| ~The Big City~ 1928 |
| ~346-22: Lon Chaney~ |
| ~346-83: Betty Compson & Lon Chaney~ |
| ~346-187: Lon Chaney & Marceline Day~ |
| ~Plot Synopsis~ |
The Big City was perhaps the most "normal" of the Lon Chaney-Tod Browning collaborations. Minus
makeup, Chaney plays gangster boss Chuck Collins, who despite his ruthlessness is a basically decent
fellow. Collins is plagued by a rival gang, led by deceptively boyish Curly (James Murray), who has been
stealing jewelry from the rich and famous. Our "hero" tricks the other crooks into turning the gems over
to him, intending to use them for his own profit (he throws the cops off track by hiding jewels in a plate
of spaghetti!) But sweet heroine Sunshine (Marceline Day) eventually persuades Collins and his cohorts
to turn honest. Betty Compson, who'd co-starred with Chaney in his breakthrough picture The Miracle
Man, provides romantic contrast as Collins' hard-bitten gun moll. Director Browning had hoped to
capture the "flavor" of Manhattan night life by hiring entertainer Sophie Tucker for a guest spot, but
negotiations fell apart when Tucker demanded an impossibly high sum for her services. As it turned out,
Chaney's star-power enabled Big City to score a box-office success to the tune of $387,000 in profits.
Plot Synopsis by Hal Erickson, AllMovie.com
makeup, Chaney plays gangster boss Chuck Collins, who despite his ruthlessness is a basically decent
fellow. Collins is plagued by a rival gang, led by deceptively boyish Curly (James Murray), who has been
stealing jewelry from the rich and famous. Our "hero" tricks the other crooks into turning the gems over
to him, intending to use them for his own profit (he throws the cops off track by hiding jewels in a plate
of spaghetti!) But sweet heroine Sunshine (Marceline Day) eventually persuades Collins and his cohorts
to turn honest. Betty Compson, who'd co-starred with Chaney in his breakthrough picture The Miracle
Man, provides romantic contrast as Collins' hard-bitten gun moll. Director Browning had hoped to
capture the "flavor" of Manhattan night life by hiring entertainer Sophie Tucker for a guest spot, but
negotiations fell apart when Tucker demanded an impossibly high sum for her services. As it turned out,
Chaney's star-power enabled Big City to score a box-office success to the tune of $387,000 in profits.
Plot Synopsis by Hal Erickson, AllMovie.com
| Directed, Story and Scenario by: Tod Browning |
| ~Cast~ Lon Chaney ... Chuck Collins Marceline Day ... Sunshine James Murray ... Curly Betty Compson ... Helen Matthew Betz ... Red John George ... The Arab Virginia Pearson ... Tennessee Walter Percival ... Grogan Lew Short ... O'Hara Eddie Sturgis ... Blinkie Alfred Allen ... Policeman (uncredited) Dolores Brinkman ... Dancer (uncredited) Nora Cecil ... Landlady (uncredited) Clinton Lyle ... Gangster (uncredited) Della Peterson ... Dancer (uncredited) George Reed ... Black Waiter (uncredited) Frank Finch Smiles ... Sunshine's Father (uncredited) Betty Westmore ... Dancer (uncredited) |
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| ~346-213: Lon Chaney & Marceline Day~ |
| ~346-82: James Murray & Marceline Day~ |
| ~346-212: Marceline Day & James Murray~ |
| ~Remaining Credits~ Produced & Released by: Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Cinematography by: Henry Sharp Film Editing by: Harry Reynolds Costume Design by: Lucia Coulter Assistant Director: Harry Sharrock Length: 8 Reels Runtime: 70 Minutes Released: March 24, 1928 Filmed at Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios 10202 W. Washington Blvd., Culver City, California, USA |
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