''The Beautiful Lie'' is a 1917 American silent

drama Drama is the specific mode of fiction represented in performance: a play, opera, mime, ballet, etc., performed in a theatre, or on radio or television.Elam (1980, 98). Considered as a genre of poetry in general, the dramatic mode has b ...

film, directed by John W. Noble. It stars Frances Nelson, Harry S. Northrup, and

Edward Earle Edward Earle (16 July 1882 – 15 December 1972) was a Canadian-American stage, film and television actor. In a career which lasted from the 1910s to 1966, he appeared in almost 400 films between 1914 and 1956. He was born in Toronto and died ...

, and was released on May 21, 1917. It tells the tale of a woman whose reputation is sullied, and then recovered. It received mostly positive reviews, and the performances by the three stars were all given high marks for their work, particularly Nelson. As of 2019, it is considered a

lost film A lost film is a feature Feature may refer to: Computing * Feature (CAD), could be a hole, pocket, or notch * Feature (computer vision), could be an edge, corner or blob * Feature (software design) is an intentional distinguishing char ...

Plot

Frances Nelson works for architect Mortimer Grierson, who desires her. He tricks her into a false marriage so that he can have her. When he tires of her, he begins seeing Elsie MacLeod, among others. One night he returns from one of his assignations, and Frances and he fight, during which he lets her know that the marriage was a fraud. He deserts her, after which she can only find work as an artist's model, due to her lack of skills and the fact that she is seen as a fallen woman. She is hardened mentally while working for the artist, but manages to not succumb to his sexual advances. Shortly after, she meets another artist, Paul Vivian, and the two begin a romantic relationship. However, Paul is a protégé of Mortimer, and when the elder man learns of Frances' new relationship, he tries to throw a wedge between them by telling Paul that Frances was his mistress. Disillusioned, he does not wait to hear Frances' side of the story, and leaves. In a jealous rage one night due to his continued philandering, Elsie shoots Mortimer, mortally wounding him. Still angry that Frances has gone on with her life, he tells police that she is the one who shot him, and she is arrested. As he lingers on his deathbed, his nephew, Howard Hayes, returns to his side, where he reveals that the marriage to Frances was in fact legal. He had been miffed at his uncle, and had actually secured a real preacher to perform the ceremony. He urges his uncle to set things right while he still can. Mortimer calls for his attorney to get his affairs in order before he dies. In doing so, he bequests a sum to Frances to ensure her financial security, and sends a letter to Paul, letting him know the truth. Then he dies. The truth is revealed to the police and Frances is released. Paul returns and the two are reconciled.

Cast list

* Frances Nelson as Louise Joyce * Harry S. Northrup as Mortimer Grierson *

as Paul Vivian *

Elsie MacLeod Elsie MacLeod(1890 or 1894 - ?''date of death unknown'') was an American film actress who worked in Hollywood in the 1910s and early 1920s. She was primarily known for her starring roles in short Edison comedies. Biography According to contem ...

as The other girl *

Sally Crute Sally Crute (born Sally C. Kirby, June 27, 1886 – August 12, 1971) was an American actress of the silent film era. Biography Born in Chattanooga, Tennessee, before entering motion pictures Crute performed on stage. Crute was generally ca ...

as Mary * John Davidson as Howard Hayes * Mrs. Allan Walker as Mrs. Joyce * Emile Collins as Butler

Production

In January 1917, Metro announced that ''The Beautiful Lie'' would be one of their slate of pictures for 1917, scheduled for release on March 12. By February it was known that Frances Nelson would be starring in the movie, and it was based on the poem "Reveries of a Station House" by Ella Wheeler Wilcox. The film was not ready for its projected release date, which in April was pushed back to May 27, however in early May, the release date was moved up to May 21. In mid-May it was revealed that June Mathis was adapting the poem to the screen and John W. Noble was the director. At the same time, the cast was revealed to include Edward Earle, Harry S. Northrup, John Davidson, Sally Crute, Mrs. Allan Walker, and Emil Collins.

Release and reception

The film was released on May 21, 1917. ''

Motion Picture News The ''Motion Picture News'' was an American film industry trade paper published from 1913 to 1930. History The publication was created through the 1913 merger of the ''Moving Picture News'' founded in 1908 and ''The Exhibitors' Times'', founded ...

'' gave the film a good review, calling it a very human story with a "lesson which will never be forgotten". They paid specific accolades to Nelson, stating she portrayed her character "with a realism so strong in its appeal that you are brought for a time to the very environments of the story and as an intensely interested bystander wonder at the weaknesses of some and the strength of others. ''

Motography ''Motography'' was an American film journal that was first published in 1909 and ran until mid-1918. The magazine was published in 1909 and was originally named ''The Nickelodeon'',"Motography." The Bioscope. 9 Feb. 2009. Web. 4 Nov. 2015 http:// ...

'' gave the film mixed reviews. While they were impressed with the acting of the main and supporting characters, they were underwhelmed by Noble's direction, calling it simply "adequate". Their biggest issue was with the plot, which at times they felt highly improbable. They said that Nelson's performance "registers excellently throughout," and that Northrup performed his role as the film's villain "to perfection". They also highlighted the work of Earle, who they felt made a "big impression" as the young artist. ''

Moving Picture World The ''Moving Picture World'' was an influential early trade journal for the American film industry, from 1907 to 1927. An industry powerhouse at its height, ''Moving Picture World'' frequently reiterated its independence from the film studios. I ...

'' also gave the film a positive review, saying that the story was set forth in a "...rational and entertaining manner throughout..." They praised Nelson's performance, and gave good marks to the rest of the cast as well.

Notes

As of 2019, it was still listed in the

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 ...

as a lost film.

References

External links

* * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Beautiful Lie American silent feature films American black-and-white films Films directed by John W. Noble Metro Pictures films 1917 drama films 1917 films Silent American drama films Films based on poems Lost American films 1917 lost films Lost drama films 1910s English-language films 1910s American films