Red Pearls (1930)
Directed by Walter Forde
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Synopsis by Hal Erickson
Red Pearls was based on Nearer, Nearer, a rip-roaring melodrama by J. Randolph James. Frank Perfitt stars as Gregory Marston, a millionaire with a sinister past. Plagued by anonymous letters from someone claiming to be coming "Nearer, Nearer," Marston becomes convinced that the man he thought he killed years ago isn't dead at all and has returned for revenge. He worries himself into financial ruin and disgrace, yet still the letters keep on coming. Finally he shoots the man whom he thinks is his tormentor -- only to discover that the victim isn't the right man at all. At his trial, Marston refuses to defend himself, repeating over and over "I shot the wrong man." Everything is cleared up (though not to Marston's advantage) by the testimony of enigmatic Japanese pearl expert Tumara (Kyoshi Tasako).
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Keywords
maniac, revenge, con/scam, craziness, forgery, insanity, killing, letter