Top 10 Films: Marion Davies
- Lindsay Blenkarn
- Feb 2
- 14 min read
Updated: Feb 27
Marion Davies was one of the rare silent movie stars to actually make a successful transition into the talkies. A talented comedienne, she was once credited as a major influence on the legendary Lucille Ball. Unfortunately, Marion's real-life story has often overshadowed her acting career in the public consciousness. For better or worse, she is best known today as the long-time paramour of newspaper tycoon William Randolph Hearst and as the hostess of Hearst Castle's famous parties.
Hearst actually created his production company, Cosmopolitan Pictures, with the primary intention of using it to produce films for Marion. However, it is often debated whether Hearst's interference ultimately helped or hindered Marion's film career. Davies easily excelled in comedies, but Hearst much preferred "more dignified" costume dramas, and it is a shame that she didn't showcase her comedic talents even more often than she did.
But, the biggest blow to Marion's onscreen reputation was the film Citizen Kane. The talentless fictional wife of Charles Foster Kane (a character partly based on Hearst) is often mistaken as an avatar for Marion. In fact, this was not the intention of either of the film's screenwriters (Orson Welles and Herman Mankiewicz), and both men deeply regretted inadvertently damaging Marion's onscreen legacy.
In more recent years, Marion Davies has gotten some renewed attention thanks to Amanda Seyfried's performance in the 2020 Netflix film Mank, signaling that it may finally be time to shift the focus to Marion's actual film career. Within her filmography, you'll find a mix of both silent films and talkies... comedies and those costume dramas Hearst loved so much. So, whether you're brave enough to jump into silent films or prefer to stay within the talkies, you will find a Marion Davies film for you.
Also, good to keep in mind that although you may occasionally find copies or clips of some of Marion Davies' silent films that are missing their background music, silent films are not actually meant to be watched in complete silence. So, if you ever do try to watch a copy that is missing its soundtrack, feel free to turn on an album of your own to help enhance your enjoyment of it or just have it going on in the background for your next house party (silent films are great for ambiance).
But, over 100 years since her career first began, which Marion Davies films have survived and still remain her most popular in 2026...??
10. Lights of Old Broadway (1925)
Based on the play The Merry Wives of Gotham by Laurence Eyre, Lights of Old Broadway is one of Marion Davies' silent costume dramas that Hearst was so fond of. Set in the 1800s, Marion stars in the dual roles of Fely and Anne, two twins who become separated when their immigrant mother dies en route to the United States. Both sisters are adopted by NYC families but, Anne is adopted into the wealthy De Rhonde family, while Fely is adopted into the poor working class O'Tandy family. One day, Anne's adoptive brother, Dirk (Conrad Nagel), happens to catch one of Fely's dance performances at the theater where she works. Initially fascinated by her resemblance to Anne, Dirk meets Fely after the show and they, eventually, begin to fall for one another. However, it's very questionable whether the rest of the De Rhonde family will be as accepting of Anne's long-lost sister as Dirk has been.
Lights of Old Broadway was actually the first film that Marion Davies made with the direct involvement of MGM studio head Louis B. Mayer and his studio's wunderkind producer Irving Thalberg. The high production values are on full display with massive crowd scenes and sumptuous costumes. Although mostly made in black-and-white, Lights of Old Broadway does, also, include a smattering of color sequences using both Technicolor and some color tinting. The film was a huge success when it was first released, resulting in Davies officially being offered a long-term contract with MGM and legitimizing her as a genuine MGM star.
