jacobs-greenwood Produced (and directed) by Cecil B. DeMille, and written by Jeanie Macpherson from Arthur Schnitzler's play, this silent comedy-drama features Wallace Reid in the title role; Gloria Swanson plays his wife Vivian Spencer.The film includes several experiments in color, some scenes are tinted and (at least) two appear to have been shot in 2-strip Technicolor. Monte Blue and Bebe Daniels are among those who also appear in the cast; reportedly, William Boyd and Polly Moran also appear, uncredited.Though only recently married, Anatol (Reid) is the type of man who feels compelled to save young women from their poor choices (or fate). Naturally, this displeases his new bride Vivian (Swanson), though she passes the time with her husband's friend Max Runyon (Elliott Dexter), who eventually wants more from the relationship. While out to dinner one evening with Max and his wife, Anatol spots an old grammar school sweetheart, Emilie Dixon (Wanda Hawley), with her 'sugar daddy', Gordon Bronson (Theodore Roberts).After witnessing Emilie's date spiking her drink, Anatol decides to act. He 'rescues' her from him but Bronson laughs and says he'll be ready to 'pick up the pieces' later. When Anatol brings Emilie back to their table, he's greeted coldly by his wife, who asks Max to take her home. Soon, Anatol has set-up Emilie with an apartment and educational opportunities (like learning to play the violin). Though his intentions are pure and honorable, she's clearly taking advantage of him. When Anatol finally recognizes this, he tells Emilie that she must toss the jewelry she'd received from Bronson off a bridge, which she only pretends to do.After supposedly cutting her ties to her past, Emilie wants more from Anatol, but he refuses to leave Vivian and leaves. Upon returning later, he discovers Emilie partying with Bronson, and that she had never really thrown away her booty. Anatol is so furious that he fulfills Bronson's earlier remark by breaking and destroying everything he'd bought for Emilie within the apartment (e.g. so that Bronson can pick up the pieces).Anatol returns to Vivian and pleads (essentially) 'if ever you see me trying to save another woman, please save me by keeping me from doing so'; she takes him back. Later, at a party, a Hindu hypnotist named Nazzer Singh (Theodore Kosloff) is able to compel Vivian to remove her shoes and stockings; he's made her think that she's about to wade into a stream. This prompts Anatol to interrupt the trance and propose to Vivian that they should abandon their current lifestyle, that returning to a simpler life together is what their marriage needs.Meanwhile, out in the country, poor Abner Elliot (Blue) has just discovered that his wife Annie has spent the church's money entrusted to him on pretty clothing for herself. He tells her that she must go. Distraught, she throws herself off a bridge (e.g. to commit suicide) but lands in the water right next to Anatol and Vivian, who had been canoeing in that very river. The couple rescues Annie, pulling her into their boat and then taking her ashore to attempt to revive her. Initially, they are unsuccessful, then Vivian notices that the girl is only faking it. Anatol, refusing to believe it, tells his wife to take the car to go get help.While she's pretending to be unconscious, Annie finds and steals Anatol's wallet full of cash. At the very moment when Annie kisses Anatol to thank him for his assistance, Vivian returns with the doctor. He then discovers and realizes that Annie, who's returned to her husband with the money (enabling her to 'kiss and makeup'), stole his money. Vivian, who's had enough (again), drives away leaving Anatol to walk home alone.Upon returning home, Anatol finds Vivian unwilling to forgive him again. So, he decides he may as well live it up. He goes out on the town and tries to hook up with a creature of sin, the apt named performer Satan Synne (Daniels). But she resists his initial advances until she receives word that her husband, who'd been wounded in the war, needs another expensive operation. Apparently, the reason for her notoriety in this (the oldest) profession is the fact that she'd needed the money to pay for countless surgeries to save his life.Satan is relieved to see that Anatol is still around, and she invites him into her lair. Eventually, he learns the truth yet still agrees to give her the $3,000 she needs, even though she learns from Dr. Johnston that her husband didn't survive. Anatol returns to Vivian, whom he discovers with Max.Coincidentally, Nazzer Singh calls on her again at the same time. Anatol asks the hypnotist if he could put his wife under a trance so that he might ask her an important question. Upon doing so, Max, aware that Anatol is intending on asking his wife if she'd been faithful to him, warns him not to do it. Anatol decides that, regardless, he loves her and wants Vivian back, and tells her so to bring her out of the trance. Based upon Max's reaction, one of relief as he lovingly sniffs the lapel flower she'd given him, the audience is made to know the answer (e.g. that Vivian and he had an affair of their own). The reunited couple embraces as the film ends.

