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Greed (1924) |
San Francisco story with stacks of gold coins and circulating silver coins
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The 1924 film "Greed" is based on the 1899 novel McTeague by Frank Norris and was directed by
Erich von Stroheim. It is a silent film and was originally eight hours long and then cut to a two hour length.
The film is also known as "McTeague."
John McTeague is a California gold miner who becomes an unlicensed dentist in San Francisco.
He meets and marries Trina Sieppe, a patient.
Trina wins $5,000 in a lottery and becomes a miser, hoarding her money and refusing to share it
with McTeague. McTeague kills Trina, steals her gold, returns to mining, and ends up in Death Valley.
The film shows some American coins from the period including gold $20, $10, and $5 coins.
Also shown are silver coins including Liberty-head or "Mercury" dimes.
Erich von Stroheim insisted on filming scenes in the actual locales and on authenticity.
The coins shown in the film, including the gold coins, are real coins and not film prop coins.
1. Title
The film was produced by Metro Goldwyn Pictures which became Metro Goldwyn Mayer or MGM.
2. A Metro Goldwyn Picture
A scene with hands fondling gold coins is repeated throughout the film.
3. Hands fondling gold coins
In 1908 John McTeague, a large strong man, is working in a gold mine in Placer County,
in the area of the California Gold Rush of 1849.
McTeague's mother asks a travelling dentist to take him as an apprentice, and after five years,
he opens a "dental parlor" or office in San Francisco.
4. San Francisco
This scene is of San Francisco's Market Street and the Ferry Building.
Trina Sieppe visits her uncle's investment firm office.
Trina and her family are members of San Francisco's German immigrant community.
5. Trina Sieppe at her uncle's office
Note the picture of a nude woman on the wall and at the top left corner a chart of US coins.
Trina later meets her cousin Marcus Schouler, who is in love with her.
6. Trina and her cousin Marcus Schouler
Marcus is a fancy dresser and wears a button which says "Oh You Kid!."
"Oh You Kid!" was a popular song and expression at the time.
A woman they know sells Trina a lottery ticket and Trina pulls out some dimes to pay for it.
7. Mercury dimes in hand
There are three US silver dimes or 10 cent coins showing, including a reverse and obverse
of "Mercury" dimes.
A Mercury dime or 10 cent coin:
8. United States Mercury dime 1919-S
They are officially known as Winged Liberty Head dimes but are nicknamed "Mercury" dimes
because the design resembles images of the Roman god Mercury.
Mercury dimes were minted from 1916 to 1945.
Back to the film:
McTeague's office is officially located at 611 Post Street in San Francisco but this scene
was filmed at a building at Hayes and Laguna Streets which is still standing.
9. McTeague's dental parlor or office
Marcus brings Trina to McTeague's office for some extensive dental work.
10. McTeague and Trina
After a few office visits, McTeague declares his love for Trina, and she becomes engaged to him.
Trina is informed that her lottery ticket has won $5,000 and she exclaims
"Fife tousend thalers - if Popper were only here!", using the German word for dollar.
Marcus politely gives Trina up but carries a grudge throughout the rest of the film.
McTeague heads for a bar to celebrate.
11. McTeague and a familiar face
An early picture of the character who would later become Mad Magazine's Alfred E Neuman.
The caption reads "Smile, Damn You, Smile!."
McTeague finally marries Trina.
12. McTeague marries Trina
Trina invests her $5,000 prize money with her uncle at six percent interest and receives the
dividends in cash (gold money).
She rapidly becomes a miser and refuses to share any money with McTeague, even lying to him
about how much money she has.
At one point McTeague needs a few cents and asks her for it.
13. Trina checks her purse
Tina replies:
14. "I have no small change, Mac"
She has lots of US coins though, all dated 1924 or before.
When McTeague is at work Trina takes out her bag of gold coins.
She sometimes will take a coin and clean or polish it.
15. Trina with her bag of gold
A closer look at the three US gold coins in her hand.
16. Gold coins in the hand
Shown are the reverses of a US Liberty Head $20 gold coin, a Liberty Head $10 coin,
and an Indian Head $5 coin. The coins appear to be shiny and polished.
These were made from 1850 to 1907, 1838 to 1907, and 1908 to 1929.
