Private Izzy Murphy | |
Director: | Henry Lehrman |
Producer: | Frank Shaw |
Screenplay: | Edward T. Lowe, Jr. |
Story: | Henry Lehrman Edward T. Lowe, Jr. |
Starring: | George Jessel Audrey Ferris Warner Oland John Miljan |
Cinematography: | Frank Kesson |
Studio: | Warner Bros. |
Distributor: | Warner Bros. |
Released: | (limited release) |
Runtime: | 70 minutes |
Country: | United States |
Language: | Sound (Synchronized) (English Intertitles) |
Sailor Izzy Murphy is a 1927 synchronized sound comedy-drama film released from Warner Bros. Pictures starring George Jessel, Audrey Ferris, Warner Oland and John Milijan. While the film has no audible dialog, it was released with a synchronized musical score with sound effects using the Vitaphone sound-on-disc process. The film was a follow-up to a previous film starring Jessel titled Private Izzy Murphy. The premiere was set for October 8, 1927, at Warners' Theater, two days after the premiere of The Jazz Singer, the first talking film (part-talkie) starring Al Jolson.[1]
Izzy, a perfume vendor, is urged by Jake, his partner, to sell Monsieur Jules, a millionaire perfume merchant, their special formula, but the merchant is incensed to see his daughter's picture on Izzy's perfume bottles and gives him the bum's rush. Aboard Jules's palatial yacht, he receives from Orchid Joe notes threatening his life. Joe is a lunatic who hates people who destroy flowers, and he plans to kill Jules with the help of a crew of maniacs on the yacht. Izzy gets aboard by announcing himself as "Muscle-Bound Murphy," along with Jake, and they promise to help the millionaire and his daughter, Marie. When Izzy is assigned to kill Jules, he feigns great joy and induces Jake to stand in for the assassination, but they are captured by the crew. Through his cleverness, Izzy outsmarts the maniacs and attracts a rescue party, thus closing the sale and winning the love of Marie.
No known film element, including the Vitaphone Sound-on-disc soundtrack, are known to exist, meaning it is currently a lost film.