"Queen Kelly" was initially an epic undertaking by star Gloria Swanson and director Eric von Stroheim. Stroheim's view of the project would have ended in a five hour movie. Swanson when seeing what he had planned for the brothel sequences , had him fired. This was poor old Eric's last directoral effort due mainly to his habit in using up tons of film stock. The film was never completed, however the story was concluded through the use of stills and title cards explaining what happened to the characters post Stroheim.
What we have left is a love story or if you will, a lover's triangle. Prince Wolfram (Walter Byron) is a womanizing, party loving prince who is engaged to the cold Queen Regina V (Seena Owen) of a small mythical European country. Wolfram tries to delay his forthcoming marriage. The Queen punishes Wolfram for his dalliances by assigning him to drill duty in the hot summer sun.
While on manoeuvers, Wolfram comes upon a group of students from a nearby convent. Among them, in an inspired bit of casting, is young Patricia Kelly (Swanson) to whom Wolfram becomes attracted. She too is attracted to the dashing prince. Later that night Wolfram sneaks into the convent and makes off with Kelly. He takes her to his apartment within the Queen's castle, and sparks fly.
The next morning, Queen Regina catches the prince and the young Kelly in bed together. She blow her top. She horse whips the young girl in a brutally realistic scene. The Queen ultimately imprisons Wolfram for refusing to marry her. Meanwhile Kelly receives a letter from her aunt (Sylvia Ashton) requesting her presence in East Africa where she lays dying.
When she arrives in Africa, Kelly learns that her aunt has been operating a brothel and that she has promised her to the dirty old man Jan Vryheid (who else but Tully Marshall). The wedding proceeds and the aunt dies. This is where Stroheim's footage ends. As I pointed out earlier, stills and title cards finish the story, informing us what happened to the characters later including how Kelly became Queen Kelly.
What we have left is a love story or if you will, a lover's triangle. Prince Wolfram (Walter Byron) is a womanizing, party loving prince who is engaged to the cold Queen Regina V (Seena Owen) of a small mythical European country. Wolfram tries to delay his forthcoming marriage. The Queen punishes Wolfram for his dalliances by assigning him to drill duty in the hot summer sun.
While on manoeuvers, Wolfram comes upon a group of students from a nearby convent. Among them, in an inspired bit of casting, is young Patricia Kelly (Swanson) to whom Wolfram becomes attracted. She too is attracted to the dashing prince. Later that night Wolfram sneaks into the convent and makes off with Kelly. He takes her to his apartment within the Queen's castle, and sparks fly.
The next morning, Queen Regina catches the prince and the young Kelly in bed together. She blow her top. She horse whips the young girl in a brutally realistic scene. The Queen ultimately imprisons Wolfram for refusing to marry her. Meanwhile Kelly receives a letter from her aunt (Sylvia Ashton) requesting her presence in East Africa where she lays dying.
When she arrives in Africa, Kelly learns that her aunt has been operating a brothel and that she has promised her to the dirty old man Jan Vryheid (who else but Tully Marshall). The wedding proceeds and the aunt dies. This is where Stroheim's footage ends. As I pointed out earlier, stills and title cards finish the story, informing us what happened to the characters later including how Kelly became Queen Kelly.