A Woman of Impulse is a 1918 American silent drama film directed by Edward José and written by Eve Unsell based upon the play of the same name by Louis K. Anspacher. The film stars Lina Cavalieri, Gertrude Robinson, Raymond Bloomer, Robert Cain, Clarence Handyside, and Mathilde Brundage. The film was released on October 20, 1918, by Paramount Pictures.[1][2]

A Woman of Impulse
Still with Raymond Bloomer and Lina Cavalieri while Robert Cain watches in the background
Directed byEdward José
Screenplay byEve Unsell
Based onA Woman of Impulse
by Louis K. Anspacher
Produced byAdolph Zukor
StarringLina Cavalieri
Gertrude Robinson
Raymond Bloomer
Robert Cain
Clarence Handyside
Mathilde Brundage
CinematographyHal Young
Production
company
Distributed byParamount Pictures
Release date
  • October 20, 1918 (1918-10-20)
Running time
50 minutes
CountryUnited States
LanguageSilent (English intertitles)

Plot edit

As described in a film magazine,[3] Leonora (Cavalieri), a poor lace maker, is given a musical education by Mr. and Mrs. Stuart (Handyside and Brundage), a wealthy American family, and soon becomes a prima donna. The Spanish Count Nerval (Bloomer) falls in love and marries her, but she refuses to give up her career. En route to America, her sister Nina (Robinson) meets a young American Dr. Paul Spencer (Austern), and, although in love with him, she becomes enamored with Phillip Gardiner (Cain), the son of a wealthy New Orleans family. They are all invited to visit to the Gardiner's in New Orleans, and there the Count becomes jealous of Leonora, thinking that an old affair with Phillip has been renewed. Phillip is found dead in the garden by the Count, having been stabbed with Leonora's jeweled dagger, and Leonora is suspected of the crime. The confession by the Creole servant Cleo (Uzzell) clears matters up, and Nina is happy in the doctor's arms while the Count swears to never doubt his wife again.

Cast edit

Reception edit

Like many American films of the time, A Woman of Impulse was subject to cuts by city and state film censorship boards. For example, the Chicago Board of Censors required a cut, in Reel 5, of the actual stabbing in the vision scene.[4]

References edit

  1. ^ "A Woman of Impulse". AFI. Archived from the original on 2016-10-09. Retrieved 10 January 2015.
  2. ^ "Woman of Impulse (1918) - Trailers, Reviews, Synopsis, Showtimes and Cast - AllMovie". AllMovie. Retrieved 10 January 2015.
  3. ^ "Reviews: A Woman of Impulse". Exhibitors Herald. 7 (17). New York City: Exhibitors Herald Company: 35. October 19, 1918.
  4. ^ "Official Cut-Outs by the Chicago Board of Censors". Exhibitors Herald. 7 (19): 44. November 2, 1918.

External links edit