Don't Change Your Husband (1919)

Leila Porter comes to dislike her husband James, a glue king who is always eating onions and looking sloppy. But after she divorces him and marries two-timing playboy Schuyler Van Sutphen the now-reformed James looks pretty good.

Director:

Cecil B. DeMille

Writer:

Jeanie Macpherson (story)

Stars:

Elliott Dexter, Gloria Swanson, Lew Cody

Cast

Complete credited cast:
Elliott Dexter	...	James Denby Porter
Gloria Swanson	...	Leila Porter
Lew Cody	...	Schuyler Van Sutphen
Sylvia Ashton	...	Mrs. Huckney
Theodore Roberts	...	The Bishop, Rt. Rev. Thomas Thornby
Julia Faye	...	Nanette aka Toodles
James Neill	...	Butler
Ted Shawn	...	Faun

Storyline

Leila Porter comes to dislike her husband James, a glue king who is always eating onions and looking sloppy. But after she divorces him and marries two-timing playboy Schuyler Van Sutphen the now-reformed James looks pretty good.

---

Genres:

Comedy

---

Details

Country:

USA

Release Date:

26 January 1919 (USA)

Also Known As:

Après la pluie, le beau temps

Company Credits

Production Co:

Artcraft Pictures Corporation

Technical Specs

Runtime:

71 min

Sound Mix:

Silent

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Filming began on 7 November 1918, but was interrupted less than an hour later when (false) reports that the war was over reached Paramount, and everyone was sent home for the rest of the day.

---

Quotes

James Denby Porter: Your trouble is your sense of humor - how about the flowers you sent Leila when she was *my* wife? You stole her love from me - but I'm going to try my damnedest to win it back!

---

Connections

Referenced in Cecil B. DeMille: American Epic (2004)

User Reviews

So pertinent to our times, and it's the man who has to look good to win!

No more corned beef and cabbage for her!

This little romantic comedy clips along from scene to scene with a few exotic twists (some imaginary scenes and a costume party). All of this is centered around the wife of the husband(s) who is looking to break out of the doldrums, played by Gloria Swanson (she is twenty here!). Both the leading men have a natural air that is convincing and of course Swanson is perfect in all kinds of moods, from frivolous to worried to hopeful.

Behind all the games and apparent lightheartedness is that old serious problem of staying in love and not straying in love. There's a little corniness, but director DeMille is on top of keeping it snappy and believable in all. As with many films from this period, the subtitles do not just tell what they are saying (or thinking) but often give a kind of philosophical insight, as if to justify the tragedy (or raciness). And there is that higher purpose here, probably better without the instructional text, but it's part of the narrative style, and it's kind of quaint.

If you are looking for visual or formal amazement, you won't find it here. But as a story, well acted, and filmed with precision and economy, it's really a great example. The events might not come as a total surprise, but it's such a modern love story, set almost a hundred years ago, it's a gas. And did I saw Swanson was perfect?