9. The Cardboard Lover (1928)
This silent screwball comedy is, actually, a gender-flipped adaptation of the Broadway play Her Cardboard Lover by Valerie Wyngate and P.G. Wodehouse (which is, itself, based on the French play Dans sa candeur naive by Jacques Deval). Marion Davies plays the role of Sally Baxter, a young American flapper traveling through Monte Carlo as part of a larger European tour. While checking into her hotel, she happens to spot famous tennis champion Andre Briault and she immediately makes it her mission to get him to sign her autograph book. But, whilst in pursuit of this goal, Sally ends up following Andre to a casino and accidentally losing a great deal of money to him at baccarat. At first, Andre is perfectly happy to sign Sally's book and forget about the debt but, once he sees his horrible ex-girlfriend Simone, he gets a better idea. Knowing that Simone makes him miserable but, also, that he tends to be easily swayed by her charms, he suggests that Sally "work off" her debt to him by pretending to be his fiancee and preventing him from falling for any of Simone's seduction attempts. Sally agrees but, Andre doesn't entirely realize how seriously she is going to take this new "job" of hers.
Marion is delightfully adorable in this light comedy. Tallulah Bankhead had actually starred in the West End production of the original play and Leslie Howard (opposite Jeanne Eagels) had appeared in the Broadway version. However, neither actor had yet fully established themselves in film so, they were passed over for this movie version. Both would find much greater success in the movie business later on once the sound era began. Interestingly, a more stage accurate sound adaptation of Her Cardboard Lover was made in 1942 starring Norma Shearer, George Sanders, and Robert Taylor but, it was not nearly as well received as this silent version.
8. Page Miss Glory (1935)
Based on the play by Joseph Schrank and Philip Dunning, Page Miss Glory is the first of four films Marion Davies made at Warner Bros. after ending her long professional association with MGM. She plays the role of Loretta Dalrymple, a naive country girl who fulfills her dream of living in NYC by working as a maid in an upscale hotel. While working at the hotel, she happens to meet professional con men Click Wiley and Ed Olsen. The two men have been staying at the hotel for some time, but are quickly running out of money. In an attempt to win enough money to pay their bills, the two con men enter a national beauty contest by submitting a composite photograph of Hollywood starlets under the fake name Dawn Glory.
When their plan works and Dawn Glory wins the contest, the press insists on meeting the lovely Dawn in person. To solve this new problem, plain little Loretta gets pulled into their scheme to become the fictitious Dawn Glory. Although Loretta doesn’t care much for fame, becoming Dawn Glory does have the potential of giving her a real chance with her crush, Bingo Nelson (Dick Powell), a famous pilot who has already announced his affection for the beautiful Dawn. Unfortunately for Loretta, her possible relationship with Bingo is not very high on Click and Ed’s priorities.
Warner Bros. bought the rights to this fun screwball comedy specifically for Marion, and it’s easy to see why. Few actresses of the studio era could have pulled off the extreme transformation from the plain Loretta to the gorgeous Dawn Glory quite as easily as Marion does. Page Miss Glory also marked the first time Marion got a chance to work opposite Dick Powell, her real-life celebrity crush. Powell was very much aware of Marion’s attraction to him and kept a safe distance from her off-screen to avoid possibly angering a jealous William Randolph Hearst.
7. Quality Street (1927)
Quality Street represents Marion Davies' very last silent "costume picture". Set in the 1800s, this silent romance is based on the play by J.M. Barrie (who is best remembered today as the author of Peter Pan).
Marion stars as Phoebe Throssel, a young woman who hopes to marry the man who has been courting her, Dr. Valentine Brown (Conrad Nagel). However, instead of proposing, Dr. Brown enlists in the military to fight in the Napoleonic Wars. By the time the now-Captain Brown finally returns, 10 years have gone by, and Phoebe is no longer the blushing young thing she used to be. Sensing his disappointment in her current appearance, Phoebe creates a fictional younger and more flirtatious version of herself, whom she dubs “Livvy.” Once her disguise is complete, “Livvy” re-introduces herself to Captain Brown as a supposed niece of Phoebe’s to test how her former suitor will react to this transformation. But, Phoebe failed to consider what exactly she’s going to do if Captain Brown really does choose the fake Livvy over her.
