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7.1/10
Archivist John
Senior Editor
A definitive 7.1/10 rating for a film that redefined the boundaries of cult cinema. Queen Kelly remains a cornerstone of transgressive art.
Is Queen Kelly worth your time today? Oh, absolutely, but probably not for the reasons you might think. If you’re into movie history, especially the wild, extravagant days of silent films and grand artistic clashes, you’ll find it utterly fascinating. Anyone just looking for a straightforward story with a tidy, neat ending? You’ll likely be quite lost and perhaps a bit annoyed. It’s a glimpse into a very particular kind of cinematic ambition, starring Gloria Swanson as a convent girl whose life takes a sharp, very dramatic turn. 🎬
Right from the start, you get this sense of von Stroheim just *drowning* the screen in detail. Every single uniform, every piece of lace in the convent, feels so incredibly deliberate. The opening scenes, showing Princess Regina’s wild party and then cutting to Kelly’s peaceful convent life, they’re just so starkly different. You feel the contrast immediately.
Walter Byron, as Prince Wolfram, has this smirk that’s just perfectly awful. He’s supposed to marry Princess Regina, who’s Passers-by actress Seena Owen, by the way, and she plays her role with such a delightful level of cruelty. Her reaction when Wolfram pulls the convent girls into his parade route? It’s priceless. Pure disdain.
Then comes the picnic scene, where Wolfram basically abducts Kelly. It’s all very dramatic and over-the-top, but that’s the silent era for you. The way Kelly goes from horrified to… well, *taken* with him, it happens fast. Swanson really sells that sudden shift, though. Her expressions are just something else, even without sound.
There's this one moment where Wolfram licks the general’s boot. Yes, you read that right. He licks a boot. It’s such an incredibly bizarre, audacious thing to put on screen, and it tells you everything you need to know about von Stroheim’s approach. No subtlety, just pure, unadulterated excess. That shot lingers for just a beat too long, making you wonder what he was really trying to say there. 🤔
The film just *stops* abruptly after Kelly is banished and arrives in German East Africa. Suddenly, she’s in a brothel, run by her aunt, and expected to take over. This whole transition, in the version we usually see, is just a title card. One minute she’s rejected by the prince, the next she’s Queen of the Brothel. It’s a jarring shift, feels like a whole movie got skipped.
Gloria Swanson’s performance in the Africa section, even with the limited footage, shows such a different side. She’s not the innocent convent girl anymore. There’s a hardness there, a weariness. It’s a shame we don't get to see how she truly got there, how that transformation fully played out.
You can almost feel the weight of its production history while watching. All the stories about von Stroheim's meticulousness, his endless takes, and the budget spiraling out of control with Swanson stepping in to salvage it. It makes you appreciate the fragments we *do* have even more.
What we’re left with is a testament to what happens when two very strong wills collide. It’s a beautiful, messy, incomplete thing. The imagery, particularly the convent scenes and the opulent palace, just sticks with you. There are these deep, rich shadows that are just gorgeous.
For me, it’s less about the plot and more about the *experience* of watching it. The sheer scale, the forgotten grandeur, and the feeling of witnessing a historical artifact. It’s not a perfect film, by any stretch, but it’s unforgettable for what it represents: a kind of cinema that just doesn't exist anymore. Go watch it, but know what you’re getting into. 🧐
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