When Knighthood Was In Flower (1922): South West Silents

When Knighthood Was In Flower (1922) was a super-production for Cosmopolitan Pictures, and its huge commercial success established Marion Davies as a Hollywood movie star.

Davies plays Mary Tudor, sister of King Henry VIII, whom the king aims to use for political gain by offering her hand in marriage to King Louis XII of France. Look out for a young William Powell in his second movie role, playing one of the story’s villains. For period authenticity, no expense was spared on the production’s costumes, armour and tapestries, or on Joseph Urban’s huge, lavish sets.

When Knighthood Was In Flower is presented here in a brand new restoration, with a new theatre organ score by Ben Model. The film was scanned from an original 35mm nitrate print preserved by the Library of Congress, its colour tints have been reinstated and the hand-coloured sequence has been digitally replicated.

With thanks to the Library of Congress and Undercrank Productions. Recorded score by Ben Model.

Director: Robert G Vignola

Starring Marion Davies, Lyn Harding, Forrest Stanley

PG / USA / 115 mins

When Knighthood Was In Flower is part of Bristol Ideas’ 2022 series Modernism1922 which explores the worlds of film, literature, music, politics and more 100 years ago. It is run as a tribute to Kevin Jackson. His book, Constellation of Genius: 1922: Modernism and All That Jazz, tells the story of that remarkable year.