The Common Law (1923 film)

1923 film directed by George Archainbaud

The Common Law

Directed by| George Archainbaud
Written by| Edward J. Montagne
Based on| The Common Law
1911 novel
by Robert William Chambers
Produced by| Selznick Pictures
Edited by| Harold McCord
Distributed by| Selznick Pictures

Release date

* August 30, 1923 (1923-08-30)

Running time

| 80 minutes
Country| United States
Language| Silent (English intertitles)
Corinne Griffith in the film.

The Common Law is a 1923 American lost silent drama film directed by George Archainbaud and starring Corinne Griffith and Conway Tearle. Based upon the novel of the same name by Robert William Chambers, the film was produced and released by Selznick Pictures Corporation.[1][2][3]

The novel was first filmed as The Common Law in 1916 with Clara Kimball Young as Valerie West. Conway Tearle played the role of Neville in both the 1916 and 1923 films. It was later remade as the talkie The Common Law in 1931 with Constance Bennett and Joel McCrea in the lead roles.

## Plot

[edit]

Valerie West (Griffith), hungry and tired, presents herself as a model at the studio of painter Louis Neville (Tearle), which he shares with two other artists. When she is asked whether she poses draped or undraped, she replies that she will do whatever is expected of models. After some time and several daring poses, Louis realizes that he is in love with her. However, the wealthy Neville family opposes any marriage between the two. Valerie makes a sacrifice by agreeing to not marry Louis, but promises him that she will become his common law wife. When Cardemon (Myers) tries to kiss the model, she lashes him with a whip. In the end, a satisfactory resolution is reached regarding Valerie and Henry.[4][5]

## Cast

[edit]

* Corinne Griffith as Valerie West
* Conway Tearle as Louis Neville
* Elliott Dexter as Jose Querida
* Hobart Bosworth as Henry Neville
* Lillian Lawrence as Martha Neville
* Bryant Washburn as John Buleson
* Doris May as Stephanie
* Harry Myers as Cardemon
* Miss DuPont as Lily Neville
* Phyllis Haver as Rita Terris
* Wally Van as Samuel Ogilvy
* Dagmar Godowsky as Mazie
* Phyllis Dare

## Preservation

[edit]

With no copies of The Common Law located in any film archives,[6] it is a lost film.

## References

[edit]

1. ^ Progressive Silent Film List; The Common Law at silentera.com
2. ^ The AFI Catalog of Feature Films 1892-1993: The Common Law
3. ^ Pictorial History of the Silent Screen, p. 248 c.1953 by Daniel Blum
4. ^ "The Screen", New York Times, October 29, 1923, retrieved January 4, 2021
5. ^ "Reviews of the Newest Features: The Common Law". Film Daily. 26 (25). New York City: Wid's Films and Film Folks, Inc.: 3 November 4, 1923. Retrieved January 4, 2021.
6. ^ The Library of Congress / FIAF American Silent Feature Film Survival Catalog: The Common Law

## External links

[edit]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to The Common Law (1923 film).

* The Common Law at IMDb
* The Common Law at the TCM Movie Database
* The Common Law at the AFI Catalog of Feature Films
* Lobby cards: #1 (archived), #2 (archived), and #3 card (archived)
* Still at silenthollywood.com
* Still at alamy.com

* v
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Films directed by George Archainbaud

1910s|

* As Man Made Her (1917)
* The Iron Ring (1917)
* The Brand of Satan (1917)
* Yankee Pluck (1917)
* A Maid of Belgium (1917)
* Diamonds and Pearls (1917)
* The Awakening (1917)
* The Divine Sacrifice (1918)
* The Love Cheat (1919)
* A Damsel in Distress (1919)

1920s|

* In Walked Mary (1920)
* The Shadow of Rosalie Byrnes (1920)
* What Women Want (1920)
* Marooned Hearts (1920)
* The Wonderful Chance (1920)
* The Pleasure Seekers (1920)
* The Miracle of Manhattan (1921)
* A Man of Stone (1921)
* Clay Dollars (1921)
* The Girl from Nowhere (1921)
* Handcuffs or Kisses (1921)
* Under Oath (1922)
* Evidence (1922)
* The Power of a Lie (1922)
* One Week of Love (1922)
* The Midnight Guest (1923)
* Cordelia the Magnificent (1923)
* The Common Law (1923)
* The Shadow of the Desert (1924)
* The Storm Daughter (1924)
* The Plunderer (1924)
* For Sale (1924)
* Single Wives (1924)
* Christine of the Hungry Heart (1924)
* The Mirage (1924)
* Enticement (1925)
* Scarlet Saint (1925)
* The Necessary Evil (1925)
* What Fools Men (1925)
* Puppets (1926)
* Men of Steel (1926)
* The Silent Lover (1926)
* Easy Pickings (1927)
* Night Life (1927)
* The Grain of Dust (1928)
* The Man in Hobbles (1928)
* Bachelor's Paradise (1928)
* A Woman Against the World (1928)
* Ladies of the Night Club (1928)
* The Tragedy of Youth (1928)
* George Washington Cohen (1928)
* Two Men and a Maid (1929)
* The College Coquette (1929)
* Broadway Scandals (1929)

1930s|

* Alias French Gertie (1930)
* Framed (1930)
* Shooting Straight (1930)
* The Silver Horde (1930)
* The Lady Refuses (1931)
* Three Who Loved (1931)
* Thirteen Women (1932)
* The Lost Squadron (1932)
* The Penguin Pool Murder (1932)
* Men of Chance (1932)
* State's Attorney (1932)
* After Tonight (1933)
* The Big Brain (1933)
* Murder on the Blackboard (1934)
* Keep 'Em Rolling (1934)
* Thunder in the Night (1935)
* Hideaway Girl (1936)
* My Marriage (1936)
* The Return of Sophie Lang (1936)
* Clarence
* Hotel Haywire (1937)
* Blonde Trouble (1937)
* Thrill of a Lifetime (1937)
* Campus Confessions (1938)
* Her Jungle Love (1938)
* Thanks for the Memory (1938)
* Night Work (1939)
* Some Like It Hot (1939)
* Boy Trouble (1939)

1940s|

* Comin' Round the Mountain (1940)
* Opened by Mistake (1940)
* Untamed (1940)
* Flying with Music (1942)
* False Colors (1943)
* The Kansan (1943)
* The Woman of the Town (1943)
* Hoppy Serves a Writ (1943)
* Texas Masquerade (1944)
* Mystery Man (1944)
* The Big Bonanza (1944)
* Alaska (1944)
* Girls of the Big House (1945)
* The Devil's Playground (1946)
* Dangerous Venture (1947)
* Fool's Gold (1947)
* Hoppy's Holiday (1947)
* King of the Wild Horses (1947)
* The Marauders (1947)
* The Millerson Case (1947)
* Unexpected Guest (1947)
* Borrowed Trouble (1948)
* The Dead Don't Dream (1948)
* Silent Conflict (1948)
* Sinister Journey (1948)
* False Paradise (1948)
* Strange Gamble (1948)

1950s|

* Border Treasure (1950)
* Hunt the Man Down (1951)
* The Old West (1952)
* Night Stage to Galveston (1952)
* Apache Country (1952)
* Barbed Wire (1952)
* Wagon Team (1952)
* Blue Canadian Rockies (1952)
* Pack Train (1953)
* Saginaw Trail (1953)
* Goldtown Ghost Riders (1953)
* On Top of Old Smoky (1953)
* Last of the Pony Riders (1953)
* Winning of the West (1953)

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