Piccadilly (film)

Piccadilly
DVD cover derived from contemporary poster, showing Anna May Wong dancing topless. No such image appears in the film.[1]
Directed by	E.A. Dupont (uncredited)
Written by	Arnold Bennett
Produced by	Edwald André Dupont (as E.A. Dupont)
Starring	Gilda Gray Anna May Wong Jameson Thomas
Cinematography	Werner Brandes
Music by	Harry Gordon (uncredited)
Production company	British International Pictures
Distributed by	Wardour Films Ltd. (UK) Sono Art-World Wide Pictures (US)
Release date	1 June 1929 (1929-06-01)
Running time	92 minutes (original sound version) 109 minutes (modified sound version)
Languages	Sound (Part-Talkie) English Intertitles

Piccadilly is a 1929 British silent and sound drama film directed by E.A. Dupont, written by Arnold Bennett and starring Gilda Gray, Anna May Wong, and Jameson Thomas. The film was shot on location in London,^[2][3] produced by British International Pictures.

This film initially was released as a silent in February 1929 but was largely ignored due to the general public's apathy to silent films. Due to the popularity of sound films, the studio re-released the film later the same year in June for cinemas wired for sound. The sound version was prepared by Sono Art-World Wide Pictures. This version included a music score and sound effects by Harry Gordon, along with a five-minute sound prologue titled "Prologue to Piccadilly" that was added to the beginning of the film. The prologue featured just two actors: Jameson Thomas who plays Valentine Wilmot in the film and John Longden as the man from China. It was filmed after the main filming was completed. The part-talkie was the version that was exhibited in the United States.^[4] The majority of people in 1929 saw the sound version and this is the version that survives.