What Happened to Rosa

Petite, graceful Mabel Normand stars as gawky, clumsy Maymee Ladd, a beaten down shopgirl who is told that she is possessed by the spirit of a Spanish temptress ("That will be five dollars, please") and goes in search of love and adventure. A star vehicle, pure and simple, it showcases Mabel's talents quite beautifully and has a number of good laughs based on her character's awkwardness.

Mabel Normand was one of the finest commediennes in popular entertainment. Her wonderfully understated comic timing, incredible physical dexterity and utter fearlessness out does anything Lucille Ball and almost all modern actresses have to offer. Unfortunately, this film underuses that talent in a weakly contrived script. Also she works with some of the worst actors I have seen with a major actress onscreen. There are two scenes that do her skills justice. One involves Mabel behind a store counter with the bare legs of a mannequin, her struggle to put stockings on them, while a misunderstanding man embarassedly believes those are Mabel's bare legs. Another is a rather protracted scene involving Mabel in disguise as a very scruffy boy of the streets. Her efforts to appear tough and yet vulnerable as she tries to get a doctor, her object of desire, to examine her "injuries" is an amazing presentation of sustained physical flexibility and intense emotional strength. Although not worthy of her incredible talents, for anyone interested in seeing Mabel Normand, a truly unique performer, in one of her few surviving feature films, its worth the viewing.

Hosiery department store shop-girl Mabel Normand (as Mayme Ladd) leads a drab existence. As "a dreamer whose dull, drudging life has never been brightened by a single gleam of romance," Ms. Normand is susceptible to scam artist Eugenie Besserer (as Yvette O'Donnell). Normand accepts the phony clairvoyant's invitation for a reading, spending her last few dollars to hear Ms. Besserer summon the spirit of a beautiful Spanish maiden, from within Normand's consciousness. With a flower in her teeth, Normand believes she has the power to become "Rosa Alvaro", a maiden so beautiful she can make men do her bidding with a mere smile. Her pal Doris Pawn (as Gwen Applebaum) thinks Normand's Spanish alter-ego is nutty.

But Normand's "Rosa" succeeds in attracting tall, dark, and handsome doctor Hugh Thompson (as Maynard Drew) at a masquerade party. If you haven't figured it out by now, this is the often updated "Cinderella" storyline. "What Happened to Rosa" is nothing compared to what happened to Mabel Normand, in real life. During her "Goldwyn" years, Normand seemed only a shadow of her former self; probably, the studio didn't know how to best present their star. But, there were also personal problems. For whatever reasons, this film is not vintage Normand. She's better than this. By the way, don't miss the opening "Goldwyn" logo, with "Leo the Lion" striking a "before Metro" pose.

**** What Happened to Rosa (12/20) Victor Schertzinger ~ Mabel Normand, Hugh Thompson, Doris Pawn, Eugenie Besserer

this 1920 comedy stars Mabel Normand as the dull hosiery counter girl whose life is drudgery. She is told about an occult medium by a customer and decides to go to see what her future will bring. The medium (Eugenie Besserer) tells her the spirit of a Spanish temptress named Rosa Alvaro is trying to enter her spirit. She listens but doubts the old woman, especially when she asks for $5.

Back in her apartment she remembers that her mother had been a Spanish dancer and drags out the old costume. She puts in on and examines herself in the mirror and feels a stir of excitement as she strikes dramatic Spanish poses.

By chance she gets invited to a yacht party where her society column dream man (Hugh Thompson) will be attending. She goes as Rosa and captivates him but knows it's time to go when things get serious so she discards the Spanish clothes and jumps overboard to swim for shore.

After a few more plot twists there is a happy ending. Tully Marshall is the store manager. Adolphe Menjou is a friend of the doctor. Doris Pawn is the roommate.

Normand is quite good and was the leading comedienne of silent films. Her career was hurt by her association with William Desmond Taylor and his famous murder and after 1922 her career faltered. Normand combined the sad-sack clown attitudes of Harry Langdon and Giulietta Masina and died in 1930.

Reincarnation and spiritualism were popular at the time What Happened To Rosa? was made. There was also much skepticism, too. What Happened To Rosa? draws upon both a little belief and skepticism.

Daydreaming Mayme Ladd lets Madame O'Donnelly convince her that in a previous life she was a Spanish woman, Rosa Alvaro. From there the story unfolds as Mayme, pretending to be Rosa, pursues the man of her dreams, Dr. Maynard Drew, at a masquerade party. Dr. Drew falls deeply in love with the mysterious Rosa while Mayme's friends try to stop her from making a fool of herself. The way Mayme finally gets back to Dr. Drew is classic.

The written dialogue for Mayme and her friends and co-workers is written in a big city vernacular that further sets her apart from the doctor she desperately wants to meet. When acting the part of Rosa her dialogue turns into an exaggerated European accent. Although the film is silent, the implied accents actually work very well.

Mabel Normand could hold her own in slapstick comedy, but in this film the physical comedy was not the focus of the humor. The situation was the driving force of the plot and action. There was no comedic routine for the sake of adding filler. Every scene was important to the story, never deviating from the plot.

Although What Happened To Rosa? is almost an hour, it feels much shorter than that. Perhaps that is because the movie is so well done that it left me wanting more.