Glorious Betsy's only reason for its production and our reason to watch, is the beauty of Dolores Costello. The plot is exceeding simple. In the old South, Betsy, the daughter of a wealthy plantation owner, has a French teacher (Conrad Nagle) she is sweet on, but because of the difference in their stations, romance is impossible. Nagle shows his true spirit when challenged to a rapier duel with John Miljan, and easily defeats him. You see, Nagle is Jerome, the brother of Napoleon, for some reason hiding in America. News comes to Nagle that he is expected to appear at a gala in Baltimore. Naturally, he doesn't want to leave until he finds that the gala is being given by Betsy's father. Betsy asks Jerome to come with her, but he demurs. She is insulted. At the gala, Jerome arrives in secret, his uniform covered by a cloak. He gets Betsy out on the terrace, where they declare their love for one another. He asks her to marry him that night, and she consents. He then appears as Napoleon's brother, where he is feted. He announces that he and Betsy will be married. Almost immediately, a letter arrives from France, demanding his return so that he can marry the Princess of Wittenburg to cement relations with France. He returns, but with Betsy. They meet Napoleon on board ship at the harbor, where he convinces Betsy that she must give up Jerome for the good of France. She tearfully agrees. With the promise that she will join him tomorrow, the brothers leave the ship. The ship immediate returns to America, with the pregnant Betsy in mourning. Jerome is held captive until Napoleon manages to obtain an annulment. Jerome is sent to Wittenberg, but he never arrives. Instead, he joins Betsy in Baltimore, and they happily ever after.
Warner Brothers pulled out all the stops for this A production. Lots of giant sets, augmented by glass shots, and many extras. It was produced both in silent and part talkie versions. The version available is the latter, but with the sound disks missing. Apparently, there are only two talking sequences: when letter arrives from Napoleon; and the final scenes, where the slaves are singing, the Mammy is talking to Betsy, and Jerome arrives. Probably more were planned. Nagle was a Voice, but hardly a masculine hero, with lots of scenes, and John Miljan, another Voice, played the villain. The intertitles in the first reel are almost impossible to read. If they were re-done, and intertitles created for the talking parts, a serviceable film could be salvaged.
The film is replete with love scenes, with Costello lovingly photographed. Nagle is adequate as her lover. Close-ups of them kissing, silent style, could easily make up a quarter of the film. The film does flow well, however, aided my the high production values. Worth watching for Costello, and for those interested in the transition from silent to sound.
Warner Brothers pulled out all the stops for this A production. Lots of giant sets, augmented by glass shots, and many extras. It was produced both in silent and part talkie versions. The version available is the latter, but with the sound disks missing. Apparently, there are only two talking sequences: when letter arrives from Napoleon; and the final scenes, where the slaves are singing, the Mammy is talking to Betsy, and Jerome arrives. Probably more were planned. Nagle was a Voice, but hardly a masculine hero, with lots of scenes, and John Miljan, another Voice, played the villain. The intertitles in the first reel are almost impossible to read. If they were re-done, and intertitles created for the talking parts, a serviceable film could be salvaged.
The film is replete with love scenes, with Costello lovingly photographed. Nagle is adequate as her lover. Close-ups of them kissing, silent style, could easily make up a quarter of the film. The film does flow well, however, aided my the high production values. Worth watching for Costello, and for those interested in the transition from silent to sound.
