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.
11 Reviews
Marion Davies Strikes it Rich
wes-connors23 May 2010
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
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
Davies Box Office Gold In New York City Production
springfieldrental12 December 2021
Actress Marion Davies was box office gold in the mid-1920's. Riding the wave of the number one hit the previous year in 1922's 'When Knighthood Was In Flower,' Davies saw her August 1923's "Little Old New York" break a record for ticket receipts for that period. In the first two weeks after its premier, the movie attracted over 200,000 paying customers, beating the previous record holder, Douglas Fairbanks' 1922 'Robin Hood.' Theater owners recognized Davies' appeal, naming her the number one female star in their annual poll in 1923.
"Little Old New York," focuses in on Steven Fulton's first steamboat launch in 1807. Davies plays an Irish girl disguised as a boy to claim the inheritance her brother was given to him before he died. She (he) gets caught up in the middle of Fulton's efforts to secure money to expand his steamboat operation.
The ambitious movie almost wasn't completed because of a tragedy occurring in the middle of filming. Financed by newspaper tycoon and boyfriend to Davies, William Randolph Hearst, the production was interrupted by a fire at his New York City movie studios on February 18, 1923, destroying the sets, costumes and buildings. Fortunately, the negatives of the prints, consisting of two-thirds of the shot movie, was saved. To complete the remainder of the film, Hearst had to pay for a few sets to be rebuilt and new costumes to be sown. But he made up for all the added expenditures, and more, when it attracted over 1.2 million viewers in a three-month period, including a 300-straight performance stint at New York City's Plymouth Theater. "Little Old New York" became one of Davies' highest draws for silent movies.
This was also the first of three movies where Davies appear with actor Harrison Ford. The Broadway stage performers first entered cinema in 1915 and enjoyed a very successful movie career right up to the transition to sound. Harrison, no relation to the later actor of 'Star Wars' fame, returned to the stage after one talkie, 1932's 'Love In High Gear.' While walking in Los Angeles, Harrison was struck by a car in 1951 with a teenage girl behind the wheel. He never fully recovered and remained in a convalescent home until his death in 1957.
"Little Old New York," focuses in on Steven Fulton's first steamboat launch in 1807. Davies plays an Irish girl disguised as a boy to claim the inheritance her brother was given to him before he died. She (he) gets caught up in the middle of Fulton's efforts to secure money to expand his steamboat operation.
The ambitious movie almost wasn't completed because of a tragedy occurring in the middle of filming. Financed by newspaper tycoon and boyfriend to Davies, William Randolph Hearst, the production was interrupted by a fire at his New York City movie studios on February 18, 1923, destroying the sets, costumes and buildings. Fortunately, the negatives of the prints, consisting of two-thirds of the shot movie, was saved. To complete the remainder of the film, Hearst had to pay for a few sets to be rebuilt and new costumes to be sown. But he made up for all the added expenditures, and more, when it attracted over 1.2 million viewers in a three-month period, including a 300-straight performance stint at New York City's Plymouth Theater. "Little Old New York" became one of Davies' highest draws for silent movies.
This was also the first of three movies where Davies appear with actor Harrison Ford. The Broadway stage performers first entered cinema in 1915 and enjoyed a very successful movie career right up to the transition to sound. Harrison, no relation to the later actor of 'Star Wars' fame, returned to the stage after one talkie, 1932's 'Love In High Gear.' While walking in Los Angeles, Harrison was struck by a car in 1951 with a teenage girl behind the wheel. He never fully recovered and remained in a convalescent home until his death in 1957.
Wonderful Marion Davies
drednm15 March 2005
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.
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.
Marion Davies In Pants
boblipton24 August 2019
When his stepfather dies, Harrison Ford expects to inherit a fortune of almost a million dollars. Imagine his surprise when the money is left to the old man's nephew, Stephen Carr, who has a year to show up in New York City to claim it. On the evening before the deadline, the heir shows old, but it's not Carr; he died in the passage. His sister, Marion Davies, has cut her hair and is pretending to be him, at the order of her father.
Miss Davies gives a fine, layered performance as a girl pretending to be a boy, falling gradually in love with Mr. Ford, but her serio-comic performance makes up only a small part of this movie. Like her earlier hit epic, WHEN KNIGHTHOOD WAS IN FLOWER, this movie is in greater part about its sets, designed again by Joseph Urban, its props, like the life-sized replica of Fulton's steamship Clermont, shot on the river with the Palisades and the Tappan Zee in background, but even more about the historical characters, offered as legends and shown as human: Fulton, trying to raise money for his steam ship; John Jacob Astor, who doesn't see it as a commercial project, but urges Davies to invest in real estate; Washington Irving; Delmonico, the city's first restaurateur, and so forth and so on in a dizzying demonstration that the great men of history were....men.
