The Eternal Temptress

1917 American film

December 9, 1917 (1917-12-09)

Running time

50 minutesCountryUnited StatesLanguageSilent (English intertitles)

The Eternal Temptress is a 1917 American silent drama film directed by Émile Chautard and written by Fred de Gresac and Eve Unsell. The film stars Lina Cavalieri, Elliott Dexter, Mildred Conselman, Alan Hale, Sr., Edward Fielding, and Hallen Mostyn. The film was released on December 9, 1917, by Paramount Pictures.^[1]^[2]

Plot

As described in a film magazine,^[3] Harry Althrop (Dexter), a young American, is in love with Princess Cordelia (Cavalieri) and when he finds his funds are getting low he forges the signature of Thomas Lawton (Laffey), the American ambassador and a close friend of his father, to a check so that he might buy the beautiful Italian princess some jewelry. Count Rudolph Frizel (Hale) of Austria, anxious to obtain information concerning Italy's stand in an approaching war, threatens to expose Harry unless he provides the documents from the American embassy. It turns out that the specific documents are readily available with the ambassador, and Harry picks them up and gives them to the Count. This act is discovered by the ambassador and Harry is brought to trial. Cordelia learning of Harry's predicament, goes to Count Frizel and kills him to obtain the documents. The documents are then returned to the embassy, and Harry is released. Cordelia returns home, takes poison and dies in her lovers arms. The film ends with Cordelia on her bier.

Cast

Lina Cavalieri as Princess Cordelia
Elliott Dexter as Harry Althrop
Mildred Conselman as Angela
Alan Hale, Sr. as Count Rudolph Frizel
Edward Fielding as Prince Estezary
Hallen Mostyn as Colonel Althrop
James Laffey as Ambassador Thomas Lawton
Pierre De Matteis as Boggslov
Peter Barbierre as Jeweler

Reception

Like many American films of the time, The Eternal Temptress was subject to cuts by city and state film censorship boards. The Chicago Board of Censors required, in Reel 5, a cut of a closeup of choking the young woman and her taking the poison.^[4]

Preservation

With no prints of The Eternal Temptress located in any film archives,^[5] it is a lost film.

References

^ Hal Erickson (2015). "The-Eternal-Temptress - Trailer - Cast - Showtimes - NYTimes.com". Movies & TV Dept. The New York Times. Baseline & All Movie Guide. Archived from the original on 26 September 2015. Retrieved 5 January 2015.
^ "The Eternal Temptress (1917) - Overview - TCM.com". Turner Classic Movies. Retrieved 5 January 2015.
^ "Reviews: The Eternal Temptress". Exhibitors Herald. 6 (3). New York City: Exhibitors Herald Company: 28. January 12, 1918.
^ "Official Cut-Outs by the Chicago Board of Censors". Exhibitors Herald. 6 (4): 31. January 19, 1918.
^ Library of Congress American Silent Feature Film Survival Database: The Eternal Temptress