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During the World War, Donald Allen is reported killed in action but is really a victim of amnesia. His French nurse, Suzanne, gives him a new identity (John Rolfe), and they marry. Together they get jobs as servants on Donald's estate, now in the hands of Corinne, his ex-fiancée. He is recognized, and after an operation he regains his memory but forgets his wife. Corinne, in the meanwhile, attempts to run off with some of Donald's money but is foiled by Suzanne. Donald finally recognizes his wife.

Madge Bellamy in His Forgotten Wife (1924)

Amnesia and True Love in the War's Aftermath

On April 14, F.B.O. released HIS FORGOTTEN WIFE, the second Madge Bellamy vehicle produced under the Palmer Photoplay banner. This was the last of the three Palmer Photoplay films made at the Thomas Ince studio, as I outline in my biography of the producer, all of which he was closely involved in. Directed in six reels by William Sieter, shooting lasted from January 15 to February 15, 1923, for a cost of $97,773, with $37,542 charged for overhead. Moving into the household of Corinne McRea (Maude Waye), are two married servants, the French maid Suzanne (Bellamy) and her husband John Rolfe (Warner Baxter). Corinne is surprised to recognize John as Donald Allen, her fiancée believed killed during the war in Europe. Corinne&#39;s harsh features and excessive makeup make her appearance verge on the masculine, while Suzanne&#39;s soft round face is idealized, glowing in an almost saintly manner and obviously deeply in love with John. At a party, Corinne tries a trick, believing that Donald will recognize her, and proclaiming herself his wife. Suzanne, speaking throughout in French dialect, contradicts her: &quot;Zat ees one big lie!&quot; While he instinctively can find certain objects from a past otherwise buried in amnesia, Donald has no recognition of people. Corinne, to avoid humiliation, tells her guests it was all a joke, and orders John and Suzanne from the house. That night, however, Suzanne tells John the truth: that is indeed his identity. Through several flashbacks, the background is revealed. Suzanne was Donald&#39;s nurse in a French hospital, where he was taken when wounded in combat, and did not regain his memory. There they fell in love, after she had given him the name of another missing man. One of those at Corinne&#39;s party, Judge Hemry (Tom Guise), has the couple to his office the next day. A handwriting sample confirms his belief that John is indeed Donald, and Hemry reveals that Corinne was only his fiancée, not his wife, but to whom he left all his property in his will. By then she is already withdrawing his money and bonds from the bank. As Hemry and Donald discuss an operation, Suzanne makes herself up as a bandit and robs Corinne. Learning the surgery has begun in her absence, she turns over the money to Hemry, distraught since she believes she has lost Donald. A doctor later declares the operation a complete success, but Donald will lose all recollection of what happened in the interim, forgetting his years and marriage with Suzanne. He does go back to Corinne, who feigns devotion, but even so he senses something untrue. When Hemry takes Suzanne to Corinne&#39;s party, Donald&#39;s intuition leads him to realize who is his wife. Certainly the far-fetched coincidence that allows the plot is the underlying drawback of HIS FORGOTTEN WIFE, yet it is simultaneously the entire premise, and thus requires acceptance. Only this fact, and the fast pace, point to the movie as a second-tier production. HIS FORGOTTEN WIFE was impressive in its sets, costumes, and several dynamic automobile chases. So too, impressively drawn intertitles add to the impression of a well-made picture, most notably one in which Suzanne&#39;s image in the corner of the intertitle emerges from nothingness as they realize their love. Baxter, already a star, gives little hint of the range or magnetism that would mark his career in sound films. Yet he is hardly the center of the story; it is Suzanne, the narrative told largely through her own perceptions of the events. Bellamy impressively captures the piquant, emotional Frenchwoman, in the slightly exaggerated manner typical of movies at this time.

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His Forgotten Wife

Warner Baxter has been pulled out of the battle lines in the Great War. He is recuperating, but suffering because he has lost his memory. Informed he is John Rolfe, he immediately proposes to his pretty French nurse, Madge Bellamy. She accepts, and soon they are back in New York, looking for work. But there is no work, so they take jobs as an under-butler and lady&#39;s maid to Maude Wayne, who was Baxter&#39;s fiancee, and heir to his fortune after he was declared dead. Miss Wayne and Baxter&#39;s butler, Willis Marks, recognize him, but neither makes any mention of the fact until Miss Wayne torments him a bit. Then they are taken in hand by lawyer Tom Guise, who promises to get back Baxter&#39;s property. Meanwhile, Miss Wayne has drawn all the cash and negotiable securities out of the bank. Fortunately, Miss Bellamy sees this and robs her. To further complicate this RANDOM HARVEST-style plot -- did James Hilton see this movie? -- Guise has Baxter undergo an operation which restores his memory; however, he has no memory of anything after being injured in the War, so now he doesn&#39;t remember he is married to Miss Bellamy. Fortunately, this is a 62-minute movie, and there has to be a chase, so it doesn&#39;t go through many more cycles. Baxter is stalwart. Miss Bellamy is gorgeous, with some nice portrait shots, and Miss Wayne looks a bit horse-faced. This was restored via Kickstarter by the people at Grapevine Video, and it&#39;s in pretty good shape. There are some minor visual problems at the 28-minute and 60-minute marks, but Max Dupont&#39;s and Conrad Wells&#39; camerawork is excellent, as is Donald Drazin&#39;s score.

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His Forgotten Wife

Amnesia and True Love in the War's Aftermath

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