Trifling Women
Encyclopedia
Trifling Women was a 1922
silent
romantic drama film
directed by Rex Ingram
. It is credited with boosting the careers of its leads, Barbara La Marr
and Ramon Novarro
. It has been described as Ingram's most personal film. The film is considered lost
.
shortly after. A short period later, Zareda finds out the Baron is about to poison Marquis Ferroni. Trying to save the marquis, she switches the wine glasses and the Baron dies instead.
The marquis, a powerful millionaire, is very grateful to Zareda and they soon marry. For a short period of time, Zareda is a happy woman, until the return of Ivan. Jealous, Ivan makes sure he is not giving the marquis any rest. It eventually leads to a duel, where the marquis is mortally wounded. As he is about to die, he notices his wife embracing Ivan. Realizing she is using her body to get what she wants, he uses his last seconds alive to kill them both. Thereafter, he dies.
Michael Powell
remembered the movie thus: "Moonlight on tiger skins and blood dripping onto white faces, while sinister apes, poison and lust kept the plot rolling."
Black Orchids, also directed by Rex Ingram
. Back then, the studio thought the film was too erotic and did not encourage its release. Therefore, Ingram remade the film in 1922, making it "twice as erotic."
Trifling Women starred Barbara La Marr
and Ramón Novarro
, who were reteamed from The Prisoner of Zenda
(1922), a highly successful film which was recently released. The reteaming made the audience suspecting they were a couple, but it was later revealed that they were no more than close friends.
The role La Marr played was specially written for the actress. Shortly before the film's release, Novarro's name, which was Ramon Samaniegos, was changed to 'Novarro'.
on October 2, 1922, and had its general release on November 6. It received mixed reviews. Harrison's Report called it "an unquestionable masterpiece." On the other hand, the reviewer for Variety felt it was a let-down compared to The Prisoner of Zenda, and the New York Times called it "an impossible rigmarole."
Samuel Goldwyn
saw an advance screening of the film and was especially impressed by Novarro. He offered him a contract of $2,000 a week. This would certainly have been a major career step, since his salary for Trifling Women was $125 dollars. Novarro refused, however, deciding to remain loyal to Ingram, who gave him his 'big break', according to the actor.
When Trifling Women became a worldwide financial success, La Marr's salary was raised to $6,500 a week. She became a worldwide superstar, only outranged in popularity by Gloria Swanson
. Ingram later said that Trifling Women was the best movie he made. Most critic agreed. Although the film was criticized for not living up to its enormous budget, the director, story and actors' performances were praised.
1922 in film
-Events:* June 11 - United States première of Robert J. Flaherty's Nanook of the North, the first commercially successful feature length documentary film....
silent
Silent film
A silent film is a film with no synchronized recorded sound, especially with no spoken dialogue. In silent films for entertainment the dialogue is transmitted through muted gestures, pantomime and title cards...
romantic drama film
Romance film
Romance films are love stories that focus on passion, emotion, and the affectionate involvement of the main characters and the journey that their love takes through courtship or marriage. Romance films make the love story or the search for love the main plot focus...
directed by Rex Ingram
Rex Ingram (director)
Rex Ingram was an Irish film director, producer, writer and actor. Legendary director Erich von Stroheim once called him "the world's greatest director."-Early life:...
. It is credited with boosting the careers of its leads, Barbara La Marr
Barbara La Marr
Barbara La Marr was an American stage and film actress, cabaret artist and screenwriter.La Marr was known as "The Girl Who Is Too Beautiful", after a Hearst newspaper feature writer, Adela Rogers St...
and Ramon Novarro
Ramón Novarro
Ramón Novarro was a Mexican leading man actor in Hollywood in the early 20th century. He was the next male "Sex Symbol" after the death of Rudolph Valentino...
. It has been described as Ingram's most personal film. The film is considered lost
Lost film
A lost film is a feature film or short film that is no longer known to exist in studio archives, private collections or public archives such as the Library of Congress, where at least one copy of all American films are deposited and catalogued for copyright reasons...
.
Plot
Leon de Severac is fed up with his daughter Jacqueline, who is constantly seducing men. Hoping to discourage her from her flirtatious behavior, he tells her the story of Zareda, an attractive fortune teller who is having an affair with Ivan de Maupin. Ivan's father, the Baron, lusts after her as well and Ivan eventually grows convinced that Zareda is cheating on him. Giving her up, he leaves for WarWorld War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
shortly after. A short period later, Zareda finds out the Baron is about to poison Marquis Ferroni. Trying to save the marquis, she switches the wine glasses and the Baron dies instead.
The marquis, a powerful millionaire, is very grateful to Zareda and they soon marry. For a short period of time, Zareda is a happy woman, until the return of Ivan. Jealous, Ivan makes sure he is not giving the marquis any rest. It eventually leads to a duel, where the marquis is mortally wounded. As he is about to die, he notices his wife embracing Ivan. Realizing she is using her body to get what she wants, he uses his last seconds alive to kill them both. Thereafter, he dies.
