Simply awesome film

Posted by Sam MB on Jun 22nd 2016

This is a very funny, very lively film with Lionel Barrymore and Anna Nissen at top form in a semi-romantic comedy. Most can't conceive of the oldest Barrymore as a romantic star, but in this (and several other silent films) he cleans up very well, adopts his brother John's casual peacock strut, and proves both funny and arrogant enough for the plot. Nissen plays beautifully the princess in the middle of political machinations told to marry Barrymore's count, who is in debt to the country's casinos (think Monte Carlo). He agrees to marry in spite of his desire to continue playing the rake. Nissen plays a double role, and there's a subplot of an American she meets who gets tangled up in the craziness. The film needs some restoring, but it was great to see it, and I was very pleasantly surprised how amusing and contemporary it was. Great scenery inside and out, amazing costuming.