Whilst this attempted comeback did not reignite Theda Bara's career - she had been off the screen since 1919 following the termination of her contract with Fox - it does survive as our best glimpse of this most elusive of silent stars. The plot is not much to write about; some nonsense about a philandering husband and his wife's scam to win him back. But it has to be said that Theda is arresting. Very beautiful, far more so than in the often ludicrous stills taken at Fox, she plays with an easy grace and a surprising knack for light comedy. She is a most sympathetic actress, and if the film itself is forgettable, it at least makes us hungry to see more of her films. Will "Cleopatra" and "Salome" never turn up? The print I have is badly faded, but suggests that quite a bit of money was spent on the production. This is hardly a milestone of the silent cinema, and contemporary reports suggest that it was a comedown for Theda, but it kills an afternoon. (One minor point of interest; Theda Bara had a most captivating laugh. Why was she so seldom photographed smiling?)
Review of The Unchastened Woman
