''Beauty's Worth'' is a 1922 American romantic comedy drama film directed by

Robert G. Vignola Robert G. Vignola (born Rocco Giuseppe Vignola, August 7, 1882 – October 25, 1953) was an Italian-American actor, screenwriter, and film director. A former stage actor, he appeared in many motion pictures produced by Kalem Company and later mov ...

, starring Marion Davies as an unsophisticated

Quaker Quakers are people who belong to the Religious Society of Friends, a historically Protestant Christian set of denominations. Members refer to each other as Friends after in the Bible, and originally, others referred to them as Quakers ...

who ventures to a seaside resort, meets a

Bohemian Bohemian or Bohemians may refer to: *Anything of or relating to Bohemia Culture and arts * Bohemianism, an unconventional lifestyle, originally practised by 19th–20th century European and American artists and writers. * Bohemian style, a ...

artist, and falls in love.

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 ...

, Prudence Cole (Davies), a young

woman, has been raised by her two severe maiden aunts, Elizabeth (Mattox) and Cynthia Whitney (Manning). She is permitted to visit the Garrisons, the mother (Shattuck) and her grown son Henry (Cooley), at an ultra fashionable resort, where her precise mannerisms make her the center of amused attention. Henry, whom she had hoped to marry, all but ignores her. Artist and thinker Cheyne Rovein (Stanley) senses the young woman's position and selects her for the leading role in elaborate charades which he stages, designing costumes and coaching her as to conduct. On this night she outshines her critics, wins the admiration of the men and the enmity of the women, and the dallying Henry returns to pay her court. The following morning she refuses him and promises to marry Cheyne.

Cast

* Marion Davies as Prudence Cole * Forrest Stanley as Cheyne Rovein * June Elvidge as Amy Tillson * Truly Shattuck as Mrs. Garrison *

Lydia Yeamans Titus Lydia Yeamans Titus (12 December 1857 – 30 December 1929) was an Australian-born American singer, dancer, comedienne, and actress who had a lengthy career in vaudeville and cinema. She was remembered on stage for her "Baby-Talk" act and a p ...

as Jane *

Hallam Cooley Hallam Burr (February 8, 1895 – March 20, 1971), known by his stage name Hallam Cooley, was an American actor of the silent era. He appeared in more than 100 films between 1913 and 1936. He was born in Brooklyn, New York, and died in Tib ...

as Henry Garrison * Antrim Short as Tommy *

Thomas Jefferson Thomas Jefferson (, 1743July 4, 1826) was an American Founding Fathers of the United States, Founding Father and the third president of the United States from 1801 to 1809. He was the primary author of the United States Declaration of Indepe ...

as Peter * Martha Mattox as Aunt Elizabeth Whitney * Aileen Manning as Aunt Cynthia Whitney * Gordon Dooley as Doll (in charade scene) * Johnny Dooley as Soldier (in charade scene)

Production

In her 13th film, Marion Davies re-teamed with Forrest Stanley for this romantic comedy/drama. Location shooting was again at Point Lobos on the Monterey Peninsula. The centerpiece of the film is the stunning "tableaux vivants" in which Davies recreates her dancing doll routine from the 1916 edition of the

Ziegfeld Follies The ''Ziegfeld Follies'' were a series of elaborate theatrical revue productions on Broadway in New York City from 1907 to 1931, with renewals in 1934, 1936, 1943, and 1957. They became a radio program in 1932 and 1936 as '' The Ziegfeld Foll ...

. The pageant was once again designed by

Joseph Urban Joseph Urban (May 26, 1872 – July 10, 1933) was an Austrian-American architect, illustrator, and scenic designer. Life and career Joseph Urban was born on May 26, 1872, in Vienna. He received his first architectural commission at age 19 wh ...

. The pageant scenes were originally tinted.

Status

A DVD of the film was released by Edward Lorusso with a music score by Ben Model in December 2016.

Legacy

On August 11, 2018 the film has been shown in Robert G. Vignola's birthplace

Trivigno Trivigno is a town and ''comune'' in the province of Potenza, in the Southern Italian region of Basilicata. It is the birthplace of the silent film actor and director Robert G. Vignola. References

Cities and towns in Basilicata {{B ...

, with the collaboration of Pordenone Silent Film Festival, as part of a project to recover Vignola's activity. It has been scored live by Stephen Horne and the "Zerorchestra" ensemble from

Pordenone Pordenone (; Venetian language, Venetian and ) is a city and (municipality) in the Italy, Italian region of Friuli-Venezia Giulia, the capital of the Province of Pordenone, Regional decentralization entity of Pordenone. The name comes from Lati ...

References

External links

* *
''Beauty's Worth''
at silentera.com * American silent feature films American black-and-white films Films about Quakers Films based on short fiction Films directed by Robert G. Vignola 1920s romantic comedy-drama films American romantic comedy-drama films Surviving American silent films 1922 comedy films 1922 drama films 1922 films 1920s American films 1920s English-language films Silent romantic comedy-drama films Silent American comedy-drama films English-language romantic comedy-drama films {{silent-romantic-drama-film-stub