The Keeper of the Bees

Considering that this was from an ultra-low budget studio (Monogram), it's a surprisingly good film and I enjoyed it quite a bit. However, you should be aware that it has one of the strangest plots I've seen in a film from this era and time and again I was utterly surprised with the direction that the writer chose for the characters.

The film stars Neil Hamilton, a very famous actor of his day but a guy who is almost forgotten today except for those who might recognize him as Commissioner Gordon from the Batman TV show.By the mid-30s, his stock wasn't quite what it had been in the silent and early sound era--and this is probably why he's starring with Monogram. Still, it was a very good showcase for him as he's clearly the star and center of attention throughout the film.

I won't tell too much about the plot, as I want you to be surprised when you watch. However, I'll at least give you the setup. The film begins with Hamilton in a veterans' hospital where he's been for years recuperating from being gassed in WWI. However, he decides to leave and live it up--after all he thinks he only has a few months to live. However, while on his way to Chicago for a good time, he gets diverted to a small town--and his entire life is changed repeatedly. He's a very nice guy and just by doing a few nice things for others, he's rewarded in the most unpredictable of ways.

Other than the fact that some of the film is a bit hard to believe, there wasn't much I didn't like about the movie. Hamilton was great and the plot, though strange, worked well because you liked the characters. Well worth seeing and perhaps deserving to be noticed.