| ~Foolish Wives~ 1922 |
| ~Plot Synopsis~ |
Count Sergius Karamzin (Erich von Stroheim), an adventurer, and his two cousins, Olga (Maude
George) and Vera (Mae Busch), lease a villa at Monte Carlo and cultivate the friendship of American
envoy Andrew J. Hughes (Rudolph Christians) and his wife, Helen (Miss Dupont), who is flattered
by the flirtations of the count. While strolling in the country, the count and Helen take refuge from a
storm in a hut, and though they are obliged to remain overnight the arrival of an old monk (Nigel De
Brulier) keeps the count from revealing his intentions. At the casino the diplomat's wife wins, and
when the party retires to the count's villa for poker, Mrs. Hughes, in response to a secret note from
the count, meets him in the tower, where he wheedles her out of her money and begins to seduce
her. Meanwhile, Hughes, having discovered the cousins cheating at the casino, returns to the hotel.
The count's maid (Dale Fuller), a victim of his lechery, becomes desperately jealous, sets fire to the
villa, and leaps into the sea. The count and Mrs. Hughes are saved by jumping into a life net, and
Hughes, becoming aware of the count's intrigue, attacks him and arranges a duel for the following
morning. Infuriated by his folly, the "Princesses" drive the count from the villa; at the house of
Ventucci, for whom he has been passing counterfeit money, the count attacks Ventucci's halfwitted
daughter (Malvina Polo); later, Ventucci (Cesare Gravina) kills him and drops his body in a sewer.
Returning from the dueling place, Hughes finds that his wife has given premature birth to a child,
and they are reconciled.
Plot Synopsis from afi.com
George) and Vera (Mae Busch), lease a villa at Monte Carlo and cultivate the friendship of American
envoy Andrew J. Hughes (Rudolph Christians) and his wife, Helen (Miss Dupont), who is flattered
by the flirtations of the count. While strolling in the country, the count and Helen take refuge from a
storm in a hut, and though they are obliged to remain overnight the arrival of an old monk (Nigel De
Brulier) keeps the count from revealing his intentions. At the casino the diplomat's wife wins, and
when the party retires to the count's villa for poker, Mrs. Hughes, in response to a secret note from
the count, meets him in the tower, where he wheedles her out of her money and begins to seduce
her. Meanwhile, Hughes, having discovered the cousins cheating at the casino, returns to the hotel.
The count's maid (Dale Fuller), a victim of his lechery, becomes desperately jealous, sets fire to the
villa, and leaps into the sea. The count and Mrs. Hughes are saved by jumping into a life net, and
Hughes, becoming aware of the count's intrigue, attacks him and arranges a duel for the following
morning. Infuriated by his folly, the "Princesses" drive the count from the villa; at the house of
Ventucci, for whom he has been passing counterfeit money, the count attacks Ventucci's halfwitted
daughter (Malvina Polo); later, Ventucci (Cesare Gravina) kills him and drops his body in a sewer.
Returning from the dueling place, Hughes finds that his wife has given premature birth to a child,
and they are reconciled.
Plot Synopsis from afi.com
| Directed by: Erich von Stroheim Written by: Marian Ainslee - titles Walter Anthony - titles Erich von Stroheim - screenplay, story & titles |
| ~Cast~ Rudolph Christians ... Andrew J. Hughes (U.S. Special-Envoy to Monaco) Miss DuPont ... Helen Hughes, his wife Maude George ... Her Highness Olga Petchnikoff Mae Busch ... Princess Vera Petchnikoff Erich von Stroheim ... Their Cousin, Count Wladislaw Sergius Karamzin (Capt. 3rd Hussars Imper. Russian Army) Dale Fuller ... Maruschka, a Maid Al Edmundsen ... Pavel Pavlich, a Butler Cesare Gravina ... Cesare Ventucci, a Counterfeiter Malvina Polo ... Marietta, his half-witted daughter (as Malvine Polo) C.J. Allen ... Albert 1., Prince of Monaco Nigel De Brulier ... Monk (uncredited) Robert Edeson ... Andrew J. Hughes (uncredited) Louise Emmons ... Mother Garoupe (uncredited) Harrison Ford ... Rude Soldier / Armless Soldier (uncredited) Valerie Germonprez ... Extra (uncredited) Patsy Hannen ... (uncredited) Mrs. Kent ... Dr. Judd's wife (uncredited) Mme. Kopetzky ... Actress (uncredited) Mary Philbin ... Crippled Girl (uncredited) Edward Reinach ... Secretary of State of Monaco (uncredited) Louis K. Webb ... Dr. Judd (uncredited) |
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| ~Remaining Credits~ Produced & Released by: Universal Film Manufacturing Company Produced by: Irving Thalberg Cinematography by: William H. Daniels & Ben F. Reynolds Film Editing by: Arthur Lennig Assistant Directors: Jack R. Proctor, Edward Sowders & Louis Germonprez Architects: Richard Day & Elmer Sheeley Scenic Artist: Van Alstein Illumination and Lighting Effects: Harry Joe Brown Assistant Editors: Daniel Mandell & Bob Roberts & Edward Sowders Supervising Editor: Julius Stern Presenter: Carl Laemmle Publicity Chief: R.H. Cochrane Double for Mr. Christians: Robert Edeson Research Assistant: J. Lambert Assistant to Mr. Stroheim: Gustav Machatý Techical Directors: William Meyers, James R. Sullivan & George Williams Length: 14 Reels Runtime: 117 Minutes Released: May 8, 1922 |
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