''Love Insurance'' is a

lost Lost may refer to getting lost, or to: Geography * Lost, Aberdeenshire, a hamlet in Scotland *Lake Okeechobee Scenic Trail, or LOST, a hiking and cycling trail in Florida, US History *Abbreviation of lost work, any work which is known to have bee ...

1919 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 o ...

directed by

Donald Crisp Donald William Crisp (27 July 188225 May 1974) was an English film actor as well as an early producer, director and screenwriter. His career lasted from the early silent film era into the 1960s. He won an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor ...

, produced by

Famous Players-Lasky Famous Players-Lasky Corporation was an American motion picture and distribution company formed on June 28, 1916, from the merger of Adolph Zukor's Famous Players Film Company—originally formed by Zukor as Famous Players in Famous Plays—and ...

and distributed by

Paramount Pictures Paramount Pictures Corporation is an American film and television production company, production and Distribution (marketing), distribution company and the main namesake division of Paramount Global (formerly ViacomCBS). It is the fifth-oldes ...

. It is based on the novel of the same name by

Earl Derr Biggers Earl Derr Biggers (August 26, 1884 – April 5, 1933) was an American novelist and playwright. His novels featuring the fictional Chinese American detective Charlie Chan were adapted into popular films made in the United States and China. Biogr ...

, ''Love Insurance''. ''Love Insurance'' was later

remade Bas-Lag is the fictional world in which several of English author China Miéville's novels are set. Bas-Lag is a world where both magic (referred to as "thaumaturgy") and steampunk technology exist, and is home to many intelligent races. It is in ...

in 1924 as ''

The Reckless Age ''The Reckless Age'' is a 1924 American silent comedy-drama film directed by Harry A. Pollard and starring Reginald Denny. It was produced and distributed by Universal Pictures. It is based on the novel ''Love Insurance'' by Earl Derr Biggers a ...

'' and in sound era in 1940 as ''

One Night in the Tropics ''One Night in the Tropics'' is a 1940 comedy film which was the film debut of Abbott and Costello. They are listed as supporting actors but have major exposure with five of their classic routines, including an abbreviated version of "Who's On Fi ...

''.

Plot

As described in a

film magazine Film periodicals combine discussion of individual films, genres and directors with in-depth considerations of the medium and the conditions of its production and reception. Their articles contrast with film reviewing in newspapers and magazines whi ...

, Lord Allan Harrowby (Elliott), upon arriving in America to wed an heiress, goes to the New York office of

Lloyd's of London Lloyd's of London, generally known simply as Lloyd's, is an insurance and reinsurance market located in London, England. Unlike most of its competitors in the industry, it is not an insurance company; rather, Lloyd's is a corporate body gove ...

and insures against the lady changing her mind. Dick Minot (Washburn), assistant manager of the office, is assigned to the task of preventing that occurrence. He meets Cynthia Meyrick (Wilson), the lady in question, but not knowing her identity falls in love with her. However, business is his first thought and when she decides that she does not love her fiancé and is about to break her engagement, he does all in his power to bring about the wedding. This involves defeating a stranger who claims to be the real Lord Harrowby, outwitting a customs official who seeks to arrest the nobleman for smuggling in a diamond necklace, the routing of a clever criminal who tries to steal the necklace, and effecting the dismissal of a young woman who threatens a suit for

breach of promise Breach of promise is a common law tort, abolished in many jurisdictions. It was also called breach of contract to marry,N.Y. Civil Rights Act article 8, §§ 80-A to 84. and the remedy awarded was known as heart balm. From at least the Middle ...

. After all this is effected and the wedding about to proceed, Cynthia again changes her mind, but this time it is because of an act by Harrowby. By the terms of the policy, this releases the company, so Dick presents his own case to Cynthia, which she accepts and they

elope Elopement is a term that is used in reference to a marriage which is conducted in a sudden and secretive fashion, usually involving a hurried flight away from one's place of residence together with one's beloved with the intention of getting m ...

Cast

Bryant Washburn Franklin Bryant Washburn III (April 28, 1889 – April 30, 1963) was an American film actor who appeared in more than 370 films between 1911 and 1947. Washburn's parents were Franklin Bryant Washburn II and Metha Catherine Johnson Washburn. He a ...

as Dick Minot * Lois Wilson as Cynthia Meyrick *

Theodore Roberts Theodore Roberts (October 8, 1861 – December 14, 1928) was an American film and stage actor. Early life Roberts was born in San Francisco, California. He was a cousin of the stage actress Florence Roberts. His choice of a career disapp ...

as Spencer Meyrick *

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 Mary Meyrick * Frank Elliott as Allan Harrowby * Edwin Stevens as Martin Wall *

Clarence Geldart Clarence Geldart (June 9, 1867 – May 13, 1935) was an American film actor. He appeared in 127 films between 1915 and 1936. He was sometimes credited as C.H. Geldart or Charles H. Geldart. He was born in New Brunswick, Canada, and died i ...

as George Harrowby *

A. Edward Sutherland Albert Edward Sutherland (January 5, 1895 – December 31, 1973) was a film director and actor. Born in London, he was from a theatrical family. His father, Al Sutherland, was a theatre manager and producer and his mother, Julie Ring, was a vaud ...

as Jack Paddock *

P. Dempsey Tabler Perce Dempsey Tabler (November 23, 1876 – June 7, 1956) was a Tennessee-born opera singer, athlete, businessman and actor, remembered for being the third actor to portray Tarzan in films. His sole outing in the role came in the 1920 movie ...

as Hunt *Fred E. Wright as O'Malley *Edward Alexander as Jarvis * Wilton Taylor as Stacy *

Fred Huntley Fred Huntley (29 August 1862 in London, England – 1 November 1931 in Hollywood, California) was an English silent film actor and director. Fred Huntley made his theater debut at London's Covent Garden in 1879. After years as the leadin ...

as Jenkins *

Willard Louis Willard Louis (April 19, 1882 – July 22, 1926) was an American stage and film actor of the silent era. He appeared in more than 80 films between 1911 and 1926. He was born in San Francisco, California. Louis had an art studio before he be ...

as Trimmer * Ethel Fleming as Gabrielle

References

External links

*
allmovie.comFilm still
(University of Washington, Sayre collection)

at silenthollywood.com 1919 films American silent feature films Lost American films Films based on American novels Paramount Pictures films Films directed by Donald Crisp 1919 comedy films American black-and-white films Films based on works by Earl Derr Biggers Silent American comedy films 1919 lost films Lost comedy films 1910s American films {{1910s-comedy-film-stub