Forum / The Thief - a movie without dialogue (1952)

  • Author_photo.thumb
    James Lloyd Davis
    Sep 01, 02:39pm

    Starring Ray Milland, The Thief relates the story of a nuclear physicist who steals secrets and passes them on to the Reds.

    I've been trying to find it for some time, but could not remember the title. I was only 7 years old when I saw it with my mother at a downtown theater, but the memory stayed with me.

    You can watch it here:

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_lgljsAgPag

    Fascinating concept, a movie without dialogue, but after watching it again, I can see it worked. An odd aside is the fact that this movie was nominated for Best Screenplay, Golden Globes, 1952.

    It appeared during the height of the McCarthy era, which may be why it was so popular. That summer, I remember seeing the front page of the paper declaring that Julius and Ethel Rosenberg went to the electric chair. Full page, front page coverage, with photos.

    I don't remember how I felt about it, but it was a bit of a shock for a child to imagine anyone executing a woman.

    Strange times.

  • Author_photo.thumb
    James Lloyd Davis
    Sep 01, 02:41pm

    My bad, it was nominated in 1953, not '52.

    The Rosenbergs were executed on June 19, 1953.

  • Author_photo.thumb
    James Lloyd Davis
    Sep 01, 06:35pm

    Here's another great old one, Kiss of Death from 1947, best remembered for the debut performance of Richard Widmark as a giggling psychopath rolling an old lady in her wheelchair down the long stairs...

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x1LuoJuyfs8

  • 028934-753x1024.thumb
    mxi wodd
    Sep 01, 09:14pm

    I saw Cesar Romero in the stands at the New Orleans horse-track.

    (thanks for the movie links...still haven't gone back to Nutflix)

  • You must log in to reply to this thread.