You shall not covet your neighbor's wife

Movie
German title	You shall not covet your neighbor's wife
Original title	Beyond the rocks
Country of production	United States
original language	English
Publishing year	1922
length	76, 80 minutes
Rod
Director	Sam Wood
script	Jack Cunningham based ; on the novel of the same name by Elinor Glyn
camera	Alfred Gilks
occupation
	Gloria Swanson : Theodora Fitzgerald; Rudolph Valentino : Lord Hector Bracondale; Robert Bolder : Josiah Brown; Gertrude Astor : Morella Winmarleigh; June Elvidge : Lady Anna Anningford; Alec B. Francis : Theodora's father; Mabel Van Buren : Jane McBride; Helen Dunbar : Lady Ada Fitzgerald; Raymond Brathwayt : Sir Patrick Fitzgerald; Frank Butler : Lord Wensleydon;

You Shall Not Desire Your Neighbor Wife is an American silent film drama with Gloria Swanson and Rudolph Valentino in the leading roles.

action

A village in the county of Dorset , on the south coast of England. Theodora Fitzgerald capsizes on an excursion with her paddle boat. The young and attractive womanizer Hector Earl of Bracondale observes this from his excursion boat and fishes her out of the water. As a thank you, she gives him a daffodil. Theodora is the daughter of her father's illegitimate relationship. Her family has financial worries, so her stepmother and the two stepsisters Theodora want to marry off against their will to the much older, stocky and not very handsome millionaire Josiah Brown. Out of love for her worried father, the veteran officer Captain Fitzgerald, Theodora agrees to a marriage proposal by Brown.

The unlikely couple spends their honeymoon in the Swiss Alps. Coincidentally, Lord Bracondale is also relaxing in the same inn. At first he no longer recognizes Theodora, but then he does: by the scent of her perfume, that of a daffodil. The gallant aristocrat Theodora has to save the second time on a mountain tour; this time it has slipped and threatens to fall from the rock. Her husband Josiah is more than annoyed by the hasty British handsome. And so the couple travels to Paris. There Theodora's husband begins to get sick and indulge in a bad mood. Her father visits her on the Seine and they both use the time together to go out. In the meantime, Lord Hector has clung to Theodoras' heels as he begins to develop more than just sporting interest in the married lady. In Paris he becomes her beau, you stroll down the boulevards and go out. No doubt he is trying to win old Josiah's wife over to him. Theodora, however, knows what a decent wife should do and acts superficially disinterested; in truth, however, it has long been on fire.

Gloria Swanson and Rudolph Valentino (Still)

But since Hector does not have a final chance, because Theodora intends to uphold the standards of decency of a married woman in society, the young Brit travels back to London disappointed. There he complains of his suffering to his sister, Lady Anna Anningford. Anna knows her Womanizer brother's urge to conquer inside and out, but this time, as she also sees it, it seems to be something serious. Hector would like to see Anna and Theodora become friends, not without ulterior motives. Anna then invites the Browns over. Theodora and Hector meet again after a long time at a party in the British capital. Husband Josiah also present. He has business to discuss with Sir Lionel Gray. It's about an upcoming expedition to North Africa. Hector advises Josiah not to participate, as the danger is very great, but Josiah at least wants to finance the expedition.

Josiah Brown then goes on a business trip. Theodora wants to accompany her husband, believing that her will (to resist Hector, who does not give up) is strong, but that her flesh is too weak for that. Her husband has no idea what feelings have built up between the two young people. Theodora has long since begun to burn in love with Hector. But Josiah refuses to accompany his wife, and so Theodora decides to spend the husbandless time with her new friend Anna Anningford. During this time she wrote two letters. One to Hector, in which she on the one hand confesses her love to him, but on the other hand makes it clear that there can never be a relationship between the two of them for known reasons. She writes the other letter to her husband. Both letters are promptly read by the curious Anna.

Rudolph Valentino and the novelist Elinor Glyn

But then a mishap happens: the next day, Hector holds the letter intended for Josiah in his hands, while Josiah Theodoras devours the heartbeat parts written to Hector. Hector rushes to Josiah, who now knows about his wife's true feelings for the much younger man. The old man is angry and desperate at the same time and accuses Hector of trying to steal his wife. The young nobleman assures Brown that his wife has never been unfaithful to him. Josiah writes a message to Theodora informing her that he will now take part in Sir Lionel Grey's expedition to northern Africa. Theodora and Hector rightly believe that Josiah seeks the danger with full intent and accepts his own death, as he has realized that he will not be able to keep his young wife in the long term. Theodora and Hector follow him immediately and reach the desert camp of the small expedition troop. At that very moment the camp is attacked by marauding locals. Josiah dying gives both of them his blessing for a future together.

Production notes

Thou shalt not covet your neighbor's wife ran into the United States on May 7, 1922.

In Germany, the film was probably released in September 1924. The German film title alludes to the ninth of the ten commandments .

In 2005 a restored version of the film was released.

criticism

AO Scott described the film as “wonderfully overripe melodrama” after its rediscovery in January 2006 and also wrote: “It would be too much to say that (the film) 'Beyond the Rocks' was made by the Dutch Film Museum restored and brought out by Milestone is an unknown masterpiece. But its reappearance should at least be worth some scientific considerations from its director, Sam Wood (...) He put Swanson and Valentino, two of the greatest stars of the time, in the limelight with a light hand, always keeping the audience's pleasure in mind. "

Individual evidence

^ Beyond the Rocks in The New York Times . In the original: “It would be too much to say that 'Beyond the Rocks,' which was restored by the Dutch Film Museum and is being released by Milestone, is an unknown masterpiece. But its reappearance should at least invite some scholarly reconsideration of its director, Sam Wood ... He directs Swanson and Valentino, two of the biggest stars of the era, with a light touch and keen attention to the audience's pleasure ”

Web links

You shall not covet your neighbor's wife in the Internet Movie Database (English)

[1] Beyond the Rocks in The New York Times . In the original: “It would be too much to say that 'Beyond the Rocks,' which was restored by the Dutch Film Museum and is being released by Milestone, is an unknown masterpiece. But its reappearance should at least invite some scholarly reconsideration of its director, Sam Wood ... He directs Swanson and Valentino, two of the biggest stars of the era, with a light touch and keen attention to the audience's pleasure ”