McFadden's Flats

McFadden's Flats
Film poster
Directed by	Richard Wallace
Produced by	Edward Small
Based on	play McFadden's Row of Flats by Gus Hill
Starring	Charlie Murray Chester Conklin
Cinematography	Arthur Edeson
Production company	Asher Small & Rogers
Distributed by	First National
Release date	1927
Running time	80 min.
Country	United States
Language	Silent
Box office	over $1 million

McFadden's Flats is a 1927 silent film based on an 1896 play.

McFadden's Flats has held a unique place in the hearts of theatregoers for more than thirty years", said Small in 1926. "But even this story requires changes and elaboration before it can be placed before screen audiences. This is partly due to the fact that the camera permits a visualisation of situations that could only be suggested on the stage."

In addition the villainy present in the original play was downplayed. Small:

The substitution of many laughs must have made up for the lack of villainy. Newer productions are proving that audiences the world over want to laugh, and that they don't mind if the usual rules of production are overlooked in the finding of those laughs. Successful entertainment of the future will run more and more to humour than sobs, and money will be emended for ideas rather than lavish settings.

Grant Clarke and Jack Wagner wrote three new comedy sequences for the movie which saw its shooting schedule extended from ten days to two weeks.

The film was very popular.