Remodeling Her Husband
| Remodeling Her Husband | |
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 |
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| Directed by | Lillian Gish |
| Written by | Lillian Gish (story and scenario, as Dorothy Elizabeth Carter) Dorothy Parker (intertitles) |
| Starring | Dorothy Gish James Rennie |
| Cinematography | George W. Hill |
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Production
company |
Famous Players-Lasky/Artcraft
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| Distributed by | Paramount Pictures |
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Release dates
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Running time
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5 reels (4,844 feet) |
| Country | United States |
| Language | Silent (English intertitles) |
| Budget | $50,000 [1] |
| Box office | over $460,000 [1] |
Remodeling Her Husband (1920) is a silent film comedy that marked the only time Lillian Gish directed a film.
D. W. Griffith is stated in some sources as co-director or perhaps had limited input as the production was filmed at his Mamaroneck, New York production facilities. Lillian Gish wrote the story and scenario incognito as Dorothy Elizabeth Carter with Algonquin Round Table writer Dorothy Parker supplying the intertitles. Thus the movie was nearly an all-woman produced movie with the exception of the cameraman.
The film stars Lillian's sister Dorothy Gish and Dorothy's husband at the time James Rennie. George W. Hill, who is the cinematographer, would later go on to direct classic films at MGM like Tell It to the Marines (1926) and The Big House (1930).
Plot
As described in a film publication,[2] Janie (Gish) gets married with the goal of reforming her husband, but he still has the eyes for other women. He says he is ashamed because she lacks the style of a flapper. After he repeatedly gets into difficulties, she leaves him and goes into business. The husband finally realizes what a wonderful woman she is and repents.
Cast
- Dorothy Gish - Janie Wakefield
- James Rennie - Jack Valentine
- Marie Burke - Mrs. Wakefield
- Downing Clarke - Mr. Wakefied
- Frank Kingdon - Mr. Valentine
- Leslie Marsh - Flower Girl
- Mildred Marsh - Bridesmaid
- Barden Daube - Flirting Woman
Review
Variety published the following review of the film on December 31, 1919: "This feature will be liked by film fans but not particularly because of the story or the picturization of it, but through the exquisite comedy Dorothy Gish offers.
The picture seems to be a real Gish family affair, with Dorothy starring and Lillian directing. Much is made of the latter in a title leader, which sets forth that this day is one where woman is asserting herself in all the arts, and therefore it is time she undertook the direction of pictures.
But Lillian does not qualify as a particularly strong directress in this production. The story may have had something to do with that. It is not a world beater but with the action that Dorothy supplies it gets by with laughs.
James Rennie, who plays opposite the star, is the only member of the supporting cast who seems to have more than a ‘bit’ to do. The others while acceptable fail to show often enough to get a line on them. It is a picture that is Dorothy Gish, hook, line and sinker, and it would sink if it weren’t for her." [3]
Preservation status
Remodeling Her Husband is now considered to be a lost film.[4][5]
See also
References
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- ↑ Remodelling Her Husband at silentera.com database
- ↑ The American Film Institute Catalog Feature films: 1911-1920 by The American Film Institute (1988)
