This week’s mystery movie has been the 1928 MGM film “Across to Singapore,” starring Ramon Novarro (Thursday’s mystery guest), Joan Crawford (Friday’s mystery guest) and Ernest Torrence (Monday’s mystery guest).
The film was based on the 1919 novel “All the Brothers Were Valiant” by Ben Ames Williams and adapted by Ted Shane. Settings were by Cedric Gibbons, wardrobe by David Cox, photography by John Seitz and editing by Ben Lewis. It was directed by William Nigh. The cast also included Frank Currier (Tuesday’s mystery guest), Dan Wolhelm, Duke Martin, Edward Connelly and James Mason (no, not that James Mason).
The Los Angeles opening at Loew’s State in April 1928 featured the Fanchon and Marco girls diving into what the Los Angeles Times described as a huge glass tank. Times film critic Marquis Busby said of Crawford: “unless I am badly mistaken Joan does the best work of her career.” Busby died in Los Angeles in 1934 at the age of 31.
As I noted earlier, this week’s mystery person was cinematographer John Seitz, who gave us “Double Indemnity,” “Lost Weekend,” “Sunset Boulevard,” “Five Graves to Cairo,” “This Gun for Hire” and “The Miracle of Morgan’s Creek,” among many other film classics. If anyone at TCM is reading this, how about a birthday tribute on June 23?
The film is available from Warner Archive, as is the 1953 MGM remake, “All the Brothers Were Valiant,” with Robert Taylor, Stewart Granger and Ann Blyth. “Across to Singapore” was itself a remake of “All the Brothers Were Valiant,” a 1923 Metro picture with Lon Chaney, Malcolm McGregor and Billie Dove, which Busby called “one of the best sea pictures ever made.”
Images of the badly damaged 1923 “All the Brothers Were Valiant” here.
Williams’ novel is available at Archive.org.
For Monday, we have a mystery gent.
This is Ernest Torrence.
And for Tuesday, we have a mystery gent.
This is Frank Currier.
I can’t recall the last time so many people identified a Monday mystery guest. Almost everyone recognized him – but had the wrong film, a classic that is too familiar to ever appear as a mystery movie.
Please congratulate Mary Mallory (mystery movie, mystery guest), Scott Steward (mystery guest), Julie Merholz (mystery guest/wrong movie), David Inman (mystery guest), Mike Paradise (mystery guest), Cat M (mystery guest), Howard Mandelbaum (mystery movie, mystery guest), Patrick (mystery guest), Anne Papineau (mystery movie, mystery guest), Randy Skretvedt (mystery guest, wrong movie), Rick Scott (mystery guest, wrong movie), Mike Hawks (mystery movie, mystery guest), Amy Condit (mystery guest), Harried Costumer (mystery guest), Sue (mystery guest), Jo Anne (mystery guest), Floyd Thursby (mystery guest, wrong movie), Stanhope (half-credit on mystery guest), Sheila (mystery guest), Earl Boebert (mystery guest, wrong movie), Don Danard (mystery guest, wrong movie), Cary Moore (mystery guest)and Dan Nather (mystery guest, wrong movie).
The reason I chose this mystery movie wasn’t because of the cast or the director. It’s because of the director of cinematography. The question is how do you make the DP a mystery person. It’s particularly problematic with this week’s mystery film because the released version was made from a nitrate print with quite a bit of damage. Here’s a shot to give you an idea of our mystery cinematographer’s work.
The film features a rather convincing storm at sea.
Here are some examples of the film’s deterioration.
Now for Wednesday’s mystery guest….
This is Anna May Wong.
Monday’s mystery guest seems to have found a lady friend.
Monday’s mystery guest and his mystery lady friend adjourn to discuss the pressing issues of the day in less hectic surroundings.
Please congratulate Mary Mallory (Tuesday’s mystery guest), Julie Merholz (mystery movie and Tuesday’s mystery guest), Mike Hawks (Tuesday’s mystery guest), Anne Papineau (Tuesday’s mystery guest), Chrisbo (mystery movie and Monday’s mystery guest), Dennis Gilliam (mystery movie and mystery guests), Dan Nather (mystery movie and Tuesday’s mystery guest), Howard Mandelbaum (Tuesday’s mystery guest) and Sheila (Tuesday’s mystery guest).
And for Thursday, we have our (totally non-mysterious) leading man. That can only mean you know who for Friday.
Update: This is Ramon Novarro.
Please congratulate Mike Hawks (Wednesday’s mystery woman), Julie Merholz (Wednesday’s mystery woman), Mary Mallory (Wednesday’s mystery woman), Anne Papineau (Wednesday’s mystery woman), Chrisbo (Wednesday’s mystery woman), Rick (mystery movie, Monday’s and Wednesday’s mystery guests), Rick Scott (Wednesday’s mystery guest), Scott Steward (Wednesday’s mystery guest), Howard Mandelbaum (mystery cinematographer, Wednesday’s mystery guest) and Sheila (mystery movie).
And here is Friday’s non-mystery woman. Going through the movie in search of her was another reminder of how much nitrate damage this print has suffered.
This is Joan Crawford in her early 20s.
