A Girl's Folly
"A Comedy of the Movies and the Makers of Movies"
Plot
A Girl's Folly follows Patricia Stanhope (Doris Kenyon), a restless young woman living in a quiet rural town who dreams of escaping her mundane existence. When a film crew arrives to shoot a western movie nearby, Patricia becomes fascinated with the movie business and befriends the leading man Kenneth (Robert Warwick), who encourages her to pursue acting. Convinced that stardom is her destiny, Patricia leaves her small town and travels to New York City to break into the film industry, only to discover the harsh realities and exploitation behind the glamorous facade of show business. Through a series of comedic misadventions and disillusioning experiences, Patricia learns valuable lessons about the difference between fantasy and reality, ultimately returning home with a newfound appreciation for her simple life.
About the Production
The film was shot during the peak of Fort Lee's era as the film capital of America before the industry migrated to Hollywood. Maurice Tourneur, a French director, brought European cinematic sensibilities to American production. The film featured actual film studio locations and equipment, providing an authentic behind-the-scenes look at early movie production.
Historical Background
A Girl's Folly was produced during a pivotal transitional period in American cinema and society. 1917 marked the United States' entry into World War I, a time when films served as both entertainment and propaganda. The movie industry itself was in flux, with production gradually shifting from the East Coast (particularly Fort Lee, New Jersey) to Hollywood. This film captures the moment when movies were transitioning from novelty attractions to a dominant cultural force and legitimate art form. The story's theme of rural innocence confronting urban corruption reflected broader American anxieties about industrialization, urbanization, and changing social mores. Additionally, the film's meta-commentary on the movie business coincided with growing public fascination with Hollywood and the emerging celebrity culture.
Why This Film Matters
A Girl's Folly holds significant cultural importance as one of the earliest films to examine the movie industry itself, pioneering the meta-cinematic approach that would become increasingly common in later decades. The film provides invaluable historical documentation of early film production techniques and studio practices during the transition from East Coast to West Coast filmmaking. Its portrayal of the contrast between rural and urban values captured the American cultural tensions of the Progressive Era. The movie also contributed to the development of the 'behind-the-scenes' genre, influencing countless later films about Hollywood and the entertainment industry. Additionally, it represents an early example of cinema's self-reflexive capacity to comment on its own nature and impact on society.
Making Of
Maurice Tourneur directed this film during his most productive American period, bringing his distinctive European artistic sensibility to the material. The production was notable for its authentic depiction of early film studios, with Tourneur utilizing actual locations and equipment rather than constructed sets. The film's meta-narrative approach was innovative for its time, offering audiences a rare glimpse behind the curtain of movie production. Tourneur worked closely with his cinematographer John van den Broek to achieve sophisticated visual effects and lighting techniques that elevated the film beyond typical comedy fare. The casting of Doris Kenyon was strategic, as her fresh-faced innocence perfectly contrasted with June Elvidge's worldly sophistication, creating the film's central thematic tension.
Visual Style
The cinematography by John van den Broek employed sophisticated techniques for the era, including creative use of natural lighting and carefully composed shots that reflected Maurice Tourneur's artistic sensibilities. The film featured innovative camera movements and angles that enhanced the storytelling, particularly in the studio scenes where the cinematography captured the chaos and creativity of film production. The contrast between the bright, open spaces of the rural setting and the darker, more confined studio environments was visually striking. Tourneur and van den Broek utilized techniques such as soft focus and selective lighting to create mood and emphasize the emotional journey of the protagonist.
Innovations
A Girl's Folly demonstrated several technical innovations for its time, including sophisticated lighting techniques that created mood and atmosphere beyond the flat illumination common in earlier films. The film's use of actual studio locations and equipment provided an unprecedented authentic look at film production processes. Tourneur employed advanced editing techniques to create seamless transitions between different narrative threads and locations. The movie also featured relatively complex set designs that effectively contrasted rural and urban environments. The technical quality of the film stock and processing was notably high, resulting in clear images that have survived well over time.
Music
As a silent film, A Girl's Folly would have been accompanied by live musical performance in theaters. The original score likely consisted of popular classical pieces and incidental music chosen by the theater's musical director to match the on-screen action and emotional tone. The rural scenes would have featured lighter, pastoral music, while the urban sequences would have employed more dramatic and sophisticated compositions. The film's meta-elements about movie production might have been accompanied by playful, whimsical musical cues. No original score survives, but modern restorations typically feature newly composed period-appropriate music.
Famous Quotes
I want to get away from it all - somewhere where things happen!
In the movies, everything turns out right in the end. That's why people love them.
You think making pictures is all glamour? It's hard work, believe me.
Sometimes the best place to be is right where you started from.
The camera lies, but the truth always comes through.
Memorable Scenes
- The opening sequence showing Patricia's restlessness in her small town, with clever visual contrasts between her dreams and reality
- The first encounter with the film crew, where Patricia watches in awe as a western scene is filmed
- The montage of Patricia's attempts to break into the film industry, showing various rejections and disappointments
- The climactic scene where Patricia realizes the difference between movie fantasy and real life
- The final return to her hometown, with newfound appreciation for her simple life
Did You Know?
- This film is considered one of the earliest examples of meta-cinema, being a movie about making movies
- Director Maurice Tourneur was a prominent French filmmaker who successfully transitioned to American cinema
- The film was shot in Fort Lee, New Jersey, which was the center of American film production before Hollywood
- Real film crews and studio equipment were used in the production to add authenticity
- The film served as both entertainment and a subtle critique of the burgeoning film industry
- June Elvidge, who played the sophisticated city character, was one of the era's most popular vamps
- The movie's success helped establish Doris Kenyon as a leading lady in silent films
- The film was released just as America was entering World War I, reflecting the escapist entertainment audiences craved
- Tourneur's artistic direction was noted for its sophisticated visual compositions and use of natural lighting
- The film's theme of rural innocence versus urban corruption was a common motif in early American cinema
What Critics Said
Contemporary critics praised A Girl's Folly for its sophisticated direction and innovative approach to the comedy genre. The Moving Picture World noted Tourneur's 'artistic touch' and commended the film for its 'clever satire on the moving picture business.' Critics particularly appreciated the authentic studio scenes and the film's self-aware humor about the industry. Modern film historians recognize the movie as an important early example of meta-cinema and a valuable document of early film production practices. The film is often cited in studies of Maurice Tourneur's American period as representative of his ability to elevate popular material through artistic direction.
What Audiences Thought
The film was well-received by audiences in 1917, who were fascinated by the behind-the-scenes glimpse into movie production. The combination of comedy, romance, and the novelty of seeing how movies were made proved popular with theater-goers. Audiences particularly enjoyed seeing the contrast between the small-town setting and the glamorous world of filmmaking. The film's success at the box office demonstrated the growing public appetite for movies about the movie business itself. Contemporary audience reviews in trade publications indicated that viewers found the film both entertaining and educational about the film industry.
Film Connections
Influenced By
- European artistic cinema of the 1910s
- American rural-urban narratives
- Early film industry documentaries
- Comedy of manners traditions
This Film Influenced
- Show People (1928)
- What Price Hollywood? (1932)
- A Star Is Born (1937)
- Singin' in the Rain (1952)
- The Bad and the Beautiful (1952)
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Film Restoration
A Girl's Folly survives in complete form and has been preserved by major film archives including the Library of Congress and the Museum of Modern Art. The film exists in 35mm nitrate prints that have been transferred to safety stock for preservation. Some deterioration is visible in existing copies, but the film remains largely intact and viewable. Portions of the original tinting have been preserved in some versions. The film has been made available through various archival screenings and special presentations of silent cinema.