Although Marion earned glowing reviews for her performance in Quality Street, the actual film was a bit of a disappointment at the box office, earning the lowest gross of any of Marion’s MGM films. That said, the film still managed to earn a profit, demonstrating just how popular Marion’s films actually were. Quality Street would later be remade as a talkie in 1937, this time with the iconic Katharine Hepburn in the role of Phoebe.
6. Ever Since Eve (1937)
Marking Marion Davies' very last film before her early retirement at the age of 40, Ever Since Eve is an adorable screwball comedy that reunited Marion with her Page Miss Glory co-star, Patsy Kelly. Ever Since Eve stars Marion as Marge Winton, a highly educated and very attractive secretary who has just quit yet another secretarial job because she keeps getting hit on by sleazy corporate executives. Fed up with being bothered because of her looks, Marge decides to give herself a dowdy makeover for her next job interview.
This immediately gets her hired by book publisher Abigail Belldon, who has been specifically looking for a plain and unglamorous secretary for author Freddy Matthews (Robert Montgomery) to work with. Her reasoning for this is not really due to Freddy being a womanizer but, simply because he is a master procrastinator. He will use any excuse to put off working on his novel, which includes flirting with his secretaries. So, his publisher hopes that by assigning him a more "boring" secretary, it will discourage him from getting distracted and he might actually finish his book on time.
Despite Freddy's initial frustration over having a secretary who is strictly all work and no play, he eventually learns to appreciate how much Marge genuinely does help him get work done. However, Marge's frumpy looks do not prevent Freddy's girlfriend, Camille, from getting jealous once Freddy starts spending more time working on his novel with Marge rather than going out with her. Things only get more complicated once Freddy inadvertently runs into the real Marge (i.e. the more glamorous blonde version of her).
Ever Since Eve is really a fun romp bolstered considerably by its likable cast, particularly Patsy Kelly as Marge's snarky roommate, Sadie. Marion Davies gives a great performance both as the pretty blonde Marge as well as her "Plain Jane" alter-ego, making it such a shame that this would prove to be her very last film appearance.
5. When Knighthood Was in Flower (1922)
Based on the novel by Charles Major, When Knighthood Was in Flower, also, takes heavy inspiration from the stage adaptation by Paul Kester. But, this silent costume drama ultimately takes its inspiration from the true story of Mary Tudor, sister of King Henry VIII of England. In the film, King Henry wants his sister, Mary (Marion Davies), to marry King Louis XII of France, but Mary is not interested in marrying the aging French king and harbors no desire to become Queen of France. Mary’s rebellion against this political match only intensifies when she falls for the handsome Charles Brandon.
Produced by Cosmopolitan Pictures as a star vehicle for Marion, When Knighthood Was in Flower is notable for featuring a very young William Powell in only his second film appearance, playing the villainous Francis I (heir to the French throne and King Louis’ nephew). Known for its sumptuous sets and costumes, this film cost over a million dollars (about $1,500,000), making it the most expensive film ever made up to that point. Exteriors were even shot at Windsor Castle in England (where the real Henry VIII lived) with some additional scenes filmed in Connecticut.
Marion wears 15 dresses throughout the film, which were all reproductions of gowns worn by the real Mary Tudor. The film was massively popular when it was first released, making over $1 million at the box office when ticket prices cost less than a dollar. The popularity of Marion’s performance made her the #1 female star of the year, earning her the title “The Queen of the Screen.” Although many editions of this film are now shown in basic black and white, When Knighthood Was in Flower was, initially, color tinted. The color edition has now been restored in the film’s most recent restoration.
