The Fourth Commandment is "honor thy father and thy mother." This film is based on that concept. A man and a woman meet and fall in love, winding up getting married and starting a family. Virginia (Belle Bennett) decides she is fed up with being a homemaker and wants to go back to work. The couple invites his mother (Mary Carr) to come live with and keep house for them. She cares deeply for Sonny (Wendell Phillips Franklin) and the two form a strong bond. Virginia gets jealous and starts acting out, even though her mother-in-law cares for her and means no harm. Virginia gives her husband an ultimatum: either his mother goes or she does. In a desperate and dramatic scene, Virginia leaves.
Years later, Sonny is grown up (Robert Agnew) and finds a wife of his own (June Marlowe) but they bicker often because both of them want more out of life. It seems his past may be influencing his future.
The story is predictably melodramatic, but the characters are compelling and we feel invested in their happiness. Although the cast listing on IMDB would have you believe otherwise, Bennett is undoubtedly the star of this film. She ages through it, carrying the bulk of the action. She is a capable dramatic actress who is best remembered today for her role in Stella Dallas.
The cinematography is lovely. Outdoor scenes show off the splendor of nature with the decorous touch of the 1920s. Effective use of dissolves illustrate when items are out of place in the home, and represent the passage of time.
This film ran streaming online as part of Cinecon's 2020 online edition. It is quite rare, the only complete print known to exist. It was transferred to digital by the Library of Congress.
Years later, Sonny is grown up (Robert Agnew) and finds a wife of his own (June Marlowe) but they bicker often because both of them want more out of life. It seems his past may be influencing his future.
The story is predictably melodramatic, but the characters are compelling and we feel invested in their happiness. Although the cast listing on IMDB would have you believe otherwise, Bennett is undoubtedly the star of this film. She ages through it, carrying the bulk of the action. She is a capable dramatic actress who is best remembered today for her role in Stella Dallas.
The cinematography is lovely. Outdoor scenes show off the splendor of nature with the decorous touch of the 1920s. Effective use of dissolves illustrate when items are out of place in the home, and represent the passage of time.
This film ran streaming online as part of Cinecon's 2020 online edition. It is quite rare, the only complete print known to exist. It was transferred to digital by the Library of Congress.
