Beggar on Horseback (film)

Beggar on Horseback
Film still
Directed by	James Cruze
Screenplay by	Walter Woods
Produced by	Jesse L. Lasky Adolph Zukor
Starring	Edward Everett Horton Esther Ralston Erwin Connelly Gertrude Short Ethel Wales Theodore Kosloff Betty Compson
Cinematography	Karl Brown
Music by	Hugo Riesenfeld
Production company	Famous Players–Lasky Corporation
Distributed by	Paramount Pictures
Release date	August 24, 1925 (1925-08-24)
Running time	70 minutes
Country	United States
Language	Silent (English intertitles)

Beggar on Horseback is 1925 American surreal silent comedy film based upon the 1924 play written by Marc Connelly and George S. Kaufman. It was adapted for the screen by Walter Woods and directed by James Cruze. It stars Edward Everett Horton, Esther Ralston, Erwin Connelly, Gertrude Short, Ethel Wales, Theodore Kosloff, and Betty Compson. It was released on August 24, 1925, by Paramount Pictures.^[1][2]

Plot

As described in a film magazine review,^[3] a young idealistic jazz composer is on the verge of a nervous breakdown, and feels that he cannot continue a relationship with a sympathetic young woman because of a lack of funds. He is considering marrying a rich young woman who worships jazz, and falls asleep and dreams a horrible nightmare of his life as her husband. In this fantasy dream, he kills those who oppress him. He awakens and comes to appreciate the sympathetic young woman and seeks happiness with her. His publishers award him with royalties for his music compositions.

Cast

• Edward Everett Horton as Neil McRae
• Esther Ralston as Cynthia Mason
• Erwin Connelly as Mr. Cady
• Gertrude Short as Gladys Cady
• Ethel Wales as Mrs. Cady
• Theodore Kosloff as Prince in Pantomime
• Betty Compson as Princess in Pantomime
• James Mason as Homer Cady
• Frederick Sullivan as Dr. Rice

Preservation

The film survives in the Library of Congress collection but is incomplete.^[4][5]

References

1. "Movie Review - Beggar on Horseback - THE SCREEN; The Composer's Nightmare. - NYTimes.com". nytimes.com. Retrieved February 7, 2015.
2. "Beggar on Horseback". afi.com. Retrieved February 7, 2015.
3. "New Pictures: Beggar on Horseback", Exhibitors Herald, 22 (03), Chicago, Illinois: Exhibitors Herald Company: 50, July 11, 1925, retrieved June 11, 2022 This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
4. Catalog of Holdings The American Film Institute Collection and The United Artists Collection at The Library of Congress, p. 13, c.1978 by The American Film Institute
5. The Library of Congress American Silent Feature Film Survival Catalog: Beggar on Horseback

External links

• Beggar on Horseback at IMDb