American Aristocracy

2203. AMERICAN ARISTOCRACY (1916-USA). with DOUGLAS FAIRBANKS, JEWEL CARMEN. Story by ANITA LOOS. Fairbanks sparkles in this satire-adventure, playing one of his early devil-may-care roles. He is Cassius Lee, eccentric amateur entomologist (“the highbrow term for a bug hunter”) who has come to Narraport-by-the-sea in search of the migratory caterpillar. Narraport is a famous New England resort where America’s finest families come to see and be seen. You know who they are. Their names are found on soup cans and beer bottles, When first seen, Cassius is hanging from a tree like a monkey as he seeks out one of his prey. No one in his family is famous and he does not fit in among the society snobs, The story’s heroine is pretty Geraldine Hicks, daughter of America’s hat-pin king. The villain is Percy Peck, famed malted milk mogul. As Percy attempts to woo Geraldine, he has a clandestine conference with a new porter at her hotel, who is described as a “mysterious, dark-skinned foreigner.” This only can mean that Percy is conspiring to pull off some fiendishly horrifying and unpatriotic deed! Although Percy is far less athletic than Cassius, the pair are practically lookalikes. Fairbanks is in constant physical motion throughout, as he effortlessly dodges cars and hops over fences, scales the sides of buildings and maneuvers hydroplanes. At the same time, the film serves as a neat satire of wealthy and overstuffed society snobs and the American nouveau riche. “Silent” film with music score. 48 minutes. “Silent” Comedy