The Red Kimona | 1925 | Silent drama

Title: The Red Kimona | 1925 | Silent drama Director: Walter Lang Studio: Mrs. Wallace Reid Productions Starring: Priscilla Bonner, Carl Miller, Virginia Pearson, Tyrone Power Sr., Mary Carr Based on: “Gabrielle of the Red Kimono” by Adela Rogers St. Johns Release Date: February 1, 1926 Runtime: 77 minutes Format: Silent; black-and-white; 1.33:1; 7 reels; English intertitles Country: United States Language: Silent Genres: Drama, Social problem --- Chapters: 00:00:00 Prologue and case introduction 00:12:00 Lured to New Orleans 00:30:00 The red dress and brothel life 00:50:00 Jewelry store shooting and trial 01:05:00 Reform, hospital work, and resolve --- Summary: A young woman, Gabrielle Darley, is seduced by a charming man who lures her from her small-town home to New Orleans and into prostitution. Years later, when she discovers he intends to marry someone else with the money she earned, she follows him to Los Angeles and shoots him in a jewelry store. Her trial reveals the exploitation and social pressures that shaped her life, and the jury acquits her. Afterward, Gabrielle struggles to rebuild her reputation under the watch of a publicity-seeking society matron. She seeks honest work, then finds purpose as a hospital helper during wartime, determined to earn a new life and love. The film blends melodrama with social critique, urging compassion for women trapped by circumstance. --- Background: Produced by Dorothy Davenport and adapted by Dorothy Arzner from Adela Rogers St. Johns’s story, the film was a “social conscience” picture addressing prostitution and moral reform. It marked the feature directing debut of Walter Lang and was released independently through Vital Exchanges, Inc. The production used the real name of the woman whose story inspired the film, leading to the California case Melvin v. Reid , and it faced censorship bans in the United Kingdom and some U.S. cities. --- Trivia: The title appears in the opening credits as “The Red Kimona,” a variant still widely associated with the film. Dorothy Davenport appears onscreen in framing segments, addressing the audience to underscore the film’s reformist message. The British Board of Film Censors banned the picture in 1926; it also met censorship hurdles in Chicago. The film’s cinematography is by James Diamond, and it features an early screen role for Tyrone Power Sr. A preservation print survives at the Library of Congress. --- Public Domain / Rights: Original Release: February 1, 1926 Original Studio / Distributor: Mrs. Wallace Reid Productions / Vital Exchanges, Inc. Copyright Status: Public Domain Renewal: Unknown --- Hashtags: TheRedKimona TheRedKimono SilentFilm PublicDomain WalterLang DorothyDavenport PriscillaBonner 1920sCinema FilmHistory Restoration Source page: https: //commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:The_Red_Kimona_(1925).webm Direct media URL: https: //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/19/The_Red_Kimona_%281925%29.webm