Thrill-seeking society girl Lydia causes a motorcycle policeman's death and is prosecuted by her fiancé Daniel, who describes in lurid detail the downfall of Rome. While she's in prison, she... Read allThrill-seeking society girl Lydia causes a motorcycle policeman's death and is prosecuted by her fiancé Daniel, who describes in lurid detail the downfall of Rome. While she's in prison, she reforms and Daniel becomes a wasted alcoholic.Thrill-seeking society girl Lydia causes a motorcycle policeman's death and is prosecuted by her fiancé Daniel, who describes in lurid detail the downfall of Rome. While she's in prison, she reforms and Daniel becomes a wasted alcoholic.
- Awards
- 1 win
- Dicky Evans
- (as Mickey Moore)
- Director
- Writers
- All cast & crew
- Production, box office & more at IMDbPro
Storyline
Did you know
- TriviaIn order to correctly write a script that would depict the experience of a woman being arrested and imprisoned, screenwriter Jeanie Macpherson arranged, at Cecil B. DeMille's behest, to be imprisoned for stealing a fur piece from a friend (with whom she had worked out an agreement beforehand). She was arrested in Detroit, booked and fingerprinted under the name Angie Brown and spent three days in jail before a police official discovered the truth and arranged for her release. Macpherson wrote about the experience in an article called I Have Been in Hell.
- Quotes
Lydia's Chaperon: Make Dan keep an eye on her, Eleanor. If she will show up for anybody, she will for him - but as her chaperon, I won't stay and be party to such goings on!
- ConnectionsFeatured in The Love Goddesses (1965)
There are the usual Demille scenes of people having a great time getting drunk in wild costumes, and even worse, dancing; later, during Meighan's summing up, there's a flashback sequence in which barbarians in hairy vests and winged helmets break into where the Vestal Virgins are sleeping one off. Finally, there's redemption for the ladies in vague homilies and multi-denominational Christianity. Meanwhile, Meighan has been been going through his own spiral, thanks to the demon rum, but there's hope even for him, in the love of a good woman.
My vague and sarcastic gassing is not intended to put down this version, so much as to be entertaining while giving away as little as possible to those who have not seen this movie. Let's be honest: there are some people whose opinion is worthwhile, who claim this is the worst movie Demille ever made. I can see why. It's at the end of his cavort-for-six-reels-and-repent-in-the-seventh phase, and the public was growing a tad tired of them by this point. I don't think it's worse than any of the others. In fact, I think it rather typical. Had public tastes not changed, he would have kept on making them.
No, if there are issues, it's that remaining with the same format meant Demille's evolution from one movie to the next had to be incremental rather than revolutionary. Also, I don't think Miss Joy brings much to the part that a more skilled comedienne might have. However, Bebe Daniels was off doing comedies for another division of Paramount, and Gloria Swanson likewise. Contrariwise, Meighan is fine, and Miss Wilson, while poorly served, doesn't let the side down. The result is an entertaining movie that if not the overwhelming success that Demille had grown used to by this point, is certainly worth your time.
- boblipton
- Nov 21, 2020
Details
Box office
- Budget
- $385,000 (estimated)
- Runtime1 hour 40 minutes
- Color
- Sound mix
- Aspect ratio
- 1.33 : 1