Summary
In a vivid allegorical spectacle, a young woman, initially a mere participant in a charity bazaar auctioning a kiss, finds her life irrevocably altered by the seductive propositions of two theatrical impresarios, Bluff and Stuff. Following counsel from her three intimate companions – who soon transform into the personifications of Modesty, Youth, and Beauty – she undergoes a profound metamorphosis, awakening as Everywoman. Her journey commences with a poignant rejection of a humble physician’s earnest suit, swayed instead by the beguiling whispers of Flattery, who propels her onto the grand, treacherous ‘Stage of Life’ in pursuit of the elusive ideal of Love. Her quest takes a precarious turn when she misidentifies Passion, a charismatic actor, as her destined Love, leading to the sorrowful departure of Modesty. The illusion shatters as Everywoman realizes Passion’s superficial affections, contingent solely upon the presence of her companions, Beauty and Youth. This revelation precipitates a devastating chain of events: Passion, in a cruel act of betrayal, orchestrates Dissipation’s theft of Beauty, causing Bluff and Stuff to abandon Everywoman. Time, the relentless devourer, then claims Youth, leaving Everywoman bereft and desperate, attempting to barter herself to Wealth, a cold millionaire who spurns her advances. With only Nobody as her steadfast, albeit desolate, companion, Everywoman embarks on a final, introspective pilgrimage, trailing Truth to her humble abode. There, in a moment of profound recognition, she discovers that Truth’s son is none other than the very physician whose genuine affection she had once dismissed, the true Love she had sought all along. This epiphany heralds the joyful return of Modesty, swiftly followed by the re-emergence of Beauty, concluding her arduous odyssey with a hard-won understanding of enduring values.
Synopsis
A girl auctioning a kiss at a charity bazaar is offered a chance to become an actress by two stage managers. After getting advice from three girlfriends, she awakens the next morning as Everywoman. Her friends have become Modesty, Youth, and Beauty, and the stage managers have become Bluff and Stuff. She turns down a proposal from a struggling physician after Flattery convinces her to go on the Stage of Life and seek Love. When she mistakes Passion, an actor, for Love, Modesty leaves her, but she rejects Passion when she discovers that he wants her only when Beauty and Youth are present. Passion has Dissipation steal Beauty, whereupon Bluff and Stuff desert Everywoman. After losing Youth to Time, Everywoman tries to sell herself to Wealth, a millionaire, but he spurns her. With Nobody as her only friend, she follows Truth home where she discovers the son of Truth, the physician, is the Love she seeks. Modesty returns soon followed by Beauty.
Review Excerpt
"
Everywoman: A Journey Through the Human Condition
Stepping into the world of ‘Everywoman’ (1919) is akin to unwrapping a meticulously crafted moral fable, a cinematic tapestry woven with threads of allegory and profound human experience. This isn't merely a film; it’s a living, breathing morality play, a grand theatrical conceit translated onto the silver screen with a boldness that remains striking even a century later. Directed by George Melford and adapted from Walter Browne’s stage..."
