Conrad in Quest of His Youth

Although best known today -- if he is remembered at all -- as the brother of Cecil B. Demille and the father of choreographer Agnes Demille, William Demille was an excellent director in the silent era. He did not make the flashy pictures with the stunning scenes that his brother is best remembered for, but smaller pictures about more ordinary people, filled with humor and insight.

This story, about Thomas Meighan's world-weary character, treads the line between humor and mockery expertly. Meighan's Conrad seeks to recapture his zest for life by reliving those times he recalls so fondly: the simple enjoyment of a child's picnic, the recollection of a girlfriend and the great love of his life, the woman he loved in an Italian resort when he was 17 -- played beautifully, hilariously, many years later, by Kathlyn Williams. All attempts end in disaster.

The story is solid, the acting is wonderful and the cinematography, dimmed a bit by the age of the film prints, still works excellently. Highly recommended.

Conrad Warrener has just returned to England from India. When he finds an old photo of himself with his cousins, he decides to contact them and invite them to his old house, where they all used to gather as children. His relatives show up, but lack the enthusiasm that Warrener has, so they end up leaving the next day. Warrener then meets his childhood sweetheart, only to discover she has changed considerably. He then remembers an older woman he once met in Italy, and sets off to see her. That reunion is somewhat bittersweet. On his way home, he encounters a theater group who have had their money stolen by their manager. He becomes involved in their plight, and falls for a woman who is also seeking to relive her past.

This is an interesting film. I was expecting a drama, but it was more like light comedy, with a few serious moments. The reunion of the four relatives is played for laughs; you can tell these people really don't want to be there, and can't wait to leave. Warrener tries to entice them with milk and porridge, a piano sing-a-long, and a game of Parcheesi, but fails at every turn. His guests turn in early, and are subjected to a leaking ceiling.

Warrener's childhood sweetheart has grown portly, with four kids. He does a double-take when he sees her.

The best sequence is when he reunites with the older woman, "Mrs. Adaile," beautifully played by Kathlyn Williams. Their relationship is very touching. They arrange for a late-night meeting to consummate the relationship, but when the lady arrives, she finds Warrener has nodded off.

I thought the film should have ended there, with Warrener realizing the past is gone, and you can't relive it. But in the last fifteen minutes or so, Warrener meets the actors and suddenly falls in love. This almost seemed like a tacked-on happy ending.