It would certainly not do to be rude about a recently discovered "lost" film; however I must confess that the above movie is more of a curiosity than a masterpiece. Pieced together by the Netherlands Film Museum over the last few years, it was the only pairing of Gloria Swanson and Rudolph Valentino, so its restoration was greeted with approving cheers. Miss Swanson was 23 at the time, but playing younger (and looking about 40); she has married an older, wealthy man to support her beloved father and spinster step-sisters. She keeps being saved from disaster by the handsome lordling eschewed by Valentino and they fall in love. Valentino was never really much of an actor, more just a smouldering presence, but he and Swanson have precious little chemistry.
So, yes I am delighted that this film has been found, and I hope many other lost films will surface. I just hope some of them will be better than this potboiler.
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