Beauty's Worth (1922)

User Rating:

8.6/10   

Director:

Robert G. Vignola

Writers:

Sophie Kerr (story)
Luther Reed (scenario)

Release Date:

18 March 1922 (USA)

Genre:

Drama | Romance

Tagline:

Created by Cosmopolitan Productions (original one-sheet poster)

Plot Keywords:

Society | Cigarette Smoking | Prohibition | Drinking | Charade

Cast

Marion Davies	...	Prudence Cole
Forrest Stanley	...	Cheyne Rovein
June Elvidge	...	Amy Tillson
Truly Shattuck	...	Mrs. Garrison
Lydia Yeamans Titus	...	Jane
Hallam Cooley	...	Henry Garrison
Antrim Short	...	Tommy
Thomas Jefferson	...	Peter
Martha Mattox	...	Aunt Elizabeth Whitney
Aileen Manning	...	Aunt Cynthia Whitney
Gordon Dooley	...	Doll (in charade scene)
Johnny Dooley	...	Soldier (in charade scene)

Runtime:

USA:112 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Sound Mix:

Silent

Certification:

USA:Passed (National Board of Review)

Company:

Cosmopolitan Productions

Movie Connections:

Featured in Captured on Film: The True Story of Marion Davies (2001) (TV)

Marion Davies Is a Doll

Marion Davies stars as a repressed Quaker raised by two old maid aunts (Martha Mattox, Aileen Manning). She is allowed to go to a seaside resort one summer where she follows her childhood friend (Hallam Cooley) who she thinks she's in love with. A gold digger (June Elvidge) however, has designs for the shallow rich man. After being insulted and ridiculed by the gold digger, Davies comes upon a lonely painter (Forrest Stanley) who can't be bothered with the rich young things up at the hotel. He is instantly charmed by the innocent girl and they become friends. When he hears her story of unrequited love he sets out to help her by designing new clothes for her and selecting her to star in his elaborate charades (more of a tableaux).

Of course Davies is a knockout in the vampy 20s dresses and becomes the center of the social swirl. The charades (there are three) are terrific with Davies playing a doll and dancing. She is a sensation. About then the aunts show up and are horrified that their niece has become a hussy. The old friend (Cooley) has been dazzled and proposes marriage but Davies by now has figured out that all he is interested in is flash. She turns him down and leaves him to the gold digger. She takes off the jazzy dress and puts on her Quaker outfit. Wandering the seaside grounds she runs into the painter (Stanley) again. There is a happy ending.

Once again I'm struck by how good Marion Davies is. She has no problem playing the two parts of this girl's personality. She looks great too. Hallam Cooley and Forrest Stanley are rather bland as the boy friends. June Elvidge is good as the gold digger. Lydia Titus plays the Quaker maid and has a funny drunk scene. Aileen Manning and Martha Mattox are OK as the rigid aunts. Antrim Short plays one of the suitors, and the oddly named Thomas Jefferson, Jr. plays the painter's assistant.

Nice film, directed by Robert Vignola, who also directed Davies in When Knighthood Was in Flower the same year and which also co-stars Forrest Stanley.