The Flapper

Plot

Ginger (Olive Thomas) is a spirited 16-year-old Southern belle sent to a prestigious boarding school in the North by her wealthy father who hopes to curb her rebellious tendencies. At school, she immediately falls for the sophisticated and much older Thomas Banning (William P. Carleton), a handsome visitor who mistakes her for an experienced woman of the world. To impress him and maintain her facade of sophistication, Ginger becomes involved with a pair of jewel thieves who are staying at the school, leading to a series of comedic misadventures, mistaken identities, and close calls. The film culminates with Ginger helping to capture the criminals, proving her courage and earning the respect of both her father and her love interest, while learning that being true to oneself is more important than pretending to be someone you're not.

Historical Background

The Flapper was released in 1920, at the very beginning of the Roaring Twenties, a period of tremendous social and cultural change in America. World War I had just ended, and the nation was experiencing an economic boom alongside significant shifts in social mores. Women had recently gained the right to vote with the passage of the 19th Amendment in August 1920, and the 'New Woman' was emerging - independent, career-minded, and socially liberated. The flapper represented this new generation of young women who rejected Victorian norms, bobbed their hair, wore shorter skirts, smoked, drank, and embraced a more casual attitude toward sexuality. The film captured this cultural moment perfectly, reflecting both the excitement and anxiety surrounding these rapid changes. Prohibition had also recently begun (January 1920), creating an underground culture of speakeasies and rebellion against authority that the flapper embodied. The film's release just months before women's suffrage became law made it particularly timely and relevant to contemporary audiences.

Making Of

The production of 'The Flapper' was a relatively quick affair, typical of the rapid production schedules of the silent era. Olive Thomas, at the height of her fame, brought tremendous energy to the set and was known for her professionalism despite her wild reputation off-screen. The film's director, Alan Crosland, was still early in his career but showed a keen understanding of how to capture the modern spirit of the Roaring Twenties. The boarding school scenes were filmed on carefully constructed sets that aimed to portray the contrast between traditional Southern values and Northern sophistication. Thomas's chemistry with co-star William P. Carleton was genuine, and the two developed a friendship during filming. The jewel thief subplot required several stunt sequences, which Thomas performed herself, demonstrating her athletic abilities and fearlessness as an actress. The film's costume designer worked closely with Thomas to create looks that would be both fashionable and authentic to the emerging flapper style, helping to set trends that would influence women's fashion throughout the decade.

Visual Style

The cinematography of 'The Flapper' was handled by Arthur Edeson, who would later become one of Hollywood's most respected cinematographers. The film employs the relatively static camera work typical of 1920 productions but shows emerging sophistication in its use of lighting and composition. The boarding school scenes are shot with bright, even lighting to convey the respectable facade, while the night scenes involving the jewel thieves use more dramatic lighting with deeper shadows to create suspense. Edeson uses medium shots effectively to capture Thomas's expressive face and the elaborate costumes that were central to the film's appeal. The dance sequences feature more dynamic camera movement, with some tracking shots that follow the characters across the dance floor, demonstrating the technical advances being made in cinematography during this period. The film's visual style balances the clean, bright look of comedy with the darker, more shadowy aesthetics of the mystery elements, creating a varied visual palette that keeps the audience engaged.

Innovations

While 'The Flapper' was not a groundbreaking film in terms of technical innovation, it demonstrated several important technical capabilities of early cinema. The film used multiple location shoots, which was still relatively uncommon in 1920, showing the industry's move away from exclusively studio-based productions. The costume design and makeup techniques were particularly sophisticated for the time, with careful attention paid to creating the authentic flapper look that would influence fashion trends. The film's editing showed growing sophistication in pacing and rhythm, particularly in the comedy sequences where timing was crucial. The lighting techniques used to differentiate between the respectable school scenes and the more dangerous encounters with criminals demonstrated an emerging understanding of how visual elements could support storytelling. The film also made effective use of intertitles to convey dialogue and exposition, with the text designed to match the modern, energetic tone of the story.

Music

As a silent film, 'The Flapper' would have been accompanied by live musical performance during its original theatrical run. The typical presentation would have featured a theater organist or small orchestra playing appropriate music to enhance the mood of each scene. For the comedy scenes, lively ragtime and popular songs of 1920 would have been used, while the romantic moments would have featured slower, more sentimental pieces. The jewel thief sequences would have been accompanied by dramatic, suspenseful music to build tension. While no official score was composed for the film, theater musicians would have drawn from standard compilations of silent film music and popular tunes of the era. Some modern screenings of restored versions of the film have featured newly composed scores by silent film accompanists who attempt to recreate the musical experience of 1920 audiences, using authentic period instruments and musical styles.

Memorable Scenes

• The opening sequence where Ginger arrives at the boarding school with her modern clothes and attitude, shocking the conservative headmistress and fellow students
• The dance scene where Ginger attempts to impress Thomas Banning with her sophisticated dancing skills, resulting in a comical but charming display
• The midnight rendezvous scene where Ginger secretly meets with the jewel thieves, thinking they are sophisticated socialites
• The climactic chase sequence through the school grounds as Ginger helps capture the criminals while maintaining her cover
• The final scene where Ginger's transformation from naive Southern girl to confident young woman is fully realized

What Critics Said

Contemporary critics generally praised 'The Flapper' for its timely subject matter and Olive Thomas's charismatic performance. The New York Times noted that the film 'captures perfectly the spirit of the modern young woman' and praised Thomas's 'natural and vivacious' screen presence. Variety called it 'a delightful comedy that will appeal to everyone, especially the younger generation.' Modern film historians view the movie as an important cultural artifact that provides insight into early 1920s American society. Critics today appreciate the film's historical significance and Thomas's performance, though some note that the plot follows conventional romantic comedy formulas of the era. The film is often cited in scholarly works about the flapper phenomenon and early feminist cinema, with particular attention paid to how it both challenged and reinforced gender norms of the period.

What Audiences Thought

The Flapper was a commercial success upon its release, particularly popular with young audiences who saw themselves reflected in Olive Thomas's character. The film reportedly did especially well in urban areas where the flapper lifestyle was more prevalent. Young women flocked to theaters to see Thomas's fashion and behavior, often returning multiple times to study her costumes and mannerisms. The film's popularity helped cement Olive Thomas's status as one of the biggest stars of the early 1920s. Audience reaction was generally enthusiastic, with many viewers finding the film's portrayal of teenage rebellion both entertaining and relatable. The movie's success at the box office demonstrated to studios that films focusing on youth culture and modern social trends could be highly profitable, influencing production decisions throughout the decade. The tragic death of Olive Thomas shortly after the film's release only increased its mystique and popularity, with many fans revisiting the theater to see what would be one of her final performances.

You Might Also Like