Four Walls (1928)
Drama | 4 August 1928
Cast:
John Gilbert, Joan Crawford, Vera Gordon [ More ]Director:
William NighCinematographer:
James HoweEditor:
Harry ReynoldsProduction Company:
Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Corp.Var reviewed the film as 4 Walls.
The 27 Jan 1928 FD announced that Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Corp. (M-G-M) purchased rights to the 1927 play Four Walls, written by Dana Burnet and George Abbott. The 8 Feb 1928 edition reported that Abbott would play a feature role in the film, but this could not be confirmed.
On 15 Feb 1928, Var named John Gilbert as the lead, and Jack Conway as director. However, the 22 Feb 1928 issue stated that William Nigh would direct the film, to be adapted by Alice D. G. Miller. The 12 Apr 1928 FD announced Joan Crawford as Gilbert’s co-star.
Although the 17 Mar 1928 Motion Picture News reported that production would begin that month, the 14 Apr 1928 edition indicated that filming had not yet begun.
According to the 25 Apr 1928 Var, principal photography was underway at the M-G-M Studios in Culver City, CA. The 26 May 1928 Exhibitors Herald and Moving Picture World production chart confirmed a 22 Apr 1928 start date.
The 6 May 1928 FD added Ferike Boros to the cast, and the 23 May 1928 edition included Beth Langley, reporting that the actress had injured her arm when an overhead light fell on it during filming at the studios. The 30 May 1928 issue announced that production was delayed for several days when John Gilbert became ill from lead poisoning attributed to “an inferior cream used in his makeup.”
Principal photography was completed in mid-Jun 1928, according to the 23 Jun 1928 Exhibitors Herald and Moving Picture World.
...
Var reviewed the film as 4 Walls.
The 27 Jan 1928 FD announced that Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Corp. (M-G-M) purchased rights to the 1927 play Four Walls, written by Dana Burnet and George Abbott. The 8 Feb 1928 edition reported that Abbott would play a feature role in the film, but this could not be confirmed.
On 15 Feb 1928, Var named John Gilbert as the lead, and Jack Conway as director. However, the 22 Feb 1928 issue stated that William Nigh would direct the film, to be adapted by Alice D. G. Miller. The 12 Apr 1928 FD announced Joan Crawford as Gilbert’s co-star.
Although the 17 Mar 1928 Motion Picture News reported that production would begin that month, the 14 Apr 1928 edition indicated that filming had not yet begun.
According to the 25 Apr 1928 Var, principal photography was underway at the M-G-M Studios in Culver City, CA. The 26 May 1928 Exhibitors Herald and Moving Picture World production chart confirmed a 22 Apr 1928 start date.
The 6 May 1928 FD added Ferike Boros to the cast, and the 23 May 1928 edition included Beth Langley, reporting that the actress had injured her arm when an overhead light fell on it during filming at the studios. The 30 May 1928 issue announced that production was delayed for several days when John Gilbert became ill from lead poisoning attributed to “an inferior cream used in his makeup.”
Principal photography was completed in mid-Jun 1928, according to the 23 Jun 1928 Exhibitors Herald and Moving Picture World.
The 28 Jul 1928 Motion Picture News reported an expected release date of 4 Aug 1928. The picture opened in New York City at the Capitol Theatre on 18 Aug 1928, as noted in the 22 Aug 1928 Var review, which deemed Four Walls a well done film adaptation, and gave praise to the lead actors and the entire cast. Nigh’s direction was also commended “for its reality, restraint and knowledge of his elements.”
Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (M-G-M) made another adaptation of the Dana Burnet, George Abbott play in 1934, titled Straight Is the Way (see entry).
Benny Horowitz, an East Side gang leader, kills another gangster in self-defense and is sentenced to prison on the charge of manslaughter. Having served out his term, Benny decides to go straight and finds work in a garage. His old girl, Frieda, wants to resume their former intimacy, but although he still loves her, Benny turns instead to Bertha, a plain girl who befriended his mother while he was in jail. He later attends a party at which Monk, the new gangleader, is accidentally killed in a fall. Sullivan, the detective who sent Benny up the first time, at first suspects him of having murdered Monk; eventually Benny is cleared of suspicion, inviting Frieda to share a new life with ...
Benny Horowitz, an East Side gang leader, kills another gangster in self-defense and is sentenced to prison on the charge of manslaughter. Having served out his term, Benny decides to go straight and finds work in a garage. His old girl, Frieda, wants to resume their former intimacy, but although he still loves her, Benny turns instead to Bertha, a plain girl who befriended his mother while he was in jail. He later attends a party at which Monk, the new gangleader, is accidentally killed in a fall. Sullivan, the detective who sent Benny up the first time, at first suspects him of having murdered Monk; eventually Benny is cleared of suspicion, inviting Frieda to share a new life with him.
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