The Patsy is a 1928 American silent comedy-drama film directed by King Vidor, co-produced by and starring Marion Davies for Cosmopolitan Productions, and released by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer. It was based on a play of the same name by Barry Conners, and served as Marie Dressler's comeback film after a long slump in her film career. Davies played the dowdy and downtrodden Patricia, the younger daughter in a household ruled by an imperious mother (Dressler) and selfish sister (Jane Winton).
Contents
Cast
Marion Davies as Patricia Harrington
Orville Caldwell as Tony Anderson
Marie Dressler as Ma Harrington
Lawrence Gray as Billy Caldwell
Dell Henderson as Pa Harrington
Jane Winton as Grace Harrington
Production
The Patsy saw Marion Davies starring in her 27th film. This was Davies' first film of three with director King Vidor and the only time she appeared with Marie Dressler.
Release and legacy
The film received good reviews, and was a box office success. Hearst and MGM subsequently assigned Vidor to begin working on another vehicle for Davies. The Patsy also served as a comeback vehicle for Dressler.
In February 2020, the film was shown at the 70th Berlin International Film Festival, as part of a retrospective dedicated to King Vidor's career.
As of 2024, the film is in the public domain. On the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, 100% of 20 critics' reviews are positive. The website's consensus reads: "Highlighted by Marion Davies' lively and skillful performance, The Patsy plays as an engagingly light and handsomely directed domestic comedy."