McTeague receives a letter from the State of California:
17. Dr. McTeague receives a letter from the Board of Dental Examiners of California
February 10, 1922
Dear Sir:
Information has been received at this office that you are engaged in the practice of Dentistry
without having in your possession a diploma from a recognized Dental College nor a
license issued by the Dental Board of the State of California authorizing you to do so.
You are therefore and herewith prohibited and enjoined from further continuing to practice Dentistry.
It is our duty to inform you that violations of the Dental Practice Act are punishable and subject
to criminal prosecution.
Very truly yours,
(signed C. J. Rogers)
Attorney for Board of Dental Examiners of California
McTeague looks for other work but jobs are hard to find and the pair sell their possessions and move to
cheaper housing, all the while Trina refuses to part with her gold.
The couple are now constantly arguing.
At one point McTeague asks Trina for some of the money received from selling things and she gives
him a few five-dollar bills although the actual amount was much more.
18. Five dollar bills
The bills appear to be real US currency notes.
Trina still likes to take out her coins and polish them.
Coin experts and collectors try to discourage this practice.
19. Trina polishes her beauties
She holds up the coin to look at it.
20. Gold piece bright and shiny
The coin appears to be a $20 gold coin of the St. Gaudens design, made from 1907 to 1933.
The couple continue arguing and finally McTeague steals $450 from Trina and leaves her.
Trina visits her uncle and withdraws the $5,000 she had invested with him.
21. Trina gets her gold out of the bank
The coins appear to be real US $20 gold pieces.
The film is in black and white but a motion picture coloring technique is used to make the
coins and stacks appear in color.
Trina is now working and living at a children's school.
She likes to have company in her bed.
22. Sleeping with her gold
McTeague has been living on the streets and one night he shows up at Trina's school.
He first begs for money for food, she refuses him, he then breaks in, kills her and steals her gold.
McTeague then flees first to Placer County and his old job at the mine, and then to the
Keeler mining area of eastern California where he joins the other prospectors.
He meets another prospector and they decide to visit Death Valley.
23. McTeague and partner near Death Valley
The pair believe that they have found a paying prospect.
Back in Keeler, a wanted poster appears for McTeague.
24. Wanted poster
OFFICE, CHIEF OF POLICE
San Francisco, California
WANTED, $100 REWARD
JOHN 'DOC' McTEAGUE.
Whose photograph and description appears hereon, is wanted by this department on suspicion of
murder and burglary.
On December 24, 1922, Trina McTeague, the wife of the above was brutally murdered and
robbed of $5,000.00 in the City and County of San Francisco.
The above was seen in the vicinity of murder on this date.
The man above has been traced as far as the Western portion of Inyo County and is believed
at this time to be hiding in either the Pinto or Panamint Hills, in the vicinity of Keeler.
Description: Age 37, height 6.2, weight about 200, eyes blue, hair light yellow, curly,
complexion light. Had short, heavy, blond beard when last seen.
Peculiarities: Carries a canary bird in cage.
Keep a sharp lookout for this man and if located, arrest, hold and wire me and I will send officers
with proper papers for him.
The above reward of $100 will be paid by me for his arrest and detention or for any information
leading to his arrest.
June 15, 1923.
D.J. O'BRIEN, Chief of Police.
An "Old West" posse is formed to go after McTeague.
Marcus has been living in the area and joins the posse.
McTeague is becoming paranoid and steals his partner's rifle and heads out alone.
25. McTeague awakes
A familiar desert resident appears.
26. Desert wildlife
McTeague exclaims "What a country!."
The posse (with Marcus) finds the partner who tells them that McTeague has headed into Death Valley.
The posse turns back but Marcus continues on.
27. Marcus catches up with McTeague
The two men discover that they have no water, they fight, and the bag of gold is spilled.
28. Desert gold
They look real.
Both men realize that they will die there.
29. The End
Cast, Directors, Writers:
Gibson Gowland as John McTeague
Zasu Pitts as Trina Sieppe
Jean Hersholt as Marcus Schouler
Director: Erich von Stroheim
Writers: June Mathis, Erich von Stroheim, Frank Norris (1899 novel McTeague)
Zasu Pitts as Trina Sieppe
Jean Hersholt as Marcus Schouler
Writers: June Mathis, Erich von Stroheim, Frank Norris (1899 novel McTeague)
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