Gypsy O'Brien Movies

This charming and expensively made historical romance was one of Marion Davies' best films. She spends much of the picture disguised as a boy, something she also did effectively in several other films. A young Irish lad, Patrick O'Day (Stephen Carr), inherits a fortune, providing he travels to New York to claim it within a certain period of time. His father, John (J.M. Kerrigan), manages to scrape together the money to send himself, his son, and daughter, Patricia (Davies), across the Atlantic. But the boy is sick and dies en route to New York. In order to get the money, John convinces Patricia to disguise herself as her brother. They arrive just in time to claim the inheritance, which frustrates cousin Larry Delevan (Harrison Ford), who would have received it had Pat not shown up. Although Delevan is not thrilled with his cousin's arrival, they become fast friends anyhow, and he never suspects that Pat is really a girl. Delevan wants to invest in Robert Fulton's steamship, the Clermont, and Pat loans him the money. But Delevan then wagers on a fight between Bully Boy Brewster (Harry Watson) and the Hoboken Terror (Louis Wolheim). The match is an uneven one and it looks like Delevan will lose all his money, so Pat rings a false alarm to break up the fight. When her deed is discovered, the mob drags her out to be whipped. She takes it for a few lashes before revealing that she's really a girl. Delevan falls in love with her and they marry. Contrary to popular belief, many of Marion Davies' films made money, and Little Old New York was one of them. ~ Janiss Garza, Rovi

Nell Sanders (Pauline Starke) has grown up on New York's Lower East Side. While working in a sweatshop she becomes involved with Jim Platt (Joseph King), who is a hopeless alcoholic . She loses her job and is forced to scrub floors at a saloon owned by Sid McGovern (Charles McDonald). Sid's brother Al (Matthew Betz) makes advances towards Nell, which infuriates Platt. The two men come to blows and Al is killed. Platt goes to prison for seven years and Nell is left alone to bear his child. A Salvation Army worker, Hallelujah Maggie (Evelyn C. Carrington), saves Nell from the streets and she begins a new life. By the time Platt is discharged from prison, Nell has become one of the Salvation Army's most valuable members. He wants to be with her, but she hesitates because she does not want to be drawn back into the old life. Another Army member, Major Williams (Edward Langford), wants to marry Nell, but she still loves Platt, even though she resists his overtures. Finally her goodness regenerates her wayward lover, and he is able to marry her and pursue an honest life. Edward Sheldon's original stage play starred Minnie Maddern Fiske and was made into a film three times -- twice in the silent era and once more in sound. This is the second silent version. ~ Janiss Garza, Rovi

Henry Allen (Lionel Barrymore) swears revenge when attorney Cortland Wainwright (Ralph Kellard) sends his innocent brother to the electric chair. After becoming an underworld bigwig, Allen discovers that Wainwright worships a girl he met only briefly, Maggie Flint (Gypsy O'Brien). The girl has a prison record, so he sends her abroad to be educated, then brings her back into Wainwright's life. After they marry and Wainwright is running for governor, Allen reveals Maggie's background, which, if exposed, will force Wainwright to give up his candidacy. But Maggie appeals to his better nature and Allen realizes that revenge isn't all it's cracked up to be. He backs off and leaves the couple alone. ~ Janiss Garza, Rovi