What Happened To Rosa
"A Romance of Reincarnation"
Plot
Mayme Ladd, a timid and romantic-minded department store clerk, visits a fortune teller who tells her she was once Rosa Alvaro, a Spanish noblewoman. Believing this revelation, Mayme begins living as the passionate and fiery Spanish lady, completely transforming her personality and behavior. Her newfound confidence and exotic demeanor attract the attention of her wealthy employer Mr. Pennypacker, leading to romantic complications and comedic situations. As she fully embraces her Spanish alter ego, Mayme must navigate the consequences of her dual identity while trying to win the man she loves. The film culminates in a series of misunderstandings and revelations that ultimately resolve in favor of the transformed Mayme.
About the Production
The film was one of Mabel Normand's first features after leaving Mack Sennett's studio and signing with Goldwyn Pictures. Victor Schertzinger, who was also a composer, likely contributed to the musical direction for the film's exhibition. The production featured elaborate Spanish-inspired costumes and sets to support the reincarnation theme.
Historical Background
The year 1920 marked a pivotal moment in American cinema history, as the film industry was consolidating in Hollywood and transitioning from short films to feature-length productions. This period saw the rise of the studio system, with companies like Goldwyn Pictures competing for talent and audiences. Post-WWI America was experiencing significant social changes, including women's suffrage, changing moral standards, and growing interest in spiritualism and alternative philosophies. The film industry was also dealing with various scandals that would soon lead to the implementation of the Hays Code. The Spanish flu pandemic, which had ravaged the world in 1918-1919, was still fresh in public memory, making escapist entertainment particularly valuable to audiences seeking relief from recent traumas.
Why This Film Matters
'What Happened to Rosa' represents an important transitional work in Mabel Normand's career and illustrates the evolution of silent comedy from slapstick shorts to more sophisticated feature films. The film's exploration of identity transformation through reincarnation themes reflects early 20th-century fascination with spiritualism and alternative psychology. As one of the few vehicles showcasing Normand's talent outside the Mack Sennett comedy factory, it demonstrates her ability to carry a feature-length narrative with more nuanced character development. The film also exemplifies the industry's growing interest in international settings and themes, even as American cinema was establishing its distinctive identity. Its status as a lost film makes it a subject of ongoing interest among film historians and preservationists studying the work of early female comedy stars.
Making Of
The production of 'What Happened to Rosa' represented a critical moment in Mabel Normand's career as she attempted to rebuild her reputation following the scandal surrounding William Desmond Taylor's murder. Goldwyn Pictures invested considerable resources in the production, hoping to reestablish Normand as a leading comedy star. Director Victor Schertzinger brought his musical background to the film, paying careful attention to rhythm and timing in the comedy sequences. The Spanish sequences required extensive research into period costumes and architecture, with the art department creating elaborate sets to evoke the atmosphere of Spanish nobility. The film was shot during a transitional period in Hollywood, as studios were moving from short comedies to feature-length productions, requiring more sophisticated storytelling techniques.
Visual Style
The cinematography of 'What Happened to Rosa' employed the techniques typical of 1920 feature productions, including careful lighting to distinguish between the mundane department store setting and the romantic Spanish sequences. The film likely used multiple camera setups for the comedy scenes, allowing for more dynamic visual storytelling than earlier one-reel comedies. The Spanish sequences would have featured more elaborate lighting design to create the exotic atmosphere, possibly using techniques like backlighting and soft focus to enhance the romantic elements. The visual style would have balanced the realistic portrayal of everyday life with the stylized fantasy of the Spanish noblewoman sequences.
Innovations
While 'What Happened to Rosa' did not introduce groundbreaking technical innovations, it represented the refinement of existing film techniques for feature-length comedy production. The film likely employed more sophisticated editing techniques than earlier short comedies, using cross-cutting between the different storylines and character perspectives. The production may have utilized early forms of process photography or double exposure techniques to enhance the reincarnation theme. The Spanish sequences would have required advances in set construction and costume design to create convincing period atmosphere. The film's success in balancing comedy with romantic elements demonstrated the growing technical sophistication of Hollywood productions in the early 1920s.
