ELLIS ISLAND
US, 1936, 67 minutes, Black and white.
Donald Cook, Peggy Shannon, Jack La Rue, Joyce Compton, Johnny Arthur.
Directed by Phil Rosen.
Ellis Island sounds as if it might be about migrants entering the United States. Rather, the setting is 1936 when the island is used more for the deportation of undesirables along with the entry of the migrants.
The film opens in 1926 with a rather brazen robbery, seemingly rather easily accomplished by unmasked men with guns holding up the guards. However, the criminals are caught and sentenced to 10 years in prison.
In 1936, one of the robbers is being deported and is visited by his niece at Ellis Island (Peggy Shannon). She encounters one of the guards, Curtis (Donald Cook) who is immediately attracted to her. There are complications with the authorities, especially with the state official who is trying to contact the uncle – but is a criminal and wants to do a deal to recover the stolen money and share it.
There are also a number of undesirables after the money and they abduct the uncle trying to get the information about where the money has been hidden. In the meantime, Curtis tracks down Betty, and finds the uncle, along with a microphone set up by the false state agent.
There are quite a number of complications, with Curtis investigating a mysterious name, finding a burial record from 1926 and the realisation that this is where the money is hidden. The uncle is taken by the criminals, everyone ending up in New Jersey at the cemetery, an escape, refuge in a farmer’s shed, some shootouts – and finally, the authorities arriving.
Johnny Arthur portrays a rather dippy official at Ellis Island who has been engaged to Adele (Joyce Compton) for three years, she having control over him. He intrudes in the film all the way through, rather irritatingly with his style of comic interventions – although, ultimately, he does have quite some significant influence in the development of the plot.
Phil Rosen worked with Thomas Edison on Miracle Man in 1912, was a cinematographer and directed a host of small budget films from 19 1920s to 1950, nine films alone, including this one, in 1936.
