High Voltage (1929) | Region-Free (DVD) | Starring Carole Lombard

Title: High Voltage (1929)

Genre: Drama

Plot Synopsis:
A bus traveling through the snow-covered Sierra Nevada becomes stranded, forcing its passengers to seek refuge in an isolated church. Among them are Billie, an escaped convict under the supervision of Deputy Sheriff Dan Egan; a young woman known as “The Kid” en route to Chicago; and a hobo named Bill who had already taken shelter there. As days pass, the group faces dwindling supplies, harsh weather, and interpersonal tensions, leading to unexpected bonds and revelations.

Cast and Crew:

• Director: Howard Higgin
• Writers: Elliott J. Clawson, James Gleason, Kenyon Nicholson
• Cast:
  • William Boyd as Bill
  • Carole Lombard as Billie Davis
  • Owen Moore as Deputy Sheriff Dan Egan
  • Phillips Smalley as J. Milton Hendrickson
  • Billy Bevan as Gus

IMDb Link:
High Voltage (1929)

Reviews from Letterboxd:

1. kennelco – ★★★☆☆
   “We still call them movies, though after over 100 years you might think the phenomenon of ‘moving pictures’ might have lost its wow value. High Voltage, coming from 1929, is an ‘all-talker.’ The technical innovation that ended the Silent Era stopped being referred to as ‘talkies’ and reverted back to ‘movies’ pretty quickly. Coming at the earliest of times, it’s clunky in ways and places, but also surprising in some of its camerawork, location shooting, and that talking features a fair amount of choice vernacular.”
2. Richard Cross – ★★☆☆☆
   “Bus passengers forced to take refuge from the snow in an isolated church stumble upon a hobo who might be more than he seems.”
3. Filipe Furtado – ★★☆☆☆
   “Very much a film from the transition to sound as much because of the technical difficulties as for trying to move from high symbolic drama for a more naturalist approach.”

Meta Description:
“High Voltage” (1929) is a drama directed by Howard Higgin, featuring William Boyd and Carole Lombard. The film follows a group of bus passengers stranded in a snowstorm who seek refuge in an abandoned church, confronting both external hardships and internal conflicts.