''Troubles of a Bride'' is a 1924 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 ...

directed by

Tom Buckingham Tom Buckingham (February 25, 1895 – September 7, 1934) was an American film director and screenwriter. He directed 48 films between 1920 and 1932. He was born in Chicago, Illinois, and died from surgical complications. His film '' Cock ...

and written by John Stone and Tom Buckingham. The film stars

Robert Agnew Robert Agnew (June 4, 1899 – November 8, 1983) was an American movie actor who worked mostly in the silent film era, making 65 films in both the silent and sound eras. He was born in Dayton, Kentucky. A review of ''The Heart of Broadway'' i ...

, Mildred June,

Alan Hale Sr. Alan Hale Sr. (born Rufus Edward Mackahan; February 10, 1892 – January 22, 1950) was an American actor and director. He is best remembered for his many character roles, in particular as a frequent sidekick of Errol Flynn, as well as f ...

, Bruce Covington,

Dolores Rousse Dolores Rousse (August 17, 1901 – December 16, 1985)California, Death Index. 1940-1997 atabase on-line Via Ancestry.com. Provo, Utah. was an American film actress who performed under the name Gloria Roy later in her career. Career In May 1922 ...

, and

Heinie Conklin Heinie Conklin (born Charles John Conklin; July 16, 1880July 30, 1959) was an American actor and comedian whose career began in the silent film era. Early years Conklin was born Charles John Conklin on July 16, 1880, in San Francisco, Califor ...

. The film was released on November 30, 1924, by the

Fox Film Corporation The Fox Film Corporation (also known as Fox Studios) was an American Independent film production studio formed by William Fox (1879–1952) in 1915, by combining his earlier Greater New York Film Rental Company and Box Office Attractions Film ...

Plot

As described in a review in a film magazine, escaping from the police, the Baron (Hale), a clever crook, learns that Colonel Patterson (Covington) plans to remodel his house to surprise his daughter Mildred (June) who is about to marry Robert Wallace. Impersonating the architect, he gains an entrée and finds the money supposed to be hidden in the house, but also determines to marry Mildred. He arranges a plot with her to kidnap her just before the wedding to test Robert’s love, as she has seen him kissing a vamp. The scheme works, but the Baron soon discloses his real purpose and attacks her. Robert comes to the rescue and there is a wild ride on a runaway train with Robert chasing it in a locomotive and rescuing Mildred just as the train is about to plunge into the river. Mildred is satisfied and accepts the Baron’s explanation when, realizing he is beaten, he declares it was all a part of the plan.

Cast

as Robert Wallace *

Mildred June Mildred June (December 23, 1905 – June 19, 1940) was an American actress who appeared in silent films. She was also co-writer of a 1927 film. She died at the age of 34 from alcoholism. Life June was born in St. Louis in 1905. She was an Ame ...

as Mildred Patterson *

as Gordon Blake, the Baron *Bruce Covington as Colonel Patterson *

as Vera *

as Jeff *

Lew Harvey Lew Harvey (October 6, 1887 – December 19, 1953) was an American film actor. He appeared in more than 140 films between 1918 and 1950. He was born in Wisconsin, educated in Portland, Oregon, and died in Los Angeles, California. Selected f ...

as Chauffeur *

Bud Jamison William Edward "Bud" Jamison (February 15, 1894 – September 30, 1944)Okuda, Ted, and Edward Watz. 1999. The Columbia Comedy Shorts: Two-reel Hollywood Film Comedies 1933–1958'. Jefferson, N.C.: McFarland. . was an American film actor. ...

as Architect *Jack Kenny as Minor Role (uncredited)

Production

Consistent with the practice at that time, the comic role of the servant Jeff was played by Conklin in

blackface Blackface is a form of theatrical makeup used predominantly by non-Black people to portray a caricature of a Black person. In the United States, the practice became common during the 19th century and contributed to the spread of racial stereo ...

. The use of white actors in blackface for black character roles in

Hollywood film The cinema of the United States, consisting mainly of major film studios (also known as Hollywood) along with some independent film, has had a large effect on the global film industry since the early 20th century. The dominant style of Ame ...

s did not begin to decline until the late 1930s, and is now considered highly offensive, disrespectful, and racist.

Preservation

With no prints of ''Troubles of a Bride'' located in any film archives,Library of Congress American Silent Feature Film Survival Database: ''Troubles of a Bride''
/ref> it is a

lost film A lost film is a feature or short film that no longer exists in any studio archive, private collection, public archive or the U.S. Library of Congress. Conditions During most of the 20th century, U.S. copyright law required at least one copy o ...

References

External links

* * 1924 films 1920s English-language films Silent American comedy films 1924 comedy films Fox Film films Films directed by Tom Buckingham American silent feature films American black-and-white films 1920s American films {{1920s-comedy-film-stub