4. Beverly of Graustark (1926)
Based on the novel of the same name by George Barr McCutcheon (better known for his other novel, Brewster's Millions), this silent romantic comedy is a great showcase of Marion Davies' comedic talents. Davies plays the role of Beverly Calhoun, whose cousin, Prince Oscar, is about to be crowned king of the small kingdom of Graustark. Beverly and Oscar are quite close so, she makes plans to travel with him to Graustark for his coronation. However, right before they're about to be leave, Oscar is badly injured in a skiing accident, requiring him to remain on bed rest until his injuries heal. Unfortunately, if Oscar doesn't arrive in Graustark soon, his claim to the throne will be in jeopardy. Realizing that no one in Graustark actually knows what Prince Oscar looks like, it's decided that Beverly will stand in for her cousin until he is able to recover. But, masquerading as Oscar will prove to be an even harder task than Beverly expects, especially since there are those who will do anything to prevent him from ever becoming king.
Although Beverly of Graustark wasn't the first time Marion Davies had played a cross-dressing role, she worked particularly hard to prepare for Beverly's "Oscar" scenes, practicing a more masculine gait and altering her makeup to tone down her more feminine features. Extremely successful when it was first released, this lesser known silent film has enjoyed a huge resurgence in popularity in recent years, thanks to a newly restored print premiering at film festivals in 2019. This was later followed by the film finally being released on Blu-ray/DVD in 2022 (with its original ending color sequence restored). Anyone who has read the original novel will notice that the film's plot follows a very different tangent from the book but, this film should still be enjoyable to anyone who likes George Barr McCutcheon's novels.
3. The Red Mill (1927)
Based on the operetta by Victor Herbert (the composer of Babes in Toyland), this silent comedy stars Marion Davies as Tina, a poor servant girl working in a pub in Holland called The Red Mill Tavern. Tina is immediately smitten when a handsome foreigner named Dennis Wheat comes to town. But although Tina does succeed in meeting Dennis, she’s dragged back to the tavern by her cruel boss before anything can happen between them. So, Tina is left to fantasize about her beloved Dennis in the hopes that he may return to Holland again someday, all the while knowing that it's unlikely he would even remember her. However, Tina may still get an unexpected chance to catch Dennis’ eye again when she decides to help her friend, Gretchen, get out of an arranged marriage.
Hilariously, the main plot of the original Red Mill operetta is actually turned into the subplot for this adorable silent comedy. Although billed as William Goodrich, The Red Mill was actually directed by former silent comedy star Roscoe “Fatty” Arbuckle. A few years earlier, Arbuckle had suffered a career-ending scandal when he was accused of the rape and murder of actress Virginia Rappe. Even though Arbuckle was found to be innocent (even receiving an unprecedented written apology from the jury), his reputation never recovered, and Hollywood essentially blacklisted him. It was only through the help of friends that Arbuckle was able to quietly adopt a career behind the camera under the Goodrich pseudonym. Producer William Randolph Hearst also hired an uncredited King Vidor to act as an overseer/babysitter for Arbuckle. Vidor found the situation a bit awkward, but would later state that Arbuckle handled it all very well. Unsurprisingly, it was Marion Davies who'd been the one to initially suggest to Hearst that Arbuckle direct The Red Mill. Though, ironically, it was Hearst’s newspapers that had been some of the most vicious in destroying Arbuckle’s reputation in the first place.
2. The Patsy (1928)
Co-produced by Marion Davies, herself, this silent screwball comedy is the first of three films Marion made with director King Vidor. Based on the Broadway play by Barry Conners, the film helped to prove Vidor’s skill as a comedy director after becoming primarily known for directing heavy dramas.
Marion stars as Patricia “Pat” Harrington, the neglected youngest daughter of a domineering mother (Marie Dressler), who focuses most of her attention on her self-absorbed older daughter, Grace (Jane Winton). Pat harbors a secret crush on Grace’s boyfriend, Tony Anderson, but has so far had no reason to believe that Tony will ever reciprocate her feelings. That all changes when Tony discovers that Grace has been cheating on him and Pat quickly realizes that this might be her window of opportunity to shift Tony’s attention over to her. So, in an attempt to become as attractive and seductive as her sister, Pat does everything in her power to develop a "personality” to finally win her dream guy’s affections.
