Name: The Wildcat
Genre: Comedy, Romance, Western
Released: 1926-03-24
Duration: 52 min
Cast: Gordon Clifford, Charlotte Pierce, Frank Bond

Comedy/quasi-drama is an easy 52 minutes; but beware of early 20th century black racial stereotype

"The Wildcat" (1925) is a modern (20s) Western that really is about a fledgling boxer, Gordon Clifford, who can't keep his eyes off of the ladies. Well, he loses a major fight, and his manager, Barney Taggart, takes him to a ranch for intense training. Clifford's already met the ranch owner's niece, Charlotte Pierce, and they seem to be very mutually attracted. Meanwhile, the relatively new ranch foreman, Ervin Reynard, is actually a robber who, in conjunction with a couple of others, has stolen a large cache of very valuable jewels from a train. The film is loaded with underlying comedy, though it's played somewhat straight. The other main character is Hooper Phillips in his only known film, playing Charcoal the valet, a black lackey whose character is every racial stereotype of the comic black man of the early days of film to near 1970s in the medium. He IS funny, but only at the expense of racial derogation at its worst. Too bad, because Hooper Phillips steals the show! He's an early Mantan Moreland, and equally talented. I've never heard of any of the actors in the film, but the film plays relatively well. Lasting only 52 minutes, for a forgotten 20s silent comic Western with some good antics this isn't bad. One last note: the star, Gordon Clifford, is best remembered today as a popular song writer, and he combined talents with such noted songsters as Nacio Herb Brown and Harry Barris and wrote "I Surrender Dear", "Paradise", "Sahara Nights", and several others that were quite respected in their day. Clifford only made eight feature films. He died in a traffic accident in Las Vegas in 1968 at the age of 66. Charlotte Pierce married musician and talent scout "Solly" Baiano in 1926, the year after this film, and she retired from films. One of their sons married singer Jaye P. Morgan. IMDb has her death INCORRECTLY listed as 1950. She died in 1996 at the age of 92!

The comedy genre refers to a category of entertainment that aims to amuse and entertain audiences by using humor, wit, and comedic situations. Comedies are created with the primary intention of eliciting laughter and providing lighthearted enjoyment. They encompass a wide range of styles, tones, and themes, appealing to various tastes and audiences.

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The romance genre features the theme of romantic relationships and emotional connections between characters. These stories focus on the development of love, desire, and intimacy between protagonists, often exploring the challenges, conflicts, and triumphs that arise in their relationships.

Ingrid Bergman and Humphrey Bogart in Casablanca (1942)

The Western genre features stories set primarily in the 19th-century American Old West and often depict the rugged frontier life, exploring themes of individualism, justice, morality, and the clash between civilization and the untamed wilderness. The genre has its roots in the historical context of westward expansion and the challenges faced by pioneers, settlers, outlaws, and lawmen.

John Wayne and Harry Carey Jr. in The Searchers (1956)

A professional boxer's manager takes the athlete to an isolated ranch to recover from his boozing and partying. While there, he gets mixed up with a pretty ranch girl and stolen jewels.

Frank Bond and Gordon Clifford in The Wildcat (1925)

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The Wildcat

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