A Pair of Silk Stockings (1918) User Reviews

Pleasant romp about a divorced couple

[overseer-3 · 7/10 · 30 August 2003]

Cute little silent film, nothing earth-shattering, but still enjoyable for its stars, adorable Constance Talmadge and handsome Harrison Ford the First. Connie thinks hubbie Harrison has cheated on her, but it's not the case. She divorces him and all her society friends back her up, despite her lack of proof. Harrison spends the rest of the film trying to win her back, by some rather unorthodox means.

The print I saw of this film was in sepia tones, I assume with the camera being held up to the screen, with the wonderful Philip Carli accompanying on the piano. You can hear the audience laughing in the background, so they obviously enjoyed it as much as I did.

Not particularly deep or memorable, but pretty good for 1918

[planktonrules · 7/10 · 23 August 2006]

Considering that this film was made as early as it was, it was a pretty good film that is still reasonably watchable. While it lacks to huge epic scope of the films of Griffith or DeMille of that era, it is still a nice simple romantic comedy. In some ways, I often prefer this type of film over the mega-movies that were just becoming popular--as a light and simple movie sometimes just "hits the spot". Had this movie been made a decade later, I probably would have scored it as a five or six--but for 1918, it was good stuff. Oddly, while the film is set in Britain in the Summer of 1918, there is no mention of WWI--which had already been raging for years and wouldn't end until almost 1919.

The film is a simple marital mix-up that escalates out of control and results in a marriage on the rocks--much like the later films THE AWFUL TRUTH or MR. AND MRS. SMITH (the Hitchcock version--not the new film with the same name but totally different plot). The acting is pretty good, direction snappy and fun to watch--while not exactly believable.

By the way, this film was produced for the CINEVENT movie show in 1996 and shows a brief introduction as well as introducing the pianist who did the live accompaniment at this showing. In other words, this was a small-time locally produced video that I found at my local library--I doubt if it can be found at AMAZON or other movie retailers. And, based on the sparsity of reviews, the fact that you are even reading this now is amazing!

Captain Jack to the rescue!

[JohnHowardReid · 8/10 · 12 June 2014]

A Pair of Silk Stockings (1918) doesn't hold up so well on a second viewing, but this British-set drawing-room comedy of manners is certainly remarkably sophisticated for 1918, and boasts some splendid performances, most particularly from Harrison Ford who is remarkably adept in what is actually a character part. First-billed Constance Talmadge fills the bill too, but she is not only stuck with a somewhat unsympathetic role but is closely pressed for acting honors by look-alike Wanda Hawley. The support cast is also outstanding with even characters at the bottom of the credits like Sylvia Ashton's Lady Gower delivering outstanding performances. But rather than run through the whole cast list with treble ticks, I would like to single out Louis Willoughby's Captain Jack Bagnal, who makes the most of his opportunities, including a chuckle-some encounter with a tongue-tied railroad porter.

I'd never heard of director Walter Edwards until I caught this wonderful Kodascope version on a very good Grapevine DVD (not tinted, alas, but in excellent condition). It seems Edwards was a popular director and actor from 1912 onwards. He died, alas, in 1920 – and that's why neither you nor I had ever heard of him. I'm glad at least one of his movies survives – and thank God, it's a real good one!

Deliciously Sophisticated

[kidboots · 8/10 · 5 April 2015]

Where-ever Norma went Constance followed, so when Norma's stint at Triangle didn't exploit her special qualities her mother hoped that Joseph Schenck (soon to marry Norma) would be a better window of opportunity. He arranged for Lewis J. Selznick to release both the sister's films through Select and everybody was happy with Constance - Selznick couldn't find anyone who had a bad word to say about her. The films showed she was a natural born comic and they gave her a compatible leading man in Harrison Ford.

Based on a 1914 hit Broadway play by Cyril Harcourt, Constance plays Molly Thornhill, the spoilt young wife (I agree with johnhowardreid, Constance made you like her character even though said character was not that sympathetic) of an English gentleman, Sam, whose efforts to make Molly jealous ends in disaster when she sues him for divorce!! Just love the titles - "The husband of Mrs. Sam Thornhill - Harrison Ford" and "Oh alright, alright - Sam's idea of a very cutting remark"!!

Silly Sam's plan was to send a 2,000 pound ermine coat to Maudie, a total stranger along with theatre tickets for the box next to his and Molly's where her preening and flirting was supposed to get Molly suspicious!! It does, but instead of crying for forgiveness of her frivolous ways she walks out on him and the next time he sees her is in the divorce courts.

Most of the action of this sophisticated drawing room comedy takes place at the Gowers - Molly has taken refuge after a car accident has left her stranded and Sam is there as well, in full make-up as a vagabond for his role in a play they are rehearsing. Other guests include Jack Bagnall, a former fiancée of Molly's who has just done his darndest to convince his current amour Pamela (lovely Wanda Hawley in an early role) that she has been the only love of his life. He is due to join his regiment but misses his train and comes creeping back in the wee small hours - did I mention that there had been a spate of burglaries in the area!! But he isn't the one mistaken for a burglar - it is Sam, wandering around in his tramp's disguise!! He is captured by Bagnall who finds himself in Molly's room. Together they think the burglar's capture will save them both from a compromising situation but ha!ha! - Sam escapes, taking as his prize a pair of Molly's silk stockings!!

For it's time I think quite a sophisticated comedy and it was clear that Constance and Harrison had terrific rapport.