In the era from 1910-1928, there were a lot of very melodramatic morality tale movies. The audiences loved them, but to today's viewers, they might seem a bit predictable and silly. As for me, I've seen so many of them that after a while they tend to blend together in my mind. They all seem to involve a husband who begins to wander and ultimately, they return to their good wives by the end of the film.
While this one appears to be such a film, at first the husband (Wallace Reid) seems to have the purest of intentions. He meets an old girlfriend from 8th grade and tries to pull her away from a life where she is being supported by rich men. The problem is, she LIKES this sort of life and Reid is already married to Glroia Swanson and his wife naturally resents this! However, because this IS basically a formulaic film, you also know that despite the eventual breakup of the marriage, you know by convention that they MUST be reunited by the final frame! That is my biggest problem with the film--it was generally too predictable and too telegraphed and obvious. For example, when the husband TRIES to be unfaithful, he goes to the home (more of a lair, actually) of Madame Satan Synne (played by Bebe Daniels) to be vamped! This part left me with mixed feelings actually, as the over-the-top home and the octopus outfit she worse was really funny and that deep down she WAS a good woman! But, it all still seemed rather formulaic at the core. Yep,...despite falling in her clutches, only a few minutes later he was back to Gloria.
While this one appears to be such a film, at first the husband (Wallace Reid) seems to have the purest of intentions. He meets an old girlfriend from 8th grade and tries to pull her away from a life where she is being supported by rich men. The problem is, she LIKES this sort of life and Reid is already married to Glroia Swanson and his wife naturally resents this! However, because this IS basically a formulaic film, you also know that despite the eventual breakup of the marriage, you know by convention that they MUST be reunited by the final frame! That is my biggest problem with the film--it was generally too predictable and too telegraphed and obvious. For example, when the husband TRIES to be unfaithful, he goes to the home (more of a lair, actually) of Madame Satan Synne (played by Bebe Daniels) to be vamped! This part left me with mixed feelings actually, as the over-the-top home and the octopus outfit she worse was really funny and that deep down she WAS a good woman! But, it all still seemed rather formulaic at the core. Yep,...despite falling in her clutches, only a few minutes later he was back to Gloria.