THE NEXT CORNER

Produced by Famous-Players Lasky; Released 2/18/24 by Paramount Pictures; Director: Sam Wood; Producers: Adolph Zukor and Jesse Lasky; Screenplay: Monte Katterjohn, from the novel and play by Kate Jordan; Cinematography: Alfred Gilks; 7 reels (7081')

CAST: Conway Tearle (Robert Maury), Lon Chaney (Juan Serafin), Dorothy Mackaill (Elsie Maury), Ricardo Cortez (Don Arturo), Louise Dresser (Nina Race), Remea Radzina (Countess Longueval), Dorothy Cumming (Paula Vrain), Mrs. Bertha Feducha (Julie), Bernard Seigel (The Stranger)

SYNOPSIS: Robert Maury, an American mining engineer, and his wife Elsie, are honeymooning in Paris. Don Arturo, and handsome nobleman, rescues Elsie from the attentions of Jacques, a burly laborer. His aide, Juan Serafin, looks longingly at Elsie, and knowing the trap that Arturo's charms are setting for her. Maury must leave for the Argentine on business, while Elsie and her mother, Nina Race, remain behind. Arturo introduces them to Countess Longueval, the queen of the smart Parisian set. Paula Vrain, Arturo's previous favorite, takes the girl under her wing, and makes her the new queen of the chic fashion set. Maury returns to Paris and is shocked at the change in Elsie, but to ease the tension of their reunion, he urges her to accept an invitation by Mrs. Vrain to attend a house party at Arturo's hunting lodge. Elsie arrives, accompanied by Serafin, but is shocked to learn that no other guests are there. Arturo attempts to seduce her, but she resists momentarily, taking the time to write her husband with a confession of her new love for Arturo. Arturo substitutes two blank pages for the confession, and burns the original. A stranger suddenly appears, accuses Arturo of seducing his daughter, and shoots him. Elsie, returns to Paris, and confides in her mother how they must intercept the letter to her husband. Serafin, believing Arturo's death was due to Elsie, delivers the letter to her husband. Elsie confesses all to her husband and urges him to read the letter, but when he opens the envelope he finds only the blank pages Arturo substituted. He forgives his wife and takes her in his arms. Serafin is found later, shot, clutching one of Elsie's handkerchiefs.

"Old fashioned in theme and characterization and conventional in treatment is this picture which carries very little entertaining qualities. Any faithful filmgoer will recognize the plot as belonging to a threadbare formula--one which has done yeoman service on the screen. The best feature of the picture is Dorothy Mackaill's vital performance...Conway Tearle as the husband and Ricardo Cortez as the other man are also effective, while Lon Chaney's personality is buried in a small role...It is a finely mounted production, but the story is weak." ---Motion Picture News

"Well it was fearfully cold and the radio must have been good, as we had no crowd at all to see this one, and we were glad, as it is a very poor show. Lay off. Poor audience appeal." -- -Exhibitor report ("Straight From the Shoulder Reports") in Moving Picture World

NOTES: By all accounts, THE NEXT CORNER is a real curiosity, and one wonders what prompted Chaney to work on it right after his tremendous success in THE HUNCHBACK OF NOTRE DAME. He was relegated to a relatively small part, and most publicity on the film makes little mention of his role. One press release by Paramount spoke of Chaney's skill at pantomime and make-up, and noted his relatively straight performance in the film. "In THE NEXT CORNER...he plays for the first time in nine years with practically no make-up."


© 1998,2008 Jon C. Mirsalis


Return to Filmography