Constance Talmadge was almost too good in her first important part - the Mountain girl in "Intolerance". Since most of the roles in the Babylon story were stiffly historical she emerged as the most engaging and lovable character in the film. She had plenty of pep and personality and was able to capitalize on her talent by signing with First National in the early 1920s and staying until the end of the silent.
Steeped in the romantic fantasies and daydreams she reads about in trashy novels, Phyllis bitterly regrets her marriage to stodgy Hector (Harrison Ford) and yearns for the excitement of her earlier engagement to romantic novelist Donald Wales (Kenneth Harlan) who unfortunately died soon after the publication of "The Divine Sacrifice". Hector's idea of excitement is an evening spent at his in-laws where it takes him 3 hours to explain the intricacies of his latest invention. Ford is just hilarious as the dithering, obtuse husband and plays it up for all he's worth - especially in the opening fantasy sequence where the three of them are lost at sea - but there is only enough food for two of them to survive!! It gives the three actors a chance to ham it up with lots of gesticulating!!!
Of course, don't you know, Donald hasn't really died and comes back eager to begin where he left off - making love to Phyllis!! - and the worst of it is that he confesses it was all a publicity stunt and that Hector knew about it all along!! Hector had hoped to win her love but he readily steps aside - a bit too readily for the miffed Phyllis!!
With Phyllis now engaged to the self centred Donald, Hector turns to Donald's own book "The Primitive Lover" and the much married Chief Bluebottle for inspiration. Is Phyllis worth the trouble?? While married to Hector she seemed pretty petulant, with lots of foot stamping, but now she is holed up in a mountain cabin with her "ideal" Donald who leaves her grappling with a zealous farmer while he escapes, Hector is proving that he is the original "primitive lover". Donald obviously hasn't read his own book!!
Constance is all cuteness and light but how can she tell her two battling beaus apart - Ford and Harlan have very similar looks and physiques. A fun film for a rainy afternoon.
Steeped in the romantic fantasies and daydreams she reads about in trashy novels, Phyllis bitterly regrets her marriage to stodgy Hector (Harrison Ford) and yearns for the excitement of her earlier engagement to romantic novelist Donald Wales (Kenneth Harlan) who unfortunately died soon after the publication of "The Divine Sacrifice". Hector's idea of excitement is an evening spent at his in-laws where it takes him 3 hours to explain the intricacies of his latest invention. Ford is just hilarious as the dithering, obtuse husband and plays it up for all he's worth - especially in the opening fantasy sequence where the three of them are lost at sea - but there is only enough food for two of them to survive!! It gives the three actors a chance to ham it up with lots of gesticulating!!!
Of course, don't you know, Donald hasn't really died and comes back eager to begin where he left off - making love to Phyllis!! - and the worst of it is that he confesses it was all a publicity stunt and that Hector knew about it all along!! Hector had hoped to win her love but he readily steps aside - a bit too readily for the miffed Phyllis!!
With Phyllis now engaged to the self centred Donald, Hector turns to Donald's own book "The Primitive Lover" and the much married Chief Bluebottle for inspiration. Is Phyllis worth the trouble?? While married to Hector she seemed pretty petulant, with lots of foot stamping, but now she is holed up in a mountain cabin with her "ideal" Donald who leaves her grappling with a zealous farmer while he escapes, Hector is proving that he is the original "primitive lover". Donald obviously hasn't read his own book!!
Constance is all cuteness and light but how can she tell her two battling beaus apart - Ford and Harlan have very similar looks and physiques. A fun film for a rainy afternoon.