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Merry-Go-Round
(1923) United States of America
B&W : Ten reels / 9178 feet
Directed by Rupert Julian + [Erich von Stroheim]
Cast: Norman Kerry [Count Franz Maximilian Von Hohenegg], Mary Philbin [Agnes Urban], Cesare Gravina [Sylvester Urban, her father], Edith Yorke [Ursula Urban, her mother], George Hackathorne [Bartholomew Gruber, the jorobado (hunchback)], George Siegmann [Schani Huber, the carousel owner], Dale Fuller [Marianka Huber, his wife and the carousel cashier], Lillian Sylvester [Mrs. Aurora Rossreiter, the rival concessionaire], Dorothy Wallace [Countess Gisella Von Steinbruck], Spottiswoode Aitken [Countess Gisella’s father, the Minister of War], Al Edmundsen [Nepomuck Navrital, Franz’s valet], Albert Conti [Rudi, the Baron von Leightsinn, Franz’s friend], Charles L. King (Charles King) [Nicki, the Baron Von Nubenmuth, Franz’s friend], Fenwick Oliver [Prince Eitel Hogemut], Sidney Bracy [Countess Gisella’s groom], Anton Vaverka [Emperor Francis Joseph (Franz Josef)], Maude George [‘Madame’ Elvira], Helen Broneau [Jane], Jane Sherman [Maria, one of Franz’s friends], Joe Martin the orangutan
Universal Pictures Corporation production; distributed by Universal Pictures Corporation [A Universal Super-Jewel Production]. / Produced by Irving Thalberg. Scenario by Finis Fox + [Irving Thalberg and Rupert Julian], from a scenario by Erich von Stroheim [?] from a story treatment by Finis Fox? of a screen story by Harvey Gates. Art direction by E.E. Sheeley. Set design by Richard Day and Erich von Stroheim. Set decoration assistants, Elmer E. Sheeley and Archie Hall. Costume design by Erich von Stroheim and Richard Day. Assistant directors, Eddy Sowders and Louis Germonprez. Photographed (cinematography) by Charles Kaufman and William Daniels + [?] [Ben F. Reynolds]? Film editor, James McKay + [Maurice Pivar]. Titles (intertitles written) by Mary O’Hara. Art titles (intertitles artwork) by Harry B. Johnson. Musical setting (music score arrangement) by M. Winkler. Presented by Carl Laemmle. / © 16 June 1923 by Universal Pictures Corporation [LP19121]. Premiered 1 July 1923 at the Rivoli Theatre in New York, New York [?] (at 12 reels)? Released 3 September 1923. / Standard 35mm spherical 1.33:1 format. / The production began shooting on 25 August 1922. Stroheim was replaced by studio executive Irving Thalberg with director Rupert Julian after five weeks of shooting, during which Stroheim had shot 271 scenes for approximately 83,000 feet of exposed negative and at a cost of $220,000. Stroheim maintained that he shot half the film — his original scenario called for 1500 scenes — but only approximately 600 feet of his footage was utilized in the final cut. When Stroheim was fired, actor Wallace Beery quit the production in protest and was replaced by Siegmann. Under Julian’s direction, shooting resumed on 7 October 1922 and continued through 8 January 1923. Julian maintained that he finished the film at an additional cost of $170,000. Stroheim’s direction and scenario writing went uncredited in final credits. Actor Al Edmundsen is erroneously listed by Hirschhorn-Universal p. 41 as Ed Edmundsen.
Drama: Romance.
Survival status: Print exists in the film holdings of Cohen Media Group (Raymond Rohauer collection) [35mm positive].
Current rights holder: Public domain [USA].
Keywords: Amusement parks - Animals: Horses, Monkeys (Orangutans) - Austria: Vienna - Carousels - Death - Hunchbacks - Royalty: Emperors
Listing updated: 24 September 2013.
References: Film credits, film viewing : Ball-Shakespeare pp. 354, 388; Bardèche-History p. 288; Brownlow-Parade pp. 424-425, 580; Edmonds-BigU pp. 83, 107, 119, 120, 125, 130, 135; Everson-American p. 286; Fell-History p. 114; Higashi-Virgins p. 147; Hirschhorn-Universal pp. 14, 41, 44; Kerr-Silent p. 8; Limbacher-Feature p. 158; Sherwood-Best p. xvii; Sinyard-Silent pp. 126, 127; Vermilye-Twenties pp. 73-74; Weinberg-Stroheim pp. xiii, xvi, 72-93, 137 : Website-AFI.
Home video: DVD.
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