Beverly of Graustark

Beverly of Graustark
Beverly of Graustark
	Lobby card
Directed by	Sidney Franklin
Written by	Agnes Christine Johnston (scenario); Joseph W. Farnham (titles)
Based on	Beverly of Graustark; by George Barr McCutcheon
Starring	Marion Davies; Antonio Moreno; Creighton Hale
Cinematography	Percy Hilburn (*French)
Edited by	Frank E. Hull
Distributed by	Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer
Release date	April 19, 1926 (U.S.);
Running time	70 minutes
Country	United States
Language	Silent (English intertitles)
Budget	$399,000

Beverly of Graustark is a 1926 American silent romantic comedy film directed by Sidney Franklin and starring Marion Davies, Antonio Moreno, and Creighton Hale. The film's screenplay was written by Agnes Christine Johnston based on the novel by George Barr McCutcheon, and set on the fictional land of Graustark. The film features a final sequence in Technicolor. It was the first film by Sidney Franklin for MGM.^[2]^[3]

The story was filmed before in 1914 by the Biograph Company.

Copies of the film are held at Turner Broadcasting and the Library of Congress.^[4]

Premise[]

Beverly Calhoun (Davies) impersonates the Prince of Graustark to claim his birthright while he recovers from a skiing injury. In the meantime, she falls for her bodyguard Dantan (Moreno).

Cast[]

Marion Davies as Beverly Calhoun
Antonio Moreno as Dantan
Creighton Hale as Prince Oscar
Roy D'Arcy as General Marlanax
Albert Gran as Duke Travina
Paulette Duval as Carlotta
Max Barwyn as Saranoff
Charles Clary as Mr. Calhoun

Production[]

In her 22nd film, Marion Davies starred in yet another dual role as the American Beverly Calhoun who masquerades as her cousin Oscar, who happens to be the Prince of Graustark, a small European monarchy. This was the second time that Davies masqueraded as a male (see Little Old New York), and critics and audiences applauded the effort. The film is often cited as Davies' most profitable film because of low production costs and big box office. The only problem in filming was Davies' 10-day bout with the flu. This was her first teaming with Antonio Moreno, who played the royal bodyguard. The film boasted a 2-strip Technicolor finale (which survives). Davies' severe haircut, dubbed the "Beverly Bob," caused a fashion craze.^[5]

References[]

^ Slide, Anthony. Silent Topics: Essays on Undocumented Areas of Silent Film. Scarecrow Press. p 26
^ "Beverly of Graustark at". Silentera.com. Retrieved December 4, 2013.
^ The American Film Institute Catalog Feature Films: 1921-30 by The American Film Institute, c.1971
^ Catalog of Holdings at The American Film Institute Collection and The United Artist Collections at The Library of Congress by The American Film Institute, c.1978
^ (2017) The Silent Films of Marion Davies, CreateSpace, pp. 119-120.

External links[]

Beverly of Graustark at IMDb
Synopsis at AllMovie
Still of Hale and Davies (Univiversity of Washington, Sayre collection)

[1] Slide, Anthony. Silent Topics: Essays on Undocumented Areas of Silent Film. Scarecrow Press. p 26

[2] "Beverly of Graustark at". Silentera.com. Retrieved December 4, 2013.

[3] The American Film Institute Catalog Feature Films: 1921-30 by The American Film Institute, c.1971

[4] Catalog of Holdings at The American Film Institute Collection and The United Artist Collections at The Library of Congress by The American Film Institute, c.1978

[5] (2017) The Silent Films of Marion Davies, CreateSpace, pp. 119-120.

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