A Woman of Paris (film)
A Woman of Paris
A Drama of Fate
Written and Directed
by
Charles Chaplin
COPYRIGHT © MCMXXIII REGENT FILM COMPANY COPYRIGHT RENEWED
Featuring
EDNA PURVIANCE
Music Composed
by
Charles Chaplin
COPYRIGHT © MCMLXXVI THE ROY EXPORT COMPANY ESTABLISHMENT
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
Music Associate
ERIC JAMES
Music Orchestrated and Conducted by
ERIC ROGERS
TO THE PUBLIC:
In order to avoid any misunderstanding, I wish to announce that I do not appear in this picture.[1] It is the first serious drama written and directed by myself.
CAST
MARIE ST. CLAIR . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
EDNA PURVIANCE | |
Her step-father . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
Clarence Geldert | |
Jean Millet . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
Carl Miller | |
His mother . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
Lydia Knott | |
His father . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
Charles French | |
Pierre Revel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
Adolphe Menjou | |
Fifi . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
Betty Morrissey | |
Paulette . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
Malvina Polo | |
A small village, somewhere in France.
Marie St. Clair, a woman of fate—victim of an unhappy home.
"I'm locked in."
"I must see you tonight, Marie, about our plans for tomorrow."
Planning for the future, they return.
"We'll get to Paris by noon, and in the evening, we shall be married."
"He's locked the window."
"Your daughter has been locked out."
"Perhaps he will provide you a bed for the night."
"Don't trouble."
"Come to my house. Mother will put you up for the night."
"I'll get mother to prepare your bed."
"Please don't wake her."
"Oh, I don't know what to do."
"Don't worry dearest, tomorrow we'll forget all these tears."
"I wish to see you, alone."
"Get that woman out of this house!"
"What do you mean? I'll call mother, she'll understand."
"She's been locked out, that's all."
"I'd better go."
"There's a train leaving for Paris at twelve-fifteen. We can catch that."
"You get the tickets. I'm going home to pack my bag."
"Don't be long."
"Father, they're determined to marry. Why not make the best of it?"
"I never want to see him again."
"Has he got any money?"
"Please say 'goodbye' to him before he goes."
"Jean, say 'goodbye' to your father."
"Quick, the doctor!"
"Jean, haven't you left yet?"
"Is that you, Marie? Something terrible has happened. We must postpone our trip."
"Just a moment."
A year later in the magic city of Paris, where fortune is fickle and a woman gambles with life—
PIERRE REVEL
A gentleman of leisure, whose whims have made and ruined many a woman's career.
MARIE ST. CLAIR
From the drabness of the village to the gayety of Paris——
"The richest bachelor in Paris."
"Who is that?"
"One of the richest old maids in Paris."
"Who's the man with her?"
Pierre Revel makes a study of eating as he makes an art of living——
"Those perfumed handkerchiefs stink my kitchen out."
CHAMPAGNE TRUFFLES.
Note:—Truffles rooted up from the soil by hogs—A delicacy for pigs and gentlemen.
Early the next morning—
MARIE ST. CLAIR'S APARTMENT.
FIFI, a friend—Young and vivacious—living as youth will live.
"Why, Marie, of all the lazy people——"
"Come get up. Wasting your life in bed——"
"What are you doing up so early?"
"I haven't been to bed yet."
The business office of Pierre Revel.
femina
ENGAGEMENT ANNOUNCED
Mr. Pierre RevelMiss Louise Trudaine
EVENT WILL LINK LARGE FORTUNES
"Won't this complicate matters?"
"The other lady."
"Call her up."
"Who?"
"The other lady."
"Hello dear, shall I see you tonight for dinner?"
"Why, of course."
"She doesn't know yet."
Paulette, another friend.
"Has Marie seen this?"
"Well, such is life."
"Don't worry, Marie dear. Everything will come out all right."
"It's no use, Pierre, I can't go out tonight."
"I'm too depressed."
"You're not worried about that, are you?"
"It makes no difference to us. We can go on just the same."
"How can you talk like that?"
"I'll see you tomorrow when you are in a better mood. Goodnight."
That evening in the Latin Quarter.
"Hello, Marie, I'm in the studio of a friend of mine. Why don't you come along?"
"What's going on?"
"Oh, just a quiet little party with a few friends."
"You can easily find it. It's the studio on the right or left, I don't know which."
