George Bancroft (Angels with Dirty Faces) and Fay Wray (King Kong) star in the first sound film from legendary director Josef von Sternberg (Shanghai Express), made just prior to his celebrated series of collaborations with Marlene Dietrich.

Murderer ‘Thunderbolt’ Jim Lang (Bancroft) is arrested and imprisoned with the help of his former moll, Ritzie (Wray). Whilst on death row in Sing Sing, Jim enacts his revenge by framing Ritzie’s lover, Bob (Richard Arlen), for a … mehrcrime he didn't commit.

With a screenplay from Herman J Mankiewicz (Citizen Kane) and Joseph L Mankiewicz (Suddenly, Last Summer), and adapted from a story by Jules Furthman (Blonde Venus), Thunderbolt is a classic pre-Code crime thriller.

Extras:
Audio commentary with critic Nick Pinkerton (2021)
"The Guardian Interview with Fay Wray: Conducted at the National Film Theatre, London on 3 September 1990" plays as an alternate audio track over the film (90:36)
"Sound and Vision: Tony Rayns on Josef von Sternberg and Thunderbolt" 2023 interview (45:00)
Thunderbolt Image Gallery: Original Promotional Material (12 images) weniger