bkoganbing A whole flock of Cecil B. DeMille favorites from the silent era got into The Affairs Of Anatol. Wallace Reid, Elliott Dexter, and Theodore Roberts for the men and Gloria Swanson, Wanda Hawley, Agnes Ayres, and Bebe Daniels for the women. The title role is played by Wallace Reid who after a couple more films would have his career and life end tragically.This is one terribly dated Victorian era morality play that no doubt before films would have been a staple of the theater. In fact its origins were from the stage, a play by Arthur Schnitzler and the lead that Reid plays here was originated by John Barrymore. It only ran 72 performances so the great Barrymore could do little with it himself.Which is why we can't totally blame DeMille, Reid and the rest. The whole concept behind the play would leave audiences scratching their heads.Reid is married to Swanson, but he's a compulsive reformer in the William Gladstone tradition. Even when he got to be Prime Minister Gladstone used to prowl the streets of London looking for women to help from a life of degradation. And even back then he got a few catcalls from his Tory opposition and even from some in his own party.Reid leaves Swanson looking women he can mold into someone virtuous. In order they're Hawley, Ayres, and Daniels. Each one of them leaves him sadder, but only wiser later on. Adding to insult Swanson is not being ignored by Reid's best friend Elliott Dexter.Of course this is the movies and more important a DeMille movie. Virtue has to triumph and it inevitably does.In his autobiography DeMille only says that for some reason W. Somerset Maugham was threatening a lawsuit saying DeMille had plagiarized one of his works. He was talked out of it before going to court.I'm surprised Maugham would want to claim anything to do with this.

Igenlode Wordsmith This film is great fun, and often -- and I think intentionally, as in the 'Satan Synne' segment -- very funny: "an extravagant story that never by any chance could be taken seriously," as one contemporary reviewer approves. It's hard to sympathise with spoiled wife Vivian at first (a hard-edged performance by Gloria Swanson), but as the film goes on we start to realise that she does have a point.This being a de Mille film, the costumes are of course fantastic; although it's actually not Swanson, the famous 'clothes-horse', who gets the best dresses here. Production values are elsewhere very high, as well, extending into beautifully-drawn title cards (in one case, with a live-action car actually driving across it!) and a lot of sacrificed furniture, while frankly, those jewelled flowers look almost worth losing a lover over...But it's not all gloss and enjoyable silliness. There's some fine acting on display as well, not least from Wallace Reid as the well-meaning 'Tony' whose halo begins progressively to slip -- and, in a couple of telling little scenes, from Elliott Dexter as the overlooked best friend. (The little scene over the chessboard is a perfect illustration of the power of the silent screen: everything made explicit without a word.) The picture's stage heritage shows up mainly in a few over-long title cards, where plot points are conveyed in one long 'speech'; at almost two hours in duration, it's also unbalanced in the direction of the first half, which could almost stand as a film on its own without its briefer 'sequels'. If Emilie is not to have a film of her own, there is perhaps a little too much time devoted to her.But "The Affairs of Anatol" is well worth seeing -- not least, as an eye-opener for those like myself who associate C.B. de Mille with vast Biblical epics. This piece of froth and frivolity has more of the charm of a Harold Lloyd movie minus the slapstick; one can really see why 'handsome Wallace Reid' was a star; and there are just enough well-judged moments of genuine feeling among the spectacle and satire to make us care about the various minor players.

wes-connors Wallace Reid (as Anatol Spencer) is a wealthy newlywed who is oddly attracted to various women other than his wife - specifically: Wanda Hawley (as Emilie), Agnes Ayres (as Annie), and Bebe Daniels (as Satan Synne!). Gloria Swanson (as Vivian) is the wife who seems to develop a roving eye of her own as the running time progresses. BUT, are "The Affairs of Anatol" really affairs, or just a series of titillating temptations? DeMille's work with mirrors is on display, with the director inserting a skeleton image of Mr. Reid in one scene. Reid was a very big star when this film was released (one of the most popular actors in the world); and, though this isn't really representative, it's nice to see him. Of the leading ladies, I enjoyed Ms. Ayres over the others, because her simple scenes with Monte Blue seem so ORDINARY when contrasted with the rest of the goings-on. DeMille's unlikely mix of titillation, religiosity, and heavy-handed message is obviously in full flower. While there are no performances for the ages, the scenes with Swanson being hypnotized by Theodore Kosloff are fun. Elliott Dexter (as Max Runyon) is the film's best supporting actor; keep a sharp eye on his closing scenes as he'll reveal, through his performance, the affair you might not have been expecting… ****** The Affairs of Anatol (9/25/21) Cecil B. DeMille ~ Wallace Reid, Gloria Swanson, Bebe Daniels, Elliott Dexter