Queen of the Chorus: A Sweet, Silly Silent Film Gem

So, Queen of the Chorus. Is it worth digging up today? Absolutely, if you have a soft spot for silent films, especially those light romantic comedies where everyone gets into a mess over who’s rich and who’s not. If you need explosions or deep, meaningful dialogue, you’ll probably find this a bit slow. But for a peek into a simpler time’s idea of dramatic misunderstandings, it’s pretty neat. 🎭

Virginia Brown Faire plays Sally, our chorus girl. She’s got this *spark*, you know? Not overly dramatic, just genuinely sweet and a little naive. You really root for her from the start.

Rex Lease as Billy, the secretary, his whole act as the millionaire feels a bit forced sometimes. You can almost see him trying to remember his lines about being rich. It’s endearing in its own way, though.

The setup is pure mistaken identity. Billy, the secretary, is supposed to look after the boss’s house while the real boss, Julian, is in Europe. Of course, Billy decides to impress Sally by pretending *he’s* the owner of the fancy estate. This is where all the fun begins.

There’s a scene where Sally is at the “millionaire’s” house for the first time, and she’s just *beaming*. It’s a small detail, but you really feel her joy, even if it’s based on a total lie. Her happiness is quite infectious.

Lloyd Whitlock as Julian, the actual millionaire. When he finally comes back, his surprise at seeing Sally and Billy together is priceless. It’s not a huge, over-the-top reaction, just this quiet bewilderment, like he can’t quite believe his eyes. 👀

The film doesn’t waste much time with deep character dives. It’s all about the plot mechanics, getting these three people into and out of trouble. It moves pretty quickly for a silent film, honestly.

One moment sticks out: Billy trying to avoid Julian at a party. The camera just follows him darting through the crowd, almost comically frantic. It definitely made me chuckle, a little bit like a cat chasing its tail.

And the chorus bits? They’re charming enough. Not groundbreaking, but it sells the setting. The costumes are lovely, though you don't spend a ton of time on stage, which is fine by me. It's not really a musical.

Harriet Hammond plays a socialite, Mrs. Crosby, who’s just *dripping* with judgment. Every side-eye she throws is a masterclass in silent film disdain. She doesn’t even need a title card to tell you what she’s thinking. 🙄

The pacing is a little uneven, I noticed. Sometimes scenes rush by, then a reaction shot lingers for what feels like ages. It’s not necessarily bad, just *different* from what you might expect.

You can really feel the film trying to build up the tension around Billy’s deception. Will Sally find out? Will Julian figure it out before it’s too late? The suspense is gentle, never nail-biting, which fits the overall tone.

There’s a sequence where Sally is just heartbroken, and the close-up on her face… it’s simple, but so effective. You really do feel for her predicament. You just want things to work out.

The ending, as you might expect from this sort of story, ties things up rather neatly. Everyone finds their right place, after a bit of a tumble. It leaves you feeling pretty good, actually. No big surprises, just a pleasant resolution.

Overall, Queen of the Chorus is a nice little slice of old Hollywood. It's not trying to reinvent the wheel, but it delivers on its simple premise with some genuine charm. If you're looking for a quiet, easy watch, this one could be for you.