The Narrow Street is a 1925 American silent comedy film directed by William Beaudine and starring Matt Moore.[2]

The Narrow Street
Still with Matt Moore and Dorothy Devore
Directed byWilliam Beaudine
Written byJulien Josephson
Based onThe Narrow Street
by Edwin Bateman Morris
StarringMatt Moore
CinematographyRay June
Production
company
Distributed byWarner Bros.
Release date
  • January 11, 1925 (1925-01-11)
Running time
70 minutes
CountryUnited States
LanguageSilent (English intertitles)
Budget$74,000[1]
Box office$259,000[1]

Plot edit

As described in a review in a film magazine,[3] Simon Haldane (Moore), the underdog in the office of the Faulkner Iron Works is efficient but absent-minded. He is the butt of the office staff jokes, so retiring that he is afraid of his own shadow, and intensely afraid of women. Doris (Devore), seeking to escape from detectives, hides in Simon's house and the next morning he is shocked to find her. A sudden chill causes him to call the Doctor (Orlamond) for her, and this starts a fast rumor that Simon is married. All is up in the air when the office force calls in for a body. Doris has taken a liking to Simon, and breezy salesman Ray Wyeth (Butler) takes a liking to her. An office shake-up results in Simon being made the manager. Returning home, the maid tells Simon that the young woman left with Ray. He later thoroughly trounces Ray and, after answering a telephone call directing him to go to a certain hotel, there he discovers that Doris is the daughter of his employer. He sheepishly starts to leave when she saves the situation.

Cast edit

Reception edit

According to Warner Bros. records, the film earned $219,000 in the United States and $40,000 in other markets.[1] In 1930 it was remade as a talkie titled Wide Open starring Edward Everett Horton.

Preservation edit

While no prints of The Narrow Street are located in any film archives, a private collector reportedly has an incomplete copy.[4]

References edit

  1. ^ a b c Warner Bros financial information in The William Shaefer Ledger. See Appendix 1, Historical Journal of Film, Radio and Television, (1995) 15:sup1, 1-31 p 3 DOI: 10.1080/01439689508604551
  2. ^ "The Narrow Street". Movies & TV Dept. The New York Times. Baseline & All Movie Guide. 2016. Archived from the original on March 5, 2016. Retrieved December 14, 2013.
  3. ^ Sewell, Charles S. (January 17, 1925). "The Narrow Street; Unusually Amusing Light Comedy, Fine Characterization and Human Interest Is Warner Production". The Moving Picture World. 72 (3). New York City: Chalmers Publishing Co.: 268. Retrieved July 19, 2021.
  4. ^ Library of Congress American Silent Feature Film Survival Database: The Narrow Street

External links edit