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Private Izzy Murphy

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Private Izzy Murphy
Movie poster
Directed byLloyd Bacon
Written byPhilip Lonergan (adaptation)
Story byRaymond L. Schrock
Edward Clark
StarringGeorge Jessel
Patsy Ruth Miller
CinematographyVirgil Miller
Production
company
Distributed byWarner Bros.
Release date
  • October 30, 1926 (1926-10-30) (US)
(Limited release)
Running time
85 minutes
CountryUnited States
LanguageSilent (English intertitles)
Budget$157,000[1]
Box office$373,000[1]

Private Izzy Murphy is a 1926 American silent comedy-drama film with Vitaphone sound effects, starring George Jessel, and Patsy Ruth Miller.[2][3] The film was released by Warner Bros. It is unknown if a copy survives meaning it could be a lost film. The film was followed up by Sailor Izzy Murphy.

Plot

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Isadore Goldberg, an enterprising Russian Jew, comes to the United States and establishes himself in the delicatessen business so that he can one day send for his parents. Forced to vacate his store, Izzy relocates in an Irish neighborhood; there, after he changes his surname to "Murphy," his business prospers. While waiting for a subway train, Izzy recovers a girl's handkerchief; later, he meets her in his store and learns that she is Eileen Cohannigan, from whose father he buys foodstuffs. After the arrival of Izzy's parents, he embarks for France with an all-Irish regiment and inspires his comrades to deeds of valor. He is welcomed home by Cohannigan, but when Cohannigan learns that he is Jewish, he denounces his daughter for loving him. With the aid of his service buddies, however, Izzy and Eileen head for City Hall to be married.

Cast

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See also

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Box office

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According to Warner Bros records the film earned $304,000 domestically and $69,000 foreign.[1]

Review

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When passing under the shamrocks decorating the portals of the Hippodrome one is prepared to find a farce in the new picture there, for its title to "Private Izzy Murphy." Nothing of the soil: this production, in which George Jessel makes his film début, is a dignified fourth cousin of "Abie's Irish Rose." It is a feature that has a decided inclination to be melancholy and to emphasize this mood there is a wealth of tearful close-ups. Mr. Jessel proves his ability to act before the camera, but much of his good, work is wasted on this vehicle. Mr. Jessel wants something less lachrymose and more whimsical. There are scenes in this production that betray little imagination in their direction, and, as happens in many a melodrama, the excitement of the characters, their joy or their sadness, in lieu of causing a sob makes one smile.

—The New York Times[4]

References

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  1. ^ a b c Warner Bros financial information in The William Schaefer Ledger. See Appendix 1, Historical Journal of Film, Radio and Television, (1995) 15:sup1, 1-31 p 5 DOI: 10.1080/01439689508604551
  2. ^ ""Private Izzy Murphy" Published 1926". alhirschfeldfoundation.org. Retrieved December 15, 2015.
  3. ^ "Private Izzy Murphy". American Film Institute. Retrieved December 15, 2015.
  4. ^ HALL, MORDAUNT (November 10, 1926). "Private Izzy Murphy (1926) THE SCREEN; Izzy's Irish Eileen". The New York Times. nytimes.com. Retrieved December 15, 2015.
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