Old Ironsides (film)
| Old Ironsides | |
|---|---|
 Film poster | |
| Directed by | James Cruze |
| Written by | Dorothy Arzner Harry Carr Walter Woods (scenario) Rupert Hughes (intertitles) |
| Starring | Charles Farrell Esther Ralston Wallace Beery George Bancroft |
| Cinematography | Alfred Gilks |
| Music by | Hugo Riesenfeld J. S. Zamecnik |
| Distributed by | Paramount Pictures |
Release date |
|
Running time | 111 minutes |
| Country | United States |
| Languages | Silent English intertitles |
| Box office | $1,100,000 (U.S. rentals)[1] |
Old Ironsides (1926) is a silent film starring Charles Farrell, Esther Ralston, Wallace Beery, and George Bancroft.[2]
Plot[]
Early in the 19th century, USS Constitution is launched as part of an effort to stop piracy in the Mediterranean Sea. Meanwhile, a young man determined to go to sea (Farrell) is befriended by the bos'n (Beery) of the merchant ship Esther, and he joins its crew. When Esther reaches the Mediterranean, she too, along with Constitution, becomes involved in the battle against the pirates.
Cast[]
- Charles Farrell as "The Commodore"
- Esther Ralston as Esther
- Wallace Beery as Bos'n
- George Bancroft as Gunner
- Charles Hill Mailes as Captain Preble
- Johnnie Walker as Lieutenant Stephen Decatur (billed as Johnny Walker)
- Eddie Fetherston as Lieutenant Somers
- George Godfrey as The Cook
- William Conklin as Esther's Father
- Nick De Ruiz as The Bashaw
- Effie Ellsler as Esther's Mother
- Frank Jonasson as Pirate Captain
- Duke Kahanamoku as Pirate Captain
- Boris Karloff as A Saracen Guard
- Fred Kohler as Second Mate
Gary Cooper was in the film as an extra.[3]
Production background[]
The movie was directed by James Cruze in a widescreen process that Paramount promoted as "Magnascope".[4] This process was used to heighten the visual effects in specific points in the film by switching to a larger "widescreen" thus enhancing the visual drama of the feature. It was reported that at the premiere of Old Ironsides the audience "stood up and cheered" when the Magnascope was activated.[5]
This lavish oceangoing epic features battle scenes with sailing ships and pirates; Beery would revisit the genre and play Long John Silver in Treasure Island eight years later.
Box office receipts from the premiere at the Rialto Theater went to the USS Constitution restoration fund.
Production[]
- The Maine-built ship, Llewellyn J. Morse, was refitted as USS Constitution.
- A real 1886 ship, S. N. Castle was burned and sunk for the film off of Catalina Island.[6]
- A closeup of a tattoo on George Bancroft's arm reveals that his character's name is also "G. Bancroft".
Availability[]
Paramount Studios released a VHS video tape edition in 1987.
The Museum of Modern Art in New York City exhibited a restored 35mm print of the film in December 2008.
See also[]
References[]
- ^ "All-Time Film Rental Champs". Variety. October 15, 1990. p. M150.
- ^ "Progressive Silent Film List: Old Ironsides". Silent Era. Retrieved April 6, 2008.
- ^ Dickens, Homer (1970). The Films of Gary Cooper. Citadel Press. pp. 22–24. ISBN 0-8065-0279-7.
- ^ Coles, David. "Magnified Grandeur, Widescreen 1926-1931". Retrieved August 17, 2012.
- ^ Westphal, Kyle. ""Enhanced in Entertainment Value By About 25% (In Our Estimation)": An Enlarged History of Magnascope | Chicago Film Society". Retrieved June 6, 2021.
- ^ Old Ironsides at IMDb
External links[]
- Old Ironsides at IMDb
- synopsis at AllMovie
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- 1926 films
- 1920s war drama films
- War epic films
- War of 1812 films
- Seafaring films
- American films
- American silent feature films
- American black-and-white films
- Paramount Pictures films
- Films directed by James Cruze
- American historical drama films
- 1920s historical drama films
- Films set in the Mediterranean Sea
- American war drama films
- 1926 drama films
- Silent drama film stubs
- 1920s American film stubs