Sat 30 Apr 2011
A Movie Review by Walter Albert: THE HOME MAKER (1925).
Posted by Steve under Films: Drama/Romance , Reviews , Silent films[3] Comments
THE HOME MAKER. Universal, 1925. Alice Joyce, Clive Brook, Billy Kent Schaefer, Martha Mattox, Virginia True Boardman, Jacqueline Wells (later known as Julie Bishop). Scenario by Mary O’Hara, from the novel by Dorothy Canfield. Director: King Baggot. Shown at Cinecon 44, Hollywood CA, Aug-Sept 2008.
The subject of this film — a reversal of roles in which the husband stays home and takes care of the children — was probably an unusual one in 1925, one that was apparently reflected (according to reviews quoted in the program notes) in the hostility in at least some of the reviews to the husband’s role.
He’s portrayed as almost terminally bored by his office job and when he’s passed over for a promotion and then, as in everything else, fails at a suicide attempt that leaves him a cripple, he welcomes the opportunity to stay at home while his wife, taking a low-level job in the womens’ wear factory run by his former company, quickly shows herself to be a gifted manager, soon promoted to a position and salary her husband could only have dreamed of.
This domestic drama might initially seem to have been lifted from the pages of one of the slick womens’ magazines of the period, but it sheds that formulaic corset, impressing by its crisp direction, fine acting and unsentimental treatment of a then controversial subject.
It should be noted that two distinguished women writers were credited for the source and scenario for the film. Dorothy Canfield (Fisher) is probably best known for her children’s classic Understood Betsy, while Mary O’Hara was the author of the bestselling My Friend Flicka, turned into a successful film by MGM starring Roddy MacDowell (and, of course, a horse).
April 30th, 2011 at 3:38 pm
That same year, King Baggot directed the final, first rate Western of William S. Hart, TUMBLEWEEDS. This is universally hailed as a classic. It can be borrowed easily on DVD from libraries, etc.
King Baggot had a huge career in the silents, first as an actor, then as a director. He was one of the first big name male stars. Booze eventually Did Him In. TUMBLEWEEDS is the only King Baggot-directed film I’ve had a chance to see.
I’d never heard of THE HOME MAKER. It sounds very interesting.
Clive Brook is best known today for starring in two films directed by Josef von Sternberg, UNDERWORLD and SHANGHAI EXPRESS. Much of his other films are rarely revived.
April 30th, 2011 at 5:22 pm
Of the actors and actresses in this film, the one other besides Clive Brook whose name I recognize is Julie Bishop, known as Jacqueline Wells back in 1925 (and as she still was up to 1941).
She would have been 11 in 1925, so I assume she was one of the children in the family.
May 26th, 2021 at 6:56 pm
I have been a huge silent film fan for well over 40 years, and much of that time there is one film I was praying to see before I died: The Home Maker! Well, two years ago I finally had the opportunity at the San Francisco Silent Film Festival. It did not disappoint. In fact, it was much better than I expected. The story was quite progressive, and the performances hardly dated at all. I only wish it was available on disk or online, so I can watch it again with friends.