Why Change Your Wife? (1920)

Cecil B. DeMille returns with starlet Gloria Swanson in yet another picture about the struggles of men and women in a life of marriage. A romantic comedy with DeMille's (sort of forced) morals and his special touch of lightheartedness brings us an enjoyable film about how two lovers tend to forget why they loved each other in the first place only to rediscover it.

Sounds a bit familiar, does it? Well yeah, it tended to be a theme that DeMille had during this period of his films, as seen in the previously viewed Don't Change Your Husband (1919). Depending on how you watch it, you can see this picture as a bit degrading towards women, as it shows how a wife can be less exciting with time and how they should better suit what their man likes. But it also makes the wife a bit stuck-up, needy, and a little bit of a nagger, so a rather weighted character to the side of one that is less about fun and more about herself. But, let us remember that it is only a movie, for entertainment purposes and the characters are set this way to suit the needs of the plot and entertain its audience. Okay, so lets move forward.

Swanson play Beth Gordon, wife to Robert (Thomas Meighan), a wealthy gentleman (once again wealth seems to be a theme in Hollywood) who enjoys the simpler things in life, like jazzier music, playing with his dog, and simply going out and having a good time. Swanson's character on the other hand dislikes the dog, believes in listening to more "proper" drabber music, and is overall a bit more needy. Basically the tables are turned from the previous DeMille/Swanson film, where the husband needed to clear up and fly right to get back his wife, this time the wife is the one that seems to push the wrong buttons on the husband.

There is a wonderful scene earlier in the picture that sets a tone for the characters, for it is done so well by DeMille that I have to stop and mention it. In the scene Robert is trying to shave while Beth is continually interrupting, always needing something or wanting to talk about something. As a man, I can completely relate to this scene as it is very real to life, not always while shaving, but it does happen. Robert loves his wife that he puts up with his wife's continual interruptions, but he really knows that if he took a few seconds and finished shaving he could help her with anything she needed, much better in fact, as his face would not be covered in shaving cream.
This prompts the line "I do love you dear, but right now I'm shaving." It is good to see how times in the early 20s are very similar to today. It is lighthearted moments like this one that makes the film enjoyable.

Anyways, back to the story...

Basically the wife is a stuffy goody-goody, and the man is saddened that she does not seem to like anything he does. Robert hopes to spice things up by buying the little lady a negligee. A model from the shop, Sally Clark (Bebe Daniels), eyes our rich gentleman. Beth does care for Robert's gift which saddens him even more as he was only trying to help.

The story takes a turn as Sally shows up at Roberts office as he was just turned down by his wife on a night on the town. Beth would rather stay at home a listen to violinist play. So Robert takes Sally out for some fun and they turn out to have much in common, meanwhile the violinist is enamored with Beth and does everything to win her. Well this all leads to the two divorcing and moving their separate ways.

Well as time passes Robert realizes that Sally does not love him as he once thought, and Beth, having realized that she was a rather drab, spice less person, had given herself a makeover. Luck would have it that Robert and Sally go to the same resort that Beth and her violinist is staying at and Robert slowly rediscovers his love for Beth, while Sally grows fond of the violinist. After a bad spill Beth cares for an injured Robert and Sally does not take well to that. A fight ensues, which is also portrayed by Beth's (once Robert's) dog and Sally's cat fighting. Beth wins back her man and there is your happy ending.

This is yet another DeMille picture that basically says "pay attention to your mate, otherwise you might lose him/her." Just another nice film for one to watch, if you can watch a silent film. DeMille does do a good job a telling a story with minimal title cards, making the most of the visuals, like the shaving scene. DeMille does use one trick that works well for its time. He would have the characters show records that they were putting on to play with the title in full view so that the audience can imagine the score they could be listening to. This is helped along with the feud over tastes of music, but really is a clever way for the audience to use their imaginations to match the music to the scene. Obviously it does not work well today since we may not know the songs today, but with titles like the "Fox Trot" and "the Dying Poet" we understand the tempo of what the music is.

The film also shares as a time capsule of what high fashion was like then. With the visit to the shop to buy a negligee, we see several fashions on display by the models. Ultimately we see Gloria Swanson, a mega star, display fashion as her character transforms herself into the more stylish and sexy version of herself. Times have definitely changed, but I find it fun to look back on where we once were with styles.

So is the moral of the story that women should become their husband's fantasy and suit their every need? No. It is a simple "listen to each other" movie. But women, leave a man alone while shaving, we can help you when we are done.