City of Beautiful Nonsense (1919 film)
Encyclopedia
City of Beautiful Nonsense is a 1919
British silent film
drama directed by Henry Edwards
, who also starred in the film with Chrissie White
. The film is based on the best-selling 1909 novel of the same name by E. Temple Thurston
and is a tale of a woman intending to marry for financial gain and security, who realises at the last minute that to be true to herself and to have the prospect of a happy future she must instead marry for love. A sound version of the same story was made in 1935 by Adrian Brunel
.
The film appears to have been well-received and popular with audiences and has been described as "the most talked about British film of 1919" and "technically on a par with the current Hollywood imports". A contemporary review in The Bioscope admired Edwards' "poetic embellishments" and "symbolistic touches".
1919 in film
The year 1919 in film involved some significant events.-Events:*February 5 - Charlie Chaplin, Mary Pickford, Douglas Fairbanks and D.W. Griffith launch United Artists...
British silent film
Silent film
A silent film is a film with no synchronized recorded sound, especially with no spoken dialogue. In silent films for entertainment the dialogue is transmitted through muted gestures, pantomime and title cards...
drama directed by Henry Edwards
Henry Edwards (actor)
Henry Edwards was an English actor and film director. He appeared in 81 films between 1915 and 1952. He also directed 67 films between 1915 and 1937...
, who also starred in the film with Chrissie White
Chrissie White
Chrissie White was a British film actress of the silent era. She appeared in over 180 films between 1908 and 1933. White was married to actor and film director Henry Edwards, and in the 1920s the two were regarded as one of Britain's most famous and newsworthy celebrity couples. She starred in...
. The film is based on the best-selling 1909 novel of the same name by E. Temple Thurston
E. Temple Thurston
Ernest Temple Thurston was an Anglo-Irish poet, playwright and author. He was born in Halesworth, Suffolk, England, and his family moved to Cork when he was aged ten. In 1901 he married the popular novelist, Katherine Cecil Madden, . The marriage did not last and they separated in 1907 and were...
and is a tale of a woman intending to marry for financial gain and security, who realises at the last minute that to be true to herself and to have the prospect of a happy future she must instead marry for love. A sound version of the same story was made in 1935 by Adrian Brunel
Adrian Brunel
Adrian Brunel was an English film director and screenwriter. Brunel's directorial career started in the silent era, and reached its peak in the latter half of the 1920s...
.
The film appears to have been well-received and popular with audiences and has been described as "the most talked about British film of 1919" and "technically on a par with the current Hollywood imports". A contemporary review in The Bioscope admired Edwards' "poetic embellishments" and "symbolistic touches".
Cast
- Henry EdwardsHenry Edwards (actor)Henry Edwards was an English actor and film director. He appeared in 81 films between 1915 and 1952. He also directed 67 films between 1915 and 1937...
as John Grey - Chrissie WhiteChrissie WhiteChrissie White was a British film actress of the silent era. She appeared in over 180 films between 1908 and 1933. White was married to actor and film director Henry Edwards, and in the 1920s the two were regarded as one of Britain's most famous and newsworthy celebrity couples. She starred in...
as Jill Dealtry - Henry VibartHenry VibartHenry Vibart was a Scottish stage and film actor, active from the 1880s until the early 1930s. He appeared in many theatrical roles in the UK and overseas, and featured in over 70 films of the silent era.-Career:...
as Thomas Grey - Gwynne Herbert as Mrs. Grey
- James Lindsay as Skipworth
- Douglas Munro as Chesterton
- Stephen Ewart as Mr. Dealtry
- Teddy Taylor as Tommy Dealtry
External links
- City of Beautiful Nonsense at BFI Film& TV Database