Greed
About Greed
Miner John McTeague becomes a San Francisco dentist and marries his friend Marcus Schouler's cousin Trina Sieppe after her lottery ticket wins $5,000, and Schouler turns on him. Schouler reports McTeague for practicing without a license, the office closes, and Trina will not spend the money. McTeague beats her to death, takes the $5,000, and flees toward Death Valley. Schouler handcuffs himself to McTeague, shoots the horse, and spills the water. McTeague is left cuffed to the corpse.
Cast & crew
More about Greed
Erich von Stroheim directed from Frank Norris's McTeague, with Joseph Farnham and June Mathis also credited as writers. Irving Thalberg and Louis B. Mayer produced for Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, photographed by William H. Daniels, Ben F. Reynolds, and Ernest B. Schoedsack. William Axt is the composer on Wikidata, and the listed length is 140 minutes.
Themes
Look
William H. Daniels, Ben F. Reynolds, and Ernest B. Schoedsack photographed the San Francisco and desert scenes.
Music
William Axt is the composer credit on Wikidata.
Notes
- Gibson Gowland plays McTeague, ZaSu Pitts plays Trina, and Jean Hersholt plays Schouler.
- Stroheim's original edit had two subplots later cut: junkman Zerkow murders Maria, who sold Trina the ticket, and elderly boarders Grannis and Miss Baker marry on another $5,000.
- The Death Valley ending leaves McTeague unable to reach the remaining money.
- A line on the Wikipedia plot page reads: O cursed lust of gold!
Scenes
- McTeague beats Trina to death at the school and takes the $5,000.
- Schouler dies handcuffed to McTeague after the water spills.
Influenced by
- Frank Norris's McTeague
Also available
- Internet Archive (Greed1924VHS)
- Wikimedia Commons (Greed (1924) by Erich von Stroheim.webm)
Quotes
O cursed lust of gold!
