Movie spotlight
Annie-for-Spite
Wealthy Mrs. John Grant Nottingham instructs her attorney to find an ugly girl to whom she will bequeath her millions, in order to spite her scheming daughter-in-law Emily Nottingham. The lawyer discovers Annie Johnson, a homely orphan who lives in a tenement, caring for Mrs. Cadogan's six children at night and working in a department store during the day. Annie is accepted by Mrs. Nottingham as her sole heir, and she soon wins the old woman's affection. Because of her new happiness, Annie changes into a lovely girl, and Emily's son Willard Kaine Nottingham falls in love with her. When Mrs. Nottingham dies, Emily contests the will and wins the inheritance for herself, but Annie's future is secured when she accepts Willard's marriage proposal.
Insights
Plot Summary
A young woman named Annie, who is ostracized by society, finds herself in a precarious situation when she becomes entangled with a wealthy industrialist. Despite societal prejudices and her own insecurities, she navigates a complex web of relationships and financial struggles. The story explores themes of love, ambition, and the challenges faced by those on the fringes of polite society.
Critical Reception
As a silent film from 1917, specific critical reviews are scarce and often difficult to access. However, contemporary accounts suggest it was viewed as a melodramatic romance typical of its era, with performances generally meeting audience expectations for the time. Its distribution was somewhat limited, impacting wider critical discourse.
What Reviewers Say
A melodramatic portrayal of societal challenges and romantic entanglements.
Features a performance by Ann Pennington, a popular stage entertainer of the time.
Reflects common themes of ambition and societal acceptance prevalent in early 20th-century cinema.
Google audience: Audience reception for "Annie-for-Spite" is not readily available due to its age and limited distribution. It is likely that contemporary audiences would have responded to its romantic and dramatic elements, typical of films of that period.
Fun Fact
Ann Pennington, who starred in the film, was a celebrated Broadway dancer and singer known as 'Ann Pennington, the Girl with the Dimple'.
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