The Patsy
(Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, US, 1928)
Dir.: King Vidor; scen.: Barry Conners, Agnes Christine Johnston, Ralph Spence; cast: Marion Davies (Patricia Harrington), Orville Caldwell (Tony Anderson), Marie Dressler (Ma Harrington), Lawrence Gray (Billy Caldwell), Dell Henderson (Pa Harrington), Jane Winton (Grace Harrington); 35 mm, 84’ (22 fps), black and white; intertitle/subtitle language: EN/PL; source: Warner Bros. Pictures International.
Orson Welles belatedly apologised for his cruel depiction of Susan Alexander as a shrieking ignoramus in ”Citizen Kane”, but can such damage ever be undone? Marion Davies has remained a laughing stock ever since – the irony being that she was in reality one of the finest comediennes Hollywood ever produced. But who can forget that she was also mistress to William Randolph Hearst? And so her memory is clouded by myth.
Take the long-surviving legend that Hearst, jealous of an affair Marion was having with Chaplin, shot at the great comedian during a party aboard his yacht, but hit Thomas Ince instead. If Hearst had wanted Chaplin killed, would he carry out the act in person? Would he ask him to play in his production of ”Show People” (1928)? And what about that home movie showing all three romping on the beach at Santa Monica? I rest my case.
Hearst and Marion Davies had a relationship lasting thirty-five years and Marion remained loyal in her fashion. Hearst put a studio at her disposal. His reign as her producer lasted twenty years. He loved to see her in historical epics. Critics quickly realised that light comedy was her forte but it took ages before Hearst was persuaded to allow her to play in full-length comedies rather than brief sequences. Even when he realised how well audiences responded to her comedies – Vidor’s trio ”The Patsy”, ”Show People” and ”Not So Dumb” (1930) were the high point of her career – he was reluctant to change.
Hearst hired Roscoe Arbuckle to direct ”The Red Mill”. With the rushes not up to standard, King Vidor was brought in. Marion loved his ”Big Parade” – it was her favourite film of all time – and the combination was so successful Vidor stayed on to direct the other comedies.
”The Patsy” is a superb example of how a play can be transferred to the screen without one being aware of its origins. But sound had arrived the year before. You would think that film-makers would struggle to reduce the titles, whereas so often the opposite happened. There are a hail of titles in ”The Patsy”, most of which, luckily, are very funny – they were the work of the top title-writer of the day, Ralph Spence, although he had a Connors play to provide extra ammunition. Admittedly, one of the best ever made, this is a silent talkie.
“After two or three reels of this one”, said “Photoplay”, “the director tossed away his script – maybe his megaphone too – and turned the picture over to Marion Davies. Which was a very smart thing to do, for when Marion cuts loose with clowning the result is that sort of comedy which reflects its results in crowded theaters”. Incidentally, Charlie Chaplin voted ”The Patsy” the best film of the year.
Kevin Brownlow
Sun, Apr 22 | 8pm | Kino Iluzjon
music: Gaba Kulka