''The Mad Whirl'' is a 1925 American
jazz age black-and-white silent drama film
In film and television, drama is a category or genre of narrative fiction (or semi-fiction) intended to be more serious than humorous in tone. The drama of this kind is usually qualified with additional terms that specify its particular ...
about the "loosening of youth morals" that took place during the 1920s. Written by
Edward T. Lowe Jr. and
Lewis Milestone, and directed by
William A. Seiter for
Universal Pictures
Universal City Studios LLC, doing business as Universal Pictures (also known as Universal Studios or simply Universal), is an American filmmaking, film production and film distribution, distribution company headquartered at the 10 Universal Ci ...
, the film stars
May McAvoy and
Jack Mulhall.
Progressive Silent Film List: ''The Mad Whirl''
at silentera.com The film was released during the Prohibition era, when the sale of alcoholic drinks in the United States was banned.
Plot
Cathleen Gillis ( May McAvoy) falls in love with Jack Herrington ( Jack Mulhall). Martin Gillis ( George Fawcett), Cathleen's loving father, is stern, very religious, and runs an ice cream shop. Cathleen is an obedient daughter and conservative in her views as well. Jack however, has a routine that includes wild parties hosted by his parents, Gladys and John ( Myrtle Stedman and Alec B. Francis), who think it is better to be their son's friend by their providing bootleg whiskey and a place to have all-night parties. Jack's lifestyle places him at odds with Cathleen's, but he promises her that he will change his ways. He backslides several times, but in the end is reformed by Cathleen's love, and they elope. After the elopement, Gladys and John get a stern lecture on temperance and sobriety from Martin and reform their ways as well.
Cast
* May McAvoy as Cathleen Gillis
* Jack Mulhall as Jack Herrington
* Myrtle Stedman as Gladys Herrington
* Barbara Bedford as Margie Taylor
* Alec B. Francis as John Herrington
* Ward Crane
Ward Crane (May 18, 1890 – July 21, 1928) was an American silent film actor popular in comedies and dramas. Out of dozens of films, he is remembered as the handsome heavy to Buster Keaton's hero in '' Sherlock Jr.'' (1924).
Crane died aged ...
as Benny Kingsley
* George Fawcett as Martin Gillis
* Marie Astaire as Julia Carling
* Joseph Singleton as Spivens
*:With Betty Allen, Charles King, Ellison Manners, William H. O'Brien, Rolfe Sedan, and Grady Sutton.
References
External links
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1925 films
1925 drama films
American silent feature films
Silent American drama films
American black-and-white films
1920s English-language films
Films directed by William A. Seiter
Universal Pictures films
1920s American films
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