The Coast Patrol (Silent) (DVD)

Revenue agent Dale Ripley (Kenneth MacDonald) is assigned to apprehend smugglers operating in a small fishing town on the coast of Maine. The gang's suave, smooth-talking leader has seduced beautiful Beth Slocum (Fay Wray), naive young ward of the local lighthouse keeper, and plans to spirit her away. So Dale must not only break up the contraband ring but rescue the innocent girl from a fate far worse than death.

The Coast Patrol is distinguished by the presence of a young, ravishing Fay Wray - making her feature-film debut, eight years before starring in King Kong and stealing every scene in which she appears. Even at the tender age of 18, she was easily the best leading lady who ever worked for Isador J. "Bud" Barsky, one of several dozen independent producers specializing in cheap action melodramas during the 1920s. And she certainly lasted a lot longer in Hollywood than nominal star Kenneth MacDonald, who never cracked the major studios and disappeared from the screen once talkies became popular.

• silent