''Madame X'' is a 1920 American silent

drama film In film and television, drama is a category or genre of narrative fiction (or semi-fiction) intended to be more serious than humorous in tone. Drama of this kind is usually qualified with additional terms that specify its particular super ...

directed by

Frank Lloyd Frank William George Lloyd (2 February 1886 – 10 August 1960) was a British-born American film director, actor, scriptwriter, and producer. He was among the founders of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, and was its preside ...

and starring

Pauline Frederick Pauline Frederick (born Pauline Beatrice Libbey, August 12, 1883 – September 19, 1938) was an American stage and film actress. Early life Frederick was born Pauline Beatrice Libbey (later changed to Libby) in Boston in 1883 (some sources stat ...

. The film is based on the 1908 play '' Madame X'', by French playwright Alexandre Bisson, and was adapted for the screen by J.E. Nash and

. A copy of this film survives in the

George Eastman House Motion Picture Collection The George Eastman Museum Motion Picture Collection in Rochester, New York comprises about 28,000 titles, including features, shorts, documentaries, newsreels, and experimental moving images. The collection is renowned for its holdings of silent f ...

. The play was previously adapted for the screen in 1910 and in 1916. The play has been subsequently remade several times.

Plot

As described in a

film magazine Film periodicals combine discussion of individual films, genres and directors with in-depth considerations of the medium and the conditions of its production and reception. Their articles contrast with film reviewing in newspapers and magazines whi ...

, jealous husband Louis Floriot (Courtleigh), refusing to forgive his wife Jacqueline (Frederick) for fleeing from his wrath and living with the friend who presses his attentions on her, forces her into the life of a derelict. Twenty years later she returns to France from Buenos Aires believing that her son Raymond has died. Laroque (Ainsworth), a crook who aids her in her return to France, learns that she is married to a man of wealth, and tries, with the help of his two associates M. Robert Parissard (Belmore) and M. Merival (Louis), to get possession of a fortune that rightfully belonged to Jacqueline. To protect her husband from violence, Jacqueline kills Laroque and, accused of murder, is brought to trial. Refusing to confer with her counsel and preferring death to freedom, during the course of the trial she receives the shocking revelation that the defendant attorney is her son Raymond (Ferguson). The tragic story ends with the reunion of the two and the death of the miserable mother.

Cast

as Jacqueline Floriot * William Courtleigh as Louis Floriot *

Casson Ferguson Casson Ferguson (May 29, 1891 – February 12, 1929) was an American film actor of the silent era. He appeared in more than 50 films between 1917 and 1928. His father was John J. Ferguson, a jeweler in Alexandria, Louisiana. Early in his ...

as Raymond Floriot * Maude Louis as Rose Dubois (as Maud Louis) *

Hardee Kirkland Hardee Kirkland (May 23, 1868 – February 18, 1929) was an American film actor and director of the silent era who appeared on stage. Kirkland was born in Savannah, Georgia, the son of former Confederate Brigadier General William Whedbee K ...

as Dr. Chessel * Alan Roscoe as Cesaire Noel * John Hohenvest as M. Valmorin * Correan Kirkham as Helene Valmorin *

Sidney Ainsworth Sidney Ainsworth (born Charles Sydney Ainsworth, often credited as Sydney Ainsworth; December 21, 1872 – May 21, 1922), was a screen and stage actor who appeared in his first movie in 1909. He was born in Manchester, England and died in Madison, ...

as Laroque *

Lionel Belmore Lionel Belmore (12 May 1867 – 30 January 1953) was an English character actor and director on stage for more than a quarter of a century. Life and career Onstage, Belmore appeared with Wilson Barrett, Sir Henry Irving, William Faversham, ...

as M. Robert Parissard *

Willard Louis Willard Louis (April 19, 1882 – July 22, 1926) was an American stage and film actor of the silent era. He appeared in more than 80 films between 1911 and 1926. He was born in San Francisco, California. Louis had an art studio before he b ...

as M. Merival * Cesare Gravina as Victor *

Maude George Maude George (August 15, 1888 – October 10, 1963) was an American actress of the silent era. Biography Born in Riverside, California, in 1888, Maude George is remembered primarily as a regular of director Eric von Stroheim's stock compan ...

as Marie

Censorship

It was common at that time for American state film censorship boards to require cuts in films for reasons of morality or to promote the common good. One noted cut in this film required by the Pennsylvania film board was in a scene with

Jesus and the woman taken in adultery Jesus and the woman taken in adultery (or the ) is a passage ( pericope) found in John 7:53– 8:11 of the New Testament. It has been the subject of much scholarly discussion. In the passage, Jesus was teaching in the Second Temple after co ...

where an intertitle card with a New Testament verse on sin and casting stones was removed.

Critical assessment

Film historian and biographer Higham, Charles reports that “Frank Lloyd’s best silent film was ''Madame X'' (1920), emonstratinghis polished craftsmanship and advanced control of the language of physical gesture.”:Higham, 1973 p. 48

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Madame X (1920 Film) 1920 films 1920 drama films Silent American drama films American silent feature films American black-and-white films American films based on plays Films directed by Frank Lloyd Goldwyn Pictures films 1920s American films