This film was recently restored by the Library of Congress, and has just been released on dvd by Ed Lorusso. It is the latest of his Marion Davies projects, and boasts a fine score by silent-music specialist Ben Model, who incorporates the waltz written by Victor Herbert for the movie's original release. Mr. Lorusso has been releasing as many of Miss Davies silent movies as he can over the past few years, working hard -- along with showings of his later pictures on Turner Classic Movies, and Mr. Model's recent dvd version of WHEN KNIGHTHOOD WAS IN FLOWER, to demonstrate that Miss Davies was an actress of great accomplishment. For many decades, she was thought of as the Dorothy Comingore character in CITIZEN KANE, a talentless floozy raised to stardom through her free-spending lover, William Randolph Hearst and supported by his chain of sycophantic newspapers and magazines. While Hearst did spend a lot of money on her movies, they were successful commercially and in showing off Miss Davies talents as an actress and comedienne. Let us offer cheers to her loyal supporters, to the more than 200 people who contributed to make this dvd a reality, and to the hope that next year, when they come out of copyright, we may see good copies of her 1924 movies!
Miss Davies gives a fine, layered performance as a girl pretending to be a boy, falling gradually in love with Mr. Ford, but her serio-comic performance makes up only a small part of this movie. Like her earlier hit epic, WHEN KNIGHTHOOD WAS IN FLOWER, this movie is in greater part about its sets, designed again by Joseph Urban, its props, like the life-sized replica of Fulton's steamship Clermont, shot on the river with the Palisades and the Tappan Zee in background, but even more about the historical characters, offered as legends and shown as human: Fulton, trying to raise money for his steam ship; John Jacob Astor, who doesn't see it as a commercial project, but urges Davies to invest in real estate; Washington Irving; Delmonico, the city's first restaurateur, and so forth and so on in a dizzying demonstration that the great men of history were....men.
This film was recently restored by the Library of Congress, and has just been released on dvd by Ed Lorusso. It is the latest of his Marion Davies projects, and boasts a fine score by silent-music specialist Ben Model, who incorporates the waltz written by Victor Herbert for the movie's original release. Mr. Lorusso has been releasing as many of Miss Davies silent movies as he can over the past few years, working hard -- along with showings of his later pictures on Turner Classic Movies, and Mr. Model's recent dvd version of WHEN KNIGHTHOOD WAS IN FLOWER, to demonstrate that Miss Davies was an actress of great accomplishment. For many decades, she was thought of as the Dorothy Comingore character in CITIZEN KANE, a talentless floozy raised to stardom through her free-spending lover, William Randolph Hearst and supported by his chain of sycophantic newspapers and magazines. While Hearst did spend a lot of money on her movies, they were successful commercially and in showing off Miss Davies talents as an actress and comedienne. Let us offer cheers to her loyal supporters, to the more than 200 people who contributed to make this dvd a reality, and to the hope that next year, when they come out of copyright, we may see good copies of her 1924 movies!
Clothes don't make the man.
daviuquintultimate18 April 2024
I will not write about this interesting film in general, but will focus on one little aspect of it. Let's begin.
The old mr. O'Day had two kids, Patrick and Patricia. I wonder what would he have called a third child, had he had one. But that's out of the question, now. Well, the young and beautiful Patricia O'Day (Marion Davies) plays almost all the film through en travesti, impersonating her dead brother. And she manages to fool half the population of 1807 New York (the other half didn't have the occasion to meet her). Which is astonishing.
First of all, her new dress: it's quite boy-ish, in the sense that it is different from the dresses the other women wear in the movie, but it's also different from those of the men. Her curly hair is cut and straightened: again, it does not resemble either the girls' or the boys'. She wears make-up, lipstick and all, and, well, she even has quite some boobs! It reminds me of an early personification of Hannah Montana. Younger generations could know who I am referring to: anyways, this miss Montana is a (fictional) girl whom nobody recognizes when she wears a wig, and, apart from that, is absolutely identical to the girl without a wig.
As you can well understand, in a film conceived in that way there must be a moment in which she reveals her identity and her sex: and there is indeed, toward the end. How does she manage the revelation? Boy or girl, she looks almost the same, so there's only one way (compatible with public morality) to do it: she just says it. I'm a girl! In the next scenes she looks as before, only with a more girlish dress and her hair curled again. The overnight perming.
By the by, another little thing: in the middle of the movie an U. S. flag is raised, with 15 stars for 15 states: in 1807 there were two more.
The old mr. O'Day had two kids, Patrick and Patricia. I wonder what would he have called a third child, had he had one. But that's out of the question, now. Well, the young and beautiful Patricia O'Day (Marion Davies) plays almost all the film through en travesti, impersonating her dead brother. And she manages to fool half the population of 1807 New York (the other half didn't have the occasion to meet her). Which is astonishing.
