''Black Is White'' is a 1920 American silent

drama film In film and television, drama is a category or genre of narrative fiction (or semi-fiction) intended to be more serious than humorous in tone. Drama of this kind is usually qualified with additional terms that specify its particular super-g ...

starring

Dorothy Dalton Dorothy Dalton (September 22, 1893 – April 13, 1972) was an American silent film actress and stage personality who worked her way from a stock company to a movie career. Beginning in 1910, Dalton was a player in stock companies in Chicago; Te ...

and directed by

Charles Giblyn Charles Giblyn (September 6, 1871 – March 14, 1934) was an American film director and actor of the silent era. He directed nearly 100 films between 1912 and 1927. He also appeared in 23 films between 1914 and 1934. He was one of the foun ...

. It was produced by

Thomas H. Ince Thomas Harper Ince (November 16, 1880 – November 19, 1924) was an American silent film - era filmmaker and media proprietor. Ince was known as the "Father of the Western" and was responsible for making over 800 films. He revolutionized the mo ...

and distributed by

Paramount Pictures Paramount Pictures Corporation is an American film and television production company, production and Distribution (marketing), distribution company and the main namesake division of Paramount Global (formerly ViacomCBS). It is the fifth-oldes ...

. The movie is based on a novel, ''Black is White'', by

George Barr McCutcheon George Barr McCutcheon (July 26, 1866 – October 23, 1928) was an American popular novelist and playwright. His best known works include a series of novels set in Graustark, a fictional East European country, and the novel '' Brewster's Milli ...

. The film's spelling differs from the spelling of the novel. The plot is one in which a woman stands almost any form of abuse from a man and finally forgives him at the moment she has opportunity for the revenge she has always sought, such stories being somewhat popular at the time. Prints of the film exist at the

Library of Congress The Library of Congress (LOC) is the research library that officially serves the United States Congress and is the ''de facto'' national library of the United States. It is the oldest federal cultural institution in the country. The library is ...

and

UCLA Film and Television Archive The UCLA Film & Television Archive is a visual arts organization focused on the preservation, study, and appreciation of film and television, based at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA). Also a nonprofit exhibition venue, the archiv ...

.''Catalog of Holdings The American Film Institute Collection and The United Artists Collection at The Library of Congress'', page 17, c.1978 by The American Film Institute

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 ...

, Margaret Brood (Dalton) is driven from her home by her jealous husband Jim (Herbert), who after imagining that she is untrue to him finally doubts if he is the father of their son. She causes a report to be published that she is dead and goes to Paris to live with a distant relation, taking the name Yvonne. Fifteen years later her husband comes to Paris, is attracted by what he considers is her resemblance to his dead wife, and marries her. She returns to America with him. Unable to hide her love for her son, she arouses her husband's suspicions and in a moment of rage he shoots the young man. After nursing her son back to health, Margaret tells her husband the truth, produces proof that she has always been true to him, and forgives him.

Cast

as Margaret Brood / Yvonne Strakosch *

Holmes Herbert Holmes Herbert (born Horace Edward Jenner; 30 July 1882 – 26 December 1956) was an English character actor who appeared in Hollywood films from 1915 to 1952, often as a British gentleman. Early life Born Horace Edward Jenner, (some sou ...

as Jim Brood (credited as Holmes E. Herbert) *Jack Crosby as Frederick Bond *

Clifford Bruce Clifford Bruce (1885–1919) was a Canadian film actor of the silent era.Solomon p. 229 Selected filmography * ''When Rome Ruled'' (1914) * ''A Fool There Was (1915 film), A Fool There Was'' (1915) * ''Lady Audley's Secret (1915 film), Lady Audle ...

as Baron Demetrious Strakosch *

Claire Mersereau Claire Mersereau (September 20, 1894 – June 26, 1982) was an American stage and film actress of the silent film era. She appeared several in films including ''Black is White'' (1920) directed by Charles Giblyn and played the leading role in a to ...

as Lyda Desmond *

Lillian Lawrence Lillian Lawrence (February 17, 1868 – May 7, 1926) was an American theatre and silent film actress. Her daughter Ethel Grey Terry was also an actress. Biography Lawrence was born in either Alexandria, Virginia or Alexander, West Virginia bu ...

as Mrs. Desmond *

Joseph Granby Joseph Granby (March 24, 1885 – September 22, 1965) was an American film actor whose career spanned from 1915 to the 1960s. Born in Boston he started in movies in 1915, mostly shorts, acting for Universal, its predecessor Independent Motion P ...

as Ranjab *Patrick Barrett as Daws *Tom Cameron as Riggs

References

External links

*
AllMovie/synopsis
1920 films American silent feature films Films based on American novels Films directed by Charles Giblyn Paramount Pictures films Silent American drama films American black-and-white films 1920 drama films 1920s American films {{silent-drama-film-stub