''What Every Woman Wants'' is a 1919 American

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 ...

directed by

Jesse D. Hampton Jesse D. Hampton (1879–1968) was an American film producer of the silent era. He also directed three films. Hampton was originally a tobacco executive before turning to filmmaking.Gierach p.34 From 1918 he rented space at the KCET Studios fo ...

and starring

Grace Darmond Grace Darmond (born Grace Marie Glionna; November 20, 1893 – October 8, 1963) was a Canadian-American actress. Early life Grace Marie Glionna was born in Toronto on November 20, 1893. Her parents were Vincent Baptiste "James" Glionna, an I ...

Wilfred Lucas Wilfred Van Norman Lucas (January 30, 1871 – December 13, 1940) was a Canadian American stage actor who found success in film as an actor, director, and screenwriter. Early life Lucas was born in Norfolk County, Ontario on January 30, 1871,US ...

Forrest Stanley Forrest Stanley (August 21, 1889 – August 27, 1969) was an American actor and screenplay writer best known for his work in silent film. He is particularly known for his role as Charles Brandon in the historical film '' When Knighthood Was in ...

, and

Claire Du Brey Claire Du Brey (born Clara Violet Dubreyvich, August 31, 1892 – August 1, 1993) was an American actress. She appeared in more than 200 films between 1916 and 1959. Her name is sometimes rendered as Claire Du Bray or as Claire Dubrey. Ear ...

. Based on a screenplay by William Parker, the film was released by the

Robertson-Cole Pictures Corporation Film Booking Offices of America (FBO), registered as FBO Pictures Corp., was an American film studio of the silent era, a midsize producer and distributor of mostly low-budget films. The business began in 1918 as Robertson-Cole, an Anglo-Americ ...

Plot

As described in a film magazine, Gloria Graham (Darmond), a young woman employed at an office for a small salary, believes that the capacity of a business woman for success depends upon dressing well. After she goes into debt, she is about to be rescued by marriage to the man she loves, Philip Belden (Stanley), but

World War I World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fightin ...

breaks out and he enlists. She then falls for a snare set by her employer Horace Lennon (Lucas), who sends her to a clothing shop with a card allowing her to buy what she wants and to charge it to his account. After news arrives that her lover is missing in action, she marries her employer to allow her to indulge in her love of luxury. Her soldier lover, released from a German prisoner-of-war camp, returns and discovers that Gloria is married. He happens to be in the vicinity of her husband's house when the husband is accidentally shot by the maid. Gloria is suspected of killing her husband and arrested, but the truth is revealed by the end of the film.

Cast

as Horace Lennon *

as Gloria Graham *

as Philip Belden *

Percy Challenger Percy Challenger (September 3, 1858 – July 23, 1932) was a film and theater actor in the United States. He appeared in dozens of films. He was born in England. He acted in and managed the eastern tour of Virginia Drew Prescott (Melbourne MacDowe ...

as Timothy Dunn *

Bertram Grassby Bertram Grassby (23 December 1880 – 7 December 1953) was an English actor. He appeared in more than 90 silent era films between 1914 and 1927. Grassby was married to American actress Gerard Alexander. He was born in Lincolnshire, England a ...

as Marston Hughes *

Barbara Tennant Barbara Tennant (19 May 1892 – 18 March 1982) was an English actress. She appeared in over a hundred silent films between 1912 and 1928. Early life Barbara Tennant was born in London, and began performing there. She moved to North America a ...

as Phyllis Miles *

as Sylvia *

William De Vaull William De Vaull (December 12, 1870 – June 4, 1945) - also credited as William P. DeVaull - was an American film actor. He appeared in more than thirty films from 1915 to 1927. Filmography References External links * 1870 births ...

as Norman * Mary Warren as Mamie Vezey *

Charles K. French Charles K. French (born Charles Ekrauss French or Charles E. Krauss; January 17, 1860 – August 2, 1952) was an American film actor, screenwriter and director who appeared in more than 240 films between 1909 and 1945. Biography French was ...

as Attorney for the Defense (credited as Charles French)

References

External links

* *
''New York Times'' review
1919 films 1910s English-language films American silent feature films 1919 drama films Silent American drama films American black-and-white films Film Booking Offices of America films 1910s American films {{1910s-drama-film-stub