First of all, her new dress: it's quite boy-ish, in the sense that it is different from the dresses the other women wear in the movie, but it's also different from those of the men. Her curly hair is cut and straightened: again, it does not resemble either the girls' or the boys'. She wears make-up, lipstick and all, and, well, she even has quite some boobs! It reminds me of an early personification of Hannah Montana. Younger generations could know who I am referring to: anyways, this miss Montana is a (fictional) girl whom nobody recognizes when she wears a wig, and, apart from that, is absolutely identical to the girl without a wig.
As you can well understand, in a film conceived in that way there must be a moment in which she reveals her identity and her sex: and there is indeed, toward the end. How does she manage the revelation? Boy or girl, she looks almost the same, so there's only one way (compatible with public morality) to do it: she just says it. I'm a girl! In the next scenes she looks as before, only with a more girlish dress and her hair curled again. The overnight perming.
By the by, another little thing: in the middle of the movie an U. S. flag is raised, with 15 stars for 15 states: in 1807 there were two more.
Ponderous setup
ArtVandelayImporterExporter29 January 2023
The plot: rich guy dies leaving estate to nephew; nephew dies suddenly; niece disguises herself as nephew to claim money.
These days that setup takes less than a minute. But in Little Old New York, it takes 15 minutes. That might have been OK in 1923. In 2023 it had my fidgeting. I mean, why would I care about Gloria Vanderbilt or Jerry Jeff Astor or Washington "Dr W" Irving.
But it gets worse, the nephew and niece are brawling, filthy Irishmen who are so poor their belongings are being auctioned off when the caravan of legal minds pulls up to tell them of their inheritance.
Davies, sporting a really bad wig, desperately flails her arms around in an attempt to be what I assume was ''funny" in 1923. I call it the ''Robin Williams School of Comedy."
Finally, a half-hour into this mess we finally get to see Davies dressed up as a boy, pulling faces. It's not funny. Then she's asked to emote over her dying father. She can't pull it off.
I'm sorry, but the more Marion Davies movies I see - and TCM devoted a month of Tuesdays to her - the more I am convinced she was, in fact, a talentless floozy promoted way beyond her abilities by King of Misinformation William Randolph Hearst.
These days that setup takes less than a minute. But in Little Old New York, it takes 15 minutes. That might have been OK in 1923. In 2023 it had my fidgeting. I mean, why would I care about Gloria Vanderbilt or Jerry Jeff Astor or Washington "Dr W" Irving.
But it gets worse, the nephew and niece are brawling, filthy Irishmen who are so poor their belongings are being auctioned off when the caravan of legal minds pulls up to tell them of their inheritance.
Davies, sporting a really bad wig, desperately flails her arms around in an attempt to be what I assume was ''funny" in 1923. I call it the ''Robin Williams School of Comedy."
Finally, a half-hour into this mess we finally get to see Davies dressed up as a boy, pulling faces. It's not funny. Then she's asked to emote over her dying father. She can't pull it off.
I'm sorry, but the more Marion Davies movies I see - and TCM devoted a month of Tuesdays to her - the more I am convinced she was, in fact, a talentless floozy promoted way beyond her abilities by King of Misinformation William Randolph Hearst.
Gripping story, ahead of its time
overseer-330 August 2003
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.
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.
A Little of Old New York, A lot of Marion !
sunlily9 July 2006
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!
Anyone who cares about silent movies and enjoys Marion Davies will like this one!
Charming
lmpc21921 July 2001
Another charming and enjoyable Marion Davies film. She plays Patricia/Patrick O'Day from Ireland. Davies is excellent and plays the role with the humor and self awareness that the role calls for considering the material she had to work with.
Harrison Ford also does a good job playing against his feelings towards the character of Davies/Pat O'Day. What makes this film interesting is how they play on the border of same sex love.
It's very well made and directed. Hearst never went half way on any picture of hers and this is no exception.
Harrison Ford also does a good job playing against his feelings towards the character of Davies/Pat O'Day. What makes this film interesting is how they play on the border of same sex love.
It's very well made and directed. Hearst never went half way on any picture of hers and this is no exception.
This film documents fairly recent Manhattan traditions . . .
pixrox127 December 2021
Warning: Spoilers
. . . regarding the punishment of cross-dressers, which involved them being bound to whipping posts and publicly flogged until their controversial garments were shredded off their bodies, leaving them in red-grooved birthday suits. Seeing America's sweetheart subjected to such treatment made LITTLE OLD NEW YORK the most popular and highest grossing film of All Time, when it was released. Until granddaughter Patty shot up that bank for her liberation army, this film was considered W. R. Hearst's most lurid legacy. Ironically, YORK's original ending included on the director's cut documents that Patty's last syllables as the L. A. cops burned down her hideout were: "Rosebud."
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