Every Woman’s Problem | 1921 | Drama

Title: Every Woman’s Problem | 1921 | Drama Director: Willis Robards (re-edited version) Studio: Plymouth Pictures Corporation Starring: Mrs. Wallace Reid (Dorothy Davenport), Willis Robards, Maclyn King, Wilson Du Bois Based on: Original scenario by Hal Reid (*Mothers of Men*) Release Date: April 1921 Runtime: Approximately 5 reels (restored version varies) Format: Silent black and white with English intertitles Country: United States Language: Silent Genres: Drama Social / Political --- Chapters: 00:00:00 Clara Madison’s legal beginnings 00:10:00 Election as judge and rising profile 00:20:00 Husband’s accusation and trial 00:30:00 Political strife as governor 00:40:00 Moral dilemma and confession 00:50:00 Resolution and vindication --- Summary: Every Woman’s Problem is a 1921 American silent drama re-edited from the 1917 suffrage-era film *Mothers of Men*. The narrative centers on Clara Madison, a determined lawyer and judge who rises to become governor in an imagined future where women can vote and hold high office. When her husband is implicated in a sensational crime, Clara faces a profound moral and political crisis that tests her principles and leadership. The film blends courtroom drama, political intrigue, and personal conflict to explore themes of gender, justice, and societal change. The story reflects early twentieth-century debates about women’s roles in public life following the ratification of the Nineteenth Amendment, dramatizing the challenges a woman in power might encounter as both a public servant and a spouse. --- Background: Originally released as *Mothers of Men* in 1917, the film was re-edited, retitled, and rereleased in 1921 to resonate with contemporary audiences after women gained the right to vote. New title cards and additional footage were included to frame the story in the context of post-suffrage America, making Every Woman’s Problem both a dramatic feature and a cultural artifact of its era. --- Trivia: The 1921 version stars Dorothy Davenport (billed as Mrs. Wallace Reid) as Clara Madison, a role that embodies early cinematic depictions of female political leadership. The film was restored from a single surviving print preserved by the British Film Institute and shown at silent film festivals in the 2010s. Despite originating in 1917, the story was reshaped to engage with post-Nineteenth Amendment audiences when rereleased as Every Woman’s Problem. --- Public Domain / Rights: Original Release: April 1921 Original Studio / Distributor: Plymouth Pictures Corporation Copyright Status: Public Domain Renewal: Unknown --- Hashtags: #EveryWomansProblem1921 #DorothyDavenport #SilentFilm #WomenInPolitics #ClassicCinema #PublicDomain