Little Old New York (1923 film)

Little Old New York is a 1923 American silent historical drama film starring Marion Davies and directed by Sidney Olcott that was based on a play of the same name by Rida Johnson Young. The film was produced by William Randolph Hearst's Cosmopolitan production unit.

Little Old New York
Film poster
Directed bySidney Olcott
Produced byWilliam Randolph Hearst
Written byLuther Reed
Based onLittle Old New York
by Rida Johnson Young
StarringMarion Davies
Harrison Ford
Music byWilliam Frederick Peters
CinematographyIra H. Morgan
Gilbert Warrenton
Production
company
Distributed byGoldwyn Pictures
Release date
August 1, 1923
February 23, 1925 (Finland)
Running time
11 reels
CountryUnited States
LanguageSilent (English intertitles)

Preservation status

A copy of the film is in the Library of Congress.[1]

A copy is held by the Irish Film Institute and was screened in 2016.[2]

Cast

Production

In her 17th film, Marion Davies stars in a dual role as Patricia and Patrick O'Day. This was Davies' first teaming with silent actor Harrison Ford. This lavish historical drama was filmed in New York City and directed by Sidney Olcott. Hearst had an exact replica of Fulton's Clermont built and staged the famous river race on the Hudson in January. On February 18, 1923, a fire swept through the Cosmopolitan Studio, basically destroying the studio and all its contents. The film's negatives were saved (it was about two-thirds completed), and production began anew at several other local studios. All of the sets and costumes had to be re-created.[3]

The film premiered at the Cosmopolitan, a movie theatre owned by William Randolph Hearst, located at Columbus Circle in New York City.[4]

In her memoirs, Marion Davies recounts this opening: "I didn't look at the picture, because I was looking at that chandelier all the time. It was an enormous thing, and all the audience down below would’ve been killed if it had fallen."[5]

The film was a triumph for Marion Davies, and she was named "Queen of the Screen" and the #1 female box-office star of 1923 at the annual theater owners ball (Rudolph Valentino was named #1 male star).[6]

Reception

The film was the seventh most popular movie that year in the United States and Canada,[7] although Screenland named it the #3 box-office hit of the year.

References
  1. Progressive Silent Film List: Little Old New York at silentera.com
  2. http://www.ifi.ie/film/from-the-vaults-cine-concert-little-old-new-york/
  3. Lorusso, Edward (2017) The Silent Films of Marion Davies, CreateSpace, pp. 88-89.
  4. Michel Derrien, Aux origines du cinéma irlandais: Sidney Olcott, le premier oeil, TIR, p. 107
  5. Marion Davies, The Times we Had, Ballantines Book, p. 40.
  6. Lorusso, Edward (2017) The Silent Films of Marion Davies, CreateSpace, p. 96.
  7. Rentals in U.S. and Canada - see Variety list of box office champions for 1923
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