Merry-Go-Round (1923)

A nobleman, posing as a necktie salesman, falls in love with the daughter of a circus puppeteer, even though he is already married to the daughter of his country's war minister.

Directors:

Rupert Julian, Erich von Stroheim (uncredited)

Writers:

Finis Fox, Harvey Gates (story)

Stars:

Norman Kerry, Mary Philbin, Cesare Gravina

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Norman Kerry	...	Count Franz Maximilian Von Hohenegg
Mary Philbin	...	Agnes Urban
Cesare Gravina	...	Sylvester Urban
Edith Murgatroyd	...	Ursula Urban (as Edith Yorke)
George Hackathorne	...	Bartholomew Gruber
George Siegmann	...	Schani Huber
Dale Fuller	...	Marianka Huber
Lillian Sylvester	...	Mrs. Aurora Rossreiter
Spottiswoode Aitken	...	Minister of War / Gisella's Father
Dorothy Wallace	...	Countess Gisella Von Steinbruck
Albert Edmondson	...	Nepomuck Navrital (as Al Edmondson)
Albert Conti	...	Rudi / Baron von Leightsinn
Charles King	...	Nicki (as Charles L. King)
Fenwick Oliver	...	Eitel
Sidney Bracey	...	Gisella's Groom

Storyline

Life's merry-go-round goes full tilt for Agnes, a virtuous carny at Vienna's Prater just before the Great War. Her father is abused by their cruel boss, Huber, who may force himself on Agnes. A Count who's engaged to the daughter of the minister of defense chats up Agnes one night while he's slumming; she thinks he's Franz, a necktie salesman, and she falls in love with him. Is he using charm and guile to seduce her? Plus there's Bartholomew, a hunchback who's a barker at the Prater; his love for Agnes is unrequited. Are the fates blind or is there reward for virtue?

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Taglines:

A Mad Whirl of life, Love and Luxury Sweeping Around THE MOST STUPENDOUS LOVE DRAMA EVER FILMED (Print Ad- The Bellingham Herald, ((Bellingham, Wash.)) 10 September 1923)

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Genres:

Drama

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Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

3 September 1923 (USA)

Also Known As:

1914

Filming Locations:

Universal Studios - 100 Universal City Plaza, Universal City, California, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

Universal Pictures

Technical Specs

Runtime:

110 min

Sound Mix:

Silent

Color:

Black and White Color (tinted)

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Erich von Stroheim's excesses on the film included bringing in a real Viennese streetcar to be used in street scenes (a Los Angeles streetcar simply wouldn't do, said the director). Also, for the brief scene where an actor playing the Austrian Emperor steps out of a hotel and climbs into his horse-drawn carriage, von Stroheim had Universal Studios buy an actual carriage used by Austrian Emperor Franz Josef and ship it to Hollywood.

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Connections

Featured in Hollywood: Autocrats (1980)

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Soundtracks

THE MERRY GO ROUND WALTZ
(The Merry Go Round Theme)
Written by Paul Van Dyke (orchestrated by Maurice Baron)

User Reviews

Great emotions in von Stroheim's partial direction

Erich von Stroheim started directing the movie Merry-Go-Round (1923) but got the sack by the producer Irving Thalberg and it was finished by Rupert Julian.Norman Kerry plays Viennese Count Franz Maximilian von Hohenegg.He's supposed to marry Countess Gisella von Steinbruck (Dorothy Wallace).That's one thing he doesn't want to do after he meets the beautiful, but poor Agnes Urban (Mary Philbin) at the amusement park.Merry-Go-Round is a good silent film.Norman Kerry is great in the lead and Mary Philbin is just charming.Cesare Gravina does a terrific performance as her father Sylvester.George Siegmann plays the villain of the movie, Schani Huber.He's the leader of the amusement park and a real sadistic person.In one dramatic scene he uses the whip on Agnes.This movie is could I say a forgotten gem.