VICTORY

Produced by Maurice Tourneur Productions, Inc.; Released 12/7/19 by Paramount-Artcraft; Director: Maurice Tourneur; Screenplay: Stephen Fox(aka/Jules Furthman), from the novel by Joseph Conrad; Cinematography: René Guissart; Art Director: Ben Carré; Scenic Effects: Floyd Mueller; 5 reels; Print Source: The Library of Congress

CAST: Jack Holt (Axel Heyst), Seena Owen (Alma), Lon Chaney (Ricardo), Wallace Beery (August Schomberg), Ben Deely (Mr. Jones), Bull Montana (Pedro), Laura Winston (Mrs. Schomberg), George Nichols (Capt. Davidson)

SYNOPSIS: Axel Heyst is raised by his father to shun the rest of the world, and he dies leaving the boy a small inheritance. Heyst drifts to the South Seas where he enters into a business arrangement for mining coal on a remote island. While closing up some business on a trip to the island of Samburan, he stays at a hotel run by Mr. Schomberg. An orchestra has come to the hotel, and Heyst meets Alma, a pretty member of the orchestra who is trying to escape from captivity in the group. Heyst agrees to take Alma away to his island and Capt. Davidson, skipper of a boat and friend of Heyst, helps them escape. A strange trio come to Schomberg's hotel: Mr. Jones, a noted gambler, Ricardo, his secretary, and Pedro, a brutish looking man who serves as Jones' servant. To get revenge for Heyst's abduction of Alma, and to get rid of the troublesome trio, he tells the men that Heyst has vast wealth hidden on his island. The three take the tip and set sail for the island. Heyst and Alma have since fallen love, but each lacks the courage to tell the other. Jones, Ricardo, and Pedro arrive at the island half-starved, and Heyst helps them, but not before placing Alma in hiding. Ricardo finds Alma and tries to rape her, but she fights him off. Ricardo asks Alma to help them find Heyst's treasure, and she pretends to go along with him. Alma plays up to Ricardo, and induces a fight between the men. Jones fires at Ricardo, but the bullet strikes Alma. Heyst shoots Ricardo, and Pedro, who has waited for a chance to avenge Jones' murder of his brother, grabs Jones and breaks his back. Capt. Davidson returns and takes Alma and Heyst off the island as the volcano erupts, destroying their tropical paradise.

"An original and interesting picture, picturesque in detail, splendid types, a refreshing change from the conventional in nearly all respects." ---Moving Picture World

"Probably the eagle eye of the censor is responsible for cutting the fight between Alma and Ricardo, but it is well cut. Of the latter character Lon Chaney gave a visualization that was very effective." ---Variety

"The most compelling characters in VICTORY are three roving birds of prey---Mr. Jones, the leader, Ricardo, his secretary, and Pedro, his strong man. The most diabolically conspicuous of the three is Ricardo, played by Lon Chaney...No screen actor whose name comes to mind can equal Mr. Chaney in the impersonation of intense, strongly marked types. He does with consummate skill and fine finish the kind of acting that many attempt with lumbering ponderosity and maladroit exaggeration." ---The New York Times

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