The Affairs of Anatol Reviews

Cecil B. DeMille's adaptation of Arthur Schnitzler's play +Anatol gets by only on star quality and sumptuous sets. Instead of the worldly European attitude of Schnitzler's original story, DeMille had infused his film with American Puritanism by saddling the womanizing Anatol (Wallace Reid), with a wife (Gloria Swanson) and turning him into a stuffy, self-righteous character who is intent on saving troubled young women. Perhaps a protagonist like this was more acceptable in 1921; these days Anatol is much less appealing. In fact, when he walks in on the wild party being given by his childhood sweetheart-turned-gold digger (Wanda Hawley), one tends to think that he has gotten what he deserved. The same thing when his wallet is stolen by the supposedly innocent country girl (Agnes Ayres), whose love for finery has gotten her honest, God-fearing husband (Monte Blue) in trouble. After his foolish escapades with other women, Anatol's wife seems fully justified when she has a night out on the town with family friend Max Runyon (Elliott Dexter). The Affairs of Anatol does not have the appeal of some of DeMille's other work from this period (Don't Change Your Husband and Male and Female come to mind immediately). It's worth watching only because it features some of the biggest stars of the day -- it's rare to find so many of them in one film.