''Civilian Clothes'' is a surviving 1920 American silent

comedy film A comedy film is a category of film which emphasizes humor. These films are designed to make the audience laugh through amusement. Films in this style traditionally have a happy ending (black comedy being an exception). Comedy is one of the ol ...

produced by

Famous Players-Lasky Famous Players-Lasky Corporation was an American motion picture and distribution company formed on June 28, 1916, from the merger of Adolph Zukor's Famous Players Film Company—originally formed by Zukor as Famous Players in Famous Plays—and t ...

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 ...

. It stars

Thomas Meighan Thomas Meighan (April 9, 1879 – July 8, 1936) was an American actor of silent films and early talkies. He played several leading-man roles opposite popular actresses of the day, including Mary Pickford and Gloria Swanson. At one point he comm ...

and was directed by Hugh Ford. This film is based on the 1919 Broadway play, ''Civilian Clothes'', by

Thompson Buchanan Thompson Buchanan (June 21, 1877 - October 15, 1937) was an American writer. While a journalist he began writing novels, and then turned to plays, with 1909's ''A Woman's Way'' starring Grace George being his first hit. He began writing for movi ...

Thurston Hall Ernest Thurston Hall (May 10, 1882 – February 20, 1958) was an American film, stage and television actor.Aylesworth, Thomas G. and Bowman, John S. (1987). ''The World Almanac Who's Who of Film''. World Almanac. . Pp. 186-187. Career Stag ...

played Meighan's part in the play. ''Civilian Clothes'' is preserved at the

Gosfilmofond Gosfilmofond is a state film archive in Russia. It is the main film archive of the Russian Federation and a member of the International Federation of Film Archives (FIAF). It is a state cultural institution — curator of films collection and othe ...

Russian Archives, Moscow.

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 ...

, Florence Lanham (Mansfield), married in France while a Salvation Army worker to Captain Sam McGinnis (Meighan), returns to society life in America after receiving word that he was killed in battle. She keeps news of her wedding secret and permits the attentions of Billy Arkwright (Hickman), an early lover. When McGinnis suddenly appears on the scene, clothed in startlingly bold habiliments, the Lanham stubbornness asserts itself. To impart upon her his own gospel of democracy, McGinnis obtains the place of a discharged butler in the Lanham household. With the help of a former Colonel and a lively young widow, he succeeds in his plan to teach her a lesson about her snobbishness, completely conquering and humbling the young wife, who finds that, after all, the clothes make little difference to the depth of real love.

Cast

as Captain Sam McGinnis *

Martha Mansfield Martha Mansfield (born Martha Ehrlich; July 14, 1899 – November 30, 1923) was an American actress in silent films and vaudeville stage plays. Early life She was born in New York City to Maurice and Harriett Gibson Ehrlich. She had a younger sis ...

as Florence Lanham *

Maude Turner Gordon Maude Turner Gordon (November 10, 1868 – January 12, 1940) was an American actress who appeared in 81 films between 1914 and 1938. Biography Born in Franklin, Indiana, Gordon was the daughter of Alexander and Nancy Wright Turner. She wa ...

as Mrs. Lanham *

Alfred Hickman Alfred Hickman (25 February 1873 – 9 April 1931) was an English actor. He was married to actress Nance O'Neil Gertrude Lamson (October 8, 1874 – February 7, 1965), known professionally as Nance O'Neil or Nancy O'Neil, was an American ...

as William Arkwright *

Frank Losee Frank Losee (June 12, 1856 – November 14, 1937) was an American stage and screen actor. A veteran of the Broadway stage he began in silent films in 1915. Often he played the father of Mary Pickford, Pauline Frederick and Marguerite Clark. Car ...

as Walter Dumont *

Marie Shotwell Marie Shotwell (March 21, 1880 – September 18, 1934) was an American actress of the stage and screen. Biography Shotwell was in motion pictures beginning in 1915 with roles in ''God's Witness'', ''The Taming of Mary'', ''Under Southern Skies ...

as Mrs. Smythe *

Warren Cook Warren Cook (May 23, 1878 – May 2, 1939) was an American film actor of the silent era. Cook was born in Boston, Massachusetts. In 1901, he appeared in ''The Shaughraun'' at the Castle Square Theatre in Boston. He was part of the stock co ...

as Mr. Lanham *

Albert Gran Albert Gran (August 4, 1862 – December 16, 1932) was a Norwegian-born American stage and film actor. He is most associated with his appearance in drama and light comedy films. Biography Albert Gran was born in Bergen, Norway. He was the s ...

as Dodson *Isabelle Garrison as Mrs. Arkwright *Halbert Brown as Major General Girard *Kathryn Hildreth as Elizabeth Lanham

References

External links

* * 1920 films American silent feature films American films based on plays Films directed by Hugh Ford Paramount Pictures films 1920 comedy films Silent American comedy films American black-and-white films 1920s American films {{1920s-silent-comedy-film-stub