Dynamite (1929 film)
| Dynamite | |
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Theatrical release poster
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| Directed by | Cecil B. DeMille |
| Produced by | Cecil B. DeMille |
| Screenplay by | |
| Starring | |
| Cinematography | J. Peverell Marley |
| Edited by | Anne Bauchens |
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Production
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| Distributed by | Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer |
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Release date
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Running time
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129 minutes |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
Dynamite is a 1929 American Pre-Code drama film produced and directed by Cecil B. DeMille and starring Conrad Nagel, Kay Johnson, Charles Bickford, and Julia Faye. Written by Jeanie MacPherson, John Howard Lawson, and Gladys Unger, the film is about a convicted murderer scheduled to be executed, whom a socialite marries simply to satisfy a condition of her grandfather's will. Mitchell Leisen was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Art Direction.
Coal miner Hagon Derk (Charles Bickford) is sentenced to hang for murder. His only concern is for his young sister Katie (Muriel McCormac), who will be left all alone. Frivolous socialite Cynthia Crothers (Kay Johnson) has her own troubles. By the terms of her grandfather's will, if she is not married by her twenty-third birthday (only a month away), she will not inherit his millions and will be left penniless. She is "engaged" to Roger Towne (Conrad Nagel), but he is married to Marcia (Julia Faye). Marcia has her own lover, Marco (Joel McCrea), and is willing to grant Roger a divorce ... for the right price. The two women haggle behind Roger's back and settle on $100,000.
Hagon, desperate to provide for Katie, offers his body for $10,000 in a newspaper ad. Cynthia sees it and goes to see him. She offers him the money in exchange for him marrying her. He accepts. Just minutes before Hagon's execution though, the real killer is goaded into attacking a man with a gun and is fatally shot. He confesses before dying, and Hagon is released.
Hagon goes to see his stunned wife. When her friends show up to party the night away, he eavesdrops on a private conversation and learns of the bargain between Cynthia and Marcia. He shows Roger the $25,000 check in Marcia's possession: the down payment. Roger tears up the check and tells Cynthia they are through if she pays for him. Hagon leaves in disgust after flinging his $10,000 at her.
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