Greed (1924)

Director:

Erich von Stroheim

Writers:

June Mathis (screen adaptation and scenario) and
Erich von Stroheim (screen adaptation and scenario) ...
(more)

Release Date:

26 January 1925 (USA)

Genre:

Drama

Plot:

The sudden fortune won from a lottery fans such destructive greed that it ruins the lives of the three people involved.

Plot Keywords:

Gold | Money | Lottery | Dentist | Marriage

Awards:

1 win

Cast

Zasu Pitts	...	Trina
Gibson Gowland	...	McTeague
Jean Hersholt	...	Marcus
Dale Fuller	...	Maria
Tempe Pigott	...	Mother McTeague
Sylvia Ashton	...	'Mommer' Sieppe (as Silvia Ashton)
Chester Conklin	...	'Popper' Sieppe
Joan Standing	...	Selina
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
William Barlow	...	The Minister (uncredited)
Lita Chevrier	...	Extra (uncredited)
Jack Curtis	...	McTeague Sr. (uncredited)
James F. Fulton	...	Cribbens - Prospector (uncredited)
Edward Gaffney	...	Extra (uncredited)
Florence Gibson	...	Hag (uncredited)
James Gibson	...	Deputy (uncredited)
Oscar Gottell	...	Sieppe Twin (uncredited)
Otto Gottell	...	Sieppe Twin (uncredited)
Cesare Gravina	...	Zwerkow - Junkman (uncredited)
Bee Ho Gray	...	(uncredited)
Frank Hayes	...	Charles W. Grannis (uncredited)
Harold Henderson	...	Extra (uncredited)
Austen Jewell	...	August Sieppe (uncredited)
Tiny Jones	...	Mrs. Heise (uncredited)
J. Aldrich Libbey	...	Mr. Ryer (uncredited)
Hughie Mack	...	Mr. Heise (uncredited)
Hugh J. McCauley	...	The Photographer (uncredited)
Jack McDonald	...	Placer County Sheriff (uncredited)
Fanny Midgley	...	Miss Anastasia Baker (uncredited)
William Mollenhauer	...	Palmist (uncredited)
Lon Poff	...	Lottery Agent (uncredited)
Reta Revela	...	Mrs. Ryer (uncredited)
S.S. Simon	...	Joe Frenna (uncredited)
Max Tyron	...	Uncle Rudolph Oelbermann (uncredited)
Erich von Ritzau	...	Dr. Painless Potter (uncredited)
Erich von Stroheim	...	Balloon Vendor (uncredited)
James Wang	...	Chinese Cook (uncredited)

Directed by
Erich von Stroheim

Writing credits
June Mathis		(screen adaptation and scenario) and
Erich von Stroheim		(screen adaptation and scenario)
Frank Norris		(from the American classic by)
Joseph Farnham		titles (uncredited)

Produced by
Kevin Brownlow	....	producer (1986 alternate version)
David Gill	....	producer (1986 alternate version)
Rick Schmidlin	....	producer: reconstruction
Louis B. Mayer	....	executive producer (uncredited)
Irving Thalberg	....	producer (uncredited)

Original Music by
Carl Davis		(music composed by) (1986 alternate version)
Robert Israel		(1999)
William Axt		(uncredited)
Leo Kempinski		(uncredited)

Cinematography by
William H. Daniels		(photography by) (as Wm. H. Daniels)
Ben F. Reynolds		(photography by)

Film Editing by
Joseph Farnham		(edited by) (as Jos. W. Farnham)
Glenn Morgan		(reconstruction)
Frank E. Hull		(uncredited)
Rex Ingram		(18-reel version) (uncredited)
June Mathis		(42-reel version) (uncredited)
Erich von Stroheim		(42-reel version) (uncredited)
Grant Whytock		(18-reel version) (uncredited)

Production Design by
Erich von Stroheim		(uncredited)

Art Direction by
Cedric Gibbons		(credit only)
Richard Day		(uncredited)
Erich von Stroheim		(uncredited)

Set Decoration by
Cedric Gibbons		(settings)

Production Management
Liz Sutherland	....	production manager (1986 alternate version)
J.J. Cohn	....	production manager (uncredited)
Harry Rapf	....	production supervisor (uncredited)

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Louis Germonprez	....	assistant director (uncredited)
Edward Sowders	....	assistant director (uncredited)

Art Department
Richard Koszarski	....	consultant (reconstruction)
Charles Rogers	....	props (uncredited)
Frank Ybarra	....	props (uncredited)

Visual Effects by
Sasha Leuterer	....	visual effects: flame effects (reconstruction)
Chad Mielke	....	motion control effects (reconstruction)

Camera and Electrical Department
Walter Bader	....	assistant camera (uncredited)
Paul Ivano	....	camera operator (uncredited)
Warren Lynch	....	still photographer (uncredited)
Ernest B. Schoedsack	....	camera operator (uncredited)
H.C. Van Dyke	....	assistant camera (uncredited)

