Clothes Make the Pirate

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Clothes Make the Pirate
Clothesmakethepirate1925.jpg
Theatrical poster
Directed by Maurice Tourneur
Written by Marion Fairfax
Based onClothes Make the Pirate
by Holman Francis Day
Produced by Sam E. Rork Productions
Starring Leon Errol
Dorothy Gish
Nita Naldi
Tully Marshall
Cinematography Henry Cronjager
Louis Dunmyre
Edited by Patricia Rooney
Distributed by First National Pictures
Release date
  • November 29, 1925 (1925-11-29)
Running time
90 minutes
CountryUnited States
Language Silent (English intertitles)

Clothes Make the Pirate is a 1925 American silent comedy film directed by Maurice Tourneur and starring Leon Errol and Dorothy Gish. The film was written by Marion Fairfax from the novel of the same name by Holman Francis Day. [1]

Contents

Synopsis

The film is a comedy that centers on a disgruntled 18th-century Bostonian, played by Errol, who while wishing that he was a pirate, dons the clothes and play-acts the part. He is mistaken for the real pirate, Dixie Bull (played by Walter Law) whom Errol, of course, bumps into later in the film. More importantly, Errol "slays" the villain and puts his foot upon the pirate's head. This is more than enough and he heads back home to his unappreciated wife, played by Dorothy Gish.

Cast

Reception

Contemporary reviewers of the time claimed Errol was miscast, perhaps for the comedic cowardice of the part. Variety gave the film a poor review, stating that the children would like it. However other reviews, such as that in the Los Angeles Times of January 10, 1926 gave the film, as a satire, generally good reviews. However, the camera work of Cronjager was critically acclaimed. [2]

Preservation

With no prints of Clothes Make the Pirate located in any film archives, [3] it is a lost film. A one minute trailer, however, does survive.

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References

  1. Progressive Silent Film List: Clothes Make the Pirate at silentera.com
  2. "Moviegrams". The Daily Tribune (Wisconsin Rapids, Wisconsin). December 4, 1926. p. 9. Retrieved September 10, 2017 via Newspapers.com. Open Access logo PLoS transparent.svg
  3. Library of Congress American Silent Feature Film Survival Database: Clothes Make the Pirate