Queen Kelly
| Queen Kelly | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| Directed by |
Erich von Stroheim Edmund Goulding Richard Boleslawski Sam Wood Gloria Swanson Irving Thalberg (all uncredited except Stroheim) |
| Produced by | Erich von Stroheim Gloria Swanson Joseph P. Kennedy |
| Written by | Erich von Stroheim Marion Ainslee (titles) |
| Starring |
Gloria Swanson Walter Byron Seena Owen Tully Marshall |
| Music by | Adolf Tandler |
| Cinematography |
Paul Ivano William H. Daniels Gordon Pollock Hal Mohr (uncredited) Gregg Toland (alternate ending) |
| Edited by | Viola Lawrence |
| Distributed by |
United Artists Kino International (Current) |
|
Release date
|
|
|
Running time
|
101 minutes |
| Country | United States |
| Language |
Silent film English intertitles |
Queen Kelly (1929) is an American silent film produced in 1928-29 and released by United Artists. The film was directed by Erich von Stroheim, starred Gloria Swanson, in the title role, Walter Byron and Seena Owen. The film was produced by Joseph P. Kennedy, who was Swanson's lover at the time.
In 1932, Swanson was able to release a part-talkie version in Europe and South America only, because of her contract with Stroheim. This version had an alternate ending directed by Swanson and filmed by cinematographer Gregg Toland.
Prince Wolfram (Byron) is the betrothed of mad Queen Regina V of Kronberg (Owen). As punishment for partying with other women, he is sent on manoeuvres. He sees Kitty Kelly (Swanson) walking with other convent students and flirts with her. She is embarrassed when he makes a comment after seeing that her underwear is visible, so she takes it off and throws it at him, to the horror of the nuns, who punish her for her "indecency".
Enthralled by her beauty, he kidnaps her that night from the convent, takes her to his room and professes his love for her. When the Queen finds them together the next morning, she whips Kelly and throws her out of the castle. Regina then puts Wolfram in prison for not wanting to marry her.
Original ending: Kelly goes to German East Africa to visit her dying aunt and is forced to marry a repulsive man named Jan. The aunt dies after the wedding and Kelly refuses to live with him, instead becoming the madam of her aunt's brothel. Her extravagances and style earn her the name "Queen Kelly".
Alternate ending: Kelly dies in despair after her humiliation at the hands of the Queen. Wolfram, contrite, visits her body.
The production of the costly film was shut down after complaints by Swanson about the direction the film was taking. Though the European scenes were full of innuendo, and featured a philandering prince and a sex-crazed queen, the scenes set in Africa were grim and, Swanson felt, distasteful. In later interviews, Swanson had claimed that she had been misled by the script which referred to her character arriving in, and taking over, a dance hall; looking at the rushes, it was obvious the 'dance hall' was actually a brothel.
...
Wikipedia