The Eternal City (1923 film)

The Eternal City
The Eternal City
	1923 theatrical poster
Directed by	George Fitzmaurice
Written by	Ouida Bergère (scenario)
Based on	The Eternal City; by Hall Caine
Produced by	Samuel Goldwyn
Starring	Lionel Barrymore; Bert Lytell; Barbara La Marr
Cinematography	Arthur C. Miller
Production; company	Samuel Goldwyn Productions
Distributed by	Associated First National
Release date	December 17, 1923; (New York)
Running time	8 reels; 7,929 feet
Country	United States
Language	Silent (English intertitles)

The Eternal City is a 1923 American silent drama film directed by George Fitzmaurice, from a script by Ouida Bergère based on the 1901 Hall Caine novel of the same name, and starring Barbara La Marr, Lionel Barrymore, and Bert Lytell.

The film was produced by Samuel Goldwyn Productions, distributed by Associated First National, and was a remake of The Eternal City (1915) starring Pauline Frederick. This film is the second filming of the 1902 play starring Viola Allen which was also based on Caine's novel.^[1]^[2] This film is notable as the first production of Samuel Goldwyn's personal production company.^[3]

Cast

Barbara La Marr as Donna Roma
Bert Lytell as David Rossi
Lionel Barrymore as Baron Bonelli
Richard Bennett as Bruno
Montagu Love as Minghelli
William Ricciardi as Auctioneer
Betty Bronson as page boy
Joan Bennett as page boy
Ronald Colman as extra (uncredited)
King Victor Emmanuel III as himself
Benito Mussolini as himself

Production

The entire story from the novel was changed by Ouida Bergere by eliminating every element of religion in the script. George Fitzmaurice filmed King Victor Emmanuel III and his prime minister, Benito Mussolini, reviewing Italian troops. In October 1923, Fitzmaurice sent Mussolini a copy of the finished film. Mussolini played a small role in the film and had been extremely helpful to Fitzmaurice and his company during their three months in Rome. Battalions of soldiers were delegated to appear in the film and guard the cast. Permission was obtained to use the Coliseum, the Forum and the Roman Baths, and the Old and New Appian Way as film locations.^[4]

Preservation

The Eternal City is a partially lost film. The last two reels (28 minutes long) were rediscovered in 2006 by Italian film historian Giuliana Muscio in the archives of New York's Museum of Modern Art, and screened in 2014 at the Pordenone Silent Film Festival.^[5]