A growing source of silent era film information. This listing is from The Progressive Silent Film List by Carl Bennett. Copyright © 1999-2026 by Carl Bennett and the Silent Era Company. All Rights Reserved.

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The Drag Net
Also known as {The Dragnet}
(1928) United States of America
B&W : Eight reels / [?] 7720 or 7866? feet
Directed by Josef von Sternberg

Cast: George Bancroft [‘Two-Gun’ Nolan], Evelyn Brent [‘The Magpie’], William Powell [‘Dapper’ Frank Trent], Fred Kohler [‘Gabby’ Steve], Francis McDonald [‘Sniper’ Dawson], Leslie Fenton [‘Shakespeare’]

Paramount Famous Lasky Corporation production; distributed by Paramount Pictures Corporation. / Scenario by Jules Furthman and Charles Furthman, from the adaptation by Jules Furthman of the screen story “Nightstick” by Oliver H.P. Garrett. Production design by Hans Dreier. Costume design by Travis Banton. Cinematography by Hal Rosson (Harold Rosson). Film editor, Helen Lewis. Intertitles written by Herman J. Mankiewicz. / © 26 May 1928 by Paramount Famous Lasky Corporation [LP25299]. Released 26 May 1928. / Standard 35mm spherical 1.33:1 format. / Powell’s 32nd film. / Silent film.

Drama: Crime.

Synopsis: Synopsis available in AFI-F2 n. F2.1434.

Survival status: The film is presumed lost.

Current rights holder: Public domain [USA].

Keywords: Alcoholism - Crime: Murder - Criminals: Gangs, Gangsters - Death: Murder - Hijackers - Law: Enforcement: Police: Detectives, Policemen - Marriages - Resignations

Listing updated: 15 December 2024.

References: AFI-F2 n. F2.1434; Bardèche-History p. 299; Brownlow-Parade p. 578; Everson-Detective pp. 29, 35; Katchmer-Eighty pp. 10, 12; Parish-Gangster pp. 33, 124, 125, 400; Quirk-Powell pp. 86, 87, 88-89; Sarris-Sternberg pp. 8, 16, 19, 22; Sweeney-Coming p. 132 : Website-AFI; Website-IMDb.