Themes: Infidelity, Brief Encounters, Playing the Field
Main Cast: Wallace Reid, Gloria Swanson, Elliott Dexter
Release Year: 1921
Country: US
Run Time: 113 minutes
Plot
Cecil B. DeMille's much-maligned cinemadaptation of Arthur Schnitzler's The Affairs of Anatol holds up better than its reputation suggests. Wallace Reid stars as New York socialite Anatol DeWitt Spencer, who after only a few day's marriage has become bored with his new bride Vivian (Gloria Swanson). In search of new romantic vistas, Anatole takes up his old flame Emilie (Wanda Hawley), who repays the "favor" by two-timing him. Briefly returning to his wife, Anatole attempts another extramarital adventure with Annie Elliot (Agnes Ayres), whose tear-stained tales of a tragic life are but a subterfuge to disguise her larcenous streak. Finally, Anatole dallies with Satan Synne (Bebe Daniels), "the wickedest woman in New York"-who turns out to be a virtuous housewife, hoping to raise money for her seriously ill husband. At long last, Anatole decides that he's better off with Vivian, who by now has grown tired of him. In reviewing The Affairs of Anatol, Photoplay magazine said laconically "Cecil B. DeMille, not Arthur Schnitzler. We leave it to you which gentleman has pleased our public more." ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
Review
Cecil B. DeMille's adaptation of Arthur Schnitzler's play Anatol gets by only on star quality and sumptuous sets. Instead of the worldly European attitude of Schnitzler's original story, DeMille had infused his film with American Puritanism by saddling the womanizing Anatol (Wallace Reid), with a wife (Gloria Swanson) and turning him into a stuffy, self-righteous character who is intent on saving troubled young women. Perhaps a protagonist like this was more acceptable in 1921; these days Anatol is much less appealing. In fact, when he walks in on the wild party being given by his childhood sweetheart-turned-gold digger (Wanda Hawley), one tends to think that he has gotten what he deserved. The same thing when his wallet is stolen by the supposedly innocent country girl (Agnes Ayres), whose love for finery has gotten her honest, God-fearing husband (Monte Blue) in trouble. After his foolish escapades with other women, Anatol's wife seems fully justified when she has a night out on the town with family friend Max Runyon (Elliott Dexter). The Affairs of Anatol does not have the appeal of some of DeMille's other work from this period (Don't Change Your Husband and Male and Female come to mind immediately). It's worth watching only because it features some of the biggest stars of the day -- it's rare to find so many of them in one film. ~ Janiss Garza, All Movie Guide
A socialite Anatol Spencer Wallace Reid Finding his relationship with his wife Gloria Swanson Lackluster ,goes in search of excitement only to find a lot of misadventures on the way. After Bumping into an old flame Emilie Wanda Hawley He lets out an apartment for her only to find out in turn that she has cheated on him . He is subsequently robbed, conned and booted from pillar to post Until finally deciding to return to his wife only to find her carousing with his best friend Max Elliott Dexter
Notes
Based on a one act play by Arthur Schnitzler called "Anatol," written in 1893, translated into English by Harley Granville-Barker it opened in New York City on 14 October 1912 with John Barrymore in the title role, and it lasted 72 performances. Like many Swanson films it was only recently rediscovered by Modern audiences. The Film Preservation Associates copyrighted a version of the film in 1999 with a Musical Score Composed and performed by Brian Benison. It was later produced for video by David Shepard and ran 117 minutes and later to DVD.
