''Alias Mrs. Jessop'' is a 1917 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

Will S. Davis William Senderling Davis (November 22, 1880 – November 19, 1920) was an American film director and screenwriter of the silent era. He was the son of David Jackson Davis and Elizabeth Ann Tees. He directed 36 films between 1913 and 1920. H ...

and starring Emily Stevens, Howard Hall, and William H. Tooker. It was released on December 10, 1917.

Plot

Identical twin cousins, Janet and Lillian Ford, are raised together in Lillian's upper-class home, since Janet is an orphan. When Janet takes the blame for Lillian's gambling arrest, Mrs. Ford orders Janet from their house. Years later, Lillian meets and marries Sir Anthony Jessop and moves to England. While well-off, Jessop's real wealth lies with his uncle, of whom he is the only heir. The couple have a son, Bobby, but Lillian does not forsake her wanton ways, staying out each night, and having an affair with Raymond Fleury. Jessop and Lillian argue about her indiscretions, and she leaves, heading for the United States supposedly to visit her dying father, and leaves Bobby with Jessop. Upon her arrival in the States, she is surprised that Fleury has followed her. She looks up Janet, and convinces her to take her place at the Ford residence while her father dies. Lillian and Fleury travel the country. After the elder Ford dies, word comes from England that Bobby has had an accident. Not knowing how to contact Lillian, Janet travels to England, still impersonating her cousin. She tends for Bobby until he his well, although she lets Jessop know that she is not Lillian. While caring for Bobby, she and Jessop fall in love. Jessop's uncle dies, and he becomes the Earl of Devon, along with his inheritance. When news of his new-found wealth reaches Lillian, she dumps Fleury and heads back to England to claim her portion. Her arrival throws both Jessop and Janet into a quandary. However, Fleury has followed her back to England, and when the two confront one another, he vows that if he can't have her, no man will, and shoots her, killing her. Rather than risk a scandal, Jessop offers to secretly marry Janet, and the two can continue as if nothing had changed.

Cast list

* Emily Stevens as Lillian Ford/Janet Ford * Howard Hall as Sir Anthony Jessop * William H. Tooker as Michael Ford *

Donald Hall Donald Andrew Hall Jr. (September 20, 1928 – June 23, 2018) was an American poet, writer, editor and literary critic. He was the author of over 50 books across several genres from children's literature, biography, memoir, essays, and includin ...

as Raymond Fleury * Lillian Paige as Mrs. Mary Ford * Eldean Steuart as Bobby Jessop * Sue Balfour as Ames, the nurse

Production

The film is one of at least fifty from the period (about 1912–1924, "including shorts, multi-reelers and one 15 part serial") which made use of

double exposure In photography and cinematography, a multiple exposure is the superimposition of two or more exposures to create a single image, and double exposure has a corresponding meaning in respect of two images. The exposure values may or may not be ide ...

to create the illusion of the actor appearing on screen in two places at the same time in two roles, as noted by Lisa Bode in a survey of these films.

Reception

According to Lisa Bode's survey, those who portrayed two roles on the screen were perceived as very capable and experienced, and the "separateness" or "differentiation of two personalities" by Stevens was one of those "foregrounded and praised" in contemporary reviews.

Censorship

In Québec, ''Alias Mrs. Jessop'' was denied permission to be shown in the Province without cuts by its

motion picture rating system A motion picture content rating system classifies films based on their suitability for audiences due to their treatment of issues such as sex, violence, or substance abuse; their use of profanity; or other matters typically deemed unsuitable for c ...

for the following reasons: "Immoral and suggestive; infidelity of a wife; murder and suicide."

References

External links

* * {{Will S. Davis American silent feature films Films directed by Will S. Davis American black-and-white films Silent American comedy films 1917 comedy films 1917 films 1910s English-language films 1910s American films