''Southern Love'' is a 1924 British

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 Wilcox Herbert Sydney Wilcox Order of the British Empire, CBE (19 April 1890 – 15 May 1977) was a British film producer and film director, director. He was one of the most successful British filmmakers from the 1920s to the 1950s. He is best know ...

and starring Betty Blythe, Herbert Langley and

Randle Ayrton Frederick Randle Ayrton (9 August 1869 – 28 May 1940) was a British actor of stage and screen, and was also a producer and director. Early life Ayrton was born in Chester to William Frances Ayrton, a wealthy wine-merchant who was a par ...

. It is based on the verse drama ''The Spanish Student'' by

Henry Wadsworth Longfellow Henry Wadsworth Longfellow (February 27, 1807 – March 24, 1882) was an American poet and educator. His original works include the poems " Paul Revere's Ride", '' The Song of Hiawatha'', and '' Evangeline''. He was the first American to comp ...

. It is known by the alternative title ''Woman's Secret''.

Premise

Dolores, a young

gypsy {{Infobox ethnic group , group = Romani people , image = , image_caption = , flag = Roma flag.svg , flag_caption = Romani flag created in 1933 and accepted at the 1971 World Romani Congress , po ...

woman, escapes from an arranged marriage and makes a living as a dancer.

Cast

* Betty Blythe – Dolores * Herbert Langley – Pedro *

– Count de Silva * Warwick Ward – Dick Tennant *

Liane Haid Juliane "Liane" Haid (16 August 1895 – 28 November 2000) was an Austrian actress and singer. She has often been referred to as Austria's first movie star. Biography Juliane Haid was born in Vienna on 16 August 1895, the first child to Georg ...

– Countess de Silva * Hal Martin – Gypsy

Production

After making ''Chu Chin Chow'' in Germany Herbert Wilcox was approached by other European film companies to make co productions. He picked a Viennese company hoping to break into the English market. Wilcox says he was unhappy with the story he was given so he decided to make his own story. Wilcox found filming in Vienna difficult. He launched the film with a mock bull fight in Albert Hall and says the film made a profit in England alone. He says Al Woods offered $250,000 for the US rights after he heard about the premiere but reneged after he saw the film.

Reception

The film debuted at Albert Hall in front of 10,000 people.

References

External links

* 1924 films 1924 drama films 1920s English-language films Films based on works by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow Films directed by Herbert Wilcox British silent feature films British black-and-white films Silent British drama films 1920s British films English-language drama films {{1920s-UK-film-stub