This film came into my possession just recently because of a print discovery. It stars silent screen heroine Ruth Roland in her first talking film, made three years after her previous silent. She would make one more title in 1935 and pass on (at the age of 44) just two years later.
SPOILERS COMING The listing states a running time of 65m, but it is actually 71m. Roland plays a very unhappy housewife who's only joy in life is her little boy. Married to a pompous ass who prides himself on never losing out to anyone, particularly a woman, she finally has had enough, heads to Reno with her boy and, on the way, meets a former lover. As she waits out her residency, her husband plays her like a Stradivarius and she agrees to return, only to fall into a neatly contrived trap set by him and his paramour. She loses custody of the boy. But just before the final decree, he agrees to take her back, promising a hell on earth scenario which she is willing to endure for the sake of the child. But his lover, expecting marriage, spills the beans and as he flees to get the child, runs off the road into a ravine, thus making the marriage very final. Montague Love plays Roland's husband and a very nasty individual he is. The role is just a touch over the top. Kenneth Thompson plays her former lover, a man willing to be patient and wait for things to come in his direction. The real fun part of this one for me is watching Sam Hardy dressed as an Indian chief and signing "Reno,The Land of the Free" with a male quartet at a party. Not a bad little film, I give it a 7/10. Sono-Art World was only in existence for a short time, but did make some nice titles which were usually a cut above. Bob Connors (yrkconnors@yahoo.com)
SPOILERS COMING The listing states a running time of 65m, but it is actually 71m. Roland plays a very unhappy housewife who's only joy in life is her little boy. Married to a pompous ass who prides himself on never losing out to anyone, particularly a woman, she finally has had enough, heads to Reno with her boy and, on the way, meets a former lover. As she waits out her residency, her husband plays her like a Stradivarius and she agrees to return, only to fall into a neatly contrived trap set by him and his paramour. She loses custody of the boy. But just before the final decree, he agrees to take her back, promising a hell on earth scenario which she is willing to endure for the sake of the child. But his lover, expecting marriage, spills the beans and as he flees to get the child, runs off the road into a ravine, thus making the marriage very final. Montague Love plays Roland's husband and a very nasty individual he is. The role is just a touch over the top. Kenneth Thompson plays her former lover, a man willing to be patient and wait for things to come in his direction. The real fun part of this one for me is watching Sam Hardy dressed as an Indian chief and signing "Reno,The Land of the Free" with a male quartet at a party. Not a bad little film, I give it a 7/10. Sono-Art World was only in existence for a short time, but did make some nice titles which were usually a cut above. Bob Connors (yrkconnors@yahoo.com)