''Beauty's Worth'' is a 1922 American romantic comedy drama film directed by

Robert G. Vignola Robert G. Vignola (born Rocco Giuseppe Vignola, August 7, 1882 – October 25, 1953) was an Italian-American actor, screenwriter, and film director. A former stage actor, he appeared in many motion pictures produced by Kalem Company and later mov ...

, starring

Marion Davies Marion Davies (born Marion Cecilia Douras; January 3, 1897 – September 22, 1961) was an American actress, producer, screenwriter, and philanthropist. Educated in a religious convent, Davies fled the school to pursue a career as a chorus girl ...

as an unsophisticated Quaker who ventures to a seaside resort, meets a

Bohemian Bohemian or Bohemians may refer to: *Anything of or relating to Bohemia Beer * National Bohemian, a brand brewed by Pabst * Bohemian, a brand of beer brewed by Molson Coors Culture and arts * Bohemianism, an unconventional lifestyle, origin ...

artist, and falls in love.

Plot

As described in a

film magazine Film periodicals combine discussion of individual films, genres and directors with in-depth considerations of the medium and the conditions of its production and reception. Their articles contrast with film reviewing in newspapers and magazines whi ...

, Prudence Cole (Davies), a young Quaker woman, has been raised by her two severe maiden aunts, Elizabeth (Mattox) and Cynthia Whitney (Manning). She is permitted to visit the Garrisons, the mother (Shattuck) and her grown son Henry (Cooley), at an ultra fashionable resort, where her precise mannerisms make her the center of amused attention. Henry, whom she had hoped to marry, all but ignores her. Artist and thinker Cheyne Rovein (Stanley) senses the young woman's position and selects her for the leading role in elaborate charades which he stages, designing costumes and coaching her as to conduct. On this night she outshines her critics, wins the admiration of the men and the enmity of the women, and the dallying Henry returns to pay her court. The following morning she refuses him and promises to marry Cheyne.

Cast

as Prudence Cole *

Forrest Stanley Forrest Stanley (August 21, 1889 – August 27, 1969) was an American actor and screenplay writer best known for his work in silent film. He is particularly known for his role as Charles Brandon in the historical film '' When Knighthood Was in ...

as Cheyne Rovein * June Elvidge as Amy Tillson *

Truly Shattuck Truly Shattuck (July 27, 1875 – December 6, 1954) was a soubrette star of vaudeville, music halls, and Broadway whose career began in tragedy and ended in relative obscurity. Early life Truly Shattuck was born at San Miguel, San Luis Obisp ...

as Mrs. Garrison *

Lydia Yeamans Titus Lydia Yeamans Titus (12 December 1857 – 30 December 1929) was an Australian-born American singer, dancer, comedienne, and actress who had a lengthy career in vaudeville and cinema. She was remembered on stage for her ''Baby-Talk'' act and a ...

as Jane *

Hallam Cooley Hallam Cooley (February 8, 1895 – March 20, 1971) was an American actor of the silent era. He appeared in more than 100 films between 1913 and 1936. He was born in Brooklyn, New York, and died in Tiburon, California. Cooley attended Nor ...

as Henry Garrison *

Antrim Short Antrim Short (July 11, 1900 – November 24, 1972) was an American stage and film actor, casting director and talent agent. As a juvenile he enjoyed some success on the Broadway stage notably appearing as a boy with Mrs. Fiske and Holbrook Blinn i ...

as Tommy *

Thomas Jefferson Thomas Jefferson (April 13, 1743 – July 4, 1826) was an American statesman, diplomat, lawyer, architect, philosopher, and Founding Father who served as the third president of the United States from 1801 to 1809. He was previously the natio ...

as Peter *

Martha Mattox Martha Mattox (June 19, 1879 – May 2, 1933) was an American silent film actress most notable for her role of Mammy Pleasant in the 1927 film '' The Cat and the Canary''. She also played a role in ''Torrent'' (1926). She died from a heart ...

as Aunt Elizabeth Whitney *

Aileen Manning Aileen Manning (January 20, 1886 – March 25, 1946) was an American film actress. Manning was in demand as a character actress in silent films. She was known for her roles in silent and early talkie films, including ''Uncle Tom's Cabin'' (1927 ...

as Aunt Cynthia Whitney * Gordon Dooley as Doll (in charade scene) * Johnny Dooley as Soldier (in charade scene)

Production

In her 13th film,

re-teamed with

for this romantic comedy/drama. Location shooting was again at Point Lobos on the Monterey Peninsula. The centerpiece of the film is the stunning "tableaux vivants" in which Davies recreates her dancing doll routine from the 1916 edition of the

Ziegfeld Follies The ''Ziegfeld Follies'' was a series of elaborate theatrical revue productions on Broadway in New York City from 1907 to 1931, with renewals in 1934 and 1936. They became a radio program in 1932 and 1936 as ''The Ziegfeld Follies of the Ai ...

. The pageant was once again designed by

Joseph Urban Joseph Urban (May 26, 1872 – July 10, 1933) was an Austrian-American architect, illustrator, and scenic designer. Life and career Joseph Urban was born on May 26, 1872, in Vienna. He received his first architectural commission at age 19 wh ...

. The pageant scenes were originally tinted.

Status

A DVD of the film was released by

Edward Lorusso Edward is an English given name. It is derived from the Anglo-Saxon name ''Ēadweard'', composed of the elements '' ēad'' "wealth, fortune; prosperous" and '' weard'' "guardian, protector”. History The name Edward was very popular in Anglo-Sax ...

with a music score by

Ben Model Ben Model (born 1962) is an American musician, historian, publisher, and presenter of silent films. An accompanist, he composes and performs organ or piano music for silent films. He accompanies films live and records scores for home video release ...

in December 2016.

Legacy

On August 11, 2018 the film has been shown in Robert G. Vignola's birthplace

Trivigno Trivigno is a town and ''comune'' in the province of Potenza, in the Southern Italian region of Basilicata. It is the birthplace of the silent film actor and director Robert G. Vignola Robert G. Vignola (born Rocco Giuseppe Vignola, August ...

, with the collaboration of

Pordenone Silent Film Festival Le Giornate del cinema muto (referred to in English as Pordenone Silent Film Festival) is an annual festival of silent film held in October in Pordenone, northern Italy. It is the first, largest and most important international festival dedicated ...

, as part of a project to recover Vignola's activity. It has been scored live by Stephen Horne and the "Zerorchestra" ensemble from Pordenone.

References

External links

* *
''Beauty's Worth''
at silentera.com * * American silent feature films American black-and-white films Films about Quakers Films based on short fiction Films directed by Robert G. Vignola 1920s romantic comedy-drama films American romantic comedy-drama films Surviving American silent films 1922 comedy films 1922 drama films 1922 films 1920s American films 1920s English-language films Silent romantic comedy-drama films Silent American comedy-drama films {{silent-romantic-drama-film-stub