Like most movie buffs, I'm not an expert on the variations of the English tongue. Unless an actor is obviously bad at imitating an Irish brogue or a Scottish accent, most seem to be authentic to me in movies. So it is with Marion Davies as Peg O'Connell in "Peg o' My Heart." Indeed, she seems very adept at impersonating a young girl raised in an Irish fishing village. And, to her credit and that of the MGM makeup folks and the cameramen, the 36-year old Davies really looks like a young woman of 19 or 20. That's a mature 19 or 20 - not a childish teenager.
Davies' character seems just a little overdone at times, but that seems to add to Peg's persona in this film. Some of the others of the cast seem wooden much of the time. That's true of Onslow Stevens as Sir Gerald, of Juliette Compton as Ethel Chichester, and of Irene Browne as Mrs. Chichester.
This is a sort of fairy tale, with a very different twist on the rags to riches theme. The plot is interesting, but the screenplay seems choppy in places and disoriented at times. The film seems to have a feel of incoherence. Yet, this is a fair story about life, family, romance, honesty, deceit, infidelity, conscience, rescue and redemption. None of this is very heavy, however. That's mostly due to the light-hearted and often bubbly persona of Peg.
With an otherwise little known cast except for Alan Mowbray and Robert Greig, this film shows the acting talent of Marion Davies. But, she was not a very good singer, and she was only fair as a hoofer. She wasn't one of the great actresses by any means, but could be very good in some of her roles. About two-thirds of her career was spent in silent films.
A good script would raise this film one or two notches, and a better supporting cast would raise it another notch. A better script alone would give this film more punch and make it memorable. The unusual ending itself would set this film apart in its field.
Here are a couple of my favorite lines.
Peg O'Connell, "Me father says I have a fair voice for dancin'."
Peg O'Connell, "Saints be praised, there are no parlor snakes in Ireland. St. Patrick drawed them out too."
Davies' character seems just a little overdone at times, but that seems to add to Peg's persona in this film. Some of the others of the cast seem wooden much of the time. That's true of Onslow Stevens as Sir Gerald, of Juliette Compton as Ethel Chichester, and of Irene Browne as Mrs. Chichester.
This is a sort of fairy tale, with a very different twist on the rags to riches theme. The plot is interesting, but the screenplay seems choppy in places and disoriented at times. The film seems to have a feel of incoherence. Yet, this is a fair story about life, family, romance, honesty, deceit, infidelity, conscience, rescue and redemption. None of this is very heavy, however. That's mostly due to the light-hearted and often bubbly persona of Peg.
With an otherwise little known cast except for Alan Mowbray and Robert Greig, this film shows the acting talent of Marion Davies. But, she was not a very good singer, and she was only fair as a hoofer. She wasn't one of the great actresses by any means, but could be very good in some of her roles. About two-thirds of her career was spent in silent films.
A good script would raise this film one or two notches, and a better supporting cast would raise it another notch. A better script alone would give this film more punch and make it memorable. The unusual ending itself would set this film apart in its field.
Here are a couple of my favorite lines.
Peg O'Connell, "Me father says I have a fair voice for dancin'."
Peg O'Connell, "Saints be praised, there are no parlor snakes in Ireland. St. Patrick drawed them out too."