Please congratulate Mike Hawks (Thursday’s guest), Mary Mallory (Thursday’s guest), Anne Papineau (Thursday’s guest), Scott Steward (mystery movie, mystery cinematographer, Thursday’s mystery guest), Dennis Gilliam (mystery cinematographer, Wednesday’s and Thursday’s mystery guests), Julie Merholz (Thursday’s mystery guest), Chrisbo (Thursday’s mystery guest) and Patrick (mystery movie, Wednesday’s and Thursday’s mystery guests).
ladailymirror.com 
Ernest Torrence and STEAMBOAT BILL JR.
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Ernest Torrence?
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Ernest Torrence in “Steamboat Bill Jr.”
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Ernest Torrence as Steamboat Bill, Sr.
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Ernest Torrence.
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Ernest Torrance
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Oh finally an easy one! Ernest Torrance!
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Ernest Torrence steered many a ship. But from the uniform and shorter side-burns, the image appears to be from “Across to Singapore.”
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Steamboat Bill, Jr. 1928 with Buster Keaton, Tom McGuire, Tom Lewis, Marion Byron and James T. Mack.
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Ernest Torrance
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Captain Salvation from 1927.
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Or “Across to Singapore” perhaps?
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Looks like Ernest Torrence from the Buster Keaton film “Steamboat Bill, Jr.”
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Looks like Ernest Torrence from the Buster Keaton film “Steamboat Bill, Jr.” (1928)
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Ernest Torrance from “Steamboat Bill, Jr.”
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Ernest Torrence in ACROSS TO SINGAPORE.
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Ernest Torrance?
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Ernest Torrance, I think.
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Donald Crisp
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I’m afraid not.
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Donald Crisp?
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Alas, no. Interesting guess. 🙂
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Ernest Torrance
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I didn’t even try to guess the movie, but I did know it was not “Steamboat Bill, Jr.” SB Sr. would never wear a tie like that, not to mention the gold-sleeve stripes (which were part of what he disapproved about Junior’s first nautical outfit). The whole ensemble has a nineteenth-century feel, which, now that I’ve seen some of the other costumes, seems appropriate (though I’d be interested to find out if anyone in Singapore in the 1850’s ever wore anything like Anna May Wong’s outfit here).
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It’s Ernest Torrence.
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Earnest Torrance
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This is Ernest Torrence in “Steamboat Bill, Jr.”
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It looks like one of the Torrance Brothers: ….David Torrance?
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Ernest Torrence.
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Ernest Torrance in “Steamboat Bill Jr.” ??
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Oops, meant “Torrence.”
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I think this is Ernest Torrence in Buster Keaton’s “The Navigator”
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Victor Jory? Nah, too easy
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Yes, that would be too easy. 🙂
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Ach aye! It can be none other than Ernest Torrence.
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Without a doubt, it’s Ernest Torrence in STEAMBOAT BILL, JR.
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That’s not the movie? Hmm . . . I think that’s Frank Currier today, which would make the movie ACROSS TO SINGAPORE. Totally forgot about that one! Haven’t watched it in a long time, will definitely have to look at it again soon . . .
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Frank Currier today.
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Frank Currier. Across to Singapore 1928.
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Frank Currier.
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Frank Currier
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Monday: Ernest Torrence (thanks to the clues) in Across to Singapore?
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Hoping that your “right actor, wrong movie” is a fateful clue: Not Steamboat Bill Jr., but 1928’s Across to Singapore, with Ernest Torrence on Monday and Frank Currier, Tuesday.
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Frank Currier. He be old.
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For Tuesday, Frank Currier.
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Anna May Wong struts her stuff quite nicely.
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Anna May Wong
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Anna May Wong today.
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Looks like Anna May Wong
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Anna May Wong Wednesday
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Ernest Torrance Monday, Anna May Wong today Across to Singapore
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Anna May Wong for Wednesday.
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Anna May Wong, Across to Singapore
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It’s a shame about the state of the print material. John F. Seitz was a great cinematographer, unafraid of black blacks. Nice to see Anna May Wong. I’m fond of the color remake with its rousing Rosza score.
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I think you have a shortcut key that types “Please congratulate Mary Mallory.” Or if you don’t, better get one.
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For Wednesday, Anna May Wong in ‘Across to Singapore’.
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Ramon Novarro.
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RAmon Novarro today.
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Ramon Navarro
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Ramon Novarro, Across to Singapore. Friday’s mystery guest: Joan Crawford. Cinematographer: John F. Seitz
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Wednesday, Anna May Wong, looking not particularly Chinese, and today, the leading man, Ramon Novarro.
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The mystery Director of Photography is a masterful John Seitz, who worked though 1960 and was responsible for the atmosphere in many a Noir, including This Gun for Hire, Double Indemnity and Sunset Boulevard,
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Ramon Navarro
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Ramon Novarro today, and I predict a young Joan Crawford on Friday.
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For Wednesday and Thursday, Anna May Wong and Ramon Novarro in Across to Singapore from 1928. Waiting for Joan Crawford’s big entrance.
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Friday’s guest should be Joan Crawford.
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JC today. How many of these people guessing the mystery cinematographer really knew it, or just looked it up on imdb?
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Joan Crawford.
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Across to Singapore – Thus is Ramon Navarro, Friday – Joan Crawford – Monday is Ernest Torrence. Wen is Anna May Wong.
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Cinematographer was John F. Seitz
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Is this Across to Singapore? Shanghai?
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The widow Steele
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Today’s mystery guest (teased yesterday): Joan Crawford
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Might as well catch up: Anna May Wong on Wednesday, Ramon Novarro on Thursday, Joan Crawford today.
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I think Navarro looks a lot like a young Robert Cummings.
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