The Devil's Pass Key

The Devil's Pass Key (or The Devil's Passkey) was a 1920 silent drama film directed by Erich von Stroheim.^[1][2][3][4]

The film was produced by Universal Pictures and distributed under their Jewel banner.^[3] The film was von Stroheim's second directorial effort,^[5] and considered one of best screen exhibitions of August 1920,^[6][7] with The New York Times later calling it "One of the best photodramatic productions of the year".^[8] The production was shot from September 1919 through December 1919 and premiered on 8 August 1920 at the Capitol Theatre in New York City, New York.

Plot

Grace Goodright (Una Trevelyn) is the wife of Warren Goodright (Sam de Grasse), an American playwright living in Paris. Grace is living beyond her means and owes dressmaker Renee Malot (Maude George) money.

Malot suggests that Grace contact American army officer Captain Rex Strong (Clyde Fillmore) who might be able to assist her financially. Rex offers Grace a loan, but only if she grants him sexual favors. Grace refuses, and Malot, angered at losing an opportunity for money, attempts unsuccessfully to blackmail Grace.

Cast

• Sam de Grasse as Warren Goodright
• Mae Busch as La Belle Odera
• Maude George as Renee Malot
• Leo White as Amadeus Malot
• Jack Mathis as Count De Trouvere
• Albert Edmondson as Alphonse Marior
• Una Trevelyn as Grace Goodright
• Clyde Fillmore as Captain Rex Strong
• Ruth King as Yvonne Strong
• Edward Reinach as Director of Theatre Français

Preservation status

In 1941, it was discovered that the original nitrate negative had decomposed in the Universal film vaults, and the film is today famous as a lost film. A story in The Hollywood Reporter, international edition, dated 12 November 1993, stated that this film would be shown at the 1994 Berlin Film Festival — a film previously thought to be lost. As of July 2015, the validity of this has not yet been proven.^[4][9] Because this film has been lost for so long, historians often omit it when discussing or writing about the canon of von Stroheim's film work.

Una Trevelyn in the production.

See also

• List of lost films

References

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1. 1 2 3 4 "The Screen: The Devil's Pass Key". The New York Times (The New York Times archives). August 9, 1920. Retrieved 27 November 2010. 
2. 1 2 3 4 "Noticed and Noted". The New York Times. September 5, 1920. Retrieved 27 November 2010. 
3. 1 2 3 4 5 Koszarski, Richard (1983). The Man You Loved to Hate: Erich von Stroheim and Hollywood. Oxford University Press. p. 46. ISBN 0-19-503239-X. 
4. 1 2 3 4 5 Lennig, Arthur (2003). Stroheim (2, illustrated ed.). University Press of Kentucky. ISBN 0813190444. 
5. 1 2 3 4 Georges Sadoul, Peter Morris (1972). Peter Morris, ed. Dictionary of Film Makers. University of California Press. p. 224. ISBN 0520021517. 
6. 1 2 3 4 Slide, Anthony (1982). Anthony Slide, ed. Selected Film Criticism: 1912-1920. G - Reference, Information and Interdisciplinary Subjects Series (revised, illustrated ed.). Scarecrow Press. pp. 71, 72. ISBN 0810815257. 
7. 1 2 3 4 Koszarski, Richard (1977). The Unknown Cinema of Erich von Stroheim: Reconstruction and Analysis of The Devil's Pass Key, Queen Kelly and Walking Down Broadway. New York University. pp. 93 through 105. 
8. 1 2 3 4 "Screen: People and Plays". The New York Times. January 2, 1921. Retrieved 27 November 2010. 
9. ↑ Progressive Silent Film List: The Devil's Pass Key at SilentEra.com

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to The Devil's Pass Key.

• The Devil's Pass Key at the Internet Movie Database
• The Devil's Pass Key at the TCM Movie Database
• The Devil's Pass Key at American Movie Classics
• The Devil's Pass Key at SilentEra
• Lantern slide plate for the film