His Hour Explained

His Hour
Director:King Vidor
Producer:Irving Thalberg
Starring:Aileen Pringle
Cinematography:John J. Mescall
Distributor:Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer
Runtime:70 minutes
Country:United States
Language:Silent (English intertitles)
Budget:$197,000[1]
Gross:$595,000

His Hour is a 1924 American silent drama film directed by King Vidor.[2] This film was the follow-up to Samuel Goldwyn's Three Weeks, written by Elinor Glyn, and starring Aileen Pringle, one of the biggest moneymakers at the time of the Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer amalgamation.

Plot

Gritzko (John Gilbert) is a Russian nobleman and Tamara (Aileen Pringle) is the object of his desire.

Cast

Production

His Hour marked the first of five pictures that John Gilbert and King Vidor would make together for M-G-M.[3] Adapted from a 1910 novel by Elinor Glyn, an author of torrid romances chic in the 19th century, His Hour was Vidor's attempt to tap into the popularity of Jazz Age "flaming-youth" pictures dealing with marital infidelity.[4] The movie includes many titillating seduction scenes, one of which was deemed too salacious for release.[5] Produced under the strictures of the new Production Code, producer Louis B. Mayer censured Vidor for incorporating some of Glyn's “hot-cheeked” depictions of sexual decadence.[6]

A former officer of the Russian Imperial Army, by now living in Los Angeles, served as a technical adviser on the film. His actual name has not been confirmed; however, the studio press releases referred to him as Mike Mitchell. This film marked the first of four times that John Gilbert and King Vidor would work together. Despite showcasing his riding ability and appearance, Gilbert hated the script and felt it gave him nothing substantial to do as an actor.[7]

Reception

In this, Gilbert's first film with King Vidor, audiences were impressed with the star as a romantic leading man[8]

Box office

According to MGM's records, the film made a profit of $159,000.[1] MGM sent Elinor Glynn records which stated the film cost $211,930 and earned $317,442 resulting in a profit of only $105,511. This meant Glynn, who was entitled to 33.3% of net profits, earned $35,170.[9]

Preservation

A print of His Hour with Czech intertitles is located at the Museum of Modern Art in New York.[10]

References

Notes and References

  1. H. Mark Glancy, 'MGM Film Grosses, 1924-28: The Eddie Mannix Ledger', Historical Journal of Film, Radio and Television, Vol 12 No. 2 1992 p127-144 at p129
  2. Web site: Progressive Silent Film List: His Hour . August 9, 2010. silentera.com.
  3. Durgnat and Simmon 1988 p. 54: “Gilbert’s first of five films with Vidor.”
    Landazuri, 2009: “King Vidor directed Gilbert in five of his most successful films.”
  4. Durgnat and Simmon 1988 p. 53-54
  5. Baxter, 1976 p. 20
  6. Durgnat and Simmon 1988 p. 53-54 and p. 56
  7. Golden, Eve; John Gilbert: The Last of the Silent Film Stars; Lexington: University of Kentucky Press; pp. 81-82
  8. Landazuri, 2009: "...His Hour (1924), Gilbert’s first picture at MGM, was also his first with Vidor. Fans and critics alike responded enthusiastically to Gilbert as a romantic lead.”
    Brownlow 1979 p. 192: ”...His Hour brought him [Gilbert] his [first] acclaim.
  9. "The Novelist as Hollywood Star: Author Royalties and Studio Income in the 1920s" by Vincent L. Barnett, Film History Vol. 20, No. 3, Studio Systems (2008), pp. 281-293
  10. https://memory.loc.gov/diglib/ihas/loc.mbrs.sfdb.2851/ The Library of Congress American Silent Feature Film Survival Catalog: His Hour

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