The Merry Widow, 1925

~The Merry Widow~
1925

~Mae Murray & John Gilbert~

~Plot Synopsis~

Prince Danilo (John Gilbert) and Crown Prince Mirko (Roy D'Arcy) of the Kingdom of Monteblanco
meet Sally O'Hara (Mae Murray), a follies girl on tour, and both seek to win her favor. Favoring
Danilo, Sally accepts his proposal to dinner, and he does his charming best to seduce her. Mirko finds
them in a compromising situation, and Danilo, overcome by genuine love for Sally, announces his
intention of making her his wife. The king and queen prevent the marriage, and Sally, believing that
Danilo has jilted her, spitefully marries Baron Sadoja (Tully Marshall), the richest man in the
kingdom. The Baron dies of excitement on their wedding night, and Sally goes to Paris, where she
becomes known as "The Merry Widow." Mirko later follows her there with the intention of seeking
her hand and fortune in marriage. Danilo goes also, and Sally agrees to marry Mirko to further
torment him. Danilo strikes Mirko, and a duel is arranged. Believing that Sally loves Mirko, Danilo
allows the crown prince to shoot him. Danilo is only wounded, however, and discovers then that Sally
loves him still. The king dies, the crown prince is assassinated, and Danilo becomes king, taking Sally
as his queen.

Plot Synopsis from afi.com

Directed by: Erich von Stroheim

Written by:
Erich von Stroheim - screenplay
Benjamin Glazer - screenplay
Victor Léon - libretto
Marian Ainslee - titles

Based on the operetta Die lustige witwe , music by Franz Lehar, book and
lyrics by Victor Leon and Leo Stein (Vienna, 28 Dec 1905).

~Cast~

Mae Murray ... Sally O'Hara
John Gilbert ... Prince Danilo Petrovich
Roy D'Arcy ... Crown Prince Mirko
Josephine Crowell ... Queen Milena
George Fawcett ... King Nikita I
Tully Marshall ... Baron Sixtus Sadoja
Edward Connelly ... Baron Popoff (ambassador)
Helen Howard Beaumont ... Chorus girl (uncredited)
Gertrude Bennett ... Hard-Boiled Virginia (uncredited)
Bernard Berger ... Boy (uncredited)
Sidney Bracey ... Danilo's footman (uncredited)
Estelle Clark ... French barber (uncredited)
Albert Conti ... Danilo's adjutant (uncredited)
D'Arcy Corrigan ... Horatio (uncredited)
Joan Crawford ... Ballroom Extra (uncredited)
Xavier Cugat ... Orchestra leader (uncredited)
Anielka Elter ... Blindfolded musician (uncredited)
Dale Fuller ... Sadoja's chambermaid (uncredited)
Clark Gable ... Ballroom Extra (uncredited)
Jacqueline Gadsden ... Madonna (uncredited)
Louise Hughes ... Chorus girl (uncredited)
Irene ... Ballroom Extra (uncredited)
Harvey Karels ... Jimmy Watson (uncredited)
Hughie Mack ... Innkeeper (uncredited)
Charles Magelis ... Flo Epstein (uncredited)
Anna Maynard ... Chorus girl (uncredited)
Ida Moore ... Innkeeper's wife (uncredited)
George Nichols ... Doorkeeper (uncredited)
Beatrice O'Brien ... Chorus girl (uncredited)
Walter Plunkett ... Ballroom Extra (uncredited)
Lon Poff ... Sadoja's lackey (uncredited)
Eugene Pouyet ... Francois (uncredited)
Frances Primm ... Hansen Sister (uncredited)
Oscar Rudolph ... Boy (uncredited)
Don Ryan ... Mirko's adjutant (uncredited)
Rolfe Sedan ... Waiter at Maxim's (uncredited)
Carolynne Snowden ... Black dancer (uncredited)
Merewyn Thayer ... Baroness Popoff (ambassador's wife) (uncredited)
Edna Tichenor ... Dopey Marie (uncredited)
Ellinor Vanderveer ... Ballroom Extra (uncredited)
Lucille Van Lent ... Innkeeper's daughter (uncredited)
Wilhelm von Brincken ... Danilo's aide-de-camp (uncredited)
Clara Wallacks ... Hansen sister (uncredited)
Zack Williams ... George Washington White (uncredited)
Zalla Zarana ... Frenchie Christine (uncredited)

~208-273: Roy D'Arcy, Mae Murray & John Gilbert~

~Remaining Credits~

Produced & Released by: MGM

Producer: Erich von Stroheim
Producer: Irving Thalberg
Cinematography by: Oliver T. Marsh, William H. Daniels, Ray Rennahan & Ben F. Reynolds
Film Editing by: Frank E. Hull & Margaret Booth
Costume Design by: Richard Day & Erich von Stroheim
Assistant Directors: Louis Germonprez & Edward Sowders
Sets: Richard Day & Cedric Gibbons
Assistant Camera: Cliff Shirpser
Composer: music themes (from operetta "Die lustige Witwe" ): Franz Lehár
Music Arranger: William Axt
Orchestrator: Maurice Baron
Music Arranger: David Mendoza
Choreographer: Ernest Belcher

Length: 10 Reels
Runtime: 137 Minutes
Released: January 1925