Music
As a silent film, 'What Happened to Rosa' would have been accompanied by live musical performances during its theatrical run. Given Victor Schertzinger's background as a composer, he may have provided musical suggestions or cues for theater organists or orchestras. The score would likely have featured distinct musical themes for the different characters and settings, with Spanish-influenced melodies for the reincarnation sequences and lighter, more contemporary music for the department store scenes. The musical accompaniment would have been crucial in establishing the film's comic timing and emotional transitions, particularly in scenes where Mayme shifts between her two identities.
Famous Quotes
"You were once a Spanish lady of noble birth, a woman of passion and fire!"
"I am not Mayme Ladd anymore - I am Rosa Alvaro!"
"A woman who believes she is noble will act noble!"
Memorable Scenes
- The fortune teller's revelation scene where Mayme learns of her past life as Rosa Alvaro
- Mayme's first public appearance as the Spanish noblewoman in the department store
- The romantic Spanish fantasy sequence with elaborate period costumes and settings
- The climactic scene where Mayme must choose between her two identities
- The final reconciliation scene where her true self wins the love of her employer
Did You Know?
- This was one of the first films Mabel Normand made after her highly publicized scandal involving the murder of William Desmond Taylor, which had damaged her career.
- Victor Schertzinger was not only a director but also a accomplished composer, which likely influenced his approach to silent film rhythm and pacing.
- The film's theme of reincarnation was relatively unusual for mainstream comedy of the era, reflecting growing interest in spiritualism and alternative spirituality in post-WWI America.
- Goldwyn Pictures invested significantly in promoting this film as a comeback vehicle for Mabel Normand, one of the biggest comedy stars of the 1910s.
- Doris Pawn, who plays the rival in the film, was a former Ziegfeld Follies girl who transitioned to acting in silent films.
- The Spanish sequences required extensive costume design and set construction, as the film industry was still developing techniques for period pieces.
- This film is now considered lost, with no known surviving copies in any film archive or private collection.
- The screenplay was adapted from a story by Monte M. Katterjohn, a prolific screenwriter of the silent era.
- Tully Marshall, who plays Mr. Pennypacker, was a respected character actor who appeared in over 200 films between 1914 and 1931.
- The film's release coincided with the height of the Spanish influenza pandemic's aftermath, which may have influenced audience interest in escapist entertainment.
What Critics Said
Contemporary critics generally praised Mabel Normand's performance in 'What Happened to Rosa', noting her successful transition from the broad slapstick of her earlier work to more subtle character comedy. Reviews in publications like Variety and Motion Picture News highlighted the film's clever premise and Normand's charming portrayal of the dual personalities. Critics particularly appreciated the Spanish sequences and the film's visual appeal. However, some reviewers noted that the plot occasionally strained credibility, even for a comedy. Modern critical assessment is limited due to the film's lost status, but film historians consider it an important example of Normand's post-Sennett work and a representative film of the early 1920s comedy genre.
What Audiences Thought
Audiences in 1920 responded positively to 'What Happened to Rosa', particularly Mabel Normand's fans who had followed her career from her days at Keystone Studios. The film performed well in major urban markets, where Normand's star power remained strong despite recent controversies. The reincarnation theme and Spanish setting appealed to audiences seeking exotic escapism in the post-war period. However, the film's box office performance was likely affected by ongoing publicity surrounding Normand's personal life and the broader moral scrutiny facing Hollywood during this period. Audience reception varied by region, with some areas more receptive to the sophisticated comedy style than others accustomed to more straightforward slapstick.
Film Connections
Influenced By
- The growing spiritualism movement of the 1910s
- Earlier Mack Sennett comedy formulas
- Shakespearean mistaken identity plots
- Popular reincarnation novels of the era
This Film Influenced
- Later comedy films featuring identity transformation
- Romantic comedies involving fantasy elements
- Films exploring reincarnation themes
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Film Restoration
Lost film - No known copies survive in any film archive or private collection. The film is considered completely lost, making it one of many silent films that have not survived due to the nitrate film deterioration and lack of preservation efforts in the early decades of cinema. Only promotional materials, still photographs, and written reviews remain to document the film's existence.