The Valiant (1929)

This is an odd-duck of a movie.  It's barely over an hour long and steadfastly keeps the viewer in the dark -- even after the credits roll.

Paul Muni earned his first nomination for his portrayal of a man who turns himself in for murder moments after committing it, but refuses to explain other than to say that the guy deserved it and he'll take his chances in front of God on the day of judgment in the afterlife.  He won't even give his name, going with "Dyke," a name he Keyser Soze'd off of a calendar in the police station.  Meanwhile, a small family a thousand miles away wonders if the mysterious murderer in the papers might be the son who left home 15 years prior.

The acting is barely there and it's kind to call the production as a whole "stiff," but I can't help but appreciate the film's choice keep its secrets.

C+