''Dancing Mothers'' is a 1926 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

Herbert Brenon Herbert Brenon (born Alexander Herbert Reginald St. John Brenon; 13 January 1880 – 21 June 1958) was an Irish-born U.S. film director, actor and screenwriter during the era of Silent film, silent films through 1940. Brenon was among the e ...

, and stars

Alice Joyce Alice Joyce Brown (née Joyce; October 1, 1890 – October 9, 1955) was an American actress who appeared in more than 200 films during the 1910s and 1920s. She is known for her roles in the 1923 film '' The Green Goddess'' and its 1930 remake ...

Conway Tearle Conway Tearle (born Frederick Conway Levy, May 17, 1878 – October 1, 1938) was an American stage actor who went on to perform in silent film, silent and early sound films. Early life Tearle was born on May 17, 1878, in New York City, the ...

, and making her debut appearance for a

Paramount Paramount (from the word ''paramount'' meaning "above all others") may refer to: Entertainment and music companies * Paramount Global, also known simply as Paramount, an American mass media company formerly known as ViacomCBS. **Paramount Picture ...

film,

Clara Bow Clara Gordon Bow (; July 29, 1905 – September 27, 1965) was an American actress who rose to stardom during the silent film era of the 1920s and successfully made the transition to "talkies" in 1929. Her appearance as a plucky shopgirl in the ...

. The film was released to the general public on March 1, 1926 by Paramount Pictures.Progressive Silent Film List: ''Dancing Mothers''
at silentera.com The film tells the story of a pretty mother, who was almost cheated out of life by a heartless husband and a thoughtless daughter.

Plot

As described in a film magazine review, a wealthy woman, whose daughter is carrying on a flirtation with a notorious man, steps between them, but finds that she herself is fascinated by the man. There follows a period of stress for both the older woman and her daughter, which ends with the daughter altering her mode of living and the mother deciding to leave her philandering husband and daughter and travel to Europe to forget.

Cast

as Ethel "Buddy" Westcourt (played by Mary Young in play) *

Norman Trevor Norman Gilbert Pritchard (23 June 1875 – 30 October 1929), also known by his stage name Norman Trevor, was a British-Indian athlete and actor who became the first Asian-born athlete to win an Olympic medal when he won two silver medals in at ...

as Hugh Westcourt (played by

Henry Stephenson Harry Stephenson Garraway (16 April 1871 – 24 April 1956) was a British actor. He generally portrayed amiable and wise Gentleman, gentlemen in many films of the 1930s and 1940s. Among his roles were Joseph Banks, Sir Joseph Banks in ''Mutiny ...

in play) *

as Catherine "Kittens" Westcourt (played by

Helen Hayes Helen Hayes MacArthur (; October 10, 1900 – March 17, 1993) was an American actress. Often referred to as the "First Lady of American Theatre", she was the second person and first woman to win EGOT, the EGOT (an Emmy, a Grammy, an Oscar, and ...

in play) *

as Gerald "Jerry" Naughton (played by John Halliday in play) *Eleanor Lawson as Irma (played also by Lawson in play; under the name Elsie Lawson) *

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. Mazzarene * Donald Keith as Kenneth Cobb *

Leila Hyams Leila Hyams (May 1, 1905 – December 4, 1977) was an American actress who came from a show business family. Her relatively short film career began in 1924 during the era of silent films and ended in 1936 (excepting a 1946 film short appearance) ...

as Birdey Courtney *

Spencer Charters Spencer Charters (March 25, 1875 – January 25, 1943) was an American film actor. He appeared in more than 220 films between 1920 and 1943, mostly in small supporting roles. Biography Charters was born in Duncannon, Pennsylvania. Until aroun ...

as Butter and Egg Man

Production

''Dancing Mothers'' was adapted from a successful Broadway stage play by Edgar Selwyn and Edmund Goulding, and Paramount reportedly bought the rights for $45,000. On Broadway the principal parts had been played by

as the daughter, John Halliday as the father, and Mary Young as the mother. Shooting began at Paramount's Astoria Studio in November 1925, after actress

Betty Bronson Elizabeth Ada Bronson (November 17, 1906 – October 19, 1971) was an American film and television actress who began her career during the silent film era. Early years Bronson was born in Trenton, New Jersey, to Frank and Nellie Smith Bronso ...

, the star of ''

Peter Pan Peter Pan is a fictional character created by Scottish novelist and playwright J. M. Barrie. A free-spirited and mischievous young boy who can fly and never grows up, Peter Pan spends his never-ending childhood having adventures on the mythical ...

'' (1924), was cast for the role of Katherine "Kittens" Westcourt by the studio, but was rejected after director Herbert Brennon reported to studio executives that "when she tried to be sexy, she looked like a little girl who wanted to go to the bathroom." After production ended in December 1925, Brennon reported to Paramount's top officials that Clara was not only very talented as an actress, but that she took direction very well.

Reception

Reviews of the film tended to be positive: * "A splendid picture containing mother appeal, flapper appeal and well balanced with comedy and a climax that's different, since 'they don't live happy ever after'". * "...it is an effective drama, well acted and Clara Bow is a real little modern." * "It is a picture that strikes home to the adult mind and is a tremendous indictment to every age."''Lowell Sun'', March 27, 1926.

Preservation

The film survives in the

Niles Essanay Silent Film Museum The Niles Essanay Silent Film Museum is located in what is now the Niles district in the city of Fremont, California. The museum is housed in the Edison Theater building, a century-old Nickelodeon movie theater, just half a block from the fo ...

film vault and in private film collections (all of them are 16mm prints).

References

External links

*
Lobby poster
{{DEFAULTSORT:Dancing Mothers 1926 films 1926 drama films 1920s American films 1920s English-language films American black-and-white films American films based on plays American silent feature films Films directed by Herbert Brenon Paramount Pictures films Silent American drama films Surviving American silent films