Thunder (partially found Lon Chaney melodrama film; 1929)

Poster for the film.

Status: Partially Found

Thunder is an American silent melodrama film, released on July 8th, 1929, distributed by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer. The film was directed by William Nigh, and starred Lon Chaney in what would be his final silent film role, and his second to last film ever made. The film utilized a musical score synchronized to the film, and an effects track as well, though did not feature any spoken dialouge.^[1]

Plot

While a blizzard hits the midwest, Grumpy Anderson (Lon Chaney), a railroad engineer, has his first ever late train. He tells his son Tommy (James Murray) he'll make up for the train arriving late. Grumpy becomes angry when he is flagged down unexpectedly, and told to hookup a private car to his train, which includes a chorus girl named Zella (Phyllis Haver). She informs him she needs to get to Chicago in fears of missing a show, and he manages to get the train back on time even with delays, and her flirting with Tommy.

After arriving in Chicago, Tommy sneaks out of his home that he shares with Grumpy, Jim, and Jim's family, and goes to see Zella backstage at the nightclub. He invites her to meet his family the next day. Afterwards, Jim is called back after a long day of working at the train yard, and slips into the tracks, and is hit by an oncoming train. Grumpy and Tommy get into a fight while on their train which holds Jim's coffin, Tommy blaming Grumpy for Jim's death. Their train crashes into an oncoming train during their fight, and Grumpy is fired from his job, but is given work at the locomotive repair shop afterwards. Tommy refuses to visit Grumpy while he's in the hospital, and after Zella visits Tommy, he informs him he's done with working on the railroad. In the shop, Grumpy eventually repairs his train.

A newspaper reports of flooding from overflowing levees in the south, and that food and medicine shortages threatens the people living there. Ten trains are readied to bring in supplies, with Tommy reluctantly taking one. He is assigned to Grumpy's train, and two agree to work together despite their differences. The train goes through flood waters, and brings the supplies to the Red Cross camp. They learn that Jim's family, and Zella are all trapped in the flood area, and they take their train to go rescue them. They cross a bridge as it begins to collapse, and reach the impacted and stranded town. Tommy finds Zella handing out food, and kisses her. Grumpy decides to go back to his train, and ready it for the trip back.^[2]

Availability

Only half a reel, or around five minutes still exist of the film, having been found in the 1990s.^[3] Of the remaining footage, only a minute long clip has appeared online. The first two reels of the audio track have also appeared online, having been uploaded by YouTuber Comulist, the second reel uploaded in 2020, and the first uploaded in 2021. In 2013, a script for the film popped up online, and was sold on December 12th, 2013.^[4]

The film, though having been released in the final days of the silent era, managed to still be shown for around two years after release, airing as late as May 30th, 1931.^[5] The film was likely lost in the 1965 MGM vault fire, along with numerous other Lon Chaney films such as The Big City and London After Midnight.