The Girl in the Arm-Chair

The Girl in the Arm-Chair (1912)

*** (out of 4)

A young man with a gambling problem soon finds himself in even more trouble when he can't cover a bet. There is a woman who has a thing for him and she has the money that he would need but will he pretend to love her to get it?

This Alice Guy film is certainly another winner for the director who has become a legend over the years because of being one of the few women working in the business during this era. If you're a fan of early films then you'll certainly stumble across Guy and this here is a good place to start. The film works quite nicely as a melo-drama and, unlike the work of D.W. Griffith, it doesn't go into the over-dramatic range. I'm all for Griffith's style and his way of telling a story but it's interesting to see how different Guy's approach is. The performances are good, the film is well-made and there's even a nice dream sequence.