Movies by Jack McDonald

The Ship from Shanghai

The Ship from Shanghai

On a yacht sailing from Shanghai to the United States, the sailors, led by the megalomaniac steward, revolt and take control.

Chip of the Flying U

Chip of the Flying U

When he's fired from his bank job aimless Claude Bennett decides to head West. Once he gets a job as a cowboy on the Flying "U" ranch he restyles himself as Chip and discovers who he really is through a series of adventures.

Against All Odds

Against All Odds

Chick Newton's friend, Bill Warner, is arrested for murdering his uncle. However, Bill has been framed by a blackmailer who has plotted with the uncle to have him disappear in order to avoid creditors and collect insurance. Newton unmasks Tom Curtis as the culprit and rescues Warner from a hanging.

Show Boat

Show Boat

This film sticks very closely to the Edna Ferber novel, rather than the musical based on the novel. There are only two major changes from Ferber's book : *Julie in this version is a white woman, not a racially mixed one; therefore she and her husband are not unlawfully married. * Ravenal returns at the end, instead of dying as in the novel

Don Q Son of Zorro

Don Q Son of Zorro

Don Cesar De Vega crosses swords with a vicious member of the Queen's Guard, and steals the affection of a young heiress. When the officer frames the young upstart for murder, Don Cesar fakes his own death and retreats to the crumbling ruins of the family castle he plots his vengeance.

The Case of the Cosmic Comic

The Case of the Cosmic Comic

Young Homer and his best friend Freddie are fans of "The Super-Duper", a superhero in comics and movies. They learn that sometimes The Super-Duper needs help too. Based on a short story from the book, "Homer Price".

Better Times

Better Times

Ezra Scroggs is a shiftless gambler who has let his hotel, the Lakeview, fall on hard times. Finally his daughter Nancy gets fed up seeing all the business go to his rival, Si Whittaker at the Majestic, and she decides to do something about it.

The Spoilers

The Spoilers

The Spoilers is a 1914 film directed by Colin Campbell. It is set in Nome, Alaska during the 1898 Gold Rush, with William Farnum as Roy Glennister, Kathlyn Williams as Cherry Malotte, and Tom Santschi as Alex McNamara. The film culminates in a spectacular saloon fistfight between Glennister and McNamara. It was adapted to screen by Lanier Bartlett from the Rex Beach novel of the same name.

Buttons

Buttons

Working as a pageboy on an ocean liner, a street orphan and his friend Slugger end up on the wrong side of the ship's captain when they try to tell him that his wife is cheating on him with other members of the crew. The boys end up in deeper trouble, after they are thrown in the brig and the ship starts sinking...

13 Washington Square

13 Washington Square

In this comedy, a wealthy matron is terribly upset when she learns that her socialite son is planning to marry a blue collar girl.

The Trail Rider

The Trail Rider

Story of a cowboy who saves an old cobbler from being abused by a nasty banker. The banker does not take kindly to Hartwell's interfering and orders his henchman to kill the upstart.

The Circus Cowboy

The Circus Cowboy

After a 2-year absence, Buck Saxon returns home to find his girl, Norma, married to the town's wealthiest citizen, Ezra Bagley, yet professing to love Buck. Unjustly accused of attempting to murder Bagley, he escapes and joins a circus, where he falls in love with Bird, a tightrope walker.

When the West Was Young

When the West Was Young

Ned Halton and his young bride, Nellie, depart from the east in a prairie schooner to seek a home in the western wilds.

The Girl from Frisco

The Girl from Frisco

A series of 25 2-reel Western thrillers in which a cowgirl aids the cause of justice and humanity in the Old West, often aided by her fiancé and her rancher father. Each episode tells a complete story in itself.

Mile-a-Minute Kendall

Mile-a-Minute Kendall

Young Kendall struggles for acceptance in the eyes of his wealthy father, who sees him only as a layabout.

Cutoff

Cutoff

An isolated, misanthropic composer finds his sanity beginning to fray when a sinister presence invades his apartment.

The Turquoise Mine Conspiracy

The Turquoise Mine Conspiracy

"Sidewinder Steve" returns to civilization to find that his ore specimens show he has discovered a turquoise mine. He wires his friend, Ace Brent, the capitalist, who has a half-interest in his discoveries, to furnish him with money to make the trip back across the desert to officially stake his claim. But "Lonney" Smith, telegraph operator at the town and secret spy for The Syndicate, Brent's rivals, informs his employers of the new "strike," and they dispatch their agent Meyers to thwart Brent. The latter, recovering from injuries received...

Shotgun Jones

Shotgun Jones

Thomas Lattier is a well-to-do westerner in the cattle business. One fine day he sells a herd of cattle, receiving for it cash payment in bills of large denomination. He proceeds to town alone to deposit it in his bank. Two bad men, Bretall and Hayes, have learned of the deal and trail him with a view to securing the money.