Irene

Irene is a 1926 American silent romantic comedy film starring Colleen Moore, and partially shot in Technicolor. The film was directed by Alfred E. Green, produced by Moore's husband John McCormick, and based on the musical Irene written by James Montgomery with music and lyrics by Harry Tierney and Joseph McCarthy.

As described in a film magazine review,[2] Donald Marshall becomes a partner in a modiste shop and insists that Madame Lucy be made its operator. Young Irish woman Irene O'Dare graduates from being a demonstrator in the store window to being a successful model. On the night of a big fashion show for society, Irene arouses Lucy's anger and is told to stay and watch the shop. Donald arrives and assures her that she will lead the show. Irene is a sensation, but her mother arrives and stops her promenade by taking her home. Donald follows and Irene is forgiven by her mother. Overhearing Irene confess to her mother of her love for him, Donald folds her into her arms.

The scenes which were shot in Technicolor cost a total amount of $100,000. The total budget of the film was $1,500,000.[1]

This was the fourth of five films, in three years, with Moore and Hughes starring in the lead roles. They also appeared together in The Huntress (1923), Sally (1925), The Desert Flower (1925) and Ella Cinders (1926).[3]

This was the final film of actress Marion Aye, who started appearing on film in 1919 as one of the uncredited Sennett Bathing Beauties. She continued to work in vaudeville and committed suicide in 1951.[4]

George K. Arthur plays a flamboyant gay man who works as a dressmaker named "Madame Lucy" and does not threaten the status quo despite making extravagant gestures.[5] This characterization was also reviewed in the 1995 documentary film The Celluloid Closet.[6]

Irene exists with the Technicolor sequences intact.[7][8]