''The Amateur Wife'' is a 1920 American silent comedy-drama

romance Romance (from Vulgar Latin , "in the Roman language", i.e., "Latin") may refer to: Common meanings * Romance (love), emotional attraction towards another person and the courtship behaviors undertaken to express the feelings * Romance languages, ...

directed by Edward Dillon and written by Nalbro Bartley and Jane Murfin. The film stars

Irene Castle Vernon and Irene Castle were a husband-and-wife team of ballroom dancers and dance teachers who appeared on Broadway and in silent films in the early 20th century. They are credited with reviving the popularity of modern dancing. Castle was a st ...

, William P. Carleton, Arthur Rankin, S.J. Warrington, Alex Saskins and Augusta Anderson. The film was released on February 22, 1920, by Paramount Pictures. ''The Amateur Wife'' is a lost film.

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 ...

, Justine Spencer (Castle), daughter of the musical comedy queen Dodo Spencer (Anderson), arouses the interest of wealthy bachelor Cosmo Spotiswood (Carleton) on account of her odd appearance and unhappy life. When Dodo Spencer is killed by a jilted admirer, he marries the young woman in a spirit of pity, and when she asks him to show some love for her, he tells her the true state of affairs. While he is abroad for a year, she secures a maid to brighten up her appearance and immediately is transformed into a pretty woman with a score of admirers. When her husband returns, she rebuffs him. Finally, convinced that she has awakened his love, she consents to live with him.

Cast

as Justine Spencer * William P. Carleton as Cosmo Spotiswood *Arthur Rankin as Billy Ferris * S. J. Warmington as Randolph Ferguson *Alex Saskins as Oliver Ferris (credited as A. Saskin) * Augusta Anderson as Dodo Spencer *Mrs. Charles Dewey as Loti *Ellen Olson as Sara

References

External links

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Film still
at the New York Public Library
Film stills #1
an
#2
at www.wisconsinhistory.org 1920 films 1920s English-language films Silent American comedy-drama films 1920 comedy-drama films Paramount Pictures films Films directed by Edward Dillon American black-and-white films American silent feature films Lost American comedy-drama films Lost American romantic comedy films Lost American romantic drama films Films with screenplays by Jane Murfin 1920 lost films 1920s American films Silent romance films {{1920s-silent-drama-film-stub