza]]<br>[[Leon Rosebrook]]
| cinematography = [[James Van Trees]]
| cinematography = [[James Van Trees]]
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| country = United States
| country = United States
}}
}}
'''''Captain Thunder''''' is a 1930 American [[Pre-Code Hollywood|Pre-Code]] [[History (theatrical genre)|historical]] [[Drama (film and television)|drama]] [[Western (film and television)|western]] film which was produced and distributed by [[Warner Bros.]] and released late in 1930. The film was directed by [[Alan Crosland]] and stars [[Victor Varconi]] in his first full-length all-talking feature. The film was based on a story ''The Gay Caballero'' which was written by [[Pierre Couderc]] and [[Hal Davitt]].<ref>[http://www.afi.com/members/catalog/DetailView.aspx?s=&Movie=3211 The AFI Catalog of Feature Films: ''Captain Thunder''], afi.com; accessed August 11, 2015.</ref>
'''''Captain Thunder''''' is a 1930 American [[Pre-Code Hollywood|pre-Code]] [[History (theatrical genre)|historical]] [[Drama (film and television)|drama]] [[Western (genre)|Western]] film that was produced and distributed by [[Warner Bros.]] and released in late 1930. The film was directed by [[Alan Crosland]] and stars [[Victor Varconi]] in his first full-length all-talking feature. The script is based on the story ''The Gay Caballero'' by [[Pierre Couderc]] and [[Hal Davitt]].<ref>[http://www.afi.com/members/catalog/DetailView.aspx?s=&Movie=3211 The AFI Catalog of Feature Films: ''Captain Thunder''], afi.com; accessed August 11, 2015.</ref>


A copy is preserved at the Library of Congress.<ref>''Catalog of Holdings The American Film Institute Collection and The United Artists Collection at The Library of Congress'', (<-book title) p.26 c.1978 by The American Film Institute</ref>
A copy is preserved at the Library of Congress.<ref>''Catalog of Holdings The American Film Institute Collection and The United Artists Collection at The Library of Congress'', (<-book title) p.26 c.1978 by The American Film Institute</ref>


==Synopsis==
==Plot==
El Capitan Thunder is a Mexican bandit who brazenly flaunts his ventures until the people of El Paramo demand that something be done about it. Ruiz, the Mexican sheriff, offers a large reward for the capture of El Capitan.
Victor Varconi is a Mexican bandit who brazenly flaunts his ventures until the people of El Paramo demand that something be done about it. Charles Judles, the Mexican sheriff, offers a large reward for the capture of Varconi. Meanwhile, a pair of lovers, played by Fay Wray and Don Alvarado are disappointed when Wray's father Alvarado requests to marry his daughter. Wray's father has his eye on a wealthy gringo, played by Robert Elliott, and wants his daughter to marry him. When Alvarado hears about the large reward for Varconi he sets out for the bandit in the hopes of getting the money so that he can be wealthy enough to please her father and marry Wray. Judles decides to light bonfires at points where the bandit is seen in the hopes of capturing him. When Varconi shows up at Wray hacienda to pay homage to her, she, at first, lights a bonfire. She subsequently changes her mind and hides Varconi from the soldiers when they arrive. At daybreak, Alvarado captures Varconi, in the hopes of getting the reward money. He turns him in and gets the reward money and prepares for the wedding. Varconi soon escapes from prison, to the embarrassment of Judles. At this point Elliot asks Varconi to perform a favor which he had promised him on a previous occasion. Elliot tells Varconi to break up the wedding so that he can marry Wray himself. Immediately after Wray is married by force she retires to her room. A gunshot is then heard. Wray returns to the party where Varconi informs her that she is now a widow and is free to marry Alvarado.

Juan and Ynez, a pair of lovers, wish to marry, but Inez's father prefers a wealthy man named Morgan. When Juan hears about the large reward for El Capitan, he pursues the bandit so that he can claim the reward and become wealthy enough to please Inez's father. Ruiz lights bonfires at points where El Capitan is seen, hoping to capture him.

