Ernest Pascal’s 1924 novel was also the basis for a 1929 First National dialogue film entitled Wedding Rings (see entry).
       A news brief in the 20 Feb 1924 Film Daily announced that Warner Brothers Pictures had optioned Pascal’s novel, which was released that month, as noted in the 8 Mar 1924 Motion Picture News. The Dark Swan was said to be the first production announced for Warner Brothers’ 1924-1925 production slate. Rapid preparations were underway at Warner’s West Coast studio, according to the 6 Sep 1924 Moving Picture World, which stated that John Roche would play “Wilfred Meadows.” An item in the 2 Sep 1924 Film Daily also listed John Roche among the cast; however, the part was ultimately credited to John Patrick.
       On 18 Oct 1924, Moving Picture World reported that the final shots had just been completed, and early prints of the film were expected to be delivered in the next two or three weeks. The 13 Dec 1924 issue reported that the film premiered on 22 Nov 1924 at the Picadilly Theatre in New York City, where the first week’s box-office receipts totaled $15,350, according to the 1925 Film Daily Year Book.
       The National Film Preservation Board (NFPB) included this film on its list of Lost U.S. Silent Feature Films as of October 2019. ...