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Lady Windermere's Fan (1925)
Plot Summary:
Unable to rely upon Oscar Wilde's epigrammatic dialogue to carry the day (this was,
after all, the silent-film era), director Ernst Lubitsch substitutes verbal wit for the
visual variety in his 1925 filmization of Lady Windemere's Fan. Ronald Colman has one of
his first important screen roles as the slightly caddish Lord Darlington, who is in love
with the very pretty--and very married—Lady Windemere (May McAvoy). The lady is
rescued from disgrace at the hands of Darlington by the notorious Mrs. Erlynne (Irene
Rich), who unbeknownst to everyone is Lady Windemere's long-lost mother. Filmed at the
still young-and-hungry Warner Bros. studio, Lady Windemere's Fan was an enormous hit, and
an instant candidate for the many "Ten Best" lists tabulated by the fan
magazines of the era. Even in the truncated prints available today, Lubitsch's subtle
visual innuendos and the film's overall charm still work their magic. -- Hal Erickson
Plot Summary from The All
Movie Guide.
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