Editorial Department
Shimit Amin	....	assistant editor (reconstruction)
Jarrett Fijal	....	assistant editor (reconstruction)
Jessica Kongthong	....	assistant editor (reconstruction)
David Lewinton	....	videotape editor (1986 alternate version)
Carol Littleton	....	editorial consultant (reconstruction)
Russ Martin	....	on-line editor (reconstruction)
Andrew Pierce	....	assistant editor (reconstruction)
Marguerite Faust	....	assistant editor (uncredited)

Music Department
William Bradford	....	music recordist (1986 alternate version)
Mike Fairbairn	....	dubbing assistant (1986 alternate version)
John Harle	....	saxophone (1986 alternate version)
Colin Matthews	....	music orchestrated by (1986 alternate version)
David Matthews	....	music orchestrated by (1986 alternate version)
David Nolan	....	violin (1986 alternate version)
Paul Wing	....	orchestra manager (1986 alternate version)
Jack Brennan	....	musician (uncredited)
James Brennan	....	musician (uncredited)

Other crew
Albert Cuellar	....	hand tinted stills (reconstruction)
Frances Hewson	....	production assistant (1986 alternate version)
Louis B. Mayer	....	presents
Deborah Ross	....	title design consultant (reconstruction)
Jod Soraci	....	film transferer (reconstruction)
Eve Bessette	....	script supervisor (uncredited)
Harold Henderson	....	location scout (uncredited)
James V. King	....	dailies projectionist (uncredited)
James V. King	....	laboratory technician (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Metro-Goldwyn Pictures Corporation (produced by) (as A Metro Goldwyn Picture) (An Erich von Stroheim Production)

Distributors

• Metro-Goldwyn Pictures Corporation (1924) (USA) (theatrical) (released through) (as Metro-Goldwyn Distributing Corporation)
• Universum Film (UFA) (1926) (Germany) (theatrical)
• MGM/UA Home Video (1989) (USA) (VHS)
• New Star (2012) (Greece) (theatrical) (re-release)
• Royal Film (1926) (Finland) (theatrical)
• Mainostelevisio (MTV3) (1974) (Finland) (TV)
• Thames Television (1986) (UK) (VHS) (as A Thames Television Presentation for Channel Four)
• Turner Classic Movies (TCM) (DVD)
• Turner Entertainment (1986) (USA) (VHS) (in association with) (as Turner Entertainment Co.)
• Yleisradio (YLE) (1984) (2008) (Finland) (TV)

Other Companies

• Thames Silents Orchestra, The  music played by (1986 alternate version)
• Thames Television  presents (1986 alternate version)
• Turner Entertainment  VHS package design
• Turner Entertainment  presents (1986 alternate version) (as Turner Entertainment Co.)

Also Known As:

Runtime:

140 min | USA:239 min (1999 restored version) | Portugal:130 min (original version) (20 fps)

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Sound Mix:

Silent

Certification:

Finland:K-16 | Sweden:15

Filming Locations:

16th Street, Oakland, California, USA

Company:

Metro-Goldwyn Pictures Corporation

Trivia:

The only screening of the original complete director's cut was for a small group of reporters. One wrote a glowing review of it, using words like "wonderful" and "brilliant" to describe it, but lamented the fact that nobody else would ever see it.

Goofs:

Continuity: After Marcus breaks McTeague's pipe and throws a knife at him, men pull McTeague's tie off as they hold him back. The tie is back in place a moment later as McTeague rushes out of the saloon.

Quotes:

Marcus:There's no water... within a hundred miles o' here!
[the two men hopelessly stand by the dead mule in the middle of the desert]
Marcus:We... are... dead... men!

Movie Connections:

Featured in Irving Thalberg: Prince of Hollywood (2005) (TV)

Silent Classic with Interesting History

Although I am not a big fan of classics, I know a good movie when I see one. However the legendary butchering of the film is more interesting than the movie itself. The original film was over nine hours long and was trimmed down to just over two and a half hours. Director Erich von Stroheim condemned the newly formed Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) for slashing his film. Continuity and subplots were torn from the masterpiece. Turner later tried to restore the film with publicity stills and new dialogue cards. This helped the film regain continuity and bring to light some of the subplots in the film. Turners new version is four hours and is splendidly done.

The film is about a miner named John McTeague who becomes a dentist through an apprenticeship. He soon opens his own business and meets a woman already involved with his friend Marcus. Marcus agrees to step aside since McTeague is obviously in love with the woman. After the woman named Trina wins $5000 in a lottery the story really takes off in what can only be described as a serious case of "Greed." I can tell no more without spoiling the film, but if you can stomach silent films this is one of the best.