A Girl of Yesterday

A Girl of Yesterday
1915 theatrical poster with likenesses of Mary Pickford and Marshall Neilan
Directed by	Allan Dwan
Produced by	Daniel Frohman Adolph Zukor
Written by	Wesley C. MacDermott(story) Mary Pickford(scenario)
Starring	Mary Pickford Frances Marion
Distributed by	Paramount Pictures
Release date(s)	October 7, 1915
Running time	5 reels
Country	United States
Language	Silent film (English intertitles)

A Girl of Yesterday is a 1915 silent film produced by Adolph Zukor's Famous Players company and released by Paramount Pictures. It was directed by Allan Dwan and starred Mary Pickford. Pickford at last played a mature woman more or less her own age. The picture costarred Frances Marion, soon to be a screenwriter and in a cameo as a pilot, real life aviation pioneer Glenn L. Martin. This film is today considered to be a lost film.^{[1] [2]} The movie portrays real-life brother and sister Mary and Jack Pickford as John and Jane Stuart, brother and sister. Glenn Martin reportedly refused to kiss Frances Marion during the production of the film due to his objections concerning his mother.

A synopsis of the film, as reported in an October 31, 1915 Paramount Pictures Corporation advertisement in the Columbus, Georgia Ledger-Enquirer:
"John and Jane Stuart have been bought up with strict old-fashioned conservatism by their Aunt Angela, so great has been the effect upon Jane that she does no even garb herself in modest gowns, but adheres to the styles long since abandoned by society. The aunt's extreme economy builds a false barrier between the Stuart children and the Monroe family, their next-door neighbors, with the exception of Stanley Hudson, who becomes a constant visitor at the Monroe home after he has caught a glimpse of Jane over the garden wall. The attraction proves mutual and the friendship ripens rapidly. Meanwhile John, Jane's brother, has found the life of Puritanical abstention irksome in the extreme, and has fallen in with a rather wild element whose chief pastime is gambling. Only the quick action of Jane enables him to escape the well-deserved wrath of his aunt.
A sudden turn in the tide of the Stuart's affairs comes when Jane inherits a huge fortune. The first effect is seen in John, who promptly sells out to live the sort of existence he has always craved. Jane, however, continues to live in the same old way, and to wear the same old clothes. The sudden acquisition of wealth makes the Stuarts a great desideratum (desired party -ed) in those circles from which they had been previously barred. At a reception at the Monroe's, Jane appears in one of her old gowns the very simplicity of which, in sharp contrast to the gorgeous apparel of the other girls, makes her the belle of the evening. Later, in deference to John's wishes, she arrays herself in resplendent glory according to the latent edicts of Paris and emerges from the modiste's an exquisite vision of loveliness.
Stanley's social standing has captured the imagination of one of the season's debuntantes who declares war upon the unsuspecting Jane. Other wiles failing, the enamored one, finally bribes an aviator to take Jane into his aeroplane and lose her in order to prevent her from arriving at the boat landing to embark upon a criuse on which they have all been invited. On the first day out Stanley's attempt to propose to Jane is interrupted by the other girl who, later stages a little scene with Stanley that causes poor Jane untold anguish of heart.
But fate takes a turn for the better and John's wild speculatoins are changed from lesses to gains while Stanley suddenly spurred to action claims the prise which was his for the asking."

From an October 11, 1915 review of the film in the Portland Oregonian:
"Little Miss Mary, with her wobbly curls, piquant face and winning ways, drew capacity audiences all yesterday at the Peoples Theater in 'A girl of Yesterday'. In this Frohman production Mary Pickford is supported by her clever brother, Jack Pickford. The film is the initial screen appearance of Glenn Martin, the aviator. As Jane Stuart, whose poverty keeps her from vogish apparel, 'Little Mary' becomes loved both by members of the smart set and by Stanley Hudson (Marshall Neilan). The intrigue of rivals causes Jane to be taken up in an aeroplane and left unchaperoned ten miles from the party. A pathetic scene occurs when, on her return, her plutocratic hostess asks her to leave. Her brother, disappointed in his love affair, attempts suicide and is rescued by Jane. Deciding they are out of place, the brother and sister return home. Stanley, however, remains true and so does Jack's sweetheart, so the ending is happy."

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  Promotional Still from the film

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  A photograph of a scene being filmed of Glenn Martin and Mary Pickford

Cast

• Mary Pickford - Jane Stuart
• Jack Pickford - John Stuart
• Gertrude Norman - Aunt Angela
• Donald Crisp - A.H. Monroe
• Marshall Neilan - Stanley Hudson
• Frances Marion - Rosanna Danford
• Lillian Langdon - Mrs. A.H. Monroe
• Claire Alexander - Eloise Monroe
• Glenn L. Martin - Pilot

References

External links

• A Girl of Yesterday at the Internet Movie Database
• poster for A Girl of Yesterday
• allrovi.com/synopsis