Prince of Tempters
{{short description|1926 film by Lothar Mendes}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=September 2020}}
{{Infobox film
| name = Prince of Tempters
| image = Prince of Tempters.jpg
| caption = Theatrical poster held by Federation University Historical Collection
| director = Lothar Mendes
| producer = Robert Kane
| based_on = {{basedon|The Ex-Duke|E. Phillips Oppenheim}}
| writer = Paul Bern
| narrator =
| starring = {{ubl|Lois Moran|Ben Lyon|Lya De Putti|Ian Keith}}
| music =
| cinematography = Ernest Haller
| editing =
| studio = Robert Kane Productions
| distributor = First National Pictures
| released = {{film date|1926|10|17}}
| runtime = 82 minutes
| country = United States
| language = Silent (English intertitles)
| budget =
| gross =
}}
Prince of Tempters is a 1926 American silent romance film directed by Lothar Mendes and starring Lois Moran, Ben Lyon, and Lya De Putti. It is based on the 1924 novel The Ex-Duke by the British writer E. Phillips Oppenheim.[http://www.afi.com/members/catalog/AbbrView.aspx?s=&Movie=11452 The AFI Catalog of Feature Films: Prince of Tempters]
Plot
While in Italy, the Duke of Chatsfield clandestinely marries a peasant woman, and they have a son named Francis. After the parents pass away following their separation, Francis is raised in a monastery. Upon reaching the age of 20, Francis takes his final vows. Meanwhile, his uncle, a duke, discovers that Francis is the rightful heir to the dukedom. With a dispensation granted by the Pope, Francis assumes the title. In London, Mario, a destitute novice posing as Baron Giordano, seeks to wed Monica, Francis' attractive cousin. To eliminate his competition, Mario recruits Dolores, his former lover, to entrap Francis. Despite falling prey to Dolores' tactics, Francis falls in love with Monica during a visit to his relatives, and they become engaged. However, Monica breaks off the engagement upon learning of Dolores' affections for Francis. Disheartened, Francis returns to London and engages in a series of flirtations. Upon discovering Monica's acceptance of Mario's proposal, Francis returns to the monastery. Dolores reveals Mario's deceit to Monica before taking her own life, leading to the reconciliation of the lovers.
Cast
- Lois Moran as Monica
- Ben Lyon as Francis
- Lya De Putti as Dolores
- Ian Keith as Mario Ambrosio, later Baron Humberto Giordano
- Mary Brian as Mary
- Olive Tell as Duchess of Chatsfield
- Sam Hardy as Apollo Beneventa
- Henry Vibart as Duke of Chatsfield
- Judith Vosselli as Signora Wembley
- Fraser Coalter as Lawyer
- J. Barney Sherry as Papal Secretary
- Jeanne Carpenter as Flower girl
File:Film actress Lya De Putti in "Prince of Tempters" (SAYRE 23086).jpg
Production
The film was made at the Cosmopolitan Studios in New York. It was the first film made in America by the German director Lothar Mendes, who married Dorothy Mackaill while working on the production.Koszarski p. 131
Preservation
A copy of this film is held at the Museum of Modern Art, New York.[http://lcweb2.loc.gov/diglib/ihas/loc.mbrs.sfdb.2884/default.html The Library of Congress American Silent Feature Film Survival Catalog: Prince of Tempters]
References
Bibliography
- Koszarski, Richard. Hollywood on the Hudson: Film and Television in New York from Griffith to Sarnoff. Rutgers University Press, 2008.
External links
{{commons category|Prince of Tempters}}
- {{IMDb title|0017286}}
{{Lothar Mendes}}
Category:Silent American romance films
Category:American silent feature films
Category:American black-and-white films
Category:Films directed by Lothar Mendes
Category:Films based on British novels
Category:1920s English-language films
Category:English-language romance films
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{{1920s-romance-film-stub}}