Main Cast: Gloria Swanson, Seena Owen, Walter Byron, William Von Brincken, Madge Hunt
Release Year: 1929
Country: US
Run Time: 113 minutes
Plot
Though filmmaker Erich Von Stroheim's notorious profligacy had made him virtually unhirable in the US by 1929, screen-star Gloria Swanson still had faith in him. She poured a great deal of her own money in Von Stroheim's last silent film, Queen Kelly, and agreed to play the leading role to insure box-office success. When production began, Stroheim had not quite completed his script: all he had was the premise of a young Irish convent girl named Kitty Kelly (Gloria Swanson) being seduced by a German nobleman (Walter Byron) who was slated to marry the mad Queen (Seena Owen) of a tiny European principality. Brandishing a whip, the loony Queen drives the hapless Kitty from the palace. It was after shooting had started that Von Stroheim filled Swanson in on the rest of the plot: Kitty was to inherit all the worldly possessions of her aunt in German East Africa. Arriving to take charge of the estate, Kitty would learn that she was proud possessor of a string of brothels. Realizing that such a plot device would never get past the American censors, Swanson reacted in horror; she frantically called her money men in America and screamed "There's a madman in charge!" In the final release version of Queen Kelly, hastily completed by Swanson to recoup her losses and ultimately released in Europe, Kitty Kelly was forced into a marriage with brothel manager Tully Marshall, a tobacco-juiced stained degenerate. She ultimately returns to the nobleman who'd seduced her, is driven from the palace by Queen Owen, and commits suicide. This version contained dialogue sequences, and one musical interlude, sung by star Swanson. Despite its tawdry plot, Queen Kelly was beautifully photographed; its most famous shot, of Swanson praying in church, her face framed by flickering candles, was excerpted in the actress' much-later talkie Sunset Boulevard. The currently available restored version of Queen Kelly uses still pictures and explanatory titles to fill in the footage that has decomposed over the years. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
Wilson Benge - Valet; Sidney Bracey - Prince's butler; Lucille Van Lent - Maid to Prince Wolfram; Ann Morgan - Nun; Tully Marshall - Jon Bloehm Vryheid; Florence Gibson - Kelly's Aunt; Sylvia Ashton - Kelly's aunt; Ray Gaggett - Coughdrops; Mme. Sul Te Wan - Kali; Gordon Westcott - Lackey
The film was never completed as intended, although ultimately there was an alternate version that played in European theatres that wrapped up its storyline with clever editing. In that ending, the title character commits suicide. In the most well-known version of the film, the title character is sent to live in an African brothel.
On November 24, 1931, a final scene where the prince discovers that Kelly has drowned herself was filmed by cinematographer Gregg Toland under Swanson's direction. This version, with music by Adolf Tandler was released only in Europe and South America due to a clause in von Stroheim's contract.[1]
A short extract of the film appears in Sunset Boulevard (1950), representing an old silent picture Swanson's character Norma Desmond - herself a silent movie star - had made. Von Stroheim is also a primary character in Sunset Boulevard, as her ex-director, ex-husband, and current butler.
By 1985, Kino International had acquired the rights to the movie and restored two versions, one that uses still photos and subtitles in an attempt to wrap up the storyline, and the other the European "suicide ending" version. Kino remains the rights holder and is responsible for all distribution, including television and home video.
Prince Wolfram is the betrothed of mad Queen Regina V of Kronberg. On maneuvers as punishment for partying with other women, he sees Kelly walking the the other students of a convent. Enthralled by her beauty, he kidnaps her that night from the convent, takes her to his room and professes his love for her. When the Queen finds them together the next morning, she whips Kelly and throws her out of the castle. Regina then puts Wolfram in prison for not wanting to marry the Queen. Kelly goes to German East Africa to visit her dying Aunt and is forced to marry the disgusting Jan. The Aunt dies after the wedding and Kelly refuses to live with Jan, becoming the head of Aunties Brothel. Her extravagances and style earn her the name 'Queen Kelly'.
