''Bought and Paid For'' is a 1922 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 ...

produced by

Famous Players–Lasky The Famous Players–Lasky Corporation was an American motion picture and distribution company formed on June 28, 1916, from the merger of Adolph Zukor's Famous Players Film Companyoriginally formed by Zukor as Famous Players in Famous Playsan ...

and distributed by

Paramount Pictures Paramount Pictures Corporation, commonly known as Paramount Pictures or simply Paramount, is an American film production company, production and Distribution (marketing), distribution company and the flagship namesake subsidiary of Paramount ...

. It was directed by William C. deMille and starred

Agnes Ayres Agnes Ayres (born Agnes Henkel; April 4, 1892 – December 25, 1940) was an American actress who rose to fame during the period of silent films. She was known for her role as Lady Diana Mayo in '' The Sheik'' opposite Rudolph Valentino. Caree ...

. It is based on a play by George Broadhurst performed on Broadway in 1911 with Julia Dean and revived 1921 respectively. The play was filmed before in 1916 by the

World Film Company The World Film Company or World Film Corporation was an American film production and distribution company, organized in 1914 in Fort Lee, New Jersey. Short-lived but significant in American film history, World Film was created by financier and f ...

with

Alice Brady Alice Brady (born Mary Rose Brady; November 2, 1892 – October 28, 1939) was an American actress of stage and film. She began her career in the theatre in 1911, and her first important success came on Broadway in 1912 when she created the rol ...

in the lead role.

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 ...

, self-made millionaire Robert Stafford (Holt) finds to his own surprise that he is falling in love with a young woman working at a hotel switchboard. Virginia Blaine (Ayres) is flattered by his attentions and when she consents to marry him, she is not in love with him. Her sister Fanny (Wyant), who is engaged to James Gilley (Hiers), is eager for Virginia to consent as it means comfort and luxury for all. Robert is patient with his wife and she at length learns to love him. Two years pass and there is but one cloud to her happiness, and that is Robert's drinking. When intoxicated he forgets the consideration due his wife. On a night when her sister Fanny and James have been to the opera with Virginia, Robert comes home intoxicated and, when his wife repulses him, he breaks in her door. Ashamed and repentant the next day, he tries to make amends by presenting a diamond bracelet to his wife. She refuses it, reminding him that during the previous night he said that she was his, "bought and paid for." She tells him that she is going to leave unless he promises never to drink again, but he refuses to make such a promise. When she leaves, he says that he will come when she sends for him, but she says that she will never do that and that he must come to her. James loses his $200 a week position and Virginia has to go to work. James takes things into his own hands and telephones Robert saying that Virginia wants him. Robert, lonely and eager for reconciliation, flies to Virginia. While the truth about James' call comes out, Robert tells Virginia that he has given up drink, bringing about an understanding between them. James also gets his position back.

Cast

as Virginia Blaine * Jack Holt as Robert Stafford *

Walter Hiers Walter Hiers (July 18, 1893 – February 27, 1933) was an American silent film actor. Biography Born in 1893, during his two decade-long acting career spanning from 1912 to 1932, Hiers acted in 101 films. He was a particularly prolific actor ...

as James Gilley * Leigh Wyant as Fanny Blaine *

George Kuwa George Kuwa (born Keichii Kuwahara) was a Japanese and American Issei (Japanese immigrant) film actor of the silent era. He appeared in more than 50 films between 1916 and 1931. He was the first actor to portray Charlie Chan on-screen in the 192 ...

as Oku * Bernice Frank as Maid *

Ethel Wales Ethel Wales (April 4, 1878 – February 15, 1952) was an American actress who appeared in more than 130 films during her 30-year career. Biography Born in 1878 in Passaic, New Jersey, Wales graduated from "Wisconsin university". Wales had ...

as Telegraph Girl

Preservation

With no prints of ''Bought and Paid For'' 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 Library of Congress American Silent Feature Film Survival Catalog: ''Bought and Paid For''
/ref>

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Bought And Paid For 1922 films American silent feature films Films directed by William C. deMille Lost American drama films 1922 drama films Silent American drama films American black-and-white films 1922 lost films 1920s American films