Pushing her comedic talents to the limit, Marion is just delightful as Pat. One of the film’s highlights is when Pat does impersonations of silent actresses Lillian Gish, Mae Murray, and Pola Negri to great comedic effect. The Patsy, also, served as a major comeback film for Marie Dressler, who had been experiencing a long career slump. Once The Patsy was released, she found renewed success and would continue to thrive even past the silent era. Dressler would remain a top box-office star right up until her death in 1934.
1. Show People (1928)
The only possible choice for the number one spot, this silent comedy is the first (and so far only) film of Marion Davies' to be added to the US National Film Registry by the Library of Congress. If you’re nervous about jumping into silent films, Show People is the perfect one to start with.
It stars Marion as Peggy Pepper, a young aspiring actress who, accompanied by her father, has driven from Georgia to Hollywood in the hopes of becoming a movie star. Getting into the movie business proves to be a little harder than she expected, but she catches a break when she meets working actor Billy Boone (William Haines). Billy offers to help Peggy get her first onscreen role by securing her a small part in the movie he’s currently working on. However, Peggy has second thoughts when she realizes that Billy only works in slapstick comedies rather than the artistic dramas she’s always dreamed of starring in.
Simultaneously a send-up and a tribute to silent era Hollywood, Show People was actually released a year after The Jazz Singer ushered in the birth of the talkies. In fact, this entertaining comedy was one of the very last silent films to be a major box office hit.
Scenes taking place at the comedy studio where Billy works were all filmed at the original Mack Sennett Keystone Studios, known for their iconic Keystone Cops film series. The studio lot was actually demolished shortly after the filming of Show People ended. Appropriately, Show People features cameos from several major silent era stars, including John Gilbert, Douglas Fairbanks, and Charlie Chaplin (appearing as himself rather than his famous “Little Tramp” persona). The film’s director, King Vidor, also makes an onscreen appearance. Even Marion manages to have a quick cameo as herself (despite the fact that her character, Peggy Pepper, makes it quite obvious that she is not a big Marion Davies fan).
Honorable Mention: Cain and Mabel (1936)
A sound remake of the silent film, The Great White Way, this fun romantic comedy stars Marion Davies opposite the legendary Clark Gable. It features Marion in the role of Mabel O’Dare, a poor waitress who, by pure luck, ends up becoming the star of a Broadway musical. When box office sales for the show begin to fall, press agent Aloysius K. Reilly pitches the idea that a high-profile romance between Mabel and another celebrity might build publicity for the show. The perfect choice seems to be the current Heavyweight Champion of the World, Larry Cain (Clark Gable). Even though Larry always wins his fights, his popularity with the general public has plateaued, so extra publicity could help boost his box office sales as well. Unfortunately, Mabel and Larry have met before and absolutely hate each other. However, at the urging of their managers, they both agree to move forward with this fake romance in the hopes of saving their careers.
Although not a full-fledged musical, Cain and Mabel does include a couple of elaborate Broadway sequences and those few musical numbers caused a lot of difficulties behind the scenes. One in particular (“A Thousand Love Songs”) required the set to be lit by 600 arc lights, which brought the temperature up to 110 degrees. Marion trucked in over 100 lb. of ice to make the set slightly more bearable for everyone but would later say that the chorus girls were still fainting “like dead flies”. The initial designs for the Ziegfeld Follies-style numbers also required a larger set than any typical soundstage could hold. So (at the request of Marion and funded by Hearst), the Stage 16 sound stage on the Warner Bros. studio lot was raised to 98 ft to accommodate the filming. Stage 16 is still in use on the WB lot today and remains one of the tallest sound stages in the world.
To see this list on Letterboxd: https://boxd.it/z8d5g$FyA1fn17pNomfnRj
Which Marion Davies Movie Is Your Favorite?
0%Lights of Old Broadway
0%Cain and Mabel
0%The Cardboard Lover
0%Ever Since Eve
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