''A Chapter in Her Life'' is a 1923 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 ...

based on the novel ''Jewel: A Chapter in Her Life'' by Clara Louise Burnham. The film was directed by

Lois Weber Florence Lois Weber (June 13, 1879 – November 13, 1939) was an American silent film actress, screenwriter, producer and director. She is identified in some historical references as among "the most important and prolific film directors in the e ...

. She had previously adapted the same novel as the 1915 film ''Jewel'', which she co-directed (uncredited) with her then-husband and collaborator

Phillips Smalley Wendell Phillips Smalley (August 7, 1865 – May 2, 1939) was an American silent film director and actor. Biography Born in Brooklyn, New York, he was the grandson of Wendell Phillips; he was the son of George Washburn Smalley, a war corres ...

. Weber made this film shortly after her divorce from Smalley.

Plot

Jewel (Mercer) is a young granddaughter who stays with her grizzled, angry grandfather while her parents are overseas on business. Anger and squabbling amongst the family are brought to heel through love, understanding and the teachings of Christian Science through Jewel's pure sweet love for others and trust in Divine Love.

Cast

Claude Gillingwater Claude Benton Gillingwater (August 2, 1870 – November 1, 1939) was an American stage and screen actor. He first appeared on the stage then in more than 90 films between 1918 and 1939, including the Academy Award-nominated ''A Tale of Two ...

as Mr. Everingham * Jane Mercer as Jewel * Jacqueline Gadsden as Eloise Everingham *

Frances Raymond Frances Raymond (1869–1961) was an American stage and film actress.Goble p.193 An established character actress, she played in a number of supporting roles during the silent era. Later, during the sound era, she primarily played much smalle ...

as Madge Everingham * Robert Frazer as Dr. Ballard *

Eva Thatcher Eva Thatcher (March 14, 1862 – September 28, 1942) was an American film actress and vaudeville performer. She appeared in more than one hundred films between 1912 and 1930. She was born in Omaha, Nebraska, and died in Los Angeles, Californ ...

as Mrs. Forbes *

Ralph Yearsley Ralph Yearsley (October 6, 1896 – December 4, 1928) was a British-born character actor who worked in Hollywood films. Early life and education Born in London, England, he was trained in a medical school, but left for the United States to pursue ...

as Zeke Forbes *

Fred Thomson Frederick Clifton Thomson (February 26, 1890 – December 25, 1928) was an American silent film cowboy who rivaled Tom Mix in popularity before dying at age 38 of tetanus. Birth and athletic achievement Born in Pasadena, California to Clara ...

as Nat Bonnell * Beth Rayon as Susan

Preservation status

Prints of ''A Chapter in Her Life'' are held by the Cineteca Del Friuli,

George Eastman House The George Eastman Museum, also referred to as ''George Eastman House, International Museum of Photography and Film'', the world's oldest museum dedicated to photography and one of the world's oldest film archives, opened to the public in 1949 in ...

Library of Congress The Library of Congress (LOC) is the research library that officially serves the United States Congress and is the ''de facto'' national library of the United States. It is the oldest federal cultural institution in the country. The library ...

and BFI National Film and Television Archive.''Catalog of Holdings The American Film Institute Collection and The United Artists Collection at The Library of Congress'', p. 29, c.1978 by the American Film Institute

References

External links

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Progressive Silent Film List: ''A Chapter in Her Life''
at silentera.com 1923 films 1923 drama films Silent American drama films American silent feature films American black-and-white films Films directed by Lois Weber Films about dysfunctional families Films based on American novels Universal Pictures films 1920s American films {{1920s-silent-drama-film-stub