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| ~When Knighthood Was In Flower~ 1922 |
| ~35-130Marion Davies & Lyn Harding~ |
| ~Plot Synopsis~ |
Film critics (at least those who weren't employed by the Hearst Corporation) frequently complained
about the amount of money newspaper magnate and motion picture producer William Randolph Hearst
spent on the pictures starring his companion Marion Davies. When it came to this historical adventure,
they certainly had fodder to lambaste the film; it cost 1.5 million dollars, a real fortune in 1922 cash. But
in spite of the over-inflated budget, critics had to admit that even at a lengthy 12 reels, this was solid
entertainment -- and Davies was good in it. The picture was based on the novel by Charles Major, and
what it lacked in historical accuracy it certainly made up for in the sumptuous Joseph Urban sets. Mary
Tudor (Davies), the younger sister of King Henry VIII (Lyn Harding), falls in love with commoner Charles
Brandon (Forrest Stanley). There are other plans for Mary, however; she is supposed to make a
politically strategic marriage to the elderly King Louis XII of France (William Norris). Brandon is framed
for murder, but Mary, disguised as a boy, helps him to escape. Henry tracks down his sister and her lover
at a Bristol Inn, and Mary agrees to wed the French king if Brandon's life is spared. After Brandon is
exiled, Mary goes ahead with the wedding, but King Louis, in his attempt to prove he is lively enough for
such a pretty young bride, drops dead. His nephew and heir to the throne, Francis (William Powell, in his
first really important film role), wants to wed Mary, but Brandon comes to the rescue. When Henry
discovers that his sister and Brandon have married, he remarks, "I should have consented in the first
place, and saved us all this trouble." The Hearst machine used the film's great expense as a promotional
device, and this won the criticism of one newspaper writer, who felt that Davies' talent stood on her own.
Instead of being incensed, Hearst was pleased that Davies was so passionately supported, and he hired
the reporter, Louella Parsons.
Plot Synopsis by Janiss Garza, AllMovie.com
about the amount of money newspaper magnate and motion picture producer William Randolph Hearst
spent on the pictures starring his companion Marion Davies. When it came to this historical adventure,
they certainly had fodder to lambaste the film; it cost 1.5 million dollars, a real fortune in 1922 cash. But
in spite of the over-inflated budget, critics had to admit that even at a lengthy 12 reels, this was solid
entertainment -- and Davies was good in it. The picture was based on the novel by Charles Major, and
what it lacked in historical accuracy it certainly made up for in the sumptuous Joseph Urban sets. Mary
Tudor (Davies), the younger sister of King Henry VIII (Lyn Harding), falls in love with commoner Charles
Brandon (Forrest Stanley). There are other plans for Mary, however; she is supposed to make a
politically strategic marriage to the elderly King Louis XII of France (William Norris). Brandon is framed
for murder, but Mary, disguised as a boy, helps him to escape. Henry tracks down his sister and her lover
at a Bristol Inn, and Mary agrees to wed the French king if Brandon's life is spared. After Brandon is
exiled, Mary goes ahead with the wedding, but King Louis, in his attempt to prove he is lively enough for
such a pretty young bride, drops dead. His nephew and heir to the throne, Francis (William Powell, in his
first really important film role), wants to wed Mary, but Brandon comes to the rescue. When Henry
discovers that his sister and Brandon have married, he remarks, "I should have consented in the first
place, and saved us all this trouble." The Hearst machine used the film's great expense as a promotional
device, and this won the criticism of one newspaper writer, who felt that Davies' talent stood on her own.
Instead of being incensed, Hearst was pleased that Davies was so passionately supported, and he hired
the reporter, Louella Parsons.
Plot Synopsis by Janiss Garza, AllMovie.com
| Directed by: Robert G. Vignola Written by: William LeBaron - writer Luther Reed - adaptation Based on the novel by Charles Major. |
| ~Cast~ Marion Davies ... Mary Tudor Forrest Stanley ... Charles Brandon Lyn Harding ... Henry VIII Theresa Maxwell Conover ... Queen Catherine Pedro de Cordoba ... Duke of Buckingham Ruth Shepley ... Lady Jane Bolingbroke Ernest Glendinning ... Sir Edwin Caskoden Arthur Forrest ... Cardinal Wolsey Johnny Dooley ... Will Sommers William Kent ... King's tailor Charles K. Gerrard ... Sir Adam Judson (as Charles Gerard) Arthur Donaldson ... Sir Henry Brandon Downing Clarke ... Lord Chamberlain William Norris ... Louis XII Macey Harlam ... Duc de Longueville William Powell ... Francis I (as William H. Powell) George Nash ... An adventurer Gustav von Seyffertitz ... Grammont Paul Panzer ... Captain of the Guard Guy Coombs ... Follower of Buckingham Betty Brown ... Extra (uncredited) Flora Finch ... French countess (uncredited) Black Diamond the Horse ... (uncredited) Winchester the Horse ... (uncredited) George Ogle ... (uncredited) Dorothy Portingall ... (uncredited) Andrew Quirk ... Courtier (uncredited) Mortimer Snow ... (uncredited) |
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| ~35-47: Forrest Stanley & Marion Davies~ |
| ~Remaining Credits~ Produced by: Cosmopolitan Productions Distributed by: Paramount Pictures Music by: William Frederick Peters Cinematography by: Ira H. Morgan & Harold Wenstrom Art Direction/Set Direction: Joseph Urban Costume by: Gretl Urban Thurlow Assistant Director: Philip Carle Props and Sculptor: Arthur Scanlon Special Effects by: Harry Redmond Sr. Fencing Supervisor: James Murray Length: 12 Reels Runtime: 120 Minutes Released: September 15, 1922 Filmed in: Windsor Castle, Windsor, Berkshire, England, UK (castle exteriors) Paramount Studios, Astoria, Queens, New York City, New York, USA (studio) Jackson Studio - 723 Forrest Avenue, Bronx, New York City, New York, USA (studio) Cosmopolitan-International Studios - 127th Street, East Harlem, Manhattan, New York City, New York, USA (studio) |