I learned here that Phantom Of Santa Fe aka The Hawk was originally shot in 1931, but got shelved for five years. That's usually not a good sign. It also didn't help that star Norman Kerry after failing to make the grade in talkies retired. I'm not sure how the producers intended to generate any box office with this film.
The gimmick here is the color now washed out and the film looks like pastel coloring which actually is lovely in spots. Back in those days color in and of itself was an attraction. But don't expect anything here like The Trail Of The Lonesome Pine or The Adventures Of Robin Hood, two films restored with their color. Not sure if Phantom Of Santa Fe is a priority.
Basically it's a Zorro plot with Kerry as fastidious dandy hacienda owner, but also the notorious outlaw known as The Hawk. He robs the rich and helps the poor like Robin Hood and Zorro did. And the villain is Frank Mayo who has committed a most sacrilegious thing, he's robbed the church itself of some of its artifacts which are of gold. I guess he figured the same as Willie Sutton about banks.
The whole cast overacts outrageously and the dialog is arcane and that's putting it mildly. It certainly didn't resurrect the career Norman Kerry.
The gimmick here is the color now washed out and the film looks like pastel coloring which actually is lovely in spots. Back in those days color in and of itself was an attraction. But don't expect anything here like The Trail Of The Lonesome Pine or The Adventures Of Robin Hood, two films restored with their color. Not sure if Phantom Of Santa Fe is a priority.
Basically it's a Zorro plot with Kerry as fastidious dandy hacienda owner, but also the notorious outlaw known as The Hawk. He robs the rich and helps the poor like Robin Hood and Zorro did. And the villain is Frank Mayo who has committed a most sacrilegious thing, he's robbed the church itself of some of its artifacts which are of gold. I guess he figured the same as Willie Sutton about banks.
The whole cast overacts outrageously and the dialog is arcane and that's putting it mildly. It certainly didn't resurrect the career Norman Kerry.