THE SILENT CODE (1935) Kane Richmond, Blanche Mehaffey & J.P. McGowan | Drama, Western | B&W

The Silent Code is a 1935 American Western film written by George Morgan and directed by Stuart Paton. It was the third of a scheduled six films in the "Morton of the Mounties" series, although this would be the last one made. The first two, Courage of the North and Timber Terrors starred John Preston in the title role. This film saw Kane Richmond take over the lead, co-starring with Blanche Mehaffey.

SYNOPSIS
Nothwest Mounted Police Corporal Jerry Hale is assigned to take over the district of a fellow-officer, and is puzzled as he had worked this district before and had been mysteriously transferred, disrupting his romance with Helen Brent, the niece of Peter Barkley, the Factor at the trading post. An accountant of the company Berkley works for threatens to expose him when his account is found $10,000 short. Barkley pleads for more time to raise the money. His opportunity arises when he learns that Helen's father and his brother-in-law, Nathan Brent, has struck it rich and is on his way to visit Helen. Barkley instructs his henchmen Carney and Breen to lie in wait and rob Brent of his gold. Brent has a premonition of trouble and buries his gold, making a map of the location. Barkley is disturbed by the arrival of Corporal Hale and goes to warn his men, and finds them already engaged in the attack on Brent. Brent's dog Wolfgang (played by a dog named Rex, or maybe the other way around) attacks Barkley who, in trying to shoot Wolfgang (or Rex) shoots Brent instead. Hale rushes toward the sound of the shot and the hidden Barkley watches the dying Brent give him the map.

When the Royal Canadian Mounted Policeman Jerry Hale is sent to a remote outpost, he meets his old sweetheart, Helen Brent, who is living their with her uncle, Peter Barkley. Helen's father, Nathan, is off prospecting. As they renew their relationship, it becomes clear that the letters which Jerry has been sending to Helen have been intercepted and destroyed by Barkley. When her father returns from prospecting, he makes it known that he has a map to his gold strike. He moves into his cabin, but is killed by Lobo, one of Barkley's gang, who steals the map. During the attack, Lobo drops several Indian beads near Nathan's body. Barkley frames Jerry for the murder, and he is arrested and thrown in jail. While there, Helen visits him and vents her disgust with him, believing that he did kill her father.

The beads which Lobo dropped during the murder are eventually tracked back to him, after which Helen helps Jerry escape, and he rides off to get help from the Mounties. He tells Helen to wait in her father's cabin. While there, Barkley stops by and is confronted by Helen.

CAST & CREW
Kane Richmond as Jerry Hale
Blanche Mehaffey as Helen Brent
Barney Furey as Peter Barkley
Pat Harmon as Carney
Ben Corbett as Breen
Carl Mathews as Lobo
Edward Coxen as Nathan Brent
J. P. McGowan as Commissioner
Joseph Girard as Inspector Manning
Bud Osborne as Sergeant of Police
Wolfgang as Rex, king of dogs

Directed by Stuart Paton
Written by George Morgan
Produced by Louis Weiss
Cinematography Roland Price
Edited by Charles Craft
Production companies Weiss Productions, Inc.
Distributed by Stage and Screen Productions, Inc.
Release date November 1935 (US)
Running time 60 minutes
Country United States
Language English

NOTES
Filming on the picture was completed in March 1935, and was originally scheduled to be released in mid-May. However, the release was delayed until November 1935.[1] The Chicago Legion of Decency gave the film a Class A rating, meaning that it was suitable for the entire family.