Thunderbolt (DVD)

From Josef von Sternberg, the legendary director of The Blue Angel, Morocco, Dishonored, Shanghai Express and Blonde Venus, comes this Pre-Code proto-noir that mixes electrifying thrills with torrid romance. Condemned gangster Thunderbolt Jim Lang (George Bancroft, Old Ironsides) plots revenge on the young man (Richard Arlen, Beggars of Life) who stole his girlfriend (Fay Wray, King Kong) and landed next to him on death row. Featuring script work by Charles Furthman (Underworld) and Jules Furthman (The Big Sleep) with Hollywood greats Herman J. Mankiewicz (Citizen Kane) and Joseph L. Mankiewicz (All About Eve), Thunderbolt is an emotional drama renowned for its pioneering use of early sound technology, expressionistic visuals and bold blending of genres.