Mary of the Movies

Mary of the Movies is a 1923 American silent semi-autobiographical comedy[7] film based on the career of Marion Mack.[3] It was written by Mack[3] and her husband Louis Lewyn,[2] and stars Mack and Creighton Hale.[1] Hale and director John McDermott play fictionalized versions of themselves in the film, which was also directed by McDermott.

Mary of the Movies
Lobby card
Directed byJohn McDermott[1]
Story by
Produced by
  • Louis Lewyn
  • Jack Cohen[1]
Starring
Cinematography
Production
company
Distributed byFilm Booking Offices[1]
Release date
  • May 22, 1923 (1923-05-22) (U.S.)[1]
Running time
6[5] or 7[6] reels;
6,449[2] or 6,500[1] feet
LanguageSilent (English intertitles)

It was produced by the CBC Film Sales Corporation (which would later become Columbia Pictures) and distributed by Film Booking Offices.[1] A partial print of the film exists in Ngā Taonga Sound & Vision.[7]

Production

It was shot at Sunset Gower Studios.

Plot

Mary (Mack), a country girl, moves to Hollywood to become a star, and earn money to pay for her brother's operation. She meets many famous stars, but has difficulty getting work. Finally, she gets a break when her resemblance to a star leads to her being cast in a film.[1][2]

Cast
Principals
  • Marion Mack as Mary, the girl[2][8]
  • Florence Lee as her mother
  • Mary Kane as her sister
  • Jack Perrin as Jack, her brother
  • Harry Cornelli as "Lait" Mayle, the postman
  • John Geough as Reel S. Tate, the squire
  • Raymond Cannon as Oswald Tate, his son
  • Ray Hanford as the old man
  • Rosemary Cooper as Jane, the extra girl
  • Creighton Hale as himself, the boy
  • Francis McDonald as James Seiler, a salesman
  • Henry Burrows as the producer
  • John McDermott as the director
Celebrity cameos

Reception

The film received good reviews, and did well at the box office.[6][5][9] It was deemed better than a similar film released the same year, Hollywood.[5]

Preservation and status

An incomplete copy of the film is held at the University of California, Los Angeles from a print sent from the New Zealand Film Archive.[10]

References
  1. Motion Picture News Booking Guide. Vol. 5. New York, Motion Picture News. October 1923. p. 36.
  2. J.M.D. (June 2, 1923). "The Showman's Guide". Exhibitors Trade Review. Vol. 14, no. 1. p. 34.
  3. Rohauer, Raymond. "Interview with Marion Mack" (PDF).
  4. Love, Bessie (1977). From Hollywood with Love: An Autobiography of Bessie Love. London: Elm Tree Books. p. 151. OCLC 734075937.
  5. Royster, M. (April 19, 1924). "What the Picture Did for Me". Exhibitors Herald. p. 59. Good picture. My patrons liked this very much. Some said it was better than 'Hollywood.' It sure drew well for me. Six reels.
  6. Hopkins, C.E. (April 5, 1924). "What the Picture Did for Me". Exhibitors Herald. p. 49. This drew a fairly good audience and our folks considered it good entertainment. Seven reels.
  7. Kehr, Dave (June 7, 2010). "Trove of Long-Lost Silent Films Returns to America". The New York Times. Retrieved February 20, 2015.
  8. Munden, Kenneth W., ed. (1971). The American Film Institute Catalog of Motion Pictures Produced in the United States: Feature Films 1921–1930. New York: R.R. Bowker Company. p. 496. ISBN 9780520215214. OCLC 664500075.
  9. Niles, Clifford L. (March 29, 1924). "What the Picture Did for Me". Exhibitors Herald. p. 61. A good business getter and sent them home pleased. Don't be afraid of this; it will make you money.
  10. The Library of Congress/FIAF American Silent Feature Film Survival Catalog:Mary Of The Movies
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