''A Woman Who Understood'' 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. The drama of this kind is usually qualified with additional terms that specify its particular ...

, directed by William Parke, distributed by Robertson-Cole, and starring

Bessie Barriscale Bessie Barriscale (born Elizabeth Mary Barriscale; June 9, 1884 – June 30, 1965) was an American actress who gained fame on the stage and in silent films. Early life Barriscale was born in New York City to Samuel Barriscale, an England-born ...

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 ...

, Madge Graham (Barriscale), a sculptress who pays for her art work by conducting a tea room in Greenwich Village, New York City, saves violinist Robert Knight (Stanley) during an attempted suicide by throwing a tea cup through his window. She learns that he is despondent over a rejection by the young woman he loves and from losing his position in an orchestra. Her efforts get him his place back with the orchestra and they are married. Her interest in their children leads him to seek appreciation of his talent elsewhere, and he goes to his former sweetheart who is now Mrs. Alden (Cumming). In a fire he burns his hands. Mrs. Alden declines to offer her skin for an operation to save his hands, but when his wife consents he sees that she really understands him.

Cast

as Madge Graham *

Forrest Stanley Forrest Stanley (August 21, 1889 – August 27, 1969) was an American actor and screenplay writer best known for his work in silent film. He is particularly known for his role as Charles Brandon, 1st Duke of Suffolk, Charles Brandon in the histo ...

as Robert Knight *

Dorothy Cumming Dorothy Greville Cumming (12 April 1894 – 10 December 1983) was an Australian-born actress of the silent film era. She appeared in 39 American, English, and Australian films between 1915 and 1929, notably appearing as the Virgin Mary in Ce ...

as Mrs. Alden *

Thomas Holding Thomas J. Holding (25 January 1880 – 4 May 1929) was a British-born stage and film actor. Biography Born in England in 1880, Holding possibly had an extensive stage career in his native Britain before arriving in the United States. He was po ...

as Mr. Alden * Stanton Williams as Bobbie Knight *

Mary Jane Irving Mary Jane Irving (October 20, 1913 – July 17, 1983) was an American actress. She appeared in 58 films between 1917 and 1938. Biography Irving debuted in films when she was 2 years old. She "played a lot of baby roles, then disappeared fro ...

as Peggy Knight * Gloria Holt as Marion Alden * Joe Butterworth as Jimmy

Preservation

With no prints of ''A Woman Who Understood'' located in any film archives, it is considered a

lost film A lost film is a feature film, feature or short film in which the original negative or copies are not known to exist in any studio archive, private collection, or public archive. Films can be wholly or partially lost for a number of reasons. ...

.''The American Film Institute Catalog Feature Films: 1911-20'' (The American Film Institute, 1988)

References

External links

*
Period advertising; lobby poster
1920 films 1920 drama films 1920 lost films 1920s American films 1920s English-language films American black-and-white films American silent feature films English-language drama films Film Booking Offices of America films Films directed by William Parke Lost American drama films Silent American drama films Lost silent American films {{1920s-silent-drama-film-stub