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Vintage original trimmed 8x10 in. US single-weight glossy photograph from the 1920's law- and infidelity-themed silent film melodrama, PRISONERS OF LOVE, released in 1921 by the Goldwyn Distributing Corporation and directed by Arthur Rosson. Indignant over the sudden discovery of her father's double life, Blanche Davis (Betty Compson) leaves home and under an assumed name obtains employment in San Francisco with lawyers Blair (Roy Stewart) and Randolph (Emory Johnson). She becomes involved with Randolph, and though not married, they live as man and wife. When her father (Ralph Lewis) comes to San Francisco with her younger sister (Clara Horton), Randolph falls in love with the latter and Blair, loving Blanche, determines to see her righted and takes her east. Her father gives Randolph a check to settle matters with his former mistress; seeing her father's signature, Blanche decides, for her sister's sake, not to interfere with their marriage. The cast includes RalphClaire McDowell, Kate Toncracy, and Miss DuPont.
The beautiful image depicts Blanche Davis (Betty Compson), seated on her bed, gazing loonily at the framed photograph of her lover, James Randolph (Emory Johnson), after having read the telegram from him which sits next to her. The exquisite lighting includes a symbolic halo around her head which is complimented by the light from a single candle on a nearby table. Lightly trimmed to approximately 7 x 9.5 in., it is in fine-condition with several creases along the first 2.5 in. of the right border and a small crease on the bottom left corner. There are no pinholes, tears, stains, writing, or other flaws.
Born Homer DeWitt Bodeen on July 25, 1908, in Fresno, California, he began his career as an actor and wrote more than 20 plays before entering the film business. He began his career in the film industry when his stage work drew the attention of film writer and producer Val Lewton, who arranged for Bodeen to work as a research assistant to British novelist Aldous Huxley. He published his first book-length contribution to entertainment history in 1937, Ladies of the Footlights, a slim volume of theater celebrity profiles. In the late 1930's, he began working for RKO and worked his way up to a script writer. His screenwriting credits include Cat People (1942), The Curse of the Cat People (1944), The Seventh Victim (1943), The Enchanted Cottage (1945), I Remember Mama (1948), Night Song (1948), and Billy Budd (1962). His play, Harvest of Years, premiered on Broadway in January 1948 and ran for two weeks. Beginning in the 1950's, he moved to television, writing mainly for anthology shows including Robert Montgomery Presents, Climax!, and Schlitz Playhouse of Stars among others.
Bodeen was gay and, in the 1950’s, was Val Dufour's companion, living with him.
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