Captain Thunder
“The greatest character since Robin Hood. The story of a reckless Rio Grande bandit who never broke his word.”
Synopsis
A notorious Mexican bandit goes all soft and mushy when he falls for a beautiful senorita. Warner Bros.' Captain Thunder contains some of the darndest Mexican accents you've ever heard in your life. The star is Hungarian-born Victor Varconi, portraying a legendary south of the border outlaw who tries to force Canadian senorita Fay Wray to marry a rival rustler whom she despises. She pleads with the bandito so pathetically that he is moved to grant her a single wish. Without hesitation she chooses her poor but true love. The bandit king, being a somewhat honorable fellow grants the wish and without a twitch, guns down the wicked cattle thief. Fortunately the film was played for comedy, a wise decision since it probably would have garnered laughs as a straight drama anyway.
Top Cast
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Fay Wray
Ynez
Victor Varconi
El Captain Thunder
Charles Judels
Ruiz
Natalie Moorhead
Bonita
Robert Elliott
Morgan
Bert Roach
Pablo
Frank Campeau
Hank
Don Alvarado
Juan
John St. Polis
Pedro
Robert Emmett Keane
Don Miguel
Frankie Genardi
Little Boy (uncredited)
Soledad Jiménez
Señora Ruiz
Frank Lackteen
Messenger
Harry Semels
Barfly
Nick De Ruiz
Razio (uncredited)
Release History & Theatrical Window
December 27, 1930
Wide Cinema Exhibition
Key Information & Fast Facts
- Director
- Alan Crosland
- Screenplay & Story
- Gordon Rigby
- Original Score
- Xavier Cugat, David Mendoza, Leon Rosebrook
- Original Title
- Captain Thunder
- Country of Origin
- United States of America
- Spoken Languages
- English
- Runtime
- 1h 5m
- Production Studios
- The Vitaphone Corporation, Warner Bros. Pictures
Creative Leadership & Key Crew
Alan Crosland
Gordon Rigby, William K. Wells, Pierre Couderc, Hal Davitt
Xavier Cugat, David Mendoza, Leon Rosebrook
James Van Trees
Department Leadership Roster
Alan Crosland
Director
Gordon Rigby
Screenplay
James Van Trees
Director of Photography
Xavier Cugat
Original Music Composer
David Mendoza
Original Music Composer
Leon Rosebrook
Original Music Composer
Production Stills & Gallery
Official cinematic photography and background stills for Captain Thunder.
Featured In Curated Collections
Editorial lists, community rankings, and cinematic collections featuring Captain Thunder.
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Pre-Code Hollywood
Pre-Code Hollywood films, 1929 to 1934.
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Frequently Asked Questions About Captain Thunder
Quick factual answers about cast, synopsis, director, box office, and release information.
What is Captain Thunder about?
A notorious Mexican bandit goes all soft and mushy when he falls for a beautiful senorita. Warner Bros.' Captain Thunder contains some of the darndest Mexican accents you've ever heard in your life. The star is Hungarian-born Victor Varconi, portraying a legendary south of the border outlaw who tries to force Canadian senorita Fay Wray to marry a rival rustler whom she despises. She pleads with the bandito so pathetically that he is moved to grant her a single wish. Without hesitation she chooses her poor but true love. The bandit king, being a somewhat honorable fellow grants the wish and without a twitch, guns down the wicked cattle thief. Fortunately the film was played for comedy, a wise decision since it probably would have garnered laughs as a straight drama anyway.
Who directed Captain Thunder?
Captain Thunder was directed by Alan Crosland.
Who stars in Captain Thunder?
The principal cast of Captain Thunder includes Fay Wray, Victor Varconi, Charles Judels, Natalie Moorhead, Robert Elliott.
When was Captain Thunder released and how long is it?
Captain Thunder was released in 1930 with a total runtime of 1h 5m.
Who composed the musical score for Captain Thunder?
The original motion picture soundtrack for Captain Thunder was composed by Xavier Cugat, David Mendoza, Leon Rosebrook.