fiction.wikisort.org - Movie

The Wizard is a lost[1] 1927 American silent horror film directed by Richard Rosson and written by Andrew Bennison, Malcolm Stuart Boylan and Harry O. Hoyt. The film stars Edmund Lowe, Leila Hyams, Gustav von Seyffertitz, E. H. Calvert, Barry Norton, and Oscar Smith. It is based on the 1911 novel Balaoo by Gaston Leroux. The film was released on December 11, 1927, by Fox Film Corporation.[2][3][4]

The Wizard
Lobby card
Directed by	Richard Rosson
Screenplay by	Andrew Bennison Malcolm Stuart Boylan Harry O. Hoyt
Based on	Balaoo by Gaston Leroux
Starring	Edmund Lowe Leila Hyams Gustav von Seyffertitz E. H. Calvert Barry Norton Oscar Smith
Cinematography	Frank B. Good
Production company	Fox Film Corporation
Distributed by	Fox Film Corporation
Release date	December 11, 1927 (1927-12-11)
Running time	60 minutes
Country	United States
Language	Silent (English intertitles)

The last known print of this film was destroyed in a fire at the Fox studio vaults in 1931. It remains one of the most sought after lost horror films of the silent era. All that remains are some still photos.[5]

The Wizard did not follow the Leroux novel so closely, turning the story instead into more of an "old dark house" thriller. The film also had a very strong anti-death penalty message, typical of films of this period. it was released soon after the release of a similar film called The Gorilla (also 1927), which stole some of the Fox film's thunder.

Balaoo had been filmed earlier in 1913 as Balaoo, the Demon Baboon, and the film's screenplay would later inspire the 1942 film Dr. Renault's Secret.[5]

Plot

Paul Coriolos is a professor who seeks vengeance on the members of a jury who sentenced his son to death at the gallows, who he swore was innocent. The professor goes into his dark laboratory where he creates a creature out of a gorilla whom he trains to kill his enemies. Meanwhile, a newspaper reporter named Stanley Gordon and a detective named Murphy are both on the case of the murders. Gordon seeks to save Judge Webster and his daughter Anne who are both marked for death. Eventually discovering who is behind the murders, Gordon faces Prof. Coriolos and his simian henchman in a final confrontation.

Cast

• Edmund Lowe as Stanley Gordon
• Leila Hyams as Anne Webster
• Gustav von Seyffertitz as Prof. Paul Coriolos
• E. H. Calvert as Edwin Palmer
• Barry Norton as Reginald Van Lear
• Oscar Smith as Sam
• Perlie Marshall as Detective Murphy
• Norman Trevor as Judge Webster
• George Kotsonaros as The Gorilla
• Maude Turner Gordon as Mrs. Van Lear

See also

• List of lost films
• 1937 Fox vault fire

References

External links

• The Wizard at IMDb
• Synopsis at AllMovie

---