Dissecting Harry L. Franklin: Decoding Sylvia on a Spree

Sheltered young Sylvia Fairponts reads about the scandals originating from the Beaulieu Inn and determines to go there at any cost. Anxious to know whether life promises any excitement for her, Sylvia consults clairvoyant Mme. Claire St. Claire, who, for a large fee, predicts that she will soon meet a dashing young lover. That afternoon, Sylvia meets handsome Jack Bradley, who, although strongly attracted to her, is horrified when she demands that he take her to the Beaulieu Inn. She insists, however, so Jack arranges to dine at the inn and, with his brother's help, forever cure Sylvia of her desire to experience the seamy side of life. He hires a number of exotic dancers to gyrate wildly in one room, while in another, hired chorus girls give Edwin Booth D'Aubrey, an unemployed actor dressed as a man-about-town, a champagne shampoo. Sylvia's disgust turns to panic when hired policemen raid the inn, but moments later the real police arrive, and everyone is taken into night court. Jack's friend arranges to have them released, whereupon Sylvia starts to happily look forward to a quiet married life with Jack.