The Tower of Lies
1925 film / From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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The Tower of Lies is a 1925 American silent drama film directed by Victor Sjöström. It was written by Agnes Christine Johnston and Max Marcin, based upon Selma Lagerlöf's 1914 novel The Emperor of Portugallia (MGM actually purchased the story rights in 1922). The film was supposed to be called The Emperor of Portugallia, but was later changed to The Tower of Lies.
The Tower of Lies | |
---|---|
Directed by | Victor Sjöström |
Written by | Agnes Christine Johnston Max Marcin Marian Ainslee (titles) Ruth Cummings (titles) |
Based on | The Emperor of Portugallia by Selma Lagerlöf |
Produced by | Irving Thalberg Louis B Mayer |
Starring | Norma Shearer Lon Chaney Ian Keith Claire McDowell |
Cinematography | Percy Hilburn (*French) |
Distributed by | Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer |
Release date |
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Running time | 70 minutes (7 reels) |
Country | United States |
Language | Silent film (English intertitles) |
Released one year after He Who Gets Slapped, the film marks the second collaboration between Sjöström, Lon Chaney and Norma Shearer. Also starring are William Haines, Ian Keith and Lew Cody.[1]
The film's sets were designed by the art director James Basevi and Cedric Gibbons. The film was shot on location in the Sacramento River Delta, Lake Arrowhead and the Laurel Canyon area of Los Angeles. It took 53 days to complete at a cost of $185,000. It grossed $653,000 worldwide.
"Film Mercury" voted Chaney's performance as one of the year's best. It is considered a lost film, although rumors persist that a print may exist in Denmark. Stills exist showing Chaney in his "Jan" makeup,[1][2] which took him three hours each day to apply.[3]