Little Old New York (1923 film)


Little Old New York is a 1923 American silent historical drama film starring Marion Davies and directed by Sidney Olcott that was based on a play of the same name by Rida Johnson Young. The film was produced by William Randolph Hearst's Cosmopolitan production unit.

Preservation status

A copy of the film is in the Library of Congress.
A copy is held by the Irish Film Institute and was screened in 2016.

Cast

In her 17th film, Marion Davies stars in a dual role as Patricia and Patrick O'Day. This was Davies' first teaming with silent actor Harrison Ford. This lavish historical drama was filmed in New York City and directed by Sidney Olcott. Hearst had an exact replica of Fulton's Clermont built and staged the famous river race on the Hudson in January. On February 18, 1923, a fire swept through the Cosmopolitan Studio, basically destroying the studio and all its contents. The film's negatives were saved, and production began anew at several other local studios. All of the sets and costumes had to be re-created.
The film premiered at the Cosmopolitan, a movie theatre owned by William Randolph Hearst, located at Columbus Circle in New York City.
In her memoirs, Marion Davies recounts this opening: "I didn't look at the picture, because I was looking at that chandelier all the time. It was an enormous thing, and all the audience down below would’ve been killed if it had fallen."
The film was a triumph for Marion Davies, and she was named "Queen of the Screen" and the #1 female box-office star of 1923 at the annual theater owners ball.

Reception

The film was the seventh most popular movie that year in the United States and Canada, although Screenland named it the #3 box-office hit of the year.