Weary River

Welcome to the Big House, Jerry Larrabee. A stoolie sang, setting the gangster up and landing him in hard time with little hope for redemption. But Larrabee's about to do some singing of his own. His musical talent surfaces in prison and he becomes a national sensation. Will that be enough to keep him from returning to a life of crime when he gets out? As crooning con Larrabee, Richard Barthelmess moved into Talkies with this hybrid film that includes title cards plus music, sound effects and limited dialogue. Frank Lloyd directs, bringing visual flourishes to the narrative and investing some prison scenes with trendsetting realism. His efforts in this film and two others earned him the Best Director Academy Award .*