Cinema
Greed
Erich von Stroheim · 1924
Synopsis
McTeague, a former miner at a California gold mine, learned the trade from an itinerant dentist and opens an unlicensed practice on Polk Street, in San Francisco. His friend Marcus Schouler introduces him to his cousin Trina, then withdraws; McTeague and Trina become engaged, and she wins five thousand dollars in the lottery before their wedding. Once married, she becomes miserly and hoards her gold coins. Marcus, who demands a share, comes to knives, then denounces his friend, who has to close his practice. The couple sells their belongings, and McTeague takes to drink.
Context
The first cut ran to more than nine hours; its author reduced it to about four hours, to be shown over two evenings, declaring that he could not cut another frame. The studio brought it down to about two hours; according to Stroheim, the cut negative was burned in order to recover the silver from it. Only twelve people outside the studio saw the long version, in January 1924. A reconstruction made in 1999 by Rick Schmidlin for Turner, using more than six hundred and fifty production stills, fills the gaps in the story.
Who it is for
A silent film of about two hours in its known version, four in the 1999 reconstruction, which fills the gaps with still photographs.
Prizes and reception
Added to the National Film Registry in 1991, and joint seventh in the first Sight and Sound critics' poll, in 1952.
Sources for this page 11
The pages consulted to check this page.