The Palmer Photoplay Corporation was just one of many correspondence schools that sprang up in the 19teens claiming to prepare men and women for jobs in the film industry but unlike some of the others, it thrived!! After setting up an advisory board in Hollywood where it was connected with Cecil B. DeMille, Lois Weber and Thomas Ince, it branched into movies. It acted more liked a Hayes office and the few titles it made (3) where of a highly moralistic tone ("His Forgotten Wife", "The White Sin" etc) and they found an ideal actress in Madge Bellamy. She was chocolate box pretty but had a highly emotional streak in her acting, so wronged servants and women trying to live down their past were just up her alley!!
Hattie Lou (Bellamy) is treated as a drudge by her Aunt Cynthia (Ethel Wales who played exactly the same sort of part (with the same wig) in "Miss Lulu Bett") - even though the kindly judge thinks that all the fault finding is driving Hattie away. The ice cream social finally does it - Hattie is dressed to the nines but Aunt takes offence at her prettiness and forbids her to go. At just the same time the City Limited makes a rare stop and Hattie steps in, to take the place of a maid who has been sacked for refusing to put up with the drunken flirting of one of the Van Gore's guest (Billy Bevan, proving once again he could handle straight roles).
Poor Hattie, full of romantic dreams, is a prey to the first bounder that tells her he loves her - Spencer Van Gore (Hallam Cooley). She is employed on a yachting trip and evil Spencer thinks it would be a hoot to go through a mock marriage with the love struck girl. The Captain has other ideas and steers the boat well beyond the three mile limit so, unknown to Spencer, the marriage performed is legal and binding.
Two years later, on another yachting trip, the group is lost at sea and Hattie, now destitute, goes to the Van Gores determined to tell the biggest lie of her life for the sake of her baby. Believing that the marriage was a sham, she spins a romantic version of events endowing Spencer with devotion and manliness, leaving out the sordidness and his parents believe her. She also meets Spencer's brother Grant back from the war and shattered in mind and spirit. Although John Bowers had the nominal lead he didn't have a lot to do other than sitting around looking grim and tired. He was married to Margueritte De La Motte and it is supposedly their story that was the inspiration for "A Star is Born" but neither were as big as the stars depicted in the movie and they were long separated before Bowers drowned off Catalina Island.
Probably the one weak spot in the movie - Spenser comes home (after being rescued from the island) and after realising that Hattie has found a home with his parents, he is quite prepared to resume where he left off - as the caddish seducer!! Hasn't he done any soul searching during his months on the island - obviously not!!!
How is it all going to sort itself out?? Well, there is a fire and Grace (Francelia Billington), long under Spenser's bullying thumb, finally shows some initiative and locks Hattie in her room so she can't be harassed by Spenser so of course when the fire starts Hattie and her baby are still trapped inside!!! Grant dashes in but is overcome by smoke - is Spenser going to show some back bone at last??? Francelia Billington had been working in films since 1912 where she was associated with Kalem and the legendary Nell Shipman.
Hattie Lou (Bellamy) is treated as a drudge by her Aunt Cynthia (Ethel Wales who played exactly the same sort of part (with the same wig) in "Miss Lulu Bett") - even though the kindly judge thinks that all the fault finding is driving Hattie away. The ice cream social finally does it - Hattie is dressed to the nines but Aunt takes offence at her prettiness and forbids her to go. At just the same time the City Limited makes a rare stop and Hattie steps in, to take the place of a maid who has been sacked for refusing to put up with the drunken flirting of one of the Van Gore's guest (Billy Bevan, proving once again he could handle straight roles).
Poor Hattie, full of romantic dreams, is a prey to the first bounder that tells her he loves her - Spencer Van Gore (Hallam Cooley). She is employed on a yachting trip and evil Spencer thinks it would be a hoot to go through a mock marriage with the love struck girl. The Captain has other ideas and steers the boat well beyond the three mile limit so, unknown to Spencer, the marriage performed is legal and binding.
Two years later, on another yachting trip, the group is lost at sea and Hattie, now destitute, goes to the Van Gores determined to tell the biggest lie of her life for the sake of her baby. Believing that the marriage was a sham, she spins a romantic version of events endowing Spencer with devotion and manliness, leaving out the sordidness and his parents believe her. She also meets Spencer's brother Grant back from the war and shattered in mind and spirit. Although John Bowers had the nominal lead he didn't have a lot to do other than sitting around looking grim and tired. He was married to Margueritte De La Motte and it is supposedly their story that was the inspiration for "A Star is Born" but neither were as big as the stars depicted in the movie and they were long separated before Bowers drowned off Catalina Island.
Probably the one weak spot in the movie - Spenser comes home (after being rescued from the island) and after realising that Hattie has found a home with his parents, he is quite prepared to resume where he left off - as the caddish seducer!! Hasn't he done any soul searching during his months on the island - obviously not!!!
How is it all going to sort itself out?? Well, there is a fire and Grace (Francelia Billington), long under Spenser's bullying thumb, finally shows some initiative and locks Hattie in her room so she can't be harassed by Spenser so of course when the fire starts Hattie and her baby are still trapped inside!!! Grant dashes in but is overcome by smoke - is Spenser going to show some back bone at last??? Francelia Billington had been working in films since 1912 where she was associated with Kalem and the legendary Nell Shipman.