"Well."
"Well."
"Well."
Time makes strangers of intimate friends and formality covers their real emotions.
"My, but you look beautiful."
"I see you've become quite an artist."
"Then it's understood, you're to paint my portrait?"
"Here's my address. If you will call tomorrow we can arrange details for the portrait."
The following morning.
"This is the gown I'd like to be painted in."
"Why, Jean, who are you in mourning for?"
"My father."
"When did he die?"
"The night you left."
"Ask the gentleman in the next room if he would care for some."
"Why should I explain? You wouldn't understand."
"You jump at conclusions. I understand perfectly."
"You're too clever."
"Only, be careful."
"Then we'll choose the silver dress?"
And the passing days brought about the final touches to Marie's portrait.
"Aren't you tired?"
"Now you promised not to look at the picture until I finished it."
"Why bring up the past?"
"Because I knew you better then."
"I love you, Marie, in spite of everything——I love you."
"We can marry and begin a new life."
In the mind of Marie St. Clair is the problem—marriage or luxury.
"It's no use, we can't live this way."
"It isn't such a bad way—you have everything."
"Not everything."
"Poor little woman."
"The trouble is you don't know what you do want!"
"I want a real home, babies, and a man's respect."
"You never take me seriously."
"Now then, what on earth is wrong."
"I'm very unhappy. What do I get out of life? Nothing."
"Idiot!"
"Why all this temperament—what does it mean?"
"It means we must part."
"Who is it, this young artist?"
"It doesn't matter who it is, he loves me and is going to marry me."
"Do you love him?"
"Yes!"
"Liar."
"I love him."
"I'll see you tomorrow night for dinner."
"You'll never see me again."
"Very well, phone me sometime."
An eternal problem——Mother and son.
"All right, I'm not going to marry her—so don't keep harping on it."
"I wouldn't care, but it's the type of woman she is."
"I told you I'm not going to marry her."
"I'm only thinking of your future."
"Yes, you think of my future when it concerns your own."
"Why upset yourself this way?"
"You take too much for granted, mother, of course I wouldn't marry her."
"But you proposed to her."
"Yes, in a moment of weakness."
"Perhaps you're right. It was a moment of weakness."
"Don't be comic."
That night Pierre Revel consoles himself with Marie's friend.
"That's Pierre with Paulette."
"And she calls herself a friend of Marie's."
"To mademoiselle's apartment. I'll walk home."
And that night Marie consoles herself.
"He's still outside, Madam."
"Therese, call him up."
"Call her up."
"Did you call?"
"No, did you?"
"Let's stop this nonsense. When shall I see you again?"
"You don't love me anymore."
"Tomorrow evening for dinner?"
"All right! Goodnight, dear."
The following morning.
"My dear, I've got so much to tell you."
"Who do you think was with Pierre last night? That cat Paulette."
"And she calls herself a friend, the deceitful—"
Paulette.
"Don't breathe a word about last night."
"He wants me to dine with him again tonight, but I'm so worried about Marie."
"What do you think she said—she's dining with him again tonight."
"What time do we dine tonight, dear?"
"Seven-thirty."
"You're sure you have no other engagement?"
"I must run along."
"Goodbye, dear."
And as the hours pass, remorse and despair control the fate of Jean Millet.
"You look tired dear, don't stay out late."
"I don't know which of your moods amuses me most."
Marie,
I must see you for the last time
Jean
"Dead."
"Your son has had a serious accident and you must be prepared for the worst."
"What was your son's age?"
"Was he a resident of Paris?"
"Where's your mistress?"
"She left for your son's studio, Madam."
Time heals, and experience teaches that the secret of happiness is in service to others.
"Mother, here comes Father!"
"I see that you have another addition to the family."
"Young lady, when are you going to marry and have some of your own?"
ROUTE NATIONALE
No. 19,
PARIS—90 Kil.
"By the way, whatever became of Marie St. Clair?"
THE END
This work is in the public domain in the United States because it was published before January 1, 1929.
The longest-living author of this work died in 1977, so this work is in the public domain in countries and areas where the copyright term is the author's life plus 46 years or less. This work may be in the public domain in countries and areas with longer native copyright terms that apply the rule of the shorter term to foreign works.
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- ↑ Despite Chaplin's claim here, he actually did play a minor, uncredited role in the film as the head porter. (Wikisource contributor note)