Timberesque (1935) / Adventures of Chico (1938) (DVD)

Famed singing star Andy Rance is stood up by his bride-to-be at the altar. Rejected by the world, he takes his dog Flash and escapes to the wilderness of the High Sierras. Finding peace communing with nature, Andy is content until a female aviatrix, Celeste, crashes her biplane near his camp. Despite having sworn off humanity, the former celebrity finds himself intrigued by this mysterious woman, particularly with her tendency towards late night skinny dipping. When Celeste is threatened by a pack of bloodthirsty wolverines, Andy puts aside his isolationist ways to save the woman he loves.

This unusual film, once considered lost, is directed by King Guidice, a New York banker who had previously backed several independent productions anonymously. Argentinian actor Barry Norton had his big break with a substantial role in What Price Glory? (1926). Once sound arrived, he became much in demand as the star of alternate-language versions of big pictures for the Spanish market. The most famous of these was Dracula (1931), in which he played Juan (Jonathan) Harker. The lovely Veola Vonn appeared in Phantom of the Rue Morgue (1954) and was married to Frank Nelson from The Jack Benny Show.

PLUS: Adventures Of Chico (BW, 1938): Chico is a lonely child who lives in the Mexican desert with his father. With no friends of his own, his only joy comes from spending time among the area's wildlife. But when the boy finds a baby bird abandoned by his mother, Chico discovers the true meaning of friendship. Advertised as "A Tale of the Strangest Friendship Ever Known!" and "The Most Unusual Picture of the Year!", this heartwarming film is the only full-length movie made by brothers Horace and Stacy Woodard. They had previously won an Academy Award for their short City of Wax (1934). On his own, Stacy had been cinematographer on the famed Pare Lorentz documentary The River (1938). Due to the large Mexican population in the American Southwest, Adventures of Chico played in theaters there for years. It later became a Saturday afternoon staple during the early days of television.

• drama