Drums of Jeopardy

Most existing prints of the 1931 melodrama Drums of Jeopardy are in pretty bad shape, but it's worth enduring the tinny soundtracks and messy splices just to watch Warner Oland in his full villainous glory. Oland plays a mad scientist who seeks revenge on the aristocratic family responsible for the death of his daughter. He travels from Russia to New York in search of any and all descendants of the hated Petroff family, using four rubies (the "drums" of the title) as instruments of death. Rising above its poverty-row origins, Drums of Jeopardy contains a high level of suspense, as well as several cunningly designed camera angles courtesy of cinematographer Arthur Reed. Trivia note: Warner Oland's character name is Dr. Boris Karlov!