The Patsy (1928 film)

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The Patsy
The-patsy-1928-lobbycard.jpg
Lobby card
Directed by King Vidor
Written by Agnes Christine Johnston
Ralph Spence
Based onThe Patsy
1925 play
by Barry Conners
Produced by Marion Davies
William Randolph Hearst
King Vidor
StarringMarion Davies
Marie Dressler
Cinematography John F. Seitz
Edited by Hugh Wynn
Music by Vivek Maddala
Production
company
Distributed byMetro-Goldwyn-Mayer
Release date
  • April 22, 1928 (1928-04-22)
Running time
78 minutes
CountryUnited States
Language Silent (English intertitles)
Budget$272,000 [1]
The Patsy (1928) by King Vidor

The Patsy is a 1928 American silent comedy-drama film directed by King Vidor, [2] co-produced by and starring Marion Davies for Cosmopolitan Productions, and released by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer. It was based on a play of the same name by Barry Conners, and served as Marie Dressler's comeback film after a long slump in her film career. Davies played the dowdy and downtrodden Patricia, the younger daughter in a household ruled by an imperious mother (Dressler) and selfish sister (Jane Winton).

Contents

Plot

Cast

Production

Marion Davies impersonates Lillian Gish on the set of The Patsy as King Vidor looks on. King Vidor (director) and actor Marion Davies on the set of The Patsy (1928 film). Davies imitating Lillian Gish.jpg
Marion Davies impersonates Lillian Gish on the set of The Patsy as King Vidor looks on.
Vidor and his cameramen set out in his Hacker-Craft speedboat to film water sequences for The Patsy. King Vidor on a Hacker.jpg
Vidor and his cameramen set out in his Hacker-Craft speedboat to film water sequences for The Patsy.

The Patsy saw Marion Davies starring in her 27th film. This was Davies' first film of three with director King Vidor and the only time she appeared with Marie Dressler.

Release and legacy

The film received good reviews, and was a box office success. [3] Hearst and MGM subsequently assigned Vidor to begin working on another vehicle for Davies. The Patsy also served as a comeback vehicle for Dressler. [4]

In February 2020, the film was shown at the 70th Berlin International Film Festival, as part of a retrospective dedicated to King Vidor's career. [5]

As of 2024, the film is in the public domain.

References

  1. ↑ Slide, Anthony (2005). Silent topics : essays on undocumented areas of silent film. Lanham, Md: Scarecrow Press. p. 26. ISBN   9780810850163. OCLC   469961637.
  2. ↑ "Progressive Silent Film List: The Patsy". Silent Era. Retrieved March 29, 2008.
  3. ↑ Gabrielle, Lara (2022). Captain of her soul: the life of Marion Davies. University of California Press. p. 96. ISBN   9780520384200.
  4. ↑ Lorusso, Edward (2017). The Silent Films of Marion Davies. CreateSpace. pp. 149–150. ISBN   9781547247950. OCLC   1090066638.
  5. ↑ "Berlinale 2020: Retrospective "King Vidor"". Berlinale. Retrieved February 28, 2020.
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