Wolf Song ** (1929, Gary Cooper, Lupe Vélez, Louis Wolheim) – Classic Movie Review 12,276

Paramount Pictures’ 1929 American Western romance film Wolf Song stars Gary Cooper and Lupe Vélez, and is one for curio corner, surviving only in its silent version.

Director Victor Fleming’s 1929 American silent Western romance film Wolf Song stars Gary Cooper and Lupe Vélez, and is based on a story by Harvey Fergusson.

Gary Cooper plays womanising fur trapper Sam Lash, who heads out West in 1840, looking for adventure but meets and falls for beautiful Mexican spitfire Lola Salazar (Lupe Vélez). When Lola’s aristocratic father Don Solomon (Michael Vavitch) disapproves, Sam elopes with Lola to the mountains. Sam is torn between her and his need to travel, and soon prefers travelling with his trapper pals Gullion (Louis Wolheim) and Rube (Constantin Romanoff), but returns to his bride, tackling his enemy, Indian leader Black Wolf (George Regas).

Wolf Song was originally released as a part talkie, but survives only as a silent film at 65 minutes, where the original was 93 minutes This Pre-Code film is notable for showing Gary Cooper very discreetly almost entirely nude as he shaves and washes in a river, overlooked by his two trapper pals. The film is a bit of a bumpy ride, especially without a score, and is simple, unsophisticated entertainment, but is in the interesting and amusing category for the attractive stars, who are still appealing.

The film originally contained a synchronised score and sound effects, as well as some synchronised singing sequences.

Cooper was supposedly having an intense love affair during filming with Velez, who earned $14,000 while Cooper was paid $2,750.

Lupe Vélez was born María Guadalupe Villalobos Vélez (July 18, 1908 – December 14, 1944). She had several romances with Hollywood actors and a stormy marriage with Johnny Weissmuller. In December 1944, Vélez died of an intentional overdose of the barbiturate drug Seconal. Her death and its circumstances have been the subject of much speculation and controversy.

The cast are Gary Cooper as Sam Lash, Lupe Vélez as Lola Salazar, Louis Wolheim as Gullion, Constantine Romanoff as Rube Thatcher, Michael Vavitch as Don Solomon Salazar, Ann Brody as Duenna, Russ Columbo as Ambrosio Guiterrez, Augustina López as Louisa, George Regas as Black Wolf, Leone Lane as dance hall girl, and Guy Oliver.

It is available to view free on Internet Archive:

https://archive.org/details/the-wolf-song-1929-10

© Derek Winnert 2022 Classic Movie Review 12,276

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