Chloe, Love Is Calling You (1934)

Director: MARSHALL NEILAN. (No writers credited). Film editors: Helene Turner, Joseph Josephson. Photography: Mack Stengler. Music composed by George Henninger, arranged by Erno Rapee. Art director: Robert Stevens. Assistant director: Jack Chapin. Producer: J. D. Trop. Produced at Sun Haven Studios, distributed by Pinnacle Productions. Not copyrighted 1934, no New York opening, no recorded release dates or length.SYNOPSIS: An old voodoo woman returns to a bayou plantation to exact vengeance on the owner she alleges killed her husband fifteen years before. She is accompanied by a young half-caste, Jim, and her 18- year-old daughter, Chloe, who falls in love with the plantation's overseer. Both her "mother" and her potential suitor, Jim, strongly object to this alliance. Jim is so madly in love with Chloe, he battles a crocodile, a corrupt turpentine worker and a voodoo gang on her behalf. On the other hand, "mother" is so vengeful, she has Chloe abducted and bound on the voodoo altar for a human sacrifice.NOTES: A remarkably rare film, "Chloe" is not listed at all in the main volumes of The Motion Picture Guide, nor even in the comprehensive title listings of The Film Daily Yearbook. Nor does the movie appear in any of the filmographies of the players or technicians, but one: Erno Rapee. Final film of silent star, Olive Borden, who died in 1947 (at the early age of 41). First film of Philip Ober. COMMENT: It's odd that such a well-produced movie received such obviously limited distribution. Marshall "Mickey" Neilan was one of the top ten directors of the 1920s. Unlike many of his colleagues, he seems reasonably at home in sound. The only items that date the film in fact are Olive Borden's slightly too expressive playing of the title role (and she has plenty of excuses as she faces up to more terrifying experiences in an hour than most movie heroines cover in a lifetime) and the beautiful green stock on which the film is printed. (What a blow that sepia was the only tone that survived into the 1940s. I love green and blue equally well, I remember Fox's Kidnapped was originally shown in 1938 on green stock). Neilan's direction of the actors is not only very capable, his pacing is A-1, his eye for pictorial effects marvelous. I don't like to single out one or two players from such an able cast, but Philip Ober is especially charismatic as the daring Jim (his fight with the croc puts Johnny Weissmuller to shame]), whilst Reed Howes (make sure you see "The Dawn Rider") seems one of the most personable and under-rated leading men in pictures.Neilan hasn't made the usual "independent" mistake of economizing on music. If anything, some would object that there's too much background music. Not a single second in the entire picture is silent. But I loved it. And as for Mack Stengler's superlative cinematography... With its fascinating locations and unstinting effects, powerful plotting and characterizations, Chloe is a "B" gem.

Marshall Neilan was the "wiz kid" and "boy wonder" director of the 1920s. Even though he had been directing films since 1913 he was "officially" discovered by Mary Pickford and given his chance to direct her in "Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm" (1917). Then he was on his way. He loved good times and plenty of them and also like some other members of the film community he made an enemy of Louis B Mayer. High living caught up with Neilan and by the end of the 20s he was reduced to doing some uncredited directing in "Tanned Legs". Neilan only made a couple more films after Chloe although just before he died he won high praise for his role in "A Face in the Crowd" (1957).Sadly, it was Olive Borden's last film. She had been considered one of the most beautiful actresses of the 20s, but she was also a victim of high living, though in Chloe, she still retained some of her beauty.Chloe is coming back to her childhood home. Her "mammy" Mandy, is using voodoo to wreak vengeance on the rich family because she thinks the colonel killed her husband. Chloe can't reconcile to the fact that she may have "coloured" blood in her. After words with Jim, who says she will never find a "white" man to love her (he secretly loves her himself) Chloe falls into a crocodile infested swamp and is rescued by Wade Carson (Reed Howes). He also falls for her and she returns his love because he is the "white" man she has always dreamed about.When the colonel goes to Mandy's cabin to confront her about some voodoo charms and a missing photo he finds a child's dress and shoes that belonged to his little daughter. She drowned in the river 15 years before and her body has never been found. After a few doubts it is proved that Chloe is the colonel's daughter and the way is clear for her to marry Wade. Chloe is the most racist person in the film. Even though she was raised and loved by Mandy, the black priestess, she has no reciprocal feelings for her - only feelings of fear and loathing. She seems to dislike Jim because he feels comfortable around the black people. He is quite the nicest person in the film, having risked his life for her several times but she doesn't have any friendly feelings for him. She is horrible.This film does not resemble "White Zombie" in the least, except for the voodoo references - it has more in common with "Pinky" (1949).Reed Howes, who had a long career (1923-1964) mostly uncredited parts - plays Wade Carson. Molly O'Day sister of the better known Sally O'Neil, had her best role as Curley Boyle in "The Patent Leather Kid" (1927). She plays Joyce, the Colonel's daughter.I can't recommend this film.

It isn't just that it's the most racist movie I've seen in a long time. It's just not very good. You have major parts played by white actors. In black and white, they don't even look dark. Then you have the ridiculous premise where the woman of "white blood" has longings she just can't explain. She is tilting toward her whiteness. Of course, it's obvious who the superior race is here. They lounge with their juleps and order the servants around. The "hero" is a monumental jerk, but he is a white guy. There's lots of talk about the problems of mixing with other races and it's a given, of course. The blacks also dance around doing their voodoo rites, totally "out of control." It's up to the landholder and his rich friends to take care of them. Also, Chloe was raised and loved by these people, but when she is revealed as a one hundred percent white woman, well, you can imagine what they're thinking. I realize how unenlightened people were (and how hateful). But it must have been viewed as a horrible depiction, even back in the 30's. I know that there is an historical perspective that applies here. Maybe we should all see this kind of stuff once in a while.

Awful, just awful story about a young white woman raised by a black voodoo woman. If the NAACP ever saw this they would throw a fit. There are white actors playing black with virtually no make-up. The actress playing Chloe is having a terrible life until she finds out she is really white. Story is basically a rich old southern gentlemen lost his daughter when she was just a child. An old black woman lost her own daughter and kidnapped Chloe and raised her as her own. There is love interest and plotted revenge by the black voodoo woman, but in the end the father and daughter are reunited. No matter what the VHS advertisements say, this is not a lost classic nor even remotely close to a horror movie. Do not watch it.