The Marriage Circle (1924)

Professor Stock and his wife Mizzi are always bickering. Mizzi tries to seduce Dr. Franz Braun, the new husband of her good friend Charlotte. Dr. Braun's colleague, Dr. Mueller, who has had... See full summary »

Director:

Ernst Lubitsch

Writers:

Paul Bern, Lothar Schmidt (play)

Stars:

Florence Vidor, Monte Blue, Marie Prevost

Cast

Cast overview:
Florence Vidor	...	Charlotte Braun
Monte Blue	...	Dr. Franz Braun
Marie Prevost	...	Mizzi Stock
Creighton Hale	...	Dr. Gustav Mueller
Adolphe Menjou	...	Professor Josef Stock
Harry Myers	...	Detective
Dale Fuller	...	Neurotic patient
Esther Ralston	...	Miss Hofer

Storyline

Professor Stock and his wife Mizzi are always bickering. Mizzi tries to seduce Dr. Franz Braun, the new husband of her good friend Charlotte. Dr. Braun's colleague, Dr. Mueller, who has had his eye on Charlotte, sees this as his opportunity, even though the Braun's are very happily married. Through a misunderstanding, Charlotte thinks that her husband is interested in Miss Hofer, and asks Mizzi to keep him occupied. Meanwhile Professor Stock becomes suspicious of his wife, and hires a detective to spy on her with the hope of obtaining a divorce.

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Plot Keywords:

divorce | marriage | husband wife relationship | adultery | seduction | 

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Genres:

Comedy

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Details

Country:

USA

Release Date:

10 February 1924 (USA)

Also Known As:

Avioliiton ilveilyä

Box Office

Budget:

$212,000 (estimated)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Warner Bros.

Technical Specs

Runtime:

85 min

Sound Mix:

Silent

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Warner Baxter was originally cast in the role of Dr. Braun. After eight days of shooting, director Lubitsch turned to his assistant Henry Blanke and said: "He looks like a detective." Baxter was replaced by Monte Blue.

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Goofs

On the letter that Dr. Braun writes asking Mizzi to choose another doctor, the printed address on Dr. Braun's stationery misspells Vienna as "Wein"; it is correctly printed as "Wien" as a return address on the envelope of the same letter.

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Connections

Featured in The Story of Film: An Odyssey: Episode #1.3 (2011)

User Reviews

Funny and touching, delightful Lubitsch silent classic

This was Lubitsch's first film for Paramount following Rosita with Mary Pickford and sees him in transcendent form.

A highly sophisticated comedy set in Vienna (possibly to allow for the outrageous conduct of the characters)and rich in complex farce scenarios and intelligent narrative twists played by an excellent cast.

Marie Prevost is extraordinary as the relentless pursuer of the happily married Dr Franz Braum, happily married that is to her best friend played by Florence Vidor. Adolphe Menjou offers a characteristically fine performance as the betrayed husband seeking divorce from his wayward wife. His expressions are hysterical as he reveals his caustic feelings towards his spouse. This film explores issues of marriage, commitment, fidelity and temptation in the Lubitsch style. A very funny, touching comedy that displays Lubitsch's talent for understated sophisticated comedy. This stands alongside some of his best films such as The Shop Around the Corner and To Be or Not to be as an equal.