The Rescue (1929 film)

The Rescue
Theatrical release poster
Directed by	Herbert Brenon Ray Lissner (assistant)
Written by	Elizabeth Meehan
Based on	The Rescue by Joseph Conrad
Produced by	Samuel Goldwyn
Starring	Ronald Colman Lili Damita
Cinematography	George Barnes Joseph F. Biroc James Wong Howe
Edited by	Harry H. Caldwell Marie Halvey Katherine Hilliker
Music by	Hugo Riesenfeld
Production company	Samuel Goldwyn Productions
Distributed by	United Artists
Release date	January 12, 1929 (1929-01-12)
Running time	96 min. (sound) 7910 ft. (silent)
Country	United States
Language	English intertitles

The Rescue is a 1929 American sound pre-Code romantic adventure film directed by Herbert Brenon, and produced by Samuel Goldwyn. While the film has no audible dialog, it was released with a synchronized musical score with sound effects using both the sound-on-disc and sound-on-film process. The screenplay was written by Elizabeth Meehan, based on the 1920 novel by Joseph Conrad. The music score is by Hugo Riesenfeld. The film stars Ronald Colman and Lili Damita. ^[1]

Cast

• Ronald Colman as Tom Lingard
• Lili Damita as Lady Edith Travers
• Alfred Hickman as Mr. Travers
• Theodore von Eltz as Carter
• John Davidson as Hassim
• Philip Strange as D'Alacer
• Bernard Siegel as Jorgensen
• Sōjin Kamiyama as Daman
• Harry Cording as Belarab
• Laska Winter as Immada
• Duke Kahanamoku as Jaffir
• Louis Morrison as Shaw
• George Regas as Wasub
• Chrispin Martin as Tenga

Production

Water scenes were filmed were filmed at Santa Cruz Island, with a two way radio set up to contact Goldwyn Studios. ^[2]

Music

The musical score featured in the film was composed by Hugo Riesenfeld.

Censorship

When The Rescue was released, each province in Canada had a censor board that could order eliminations or cuts in the film. The Montreal censor board required the intertitles to be rewritten so that Lady Edith was the sister of Mr. Travers and not his wife, causing some confusion in the plot. ^[3]

Preservation

An incomplete print, missing one reel, is in the collection of the George Eastman House film archive. ^{[1] [4]}

See also

• List of early sound feature films (1926–1929)

References

1. Progressive Silent Film List: The Rescue at silentera.com
2. Variety. New York: Variety Publishing Company. July 18, 1928. p. 7.
3. "Montreal Censors Change Rescue's Wife to Sister". Variety . 94 (8). New York City: Variety, Inc.: 10 March 6, 1929. Retrieved May 17, 2025.
4. "The Rescue - [Incomplete]". collections.eastman.org. Retrieved February 27, 2025.

External links

• The Rescue at the TCM Movie Database
• The Rescue at IMDb
• Poster at www.gettyimages.com
• Still at www.silentfilmstillarchive.com