''Fifty-Fifty'' is an 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 ...

directed by Allan Dwan whose story was adapted for the screen by Robert Shirley. The Fine Arts Film Company production was made under the aegis of

Triangle Film Corporation Triangle Film Corporation (also known as Triangle Motion Picture Company) was a major American motion-picture studio, founded in July 1915 in Culver City, California and terminated 7 years later in 1922. History The studio was founded in July 1 ...

which released it on October 22, 1916. The leading roles are played by

Norma Talmadge Norma Marie Talmadge (May 2, 1894 – December 24, 1957) was an American actress and film producer of the silent era. A major box-office draw for more than a decade, her career reached a peak in the early 1920s, when she ranked among the most pop ...

, J. W. Johnston, and Marie Chambers. A print of the film is in the

George Eastman House Motion Picture Collection The George Eastman Museum Motion Picture Collection in Rochester, New York comprises about 28,000 titles, including features, shorts, documentaries, newsreels, and experimental moving images. The collection is renowned for its holdings of silent f ...

.Progressive Silent Film List: ''Fifty-Fifty''
at silentera.com

Plot

The title, which refers to the community property division of marital assets in divorce proceedings, foretells the dissolution of the union between financially secure Frederick Harmon (J. W. Johnston) and Naomi (Norma Talmadge), a fun-loving uninhibited artist whom her

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 friends affectionately reference as "the Nut". The "other woman" (Marie Chambers), intent on misleading Harmon as to his wife's virtue and intentions completes the triangle. The matter comes up for a resolution in front of a wise and experienced family court judge.

Cast

as Naomi Harmon * J. W. Johnston as Frederic Harmon *Marie Chambers as Helen Crew *Ruth Darling as Louise O'Mally *

Harry Northrup Harry Northrup (born Henri Stabo Wallace Northrup; 31 July 1875 – 2 July 1936), was an American film actor of the silent era. He appeared in more than 130 films between 1911 and 1935. He was born in Paris and died in Los Angeles, California. ...

as Former Prisoner *

Frank Currier Frank Currier (September 4, 1857 – April 22, 1928) was an American film and stage actor and director of the silent era. Career Similar to Theodore Roberts, Kate Lester, Ida Waterman, and William H. Crane, Currier had a long and succe ...

as Judge * Dodson Mitchell as Detective *

Warner Richmond Warner Richmond (born Werner Paul Otto Raetzmann; January 11, 1886 – June 19, 1948) was an American stage and film actor. He began his career as a stock theatre actor and appeared in films in both the silent film and sound eras. His career spa ...

as Dandy

Remake

A 1925 remake also titled '' Fifty-fifty'', set the story in

Paris Paris () is the Capital city, capital and List of communes in France with over 20,000 inhabitants, most populous city of France, with an estimated population of 2,165,423 residents in 2019 in an area of more than 105 km² (41 sq mi), ma ...

and New York, had a French director, Henri Diamant-Berger, and starred

Hope Hampton Hope Hampton (Mae Elizabeth Hampton; February 19, 1897 – January 23, 1982) was an American silent motion picture actress and producer, who was noted for her seemingly effortless incarnation of siren and flapper types in silent-picture roles ...

, Lionel Barrymore and

Louise Glaum Louise Glaum (September 4, 1888 – November 25, 1970) was an American actress. Known for her roles as a vamp in silent era motion picture dramas, she was credited with giving one of the best characterizations of a vamp in her early career ...

References

External links

* *
''Fifty-Fifty'' at ''Hollywood.com''''Fifty-Fifty'' at the ''American Film Institute Catalog of Feature Films''
1916 films Silent American drama films American silent feature films American black-and-white films 1916 drama films Films directed by Allan Dwan Surviving American silent films 1910s American films {{1910s-drama-film-stub