A Chapter in Her Life | 1923 | Drama
Library last generated: 2026-01-14 04:05 LOCAL
Watch on YouTube If playback fails, open YouTube.
Title: A Chapter in Her Life | 1923 | Drama
Director: Lois Weber
Studio: Universal-Jewel / Universal Pictures
Starring: Claude Gillingwater, Jane Mercer, Jacqueline Gadsden, Frances Raymond, Robert Frazer, Eva Thatcher, Ralph Yearsley, Fred Thomson, Beth Rayon
Based on: Novel *Jewel: A Chapter in Her Life* by Clara Louise Burnham
Release Date: September 17 1923
Runtime: Approximately 63 minutes
Format: Silent black and white
Country: United States
Language: Silent with English intertitles
Genres: Drama
---
Chapters:
00:00:00 Jewel arrives at her grandfather’s home
00:10:00 Family tensions and discord
00:20:00 Jewel’s kindness begins to influence the household
00:30:00 Conflicts between relatives intensify
00:40:00 Moments of understanding and forgiveness
00:55:00 Resolution and family reconciliation
---
Summary:
A Chapter in Her Life is a 1923 American silent drama directed by Lois Weber adapted from the novel *Jewel: A Chapter in Her Life*. The film follows young Jewel, who is sent to live with her stern and estranged grandfather while her parents are abroad. Through her warm demeanor and unwavering compassion, Jewel gradually softens the hearts of her gruff grandfather and other family members, resolving longstanding disputes and bringing harmony to the household.
The narrative emphasizes themes of innocence, moral influence, and emotional healing as Jewel’s purity and faith bring about change and understanding within a fractured family dynamic.
---
Background:
Directed by pioneering filmmaker Lois Weber for Universal-Jewel, A Chapter in Her Life was based on the 1903 novel by Clara Louise Burnham and is a remake of Weber’s 1915 adaptation *Jewel*. The production reflects Weber’s interest in character-driven drama and social values, and prints of the film survive in several archives, including the Library of Congress and George Eastman House.
---
Trivia:
The film’s story promotes themes of forgiveness and emotional renewal through Jewel’s optimistic influence.
Prints of the film are preserved in multiple archives, a rarity for many silent era dramas.
Lois Weber was one of the most important women directors of the silent era and returned to Universal to make this adaptation after earlier work in the 1910s.
The film was part of Universal’s “Jewel” series of prestige literary adaptations.
---
Public Domain / Rights:
Original Release: September 17 1923
Original Studio / Distributor: Universal-Jewel / Universal Pictures
Copyright Status: Public Domain
Renewal: Unknown
---
Hashtags:
#AChapterInHerLife #LoisWeber #1923Film #SilentFilm #Drama #ClassicCinema #PublicDomain