''The Woman in the Case'' is a

play Play most commonly refers to: * Play (activity), an activity done for enjoyment * Play (theatre), a work of drama Play may refer also to: Computers and technology * Google Play, a digital content service * Play Framework, a Java framework * Pla ...

written by

Clyde Fitch Clyde Fitch (May 2, 1865 – September 4, 1909) was an American dramatist, the most popular writer for the Broadway stage of his time (c. 1890–1909). Biography Born in Elmira, New York, and educated at Holderness School and Amherst College (cl ...

. The producing duo of Wagenhals and Colin Kemper opened it on

Broadway Broadway may refer to: Theatre * Broadway Theatre (disambiguation) * Broadway theatre, theatrical productions in professional theatres near Broadway, Manhattan, New York City, U.S. ** Broadway (Manhattan), the street **Broadway Theatre (53rd Stree ...

at the

Herald Square Theatre The Herald Square Theatre was a Broadway theatre in Manhattan, New York City, built in 1883 and closed in 1914. The site is now a highrise designed by H. Craig Severance. History The Park Theatre opened in 1883 (also known as the New Park The ...

on January 31, 1905.

Blanche Walsh Blanche Walsh (January 4, 1873 – October 31, 1915) was a highly regarded American stage actress who appeared in one film, ''Resurrection'' based on the novel by Leo Tolstoy and the first three reel treatment of any Tolstoy story. Biography ...

starred as Margaret Rolfe, while

Robert Drouet Robert Drouet (March 27, 1870 – August 17, 1914) was an American actor and playwright. Robert Drouet (probably a stage name), was born in Clinton, Iowa. He married Mildred Loring, daughter of M. A. Loring, October 1897, and died in New Y ...

played Julian Rolfe.

Synopsis

Margaret has been married to Julian but three months when Julian is arrested for the murder of his best friend, Philip Long. It had previously been thought that Long had committed suicide, but his family refused to accept such a gruesome idea. Just prior to the arrest, newspaper reports told of the discovery of love letters from Julian to Claire Foster, whom Long was planning to marry. The implication is that Julian must have killed Long in a fit of jealousy. Julian, however, is known by all as a man of uncommon integrity. Margaret never questions his innocence; she decides to disguise herself as a member of the underclass in order to get to know Claire Forster (herself a member of the lower class) in an attempt at getting Claire to explain how she set Julian up. Margaret does this successfully; she gets Cliare drunk, and Claire then explains that her actions constitute an effort at getting even with Julian. Julian had ruined Claire's prospects for marriage by revealing to Long the baseness of his fiancée, after which Long, broken hearted, told Claire the wedding was off and proceeded to shoot himself. Julian is acquitted.

Adaptations

The play was adapted as a movie on multiple occasions: * In 1916 as '' The Woman in the Case'', an American film starring

Pauline Frederick Pauline Frederick (born Pauline Beatrice Libbey, August 12, 1883 – September 19, 1938) was an American stage and film actress. Early life Frederick was born Pauline Beatrice Libbey (later changed to Libby) in Boston in 1883 (some sources stat ...

and Alan Hale * In 1916 as '' The Woman in the Case'', an Australian film starring Jean Robertson and Fred Knowles * In 1922 as '' The Law and the Woman'', an American film starring

Betty Compson Betty Compson (born Eleanor Luicime Compson; March 19, 1897 – April 18, 1974) was an American actress and film producer who got her start during Hollywood's silent era. She is best known for her performances in ''The Docks of New York'' and ...

and

William P. Carleton William P. Carleton (October 3, 1872 – April 6, 1947) was a silent film actor who appeared in 40 films between 1919 and 1944. He is sometimes billed as William Carleton Jr.. Carleton was born in London and was briefly married to actress Toby C ...

* In 1932 as ''

The Wiser Sex ''The Wiser Sex'' is a 1932 American pre-Code crime drama film directed by Berthold Viertel and Victor Viertel and starring Claudette Colbert, Melvyn Douglas, Lilyan Tashman, William "Stage" Boyd and Ross Alexander. Made by Paramount Pictures ...

'', an American film starring

Claudette Colbert Claudette Colbert ( ; born Émilie Claudette Chauchoin; September 13, 1903July 30, 1996) was an American actress. Colbert began her career in Broadway productions during the late 1920s and progressed to films with the advent of talking pictures ...

and

Melvyn Douglas Melvyn Douglas (born Melvyn Edouard Hesselberg, April 5, 1901 – August 4, 1981) was an American actor. Douglas came to prominence in the 1930s as a suave leading man, perhaps best typified by his performance in the romantic comedy ''Ninotchka ...

References

External links

* *Fitch, Clyde,
The Woman in the Case; a Play in Four Acts
', Boston: Little, Brown, and Co., 1915, on the

Internet Archive The Internet Archive is an American digital library with the stated mission of "universal access to all knowledge". It provides free public access to collections of digitized materials, including websites, software applications/games, music, ...

1905 plays Broadway plays American plays adapted into films {{1900s-play-stub