Castles in the Air (1919 film)

Castles in the Air, also known by its working title Orchestra D-2, is a 1919 American silent comedy film, directed by George D. Baker. It stars May Allison, Ben Wilson, and Clarence Burton, and was released on May 12, 1919.

Castles in the Air
Directed byGeorge D. Baker
Written byGeorge D. Baker
Based onthe short story, "Orchestra D-2"
by F. M. Vermilye
StarringMay Allison
Ben Wilson
Clarence Burton
CinematographyWilliam Fildew
Production
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Release date
  • May 12, 1919 (1919-05-12) (US)[1]
Running time
5 reels
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish

Cast list

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Plot

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Fortuna Donnelly is an usherette in the Halcyon theater, where the theater's manager, Eddie Lintner is smitten with her. However, she is also pursued by Owen Pauncefort, a wealthy Englishman. She chooses to focus her attention on Pauncefort. After he wines and dines her, and makes sexual advances towards her, she finds out that he is married and estranged from his wife. When confronted, he apologizes and says that he has been searching for his wife. Fortuna returns to the theater where she orchestrates Pauncefort being seated next to his wife during a show, reuniting the two. Lintner continues his pursuit of Fortuna, and the two end up together.

Reception

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Exhibitors Herald gave the film a lukewarm review, saying that it had a "tendency to drag" and a "pronounced familiarity plot outline", but it did "hold the interest until the finish".[2] Variety, on the other hand, gave the film a positive review, calling the plot "a novelty", and saying that the film "holds the interest from the beginning".[3]

Preservation status

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No prints of the film appear to have survived making it a lost film.[4]

References

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  1. ^ "Castles in the Air". American Film Institute. Retrieved August 31, 2018.
  2. ^ "Digest Picture of the Week", Exhibitors Herald, p. 40, May 31, 1919, retrieved January 31, 2023
  3. ^ "Castles in the Air", Variety, p. 50, May 16, 1919, retrieved January 31, 2023
  4. ^ The Library of Congress American Silent Feature Film Survival Database:Castles in the Air
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