Foolish Wives (1922)

User Rating:

7.7/10   

Director:

Erich von Stroheim

Writers:

Marian Ainslee (titles)
Walter Anthony (titles)
(more)

Release Date:

11 January 1922 (USA)

Genre:

Drama

Tagline:

The first real MILLION DOLLAR PICTURE

Plot:

"Count" Karanzim, a Don Juan is with his cousins in Monte Carlo, living from faked money and the money he gets from rich ladies...

Plot Keywords:

Melodrama | Society | Partially Lost Film

Awards:

1 win

Cast

Rudolph Christians	...	Andrew J. Hughes (U.S. Special-Envoy to Monaco)
Miss DuPont	...	Helen Hughes, his wife
Maude George	...	Her Highness Olga Petchnikoff
Mae Busch	...	Princess Vera Petchnikoff
Erich von Stroheim	...	Their Cousin, Count Wladislaw Sergius Karamzin (Capt. 3rd Hussars Imper. Russian Army)
Dale Fuller	...	Maruschka, a Maid
Al Edmundsen	...	Pavel Pavlich, a Butler
Cesare Gravina	...	Cesare Ventucci, a Counterfeiter
Malvina Polo	...	Marietta, his half-witted daughter (as Malvine Polo)
C.J. Allen	...	Albert 1., Prince of Monaco
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Nigel De Brulier	...	Monk (uncredited)
Robert Edeson	...	Andrew J. Hughes (uncredited)
Louise Emmons	...	Mother Garoupe (uncredited)
Harrison Ford	...	Rude Soldier / Armless Soldier (uncredited)
Valerie Germonprez	...	Extra (uncredited)
Patsy Hannen	...	(uncredited)
Mrs. Kent	...	Dr. Judd's wife (uncredited)
Mme. Kopetzky	...	Actress (uncredited)
Mary Philbin	...	Crippled Girl (uncredited)
Edward Reinach	...	Secretary of State of Monaco (uncredited)
Louis K. Webb	...	Dr. Judd (uncredited)

Directed by
Erich von Stroheim

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
Marian Ainslee		titles
Walter Anthony		titles
Erich von Stroheim		screenplay
Erich von Stroheim		story
Erich von Stroheim		titles

Produced by
Irving Thalberg	....	producer (uncredited)

Original Music by
Sigmund Romberg

Cinematography by
William H. Daniels		(as William Daniels)
Ben F. Reynolds		(as Ben Reynolds)

Film Editing by
Arthur Lennig		(reconstruction)
Arthur Ripley

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Jack R. Proctor	....	assistant director
Edward Sowders	....	assistant director
Louis Germonprez	....	assistant director (uncredited)

Art Department
Richard Day	....	architect (as Capt. Richard Day)
Elmer Sheeley	....	architect
Van Alstein	....	scenic artist (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
Harry Joe Brown	....	illumination and lighting effects (uncredited)

Editorial Department
Daniel Mandell	....	assistant editor (uncredited)
Bob Roberts	....	assistant editor (uncredited)
Edward Sowders	....	assistant editor (uncredited)
Julius Stern	....	supervising editor (uncredited)

Music Department
J. Frank Cork	....	conductor (uncredited)

Other crew
Carl Laemmle	....	presenter
R.H. Cochrane	....	publicity chief (uncredited)
Robert Edeson	....	double: Rudolph Christians (uncredited)
J. Lambert	....	research assistant (uncredited)
Gustav Machatý	....	assistant: Mr. Stroheim (uncredited)
William Meyers	....	technical director (uncredited)
James R. Sullivan	....	technical director (uncredited)
George Williams	....	technical director (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Universal Film Manufacturing Company

Distributors

• Universal Film Manufacturing Company (1922) (USA) (theatrical)
• Alpha Video Distributors (2004) (USA) (DVD)
• Arccades Vidéo (2006) (France) (DVD)
• Grapevine Video (????) (USA) (VHS)
• Image Entertainment (2000) (USA) (DVD)
• Jokanan (????) (France) (DVD)
• Kino Video (2003) (USA) (DVD)
• Kino Video (????) (USA) (VHS)
• Reel Media International (2004) (worldwide) (video)
• Reel Media International (2007) (worldwide) (all media)
• Warner Home Video (2006) (USA) (DVD)

Other Companies

• Western Costume Company  costumes

Also Known As:

Esposas Levianas (Portugal) [pt]
Esposas frívolas (Spain) [es]
Femmine folli (Italy) [it]
Folies de femmes (France) [fr]
Hupsut vaimot (Finland) (video title) [fi]
Järjettömiä naisia (Finland) [fi]
Närrische Frauen (Austria) [de]
Närrische Weiber (Germany) [de]
Oi anoites gynaikes (Greece) (reissue title) [el]
Szalone zony (Poland) [pl]
Törichte Frauen (Germany) [de]
Tolle Weiber (Austria) [de]
Trelles gynaikon (Greece) [el]

Runtime:

117 min | Sweden:384 min | Canada:140 min (Ontario)

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Sound Mix:

Silent

Certification:

Canada:G (Ontario)

Filming Locations:

Backlot, Universal Studios - 100 Universal City Plaza, Universal City, California, USA

Company:

Universal Film Manufacturing Company

Trivia:

Originally 6 hours long, censored to about 130 minutes.

Goofs:

Continuity: When the Count seats Mrs. Hughes at the roulette table, she is wearing a different gown than the one in the rest of the scene.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981)

The Man You Love to Hate Disappoints

Three Russian aristocrats soak up the decadence of Monte Carlo, despite the fact they are down to their last franc. In order to support their lavish lifestyle, the three use the services of a counterfeiter, and use the notes at the casinos, hoping to exchange the bogus currency for a jackpot. Andrew Hughes, a US envoy, arrives at Monaco with his wife Helen, and the three decide to make pals with the visitors, hoping for financial assistance. One of the three Russians, Count Sergius Karamzin, plans to go further, with continuous advance towards Helen, while disappointing the Count's maid, who loves Sergius. Eventually, circumstances play their hand against the three aristocrats. Its obvious that Von Stroheim was trying to convey a message (with the foolishness of American women and the improper behaviors of the aristocrats), rather than tell a story, and the film really can bore modern audiences, like me, easily by doing that. Even the acting, which is great in later EvS like Greed and the Wedding March, is just run of the mill here. The film could have used improvements on various levels. Rating, 3.