Little Old New York

If you want to introduce someone to the joys of silent films this movie would be an excellent choice. I was sitting on the edge of my seat after the first ten minutes, with a big smile on my face. Few films, silent or talkie, can do that for me. It was great fun!

Pretty Marion Davies plays a fiesty Irish lass in 1806, who is forced by her father to pretend she is a boy, with the intent to claim a fortune from her dead uncle in America. Dashing Harrison Ford the First plays the step-son who is being cheated out of his inheritance, and who finds himself strangely attracted to the young "boy", for whom he is forced to become guardian in old New York.

Great comedic and romantic touches between the two leads add spark to a fast paced story. This film was very daring for its time too, especially in the scene where "Patrick" (alias Patricia) is tied to a public square and her shirt ripped off for a whipping before an angry mob.

If you get a chance to see this delightful film, please do so. You will not regret it in the least.

The otherwise likeable Marion Davies gives us possibly cinema's worst female-pretending-to-be-a-male impersonation in this lively but hoary silent from William Randolph Hearst's Cosmopolitan Productions. She's pretending to be her own recently deceased brother so that she can claim the inheritance left to him by an American uncle who has long been estranged from her side of the family. Harrison Ford (not that one) is the relative who stands to inherit otherwise. There's something a little unavoidably uncomfortable about the increasing affection Ford's character feels for Davies when she's disguised as a boy, and it isn't completely dispelled once her secret is revealed. It's an entertaining silent though, which features an hilarious boxing match (featuring Louis Wolheim) followed by a mass brawl.

In Ireland, golden-locked Marion Davies (as Patricia "Pat" O'Day) and her poverty-stricken family are about to be evicted from their home when news from "Little Old New York" reveals her young brother has inherited the estate of a wealthy relative. The family books passage to claim their fortune in the United States. Meanwhile, back in the USA, handsome Harrison Ford (as Larry Delavan) hopes the distant relatives do not arrive on time; if they're late, he gets the fortune. Just as Mr. Ford prepares to celebrate, Ms. Davies arrives to claim the estate, but disguised as her little brother, who died en route.

Ford is obviously unhappy. While left an allowance, he doesn't have the money to finance his much-hoped for investment, in a steam driven vessel developed by future famed inventor Robert Fulton (Courtenay Foote). And, Davies is frustrated and unhappy. She finds herself attracted to Ford, but stuck pretending she's her dead brother. Ford shows no sexual desire for effeminate young boys, but develops a fatherly affection for Davies. Ford accepts Davies as a young pal, and she helps finance Fulton's steam engine - but, Davies realizes she will only win Ford's love as a woman. And, she has fallen in love…

Davis isn't a very convincing boy, but she makes up for it with a charming performance. Ford, in pasty sideburns, convinces. Stage actor Charles Kennedy (as Reilly) and future "Superman" player Stephen Carr (as Patrick O'Day) help show the range of an illustrious cast and crew. Harry Watson and Louis Wolheim add excitement to the climax, as boxers "Bully Boy Brewster" and "The Hoboken Terror". Mr. Wolheim certainly whips up a frenzy. Veteran director Sidney Olcott gives pastoral beauty to the location scenes, like the one where Davies is bullied by three boys approaching from behind a fence.

"Little Old New York" benefits from the obvious financing of Davies sponsor William Randolph Hearst. And, unlike a couple of recent Hearts/Davies productions, it paid off handsomely at the box office. This picture helped restore Davies to the annual top ten "Box Office Stars" list compiled Quigley Publications - she was the #5 for 1923, rising to her all-time high of #2 the following year. The movie finished at #10 in the annual "Film Daily" poll, and surprised many by appearing at a well-respected #5 on the "New York Times" ten best list. The Times was not a Hearst paper, and its praise was genuine.

******* Little Old New York (8/1/23) Sidney Olcott ~ Marion Davies, Harrison Ford, Courtenay Foote, Stephen Carr

Little Old New York, with Marion Davies, is a cute little period piece, nothing heavy, except it is one of her first performances as a comedienne and significant from that standpoint. In most of the movie she's disguised as a boy, although she neither looks nor really acts much like a boy. This isn't important to the story though, as it's equivalent to when an actor plays Abe Lincoln who doesn't look like the real Abe did, but everyone accepts that because it doesn't effect the story at all. You know who he's supposed to be! My favorite parts are the comedy bits when Marion makes her usual hysterical faces and when she dances an Irish jig. I thought they handled the historical aspects of the early part of the ninetieth century quite well. It takes place a the time of the invention and launch of the first steamboat, and several historical persons are portrayed. The sets and costumes are quite authentic looking and add to the ambiance.

Anyone who cares about silent movies and enjoys Marion Davies will like this one!

had one of the biggest hits of her career is this rousing story of an Irish girl who poses as her dead brother to inherit a fortune in early 19th century New York City. Davies is, as always, great fun to watch. A very underrated actress, Davies is superb as the prissy "boy" who plays a harp and sings awful tunes. As in 1922's When Knighthood Was in Flower, this 1923 film is lavish and boasts huge crowd scenes, the usual touches of William Randolph Hearst. Davies has fun fighting with the neighborhood tough boys, being forced to dance with a fat girl at a party, and dancing a wild jig at a boxing match. And in the daring scene when she is tied to a post and whipped for ringing a false fire alarm, she finally has to admit she's a girl.

Little Old New York is set against historical facts (a full-sized replica of Fulton's steamboat, Clermont, sails the Hudson River) and uses real-life people--Cornelius Vanderbilt, Washington Irving, John Jacob Astor--to good dramatic effect. But this is a Marion Davies film all the way and she is absolutely wonderful. Harrison Ford (as Larry), Montague Love, Spencer Charters, Louis Wolheim, Mahlon Hamilton, Courtnay Foote, Sam Hardy. J.M. Kerrigan, Elizabeth Murray, Marie Burke, Mary Kennedy, and the improbably named Gypsy O'Brien co-star.

Great fun.