McFadden's Flats is a 1927 American silent comedy film directed by Richard Wallace and based on an 1896 play of the same name.[3][4][5]
| McFadden's Flats | |
|---|---|
_lobby_poster.jpg) Film poster | |
| Directed by | Richard Wallace |
| Based on | McFadden's Row of Flats by Gus Hill |
| Produced by | Edward Small |
| Starring | Charlie Murray Chester Conklin |
| Cinematography | Arthur Edeson |
Production company | Asher Small & Rogers[1] |
| Distributed by | First National |
Release date |
|
Running time | 80 minutes |
| Country | United States |
| Language | Silent (English intertitles) |
| Box office | over $1 million[2] |
Cast
edit- Charles Murray as Dan McFadden (credited as Charlie Murray)
- Chester Conklin as Jock McTavish
- Edna Murphy as Mary Ellen McFadden
- Larry Kent as Sandy McTavish
- Aggie Herring as Mrs. McFadden
- DeWitt Jennings as Patrick Halloran
- Cissy Fitzgerald as Mrs. Halloran
- Dorothy Dwan as Edith Halloran
- Freeman Wood as Desmond Halloran
- Dot Farley as Bridget Maloney
- Leo White as Hat Salesman
- Harvey Clark as Interior Decorator
Production
editMcFadden's Flats has held "a unique place in the hearts of theatregoers for more than thirty years", said Small in 1926. "But even this story requires changes and elaboration before it can be placed before screen audiences. This is partly due to the fact that the camera permits a visualisation of situations that could only be suggested on the stage."[6]
In addition the villainy present in the original play was downplayed. Small:
The substitution of many laughs must have made up for the lack of villainy. Newer productions are proving that audiences the world over want to laugh, and that they don't mind if the usual rules of production are overlooked in the finding of those laughs. Successful entertainment of the future will run more and more to humour than sobs, and money will be emended for ideas rather than lavish settings.[7]
Grant Clarke and Jack Wagner wrote three new comedy sequences for the movie which saw its shooting schedule extended from ten days to two weeks.[8]
Reception
editThe film was very popular.[9]
Preservation
editWith no prints of McFadden's Flats located in any film archives,[10] it is a lost film.
See also
edit- McFadden's Flats (1935 film)
References
edit- ^ Loew's Los Angeles Times, November 5, 1926: A11.
- ^ "Actor Life Reads Like Alger Tale: Deno, Featured Dancer at Hillstreet, Italian Immigrant Years Ago" Los Angeles Times March 11, 1928: C28.
- ^ McFadden's Flats at TCMDB
- ^ "'McFadden's Flats' Filmed" The Christian Science Monitor [Boston, Mass] February 8, 1927: 8.
- ^ "They're Friendly Enemies: McFadden and McTavish Find Plenty to Quarrel About in 'McFadden's Flats'" Lipke, Katherine. Los Angeles Times March 20, 1927: C21.
- ^ "American Audiences Revise Idea of Virtue and Comedy", Los Angeles Times November 14, 1926: C23
- ^ "New Pictures". The Register. Adelaide: National Library of Australia. July 6, 1927. p. 11. Retrieved December 18, 2013.
- ^ "Honors at Show Go to Old-Timers: 'Four Jolly Thesplans' With White Hair Popular at Pantages" Los Angeles Times November 23, 1926: A11.
- ^ "While the Films Reel By". Schallert, Edwin. Los Angeles Times January 11, 1942: C3.
- ^ Library of Congress / FIAF American Silent Feature Film Survival Database: McFadden's Flats
External links
edit
- McFadden's Flats at the AFI Catalog of Feature Films
- McFadden's Flats at IMDb
- Stills at www.silentfilmstillarchive.com
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