''The Foolish Virgin'' is a lost 1924 American silent

romantic drama film Romance films involve romantic love stories recorded in visual media for broadcast in theatres or on television that focus on passion (emotion), passion, emotion, and the affectionate romantic involvement of the main characters. Typically their ...

released by

Columbia Pictures Columbia Pictures Industries, Inc., Trade name, doing business as Columbia Pictures, is an American film Production company, production and Film distributor, distribution company that is the flagship unit of the Sony Pictures Motion Picture Group ...

. It was directed by George W. Hill and stars Elaine Hammerstein. It is based on the 1915 novel '' The Foolish Virgin: A Romance of Today'' by Thomas Dixon Jr. This is the second known adaptation of the novel; the first was released in 1916.

Plot

Jim Owens (Frazer) rescues Mary Adams (Hammerstein) from a scheming lawyer. Jim is successful inventor, however Mary is unaware that he has a history as a thief before they met. They fall in love and get married. Mary leaves Jim when she discovers his criminal history. In the end Jim rescues Mary and their child from a forest fire, renewing Mary's love for Jim. The 1924 plot notably differs from the book and the 1916 film. In the earlier versions Jim's thievery continued during the marriage, and only he reformed his ways after losing Mary.The Foolish Virgin (1924)

American Film Institute The American Film Institute (AFI) is an American nonprofit film organization that educates filmmakers and honors the heritage of the History of cinema in the United States, motion picture arts in the United States. AFI is supported by private fu ...

's Catalog of Feature Films

Cast

* Elaine Hammerstein as Mary Adams *

Robert Frazer Robert Frazer (born Robert William Browne, June 29, 1891 – August 17, 1944) was an American actor who appeared in some 224 shorts and films from the 1910s until his death. He began in films with the Eclair company which released through Unive ...

as Jim Owens / Eiphann Owens *

Gladys Brockwell Gladys Brockwell (née Lindeman; September 26, 1894 – July 2, 1929) was an American actress whose career began during the silent film era. Early life and career Brockwell was born Gladys Lindeman in Brooklyn, New York, on September 26, 1894. ...

as Nance Owens *

Phyllis Haver Phyllis Maude Haver (January 6, 1899 – November 19, 1960) was an American actress of the silent film era. Early life Haver was born in Douglass, Kansas to James Hiram Haver and Minnie Shanks Malone. When she was young, her family moved to L ...

as Jane Sanderson *

Lloyd Whitlock Lloyd Whitlock (January 2, 1891 – January 8, 1966) was a prolific American actor who began working during Hollywood's silent era. Born in 1891, he appeared in nearly 200 films between 1916 and 1949. Distinguished by his height and stature, he ...

as Charles Spencer * Irene Hunt as Mrs. Dawson *

Howard Truesdale Howard Truesdale (January 3, 1861 – December 8, 1941; also credited as Truesdell, Truedell, and Truesdall) was an American stage actor and a film actor in both the silent and sound eras. He appeared in the films '' A Corner in Cotton'', '' The ...

as Dr. Dawson * Jack Henderson as Sam Allen *

Roscoe Karns Roscoe Karns (September 7, 1891 – February 6, 1970) was an American actor who appeared in nearly 150 films between 1915 and 1964. He specialized in cynical, wise-cracking (and often tipsy) characters, and his rapid-fire delivery enlivened many ...

as Chuck Brady *Oliver Cross as Lawson Howard *Edward W. Borman as Dan O'Leary (credited as Edward Borman) *

Spec O'Donnell Walter D. "Spec" O'Donnell (April 9, 1911 – October 14, 1986) was an American film actor who appeared in more than 190 films between 1923 and 1978. He worked frequently for producer Hal Roach, often appearing in silent comedies as the bratty s ...

as Little Boy *Billy Seay as Jim Owens as a Boy (uncredited)

Critical reception

While ''

Variety Variety may refer to: Arts and entertainment Entertainment formats * Variety (radio) * Variety show, in theater and television Films * ''Variety'' (1925 film), a German silent film directed by Ewald Andre Dupont * ''Variety'' (1935 film), ...

'' magazine in 1924 wrote that "It should please the average audience", in 1925 ''

Photoplay ''Photoplay'' was one of the first American film fan magazines, its title another word for screenplay. It was founded in Chicago in 1911. Under early editors Julian Johnson and James R. Quirk, in style and reach it became a pacesetter for fan m ...

'' magazine described ''The Foolish Virgin'' as "silly, uninteresting, tiresome".

References

External links

* 1924 films 1924 lost films 1924 romantic drama films 1920s American films 1920s English-language films American black-and-white films American silent feature films Films based on works by Thomas Dixon Jr. Lost American romantic drama films Silent American romantic drama films English-language romantic drama films Lost silent American films {{silent-romantic-drama-film-stub