Summary
Should She Obey? unfurls a stark morality play, charting the precipitous ascent and ignominious fall of William Gordon, a man initially defined by indolence until galvanized by his devoted wife, Lorna. Her unwavering belief propels him to an engineering marvel – a transformative welding process – that catapults him into the corporate stratosphere. Yet, this newfound empire proves a brittle foundation for his character. Concurrently, his erstwhile companion from less ambitious days, Henry Blake, navigates his own moral quagmire, forced into matrimony with Mamie following the birth of their daughter, a child subsequently consigned to the austere confines of a convent. Gordon's own fidelity soon fractures under the siren call of the theatrical world, specifically the captivating Marie Gibson. He abandons his steadfast wife and young son, ensnared by the promise of installing Marie into the very echelons of society he now commands. Blake, meanwhile, descends further into vice, his illicit dance hall operation exposed by a raid. Recognizing Gordon's scandalous liaison, Blake seizes the opportunity for avarice, leveraging the affair into a lucrative blackmail scheme. With the ill-gotten gains, Blake cruelly forsakes Mamie, establishing a new, opulent dance hall where, in a grotesque twist of fate, he exploits his own convent-reared daughter as an entertainer for the jaded elite. As these entangled narratives reach their nadir, Lorna and Mamie, both having sought liberation through Reno's divorce courts, forge an unlikely solidarity. Their paths converge upon the horrifying realization of Blake's ultimate perfidy: coercing his daughter into a financially advantageous but loveless union. The two women, empowered by their shared tribulations, orchestrate a daring rescue. Justice, though often circuitous, ultimately prevails as society, in a powerful act of collective censure, repudiates Gordon's intended remarriage to Marie, driving the ostracized pair into European exile, their grand ambitions reduced to a hollow flight.
Synopsis
Inspired by his wife Lorna, shiftless William Gordon discovers a welding process worth millions and becomes president of a large corporation. Henry Blake, a friend of Gordon's from his indolent days, is forced to marry when his girl friend Mamie gives birth to a daughter, who is sent to live in a convent. Becoming infatuated with actress Marie Gibson, Gordon leaves Lorna and his son William, Jr. and promises to install Marie in society. After the dance hall that he is running is raided, Blake blackmails Gordon with the threat of exposing his illicit affair. With the extortion money, Blake deserts Mamie and opens up his own dance hall where he employs his daughter to entertain the idle rich. Meanwhile, both Mamie and Lorna have obtained divorces in Reno and are living together when they learn that Blake intends to force his daughter to marry a wealthy man. Together the women rescue the girl and justice is served when society refuses to sanction Gordon's remarriage to Marie and the pair are driven by ostracism to Europe.
Review Excerpt
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Stepping back into the annals of early cinema, one encounters films like Should She Obey? (1917), a title that immediately conjures an era grappling with evolving social norms and the often-conflicting expectations placed upon individuals, particularly women. This silent drama, a product of its time, delves into the treacherous landscape of ambition, fidelity, and the surprisingly resilient spirit of those wronged. It’s a narrative tapestry woven with threads of aspiration, moral decay, ..."
