Curlytop is a lost 1924 American silent romantic drama film directed by Maurice Elvey and starring Shirley Mason, Wallace MacDonald, and Warner Oland.[1] It is based on one of the short stories collected in Limehouse Nights by Thomas Burke.[2]

Curlytop
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Directed byMaurice Elvey
Written byFanny Hatton
Frederic Hatton
Based on"Twelve Golden Curls"
1921 story in More Limehouse Nights
by Thomas Burke
Produced byWilliam Fox
StarringShirley Mason
Wallace MacDonald
Warner Oland
CinematographyJoseph A. Valentine
Production
company
Distributed byFox Film Corporation
Release date
  • December 28, 1924 (1924-12-28)
Running time
60 minutes
CountryUnited States
LanguageSilent (English intertitles)

Plot

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As described in a review in a film magazine,[3] big Bill Branigan (MacDonald) leaves his sweetheart Bessie (Miller) for Curlytop (Mason), whose unconscious beauty naiveté enthrall him. Shanghai Dan (Oland), who dominates a gang of Chinese crooks in the Chinatown centered on Limehouse in the East End of London, also desires her. Determined to reform, Bill sets out in search of a job, so Bessie revenges herself by getting Curlytop drunk and cutting off her golden curls. Bill returns but cannot find Curlytop, and is persuaded to rekindle his relationship with Bessie. After he finds the golden curls among her belongings, Bill forces Bessie to reveal the whereabouts of Curlytop. Curlytop has been working for Shanghai Dan as a waitress on a floating barge. As Dan is hypnotizing her, another vessel crashes into the barge. Dan is drowned while Curlytop is rescued by Bill.

Cast

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Preservation

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With no prints of Curlytop located in any film archives,[4] it is a lost film.

References

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  1. ^ Solomon p. 291
  2. ^ Progressive Silent Film List: Curlytop at silentera.com
  3. ^ Sewell, Sumner (January 10, 1925). "Curlytop; Shirley Mason and Wallace MacDonald in Fox Picture of Limehouse Story". The Moving Picture World. 72 (2). New York City: Chalmers Publishing Co.: 137–138. Retrieved July 9, 2021.
  4. ^ Library of Congress American Silent Feature Film Survival Database: Curlytop

Bibliography

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  • Solomon, Aubrey. The Fox Film Corporation, 1915-1935: A History and Filmography. McFarland, 2011.
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