Nell Gwyn | |
---|---|
Directed by | Herbert Wilcox |
Produced by | Herbert Wilcox |
Written by |
Marjorie Bowen (novel) Herbert Wilcox |
Starring |
Dorothy Gish Randle Ayrton Juliette Compton Sydney Fairbrother |
Cinematography | Roy F. Overbaugh |
Edited by | William Hamilton |
Production
company |
British National Pictures
|
Distributed by | First National Film Distributors Paramount Pictures (US) |
Release date
|
18 July 1926 (US) |
Running time
|
80 minutes |
Country | United Kingdom |
Language | English |
Nell Gwyn is a 1926 British romance film directed by Herbert Wilcox and starring Dorothy Gish, Randle Ayrton and Juliette Compton. It was based on the 1926 novel Mistress Nell Gwyn by Marjorie Bowen and follows the life of Nell Gwynne the mistress of Charles II. Wilcox later made a second version of the film in 1934 Nell Gwynn which starred Anna Neagle.
The New York Times wrote, "Whatever may be the shortcomings of English motion picture producers. If they can put together other pictures as simply and with as much dramatic effect as this story of Nell Gwyn they should have no difficulty obtaining a showing for them anywhere. The story moves quickly and surely, with nothing to strain one's credulity, and the acting of Miss Gish and Randie Ayrton, who takes the part of Charles, is excellent. So is that of Juliette Compton as Lady Castlemaine. The immorality of the period is suggested without being offensive, and for the second time this Summer a good picture has not been spoiled by prudery. The titles are unusually good and frequently amusing, that dear old gossip Pepys being resorted to for purposes of verisimilitude."