Alias Mrs. Jessop (1917)
Drama | 10 December 1917
On 13 October 1917, Motion Picture News announced that director William S. Davis had recently been hired by Metro Pictures Corp. and Alias Mrs. Jessop was set to be his first “multi-reel Super-Feature” production for the company. Although Davis had written most of the films he previously directed, Alias Mrs. Jessop was an adaptation of a short story by Blair Hall. The same edition of Motion Picture News added that actress Emily Stevens had already begun her dual role in the film at Metro Studios on West Sixty-First Street in New York City. A news item in the 17 November 1917 Motion Picture News stated that Stevens had just completed her work on the picture, indicating that production was ending around that time. Filming also took place in Fort Lee, NJ.
The copyright holdings credit Martinelli as cinematographer, but the 1918 MPSD credits Tuers.
Alias Mrs. Jessop received mixed reviews. While the 22 December 1917 Exhibitors Herald warned that “it will not be found appropriate for discriminating audiences,” and “the production does not come up to the Metro standard,” the 29 December 1917 Moving Picture World noted “the extremely high quality” of the film and attributed its success to “the artistic work of Emily Stevens.”
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On 13 October 1917, Motion Picture News announced that director William S. Davis had recently been hired by Metro Pictures Corp. and Alias Mrs. Jessop was set to be his first “multi-reel Super-Feature” production for the company. Although Davis had written most of the films he previously directed, Alias Mrs. Jessop was an adaptation of a short story by Blair Hall. The same edition of Motion Picture News added that actress Emily Stevens had already begun her dual role in the film at Metro Studios on West Sixty-First Street in New York City. A news item in the 17 November 1917 Motion Picture News stated that Stevens had just completed her work on the picture, indicating that production was ending around that time. Filming also took place in Fort Lee, NJ.
The copyright holdings credit Martinelli as cinematographer, but the 1918 MPSD credits Tuers.
Alias Mrs. Jessop received mixed reviews. While the 22 December 1917 Exhibitors Herald warned that “it will not be found appropriate for discriminating audiences,” and “the production does not come up to the Metro standard,” the 29 December 1917 Moving Picture World noted “the extremely high quality” of the film and attributed its success to “the artistic work of Emily Stevens.”
Janet Ford, a penniless orphan, is reared with her mischievous identical cousin Lillian by Lillian's affluent parents. While Mr. Ford treats Janet kindly, Mrs. Ford remains cold. When Lillian is caught in a gambling raid, she convinces Janet to bear the blame, and Mrs. Ford orders Janet to leave. Lillian marries Sir Anthony Jessop and settles in England. Jessop, who soon tires of Lillian's frivolity, finds fulfillment with their son Bobby. When he rebukes Lillian for her midnight revels, she orders him to leave. Under the pretense of visiting her dying father, Lillian travels to America, followed by her lover, Raymond Fleury, and they travel West together after she persuades Janet to impersonate her at Ford's deathbed. When Janet learns that Bobby has been hurt, she sails to England and cares for him. After Jessop's uncle dies, he returns as the Earl of Devon, and grows to love Janet, who he thinks is Lillian. Janet is terrified because she also loves him. Hearing of Jessop's good fortune, Lillian returns. After Fleury pursues and shoots her, Jessop proposes to Janet that they quietly marry and keep their past ...
Janet Ford, a penniless orphan, is reared with her mischievous identical cousin Lillian by Lillian's affluent parents. While Mr. Ford treats Janet kindly, Mrs. Ford remains cold. When Lillian is caught in a gambling raid, she convinces Janet to bear the blame, and Mrs. Ford orders Janet to leave. Lillian marries Sir Anthony Jessop and settles in England. Jessop, who soon tires of Lillian's frivolity, finds fulfillment with their son Bobby. When he rebukes Lillian for her midnight revels, she orders him to leave. Under the pretense of visiting her dying father, Lillian travels to America, followed by her lover, Raymond Fleury, and they travel West together after she persuades Janet to impersonate her at Ford's deathbed. When Janet learns that Bobby has been hurt, she sails to England and cares for him. After Jessop's uncle dies, he returns as the Earl of Devon, and grows to love Janet, who he thinks is Lillian. Janet is terrified because she also loves him. Hearing of Jessop's good fortune, Lillian returns. After Fleury pursues and shoots her, Jessop proposes to Janet that they quietly marry and keep their past secret.
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