''The Beauty Shop'' is a lost 1922 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 Edward Dillon and written by Doty Hobart based upon the play of the same name by Channing Pollock and Rennold Wolf. The film stars Raymond Hitchcock, Billy B. Van, James J. Corbett,

Louise Fazenda Louise Fazenda (June 17, 1895 – April 17, 1962) was an American film actress, appearing chiefly in silent comedy films. Early life Fazenda was born in her maternal grandparents' house in Lafayette, Indiana, the daughter of merchandise bro ...

Madeline Fairbanks Madeline (Madeleine) (November 15, 1900 – January 15, 1989) and her twin sister Marion Fairbanks (November 15, 1900 – September 20, 1973) were American stage and motion picture actresses active in the silent era. The two sisters were seemin ...

, and

Marion Fairbanks Madeline (Madeleine) (November 15, 1900 – January 15, 1989) and her twin sister Marion Fairbanks (November 15, 1900 – September 20, 1973) were American stage and motion picture actresses active in the silent era. The two sisters were seemin ...

. The film was released on May 14, 1922, by Paramount Pictures.

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 ...

, Dr. Arbutus Budd (Hitchcock) is besieged by creditors who insist on being repaid, telling one holding a bill while he held a saxophone that "I can't pay it but I can play it." Dr. Budd has purchased the right to the crest of an impoverished nobleman and is using it on the bottles of lotions that he sells. This nobleman, the last of the Sizerella, fled to escape the undertaker as it is the time-honored custom in their native town of Bologna for a Sizerella to be shot by a Maldonado. Sobini (Van) has come to the United States to bring back a Sizerella to be shot by a Maldonado. He finds Dr. Budd and decides to bring him back as "all Sizerellas look alike to him." Dr. Budd, eager to escape his creditors, willing goes with him, bringing his ward and attorney. In Bologna the innkeepers daughter falls for Dr. Budd, but he has his eye on Cola (Marion Fairbanks), while her twin sister Coca (Madeline Fairbanks) loves the scion of the rival house of Madonado (Love). Dr. Budd spends the rest of the film turning back a clock to escape the hour set for the duel, mixing up the twins, and avoiding marriage to the innkeepers daughter, who in the end uses the doctor's "Cremo" beauty lotion to become a desirable maiden, with even her hair becoming curled by the treatment.

Cast

* Raymond Hitchcock as Dr. Arbutus Budd * Billy B. Van as Sobini *James J. Corbett as Panatella *

as Cremo Panatella *

as Coca *

as Cola * Diana Allen as Ann Budd *

Montagu Love Montagu Love (15 March 1877 – 17 May 1943) was an English screen, stage and vaudeville actor. Early years Born in Portsmouth, Hampshire, Love was the son of Harry Love and Fanny Louisa Love, née Poad; his father was listed as accountant ...

as Maldonado * Larry Wheat as Phil Briggs

References

External links

* * 1922 films 1920s English-language films Silent American comedy films 1922 comedy films Paramount Pictures films Films directed by Edward Dillon American black-and-white films Lost American films American silent feature films 1922 lost films Lost comedy films 1920s American films {{1920s-silent-comedy-film-stub