''The Idle Rich'' is a 1921 American silent

comedy film A comedy film is a category of film which emphasizes humor. These films are designed to make the audience laugh through amusement. Films in this style traditionally have a happy ending (black comedy being an exception). Comedy is one of the ol ...

directed by

Maxwell Karger Maxwell Karger (1879–1922)Bert Lytell Bertram Lytell (February 24, 1885 – September 28, 1954) was an American actor in theater and film during the silent film era and early talkies. He starred in romantic, melodrama, and adventure films. Background Born in New York City, Lyt ...

Virginia Valli Virginia Valli (died September 24, 1968) was an American stage and film actress whose motion picture career started in the silent film era and lasted until the beginning of the sound film era of the 1930s. Early life Born Virginia McSweeney in ...

, and John Davidson. It was released on December 26, 1921 by

Metro Pictures Metro Pictures Corporation was a Film, motion picture production company founded in early 1915 in Jacksonville, Florida. It was a forerunner of Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer. The company produced its films in New York, Los Angeles, and sometimes at leas ...

. It is not known whether this film survives.

Plot

As described in a

film magazine Film periodicals combine discussion of individual films, genres and directors with in-depth considerations of the medium and the conditions of its production and reception. Their articles contrast with film reviewing in newspapers and magazines whi ...

, Samuel Weatherbee (Lytell), a wealthy young man, is told by his sweetheart Mattie Walling (Valli) that his money is a liability instead of an asset. She favors Dillingham Coolidge, a poorer but industrious young man. However, when Sam's fortune is swept away by the suicide of his executor, he is cut off by his society friends and leaves San Francisco for a small property in San Diego that was left to him by an aunt. He finds the place filled with old and useless things, but conceives the idea of transferring them into cash by advertising a barter and exchange emporium. Soon he needs larger quarters and leases a valuable property in town from a former friend. Then, after his business grows and they want to get him out of the neighborhood, he makes them pay dearly for ending his lease. Eventually he wins back his sweetheart Mattie and his place in society.

Cast

Bert Lytell Bertram Lytell (February 24, 1885 – September 28, 1954) was an American actor in theater and film during the silent film era and early talkies. He starred in romantic, melodrama, and adventure films. Background Born in New York City, Lyt ...

as Samuel Weatherbee *

as Mattie Walling * John Davidson as Dillingham Coolidge * Joseph Harrington as Judge O'Reilly *

Thomas Jefferson Thomas Jefferson (April 13, 1743 – July 4, 1826) was an American statesman, diplomat, lawyer, architect, philosopher, and Founding Fathers of the United States, Founding Father who served as the third president of the United States from 18 ...

as Uncle Coolidge *

Victory Bateman Victory Bateman (April 6, 1865 in Philadelphia – March 2, 1926 in Los Angeles) was an American silent film actress. Her father, Thomas Creese, and her mother, Elizabeth "Lizzie" Creese, were both actors. On stage, Ms. Bateman appeared in the ...

as Mrs. O'Reilly * Leigh Wyant as Jane Coolidge *

Max Davidson Max Davidson (May 23, 1875 – September 4, 1950) was a German-American film actor known for his comedic Jewish persona during the silent film era. With a career spanning over thirty years, Davidson appeared in over 180 films. Career Born i ...

as the Tailor

References

External links

* * American silent feature films American black-and-white films Films directed by Maxwell Karger Films based on short fiction Silent American comedy films 1921 comedy films Metro Pictures films 1921 films 1920s American films {{1920s-silent-comedy-film-stub