Queen Kelly

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Queen Kelly

Directed by	Erich von Stroheim Sam Wood (uncredited)
Produced by	Eric von Stroheim Gloria Swanson
Written by	Erich von Stroheim Marion Ainslee (titles)
Starring	Gloria Swanson Walter Byron, Seena Owen
Music by	Adolph Tandler
Distributed by	Kino Video
Release date(s)	1929
Running time	101 minutes
Language	Silent film English intertitles
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Queen Kelly is the title of an American silent film produced in 1928-29 and released in 1929.

The film was directed by Erich von Stroheim and starred Gloria Swanson in the title role.

1 Plot
2 Production
3 Reception
4 Reconstruction and Restoration
5 Trivia
6 See also
7 References
8 External Links

[edit] Plot

Spoiler warning: Plot and/or ending details follow.

Prince Wolfram is to be married to the mad Queen Regina V. On duty as punishment for partying with other women, he sees Kelly walking with the other students of a convent. He is dazzled by her beauty and wants her. He takes her that night from the convent to his room and claims his love for her. When the Queen finds them together the next morning, she whips Kelly and throws her out of the castle. Regina puts Wolfram into prison for not wanting to marry her. Kelly goes to Africa to visit her dying aunt and is forced to marry a disgusting old man, Jan, as it was her aunt's dying wish. The aunt dies shortly after the wedding. Kelly refuses to live with Jan and becomes the head of the aunts' brothel. Her luxuries and style earn her the name 'Queen Kelly' and Prince Wolfram does not marry Queen Regina V.^[1]

Spoilers end here.

[edit] Production

The production proved to be very difficult. Von Stroheim had filmed more than four hours worth of film, with much of the story remaining to be filmed, when Swanson, upset by his filming methods, had producer Joseph P. Kennedy fire von Stroheim and halt production. Additional footage was filmed under Swanson's supervision at different times by Richard Boleslawski, Edmund Goulding, and Sam Wood. Some additional scenes were directed by Swanson herself.

[edit] Reception

Queen Kelly was widely publicized during its production due to its elaborate sets and high production values. The new version was not successful with film critics or the viewing public. Von Stroheim's career was virtually ruined by the event, with Hollywood producers viewing him as undisciplined. Swanson's own career was severely damaged by the enterprise. She had new scenes filmed in 1932 which provided some conclusion to some of the storylines, and this new version was released in 1933, outside the U.S. only, due to Swanson's contract with von Stroheim. This version also failed to find an audience.

The film has been reassessed by some modern critics who consider that it contains some of von Stroheim's most striking work.

[edit] Reconstruction and Restoration

Reconstructions of the film, beginning in 1984, have included still photographs from unfilmed sequences, together with previously removed footage, to approximate the film as originally envisioned by von Stroheim.^[2]

[edit] Trivia

Scenes from the film are shown in Sunset Boulevard being watched by Gloria Swanson as Norma Desmond, and von Stroheim playing her former husband/director, now her butler. Reportedly, von Stroheim suggested using the footage, with his great sense of irony. The film was depicted as having been one of Norma Desmond's great successes.

According to crew members, the girls who accompany Wolfram to the palace gates were played by real prostitutes from one of the best brothels in Hollywood.

When Tully Marshall dribbled tobacco juice on Gloria Swanson's hand during the wedding sequence and explained that director Erich von Stroheim ordered him to do it, it was the final straw. She called Joseph P. Kennedy and demanded that Erich von Stroheim be fired, and he was, effectively shutting down the production.^[3]