A Bachelor's Wife

American 1919 silent drama short film

June 1, 1919 (1919-06-01) (United States)

Running time

5 reelsCountryUnited StatesLanguageSilent (English intertitles)

A Bachelor's Wife is a 1919 silent drama film directed by Emmett J. Flynn and starring Mary Miles Minter. As with many of Minter's films, the film is thought to be a lost film.^[1] In the weeks before its release, some film magazines listed the feature under its working title “Mary O’Rourke.” ^[2]

Plot

As described in Motion Picture Herald,^[3] Mary O’Rourke (Minter) arrives in America from Ireland and finds her young friend and baby deserted by the husband. Mary takes the baby to the Stuyvesant mansion, demanding that it be recognized. Mrs. Stuyvesant, an invalid, is delighted with the child, and mistaking Mary for her daughter-in-law, invites her to stay and take charge of the house. The doctor informs Mary that she must comply with the old lady's request, as a shock might prove fatal to her. John Stuyvesant arrives home and denounces Mary as an imposter. She admits that she is but insists that he shall do right by Norah. He insists he was never married, and to prove it starts to marry another girl. Mary confronts him with the marriage license, which it appears belongs to J. Frederick Stuyvesant, a cousin. He had failed to acknowledge Norah as his wife while waiting to come into his fortune. Things straighten themselves out, Norah and the child come into their own and Mary and John decide to marry.

Cast

Mary Miles Minter as Mary O’Rourke
Allan Forrest as John Stuyvesant
Myrtle Reeves as Norah Cavanagh
Lydia Knott as Mrs Stuyvesant
Charles Spere as Fred Stuyvesant
Margaret Shelby as Genevieve Harbison
Harry Holden as Dr Burt

References

^ The Library of Congress/FIAF American Silent Feature Film Survival Catalog: A Bachelor’s Wife
^ "List of Current Film Release Dates". Moving Picture World. 40 (7). New York: Chalmers Publishing Company: [1]. May 17, 1919.
^ "Reviews: A Bachelor's Wife". Exhibitor's Trade Review. 5 (26). New York: Exhibitor’s Trade Review, Inc.: [2] May 31, 1919. This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.