Polly of the Circus

This early Goldwyn picture is an ambitious piece that intended to nurture not only the corporation, but its star, Mae Marsh, recently poached from D.W. Griffith. It is a pretty good effort, with its Mark Twain-style opening, although the many titles and overt sentiment drag a bit until Lilian Ward falls from the high wire.

After all the kids grow up, a decent plot involving ministers, the circus and a well-photographed horse race ensue and matters are satisfactorily resolved at the end. The modern viewer may have some issues, like the white actors in blackface, but Mae Marsh is her charming, fluttery self. It was undoubtedly an excellent money-maker for the Goldwyn Corporation (later MGM) and a boost in the careers of not only the uncannily named Edwin Hollywood, but cinematographer George W. Hill, who a dozen years later would be MGM's go-to director for rough fare.