X Marks the Spot
The story begins in 1923 where after an accident, a newspaper reporter needs to raise $5,000 to pay for an operation, otherwise his young sister will be crippled for life. The desperate reporter is finally able to get the cash from a shady acquaintance, Riggs. Eight years later in New York, circumstances conspire to place the reporter as the number one suspect in the murder of a showgirl. With no witness or alibi, the reporter devises a plan to smoke out the real culprit. A meeting is arranged under the cover of night and to the surprise of both men, the murderer is Riggs. Out of gratitude for past generosity to his sister, the reporter agrees not to expose Riggs, however unwittingly leads the police to him! Riggs is found guilty, and a dramatic scene in the courthouse ensues.
From the archive
A newspaper reporter, with a desparate need for $5,000, borrows the money from a "shady character." Years later the reporter is charged with a murder he did not commit. Spoiler alert, the truth comes out in the end, the bad guy gets what's coming to him, and the good guy has a bright future. There's a little drama along the way, but there's no treasure map. I found this on this website; with most of the opening credits missing, and too much hiss and crackle in the audio. I used a shot of the 1931 movie poster to make a title card, and cleaned up the audio. I might have removed a few damaged frames, too. The sound is in synch and it's a pretty easy watch.
Why this is free to watch
X Marks the Spot (1931) is hosted by the Internet Archive as a public-domain or openly licensed work, which means its copyright has expired, lapsed, or was released by the rights holder. The uploader declared an explicit licence, linked in the source panel. Nitrate streams the file directly from the Archive and hosts no video itself.
- Director
- Erle C. Kenton
- Starring
- Wallace Ford, Sally Blane, Lew Cody, Fred Kohler, Joyce Coad, Clarence Muse, Charles Middleton, Mary Nolan
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