Cameo Kirby | 1923 | Drama

Title: Cameo Kirby | 1923 | Drama Director: John Ford Studio: Fox Film Corporation Starring: John Gilbert, Gertrude Olmstead, Alan Hale, Eric Mayne, W. E. Lawrence, Richard Tucker, Phillips Smalley, Jack McDonald, Jean Arthur, Eugenie Forde Based on: Play *Cameo Kirby* by Booth Tarkington and Harry Leon Wilson Release Date: October 21 1923 Runtime: 70 minutes Format: Silent black and white Country: United States Language: Silent with English intertitles Genres: Drama --- Chapters: 00:00:00 Opening in the riverboat gambling hall 00:10:00 Cameo Kirby wins big 00:20:00 Colonel Randall’s downfall 00:30:00 Accusation and escape 00:40:00 Duel with Moreau 00:50:00 Refuge with the Randall family 01:00:00 Clearing his name and marriage --- Summary: Cameo Kirby is a 1923 silent drama film in which a charming riverboat gambler, Cameo Kirby, becomes embroiled in a deadly conflict when he is wrongly blamed for the death of Colonel Randall following a high-stakes card game. Kirby’s attempt to restore Randall’s losses results in tragedy, then accusation, forcing him to prove his innocence. Along the way, he confronts rival gamblers, survives a duel, and seeks refuge with the Randall family, where love blossoms with Adele, the dead man’s sister. The narrative blends melodrama, honor, romance, and redemption against the backdrop of the Mississippi River’s gambling culture. --- Background: Directed by John Ford and produced by Fox Film Corporation, Cameo Kirby is based on a popular early 20th-century stage play by Booth Tarkington and Harry Leon Wilson. It was Ford’s first film credited under the name “John Ford,” and it features the screen debut of Jean Arthur. The story was previously filmed in 1914 and would later be adapted again as a sound picture in 1930. The 1923 version survives in film archives. --- Trivia: Cameo Kirby was the first film directed by John Ford to bear his later professional name instead of “Jack Ford.” Actress Jean Arthur makes her onscreen debut in this production. The film is based on a 1909 stage play that had been adapted multiple times for the screen. Prints are preserved at the UCLA Film & Television Archive and the Cinemateca Portuguesa. --- Public Domain / Rights: Original Release: October 21 1923 Original Studio / Distributor: Fox Film Corporation Copyright Status: Public Domain Renewal: Unknown --- Hashtags: #CameoKirby #JohnFord #SilentFilm #1923Film #Drama #JeanArthur #ClassicCinema #PublicDomain