Michael Powell
Michael Powell (director)
Michael Latham Powell was a renowned English film director, celebrated for his partnership with Emeric Pressburger...
remembered the movie thus: "Moonlight on tiger skins and blood dripping onto white faces, while sinister apes, poison and lust kept the plot rolling."
Cast
- Barbara La MarrBarbara La MarrBarbara La Marr was an American stage and film actress, cabaret artist and screenwriter.La Marr was known as "The Girl Who Is Too Beautiful", after a Hearst newspaper feature writer, Adela Rogers St...
as Jacqueline de Séverac/Zareda - Ramón NovarroRamón NovarroRamón Novarro was a Mexican leading man actor in Hollywood in the early 20th century. He was the next male "Sex Symbol" after the death of Rudolph Valentino...
as Henri/Ivan de Maupin - Pomeroy Cannon as Léon de Séverac
- Edward ConnellyEdward ConnellyEdward Connelly was an American stage and film actor of the silent era. He had a long established Broadway theatre career going back to the Victorian era...
as Baron François de Maupin - Lewis StoneLewis StoneLewis Shepard Stone was an American actor.Born in Worcester, Massachusetts, son of Bertrand Stone and Philena Heald Ball. Stone's hair grew gray by the time he was twenty. He fought in the Spanish-American War, then returned to a career as a writer. He soon began acting...
as The Marquis Ferroni - Hughie MackHughie MackHughie Mack was an American actor of the silent era. He appeared in 195 films between 1910 and 1928.He was born in Brooklyn, New York and died in Santa Monica, California.-Selected filmography:...
as Père Alphonse Bidondeau - Eugene Pouyet as Col. Roybet
- John GeorgeJohn George (actor)John George was a dwarf actor who appeared in at least 130 movies from 1916 to 1960. George worked in films of all genres alongside countless stars although often for only the briefest of appearances....
as Achmet - Jess Weldon as Caesar
- Bynunsky Hyman as Hassan
Production
The film is a remake of the 1917 film1917 in film
The year 1917 in film involved some significant events.-Events:*Foundation of Universum Film AG , as a propaganda film company, in Berlin.*Technicolor System 1, a two-color process, is introduced...
Black Orchids, also directed by Rex Ingram
Rex Ingram (director)
Rex Ingram was an Irish film director, producer, writer and actor. Legendary director Erich von Stroheim once called him "the world's greatest director."-Early life:...
. Back then, the studio thought the film was too erotic and did not encourage its release. Therefore, Ingram remade the film in 1922, making it "twice as erotic."
Trifling Women starred Barbara La Marr
Barbara La Marr
Barbara La Marr was an American stage and film actress, cabaret artist and screenwriter.La Marr was known as "The Girl Who Is Too Beautiful", after a Hearst newspaper feature writer, Adela Rogers St...
and Ramón Novarro
Ramón Novarro
Ramón Novarro was a Mexican leading man actor in Hollywood in the early 20th century. He was the next male "Sex Symbol" after the death of Rudolph Valentino...
, who were reteamed from The Prisoner of Zenda
The Prisoner of Zenda (1922 film)
The Prisoner of Zenda is a 1922 silent adventure film, one of the many adaptations of Anthony Hope's popular 1894 novel of the same name and the subsequent 1896 play by Hope and Edward Rose.-Plot:...
(1922), a highly successful film which was recently released. The reteaming made the audience suspecting they were a couple, but it was later revealed that they were no more than close friends.
The role La Marr played was specially written for the actress. Shortly before the film's release, Novarro's name, which was Ramon Samaniegos, was changed to 'Novarro'.
Release
Trifling Women premiered at the Astor Theater in New York CityNew York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
on October 2, 1922, and had its general release on November 6. It received mixed reviews. Harrison's Report called it "an unquestionable masterpiece." On the other hand, the reviewer for Variety felt it was a let-down compared to The Prisoner of Zenda, and the New York Times called it "an impossible rigmarole."
Samuel Goldwyn
Samuel Goldwyn
Samuel Goldwyn was an American film producer, and founding contributor executive of several motion picture studios.-Biography:...
saw an advance screening of the film and was especially impressed by Novarro. He offered him a contract of $2,000 a week. This would certainly have been a major career step, since his salary for Trifling Women was $125 dollars. Novarro refused, however, deciding to remain loyal to Ingram, who gave him his 'big break', according to the actor.
When Trifling Women became a worldwide financial success, La Marr's salary was raised to $6,500 a week. She became a worldwide superstar, only outranged in popularity by Gloria Swanson
Gloria Swanson
Gloria Swanson was an American actress, singer and producer. She was one of the most prominent stars during the silent film era as both an actress and a fashion icon, especially under the direction of Cecil B. DeMille, made dozens of silents and was nominated for the first Academy Award in the...
. Ingram later said that Trifling Women was the best movie he made. Most critic agreed. Although the film was criticized for not living up to its enormous budget, the director, story and actors' performances were praised.