Princess Virtue (1917)
Drama | 12 November 1917
This was Mae Murray’s first picture for Bluebird Photoplays, Inc., the prestige imprimatur of Universal Manufacturing Company. The synopsis of the film included in the copyright descriptions credits Jack Vosburgh with the role of “Basil Demarest,” but all reviews list Wheeler Oakman in the role.
The 1 Sep 1917 Motion Picture News (which was always released a week before its edition date) announced that production began the previous week at Bluebird’s studio in Universal City, CA, where lavish interiors were filmed. Because of the film’s fashionable French atmosphere, artists and decorators were hired to “devote their undivided attention” to elegantly dressing the sets. The 10 Nov 1917 Moving Picture World added that Mae Murray designed her own gowns and supervised their creation in the costume department. Planned locations in California included: Coronado Beach in San Diego, Catalina Island, Santa Barbara, and San Francisco. The 1 Sep 1917 Motion Picture News noted that the company was already shooting scenes in San Diego. Four weeks later, the 29 Sep 1916 Motion Picture News reported that the six-week production schedule had ended, after working at “various locations along the Pacific Coast.”
The film was set to be premiered and prominently screened at the Broadway Theatre in New York City during the period of 21-27 Oct 1917, according to the 20 Oct 1917 Motography. Reviews were mixed. The Jan 1918 Photoplay found the movie “very facile and full of style,” but short on substance, and blamed Mae Murray, “with her elaborated artificial ways,” for not developing as a character.
Universal Film Manufacturing remade Princess Virtue with Marie Prevost under ...
This was Mae Murray’s first picture for Bluebird Photoplays, Inc., the prestige imprimatur of Universal Manufacturing Company. The synopsis of the film included in the copyright descriptions credits Jack Vosburgh with the role of “Basil Demarest,” but all reviews list Wheeler Oakman in the role.
The 1 Sep 1917 Motion Picture News (which was always released a week before its edition date) announced that production began the previous week at Bluebird’s studio in Universal City, CA, where lavish interiors were filmed. Because of the film’s fashionable French atmosphere, artists and decorators were hired to “devote their undivided attention” to elegantly dressing the sets. The 10 Nov 1917 Moving Picture World added that Mae Murray designed her own gowns and supervised their creation in the costume department. Planned locations in California included: Coronado Beach in San Diego, Catalina Island, Santa Barbara, and San Francisco. The 1 Sep 1917 Motion Picture News noted that the company was already shooting scenes in San Diego. Four weeks later, the 29 Sep 1916 Motion Picture News reported that the six-week production schedule had ended, after working at “various locations along the Pacific Coast.”
The film was set to be premiered and prominently screened at the Broadway Theatre in New York City during the period of 21-27 Oct 1917, according to the 20 Oct 1917 Motography. Reviews were mixed. The Jan 1918 Photoplay found the movie “very facile and full of style,” but short on substance, and blamed Mae Murray, “with her elaborated artificial ways,” for not developing as a character.
Universal Film Manufacturing remade Princess Virtue with Marie Prevost under the title A Parisian Scandal (1922, see entry).
According to the Library of Congress American Silent Feature Film Survival Database, four of this film's six reels are extant.
Mrs. Clare Demarest, a wealthy Bostonian, washed her hands of her son, Robert, when he married a chorus girl against her wishes. Now, however, she learns that Liane Demarest, the granddaughter she has not seen since her son’s widow took her to France at age six, is being called “Princess Virtue” by Paris society, thanks to her mother’s marriage to Count Oudoff, a Russian artistocrat. Mrs. Demarest dispatches Basil Demarest, a distant relative, to investigate whether fashionable Parisian society has irrevocably ruined Liane. Basil discovers that Liane is a capricious and shallow young woman who is unable to decide between suitors Baron Strensky and Emile Carre. She received the moniker Princess Virtue years earlier from her Russian stepfather, who found one of her girlhood fairytales in which a “Princess Virtue” did not know which of her sweethearts—Prince Passion, Prince Desire, or Prince Love—she should pick. As a result of the rivalry, Strensky challenges Carre to a duel and wounds his adversary, forcing Carre to withdraw his attentions. Basil begs Liane to accompany him back to America, but she refuses. On the afternoon before his ship is to set sail, Basil and Liane are dining in a restaurant when Strensky, to whom Liane is now engaged, enters the room with Mlle. Sari. Basil confronts Strensky about his infidelity, and the Baron challenges him to a duel, but Liane intervenes by claiming Strensky is the one she loves. Dejected, Basil takes the steamer home to Boston. Mid-ocean, he is pleasantly surprised to discover that Liane, having changed her mind, is his traveling companion, and he is her Prince ...
Mrs. Clare Demarest, a wealthy Bostonian, washed her hands of her son, Robert, when he married a chorus girl against her wishes. Now, however, she learns that Liane Demarest, the granddaughter she has not seen since her son’s widow took her to France at age six, is being called “Princess Virtue” by Paris society, thanks to her mother’s marriage to Count Oudoff, a Russian artistocrat. Mrs. Demarest dispatches Basil Demarest, a distant relative, to investigate whether fashionable Parisian society has irrevocably ruined Liane. Basil discovers that Liane is a capricious and shallow young woman who is unable to decide between suitors Baron Strensky and Emile Carre. She received the moniker Princess Virtue years earlier from her Russian stepfather, who found one of her girlhood fairytales in which a “Princess Virtue” did not know which of her sweethearts—Prince Passion, Prince Desire, or Prince Love—she should pick. As a result of the rivalry, Strensky challenges Carre to a duel and wounds his adversary, forcing Carre to withdraw his attentions. Basil begs Liane to accompany him back to America, but she refuses. On the afternoon before his ship is to set sail, Basil and Liane are dining in a restaurant when Strensky, to whom Liane is now engaged, enters the room with Mlle. Sari. Basil confronts Strensky about his infidelity, and the Baron challenges him to a duel, but Liane intervenes by claiming Strensky is the one she loves. Dejected, Basil takes the steamer home to Boston. Mid-ocean, he is pleasantly surprised to discover that Liane, having changed her mind, is his traveling companion, and he is her Prince Love.
Viewed by AFI
Partially Viewed
Offscreen Credit
Name Occurs Before Title
AFI Life Achievement AwardTOP SEARCHES
Loophole
This film's working title was Off the Record . A HR production chart adds Don Harvey to the cast but his appearance in the released film ... >>
Pretty Baby
The summary and note for this entry were completed with participation from the AFI Academic Network. Summary and note were written by participant Jeremy Carr, Visiting Research Fellow ... >>
That Forsyte Woman
The working title for this film was The Forsyte Saga . According to a pre-release news item in Time magazine, M-G-M decided to change the title ... >>
East of Eden
An overture precedes the film. The opening title card reads: “John Steinbeck’s East of Eden .” The following written prologue appears after the opening credits: ... >>
