A Fool There Was

Theda Bara in her classic role as the "vamp" (even the movie calls her a "woman of the vampire variety" or something like that) plays up to various millionaires, ruining their lives. One man is happily married, but the appearance of Theda always draws him back -- literally (and very theatrically) right in front of his wife! Bara's performance is good; she often uses her whole body (especially her formidable shoulders) to play a scene, in a style which though a bit overdone is very refreshing in a 1915 film, as I'm sure it was for the audiences.

I've been frequenting YouTube a lot lately in order to search for various movies I'd like to see that happen to be in the public domain (and many that aren't that haven't been taken off). Many of these movies are shown in segments that last little more than ten minutes each though there are some exceptions like this one that was shown in its one hour, seven minute entirety. It's one of the few surviving films of Theda Bara who is a pioneer as an alluring sex symbol of the movies. Here she likes to take happily married rich men and play with their emotions for the fun of it. Having said all that, while I found Ms. Bara's vamping pretty entertaining near the end, the first 30 minutes of A Fool There Was almost put me to sleep since that time mainly concerned the man she was fooling with's family. It probably didn't help that many messages that were shown on screen were mainly blurry. So for that, I'd only recommend A Fool There Was for any silent movie buff out there. P.S. This is the one with the famous inter-title card "Kiss Me, You Fool!"

There's no question about its imperfections, but "A Fool There Was" is still an interesting melodrama, and it also looks better when considered in the context of its era. The pacing and storytelling are often uneven, but they are not too bad for a time when everyone was still learning how to tell a feature-length story on film. Theda Bara's performance is sometimes exaggerated, but it also contains some very effective moments, and it's not hard to see why she was something of a phenomenon for a time.

The story is relatively simple, with Bara as a 'vamp' who enters the lives of a respected statesman and his family. In general, the story works rather well, resisting the temptation to resort to anything forced or showy. It's driven solely by the strange power that Bara's character can acquire over good-natured but weak-willed males. Similar stories have been used in recent movies, but usually with the addition of a lot of extraneous or indecent material that adds nothing of genuine value.

To be sure, only someone who already enjoys silent movies will be interested in this one. Within just a few years, film-makers would learn many better and more efficient ways of setting up and telling a lengthy story. Bara is also the only performer here whose performance is of particular interest. But there is more than enough here to make it worth seeing if you like the silents.

A pity for this is only one of a few films left of the icon Theda Bara. Theda was a true madame who knew how to act. The film is not with Theda in a leading role. Although the movie to me is completely about miss Theda. Especially the scene where she truly convinced everyone she was a vamp. The scene where she convinces 'the fool' that she does not discard him but that she just took a ruse to test his love. But later on when he is gone she takes a wallet full of money. Another scene that draws attention is when Theda take a few flowers and crumbles one of them to dust. I truly enjoyed this classic and I surely tell you all to also see this masterpiece.

Theda Bara, she of the weird publicity ('born in the shadow of the Sphinx, etc.), was a dynamic personality and a true screen femme fatale, and we're lucky that this, perhaps her best known film, has survived. She also portrayed Cleopatra and others but that work can no longer be seen.

'A Fool There Was' presents Bara as a woman who brings madness and ruin to the men in her life, as we watch them go headlong to their destruction while under her spell. The bulk of the story presents her romance with a middle-aged millionaire she meets on a cruise, where a scene with a lounge and grapes soon establishes their relationship. No matter that he has a wife and young daughter at home; he is completely in thrall to this modern vampire.

Yes, it was made in 1915 so certain allowances have to be made regarding the filming and acting, but at this time in the story of cinema techniques were getting more sophisticated, and in Bara a sexy and appealing star was born. 'A Fool There Was' showcases her perfectly.