When El Capitan appears at Inez's ''[[hacienda]]'' to pay homage to her, she at first lights a bonfire but changes her mind and hides El Capitan from the soldiers when they arrive. At daybreak, Juan captures him and claims his reward.

El Capitan soon escapes from prison, which embarrasses Ruiz. Morgan asks El Capitan to perform a favor that he had previously promised to him. He asks El Capitan to disrupt the wedding plans so that he can marry Inez. Soon after Inez is married by force, a gunshot is heard. Inez returns to the party where El Capitan informs her that she is now a widow and is free to marry Juan.


==Cast==
==Cast==
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* [[Fay Wray]] as Ynez
* [[Fay Wray]] as Ynez
* [[Charles Judels]] as Commandante Ruiz
* [[Charles Judels]] as Commandante Ruiz
* [[Robert Elliott (actor)|Robert Elliott]] as Morgan
* [[Robert Elliott (actor, born 1879)|Robert Elliott]] as Morgan
* [[Bert Roach]] as Pablo
* [[Bert Roach]] as Pablo
* [[Natalie Moorhead]] as Bonita
* [[Natalie Moorhead]] as Bonita
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==Preservation==
==Preservation==
The film survives complete and has been shown on television and cable.
The film survives in its complete form and has been shown on television in various markets.


==References==
==References==

Latest revision as of 20:43, 30 May 2024

Captain Thunder
Directed byAlan Crosland
Written byGordon Rigby
William K. Wells
based on the story by Pierre Couderc
Hal Davitt
Based onThe Gay Caballero
by Pierre Couderc
Hal Davitt
StarringFay Wray
Victor Varconi
Charles Judels
Robert Elliott
Bert Roach
Natalie Moorhead
CinematographyJames Van Trees
Edited byArthur Hilton
Music byXavier Cugat
David Mendoza
Leon Rosebrook
Distributed byWarner Bros.
Release date
  • December 27, 1930 (1930-12-27)
Running time
65 minutes
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish

Captain Thunder is a 1930 American pre-Code historical drama Western film that was produced and distributed by Warner Bros. and released in late 1930. The film was directed by Alan Crosland and stars Victor Varconi in his first full-length all-talking feature. The script is based on the story The Gay Caballero by Pierre Couderc and Hal Davitt.[1]

A copy is preserved at the Library of Congress.[2]

Plot[edit]

El Capitan Thunder is a Mexican bandit who brazenly flaunts his ventures until the people of El Paramo demand that something be done about it. Ruiz, the Mexican sheriff, offers a large reward for the capture of El Capitan.

Juan and Ynez, a pair of lovers, wish to marry, but Inez's father prefers a wealthy man named Morgan. When Juan hears about the large reward for El Capitan, he pursues the bandit so that he can claim the reward and become wealthy enough to please Inez's father. Ruiz lights bonfires at points where El Capitan is seen, hoping to capture him.

When El Capitan appears at Inez's hacienda to pay homage to her, she at first lights a bonfire but changes her mind and hides El Capitan from the soldiers when they arrive. At daybreak, Juan captures him and claims his reward.

El Capitan soon escapes from prison, which embarrasses Ruiz. Morgan asks El Capitan to perform a favor that he had previously promised to him. He asks El Capitan to disrupt the wedding plans so that he can marry Inez. Soon after Inez is married by force, a gunshot is heard. Inez returns to the party where El Capitan informs her that she is now a widow and is free to marry Juan.

Cast[edit]

Fay Wray and Victor Varconi in Captain Thunder (1930)

Preservation[edit]

The film survives in its complete form and has been shown on television in various markets.

References[edit]

  1. ^ The AFI Catalog of Feature Films: Captain Thunder, afi.com; accessed August 11, 2015.
  2. ^ Catalog of Holdings The American Film Institute Collection and The United Artists Collection at The Library of Congress, (<-book title) p.26 c.1978 by The American Film Institute

External links[edit]