I was completely shocked when I saw this film. Although a Rudolph Valentino film, instead of a movie about a slick Latin lover, it was a breezy comedy about a plucky nice girl that gets ahead by pretending to be a bad girl. Valentino, by the way, is one of her suitors.
Mae Murray plays the lead. She is frustrated because not only did she lose her job but her uncle and father are so lazy that everyone expects her to support them. One day she sees and ad for a dancer in a local road house. They are looking for a very worldly woman--much like the famous Theda Bara. Well, Mae is anything but this type of woman--looking awfully sweet and innocent. When she goes for the interview she is very nervous and tells them she is Ms. Du Moine--a famous European dancing vamp who was involved in a recent scandal. This is exactly the sort of woman they are looking for and she is hired.
Her dancing ability seems distinctly lacking, but considering that the public is not too well informed, they eat up all the silly dance numbers and the over-the-top costumes she wears. Mae starts making a boatload of money and the place is packed every night. And, each night in a seat of honor is the young Valentino--the son of a local rich guy. He's absolutely smitten with her and wants to marry her.
All appears to be going fine until Ms. Du Moine's ex-lover, the Duke, arrives at the road house! Mae realizes he will expose her for a fraud and tries to slip away, but the Duke follows her and tries to force himself on her. Valentino comes to the rescue and slaps the Duke silly. The police soon arrive and arrest the Duke (apparently he was really a con-man). The truth about Mae comes out (her dark secret is that she really ISN'T a slut!) and everyone lives happily ever after.
I really admire this film. It's funny and highly entertaining. And, while the plot is silly and hard to believe, it is so light-hearted that this isn't important. Plus, at less than an hour, the pacing is great and the story seems to have aged extremely well. I've seen a few hundred silents and I would rank this little film towards the top. An unexpectedly wonderful film.
Mae Murray plays the lead. She is frustrated because not only did she lose her job but her uncle and father are so lazy that everyone expects her to support them. One day she sees and ad for a dancer in a local road house. They are looking for a very worldly woman--much like the famous Theda Bara. Well, Mae is anything but this type of woman--looking awfully sweet and innocent. When she goes for the interview she is very nervous and tells them she is Ms. Du Moine--a famous European dancing vamp who was involved in a recent scandal. This is exactly the sort of woman they are looking for and she is hired.
Her dancing ability seems distinctly lacking, but considering that the public is not too well informed, they eat up all the silly dance numbers and the over-the-top costumes she wears. Mae starts making a boatload of money and the place is packed every night. And, each night in a seat of honor is the young Valentino--the son of a local rich guy. He's absolutely smitten with her and wants to marry her.
All appears to be going fine until Ms. Du Moine's ex-lover, the Duke, arrives at the road house! Mae realizes he will expose her for a fraud and tries to slip away, but the Duke follows her and tries to force himself on her. Valentino comes to the rescue and slaps the Duke silly. The police soon arrive and arrest the Duke (apparently he was really a con-man). The truth about Mae comes out (her dark secret is that she really ISN'T a slut!) and everyone lives happily ever after.
I really admire this film. It's funny and highly entertaining. And, while the plot is silly and hard to believe, it is so light-hearted that this isn't important. Plus, at less than an hour, the pacing is great and the story seems to have aged extremely well. I've seen a few hundred silents and I would rank this little film towards the top. An unexpectedly wonderful film.