QUEEN KELLY
US, 1928, 99 minutes, Black and white.
Gloria Swanson, Walter Byron.
Directed by Eric Von Stroheim.
Queen Kelly is a reconstructed and restored version of an ambitious silent film directed by Erich von Stroheim. It starred Gloria Swanson and was produced by her (with the financial backing of Joseph P. Kennedy). It was considered extravagant in its day and the star closed the production before it could be completed. Various versions of the material were edited, sometimes changing the plot-line. Gloria Swanson kept it and exhibited it as part of her exhibitions and tours during the decades. During the '70s and '80s, work was done in finding as much material available as possible, discovering a copy of the original musical score as well as von Stroheim's notes about sound effects. The finished product (from a copy which was very well preserved) has most of the original material and some bridging material as well as indications of the developments of the plot.
The film's strength lies in its visuals, the genius work of von Stroheim. The black and white photography, compositions, contrasts are all excellent.
Von Stroheim was responsible for the screenplay - and on this level the film is rather ludicrous. The film shows a mythical kingdom with a mad Queen Regina, jealously in love with Prince Wolfram. The scenes of this middle European kingdom look like satires on The Prisoner of Zenda and other films. Gloria Swanson is Patricia (Kitty) Kelly, a girl at a Catholic orphanage abducted by the Prince. She is in love with the Prince and the Queen is jealous. There are all kinds of melodramatics including Kitty attempting suicide by diving into the river. She is rescued and brought back to the convent. There are many scenes of prim convent life. Kitty learns her aunt is dying, goes to German East Africa, finds that her aunt is the owner of a brothel, she marries a plantation owner and becomes Queen Kelly at the brothel (the old woman is present at the wedding and receives the Last Rites!)
The film was supposed to have a second part when Kitty would have become Queen Kelly. The film summarises the melodramas (and absurdities) of the 120s silent films. It is of interest as a museum piece.
