PamelaShort Review of How Could You, Jean?

How Could You, Jean? (1918)

" William Desmond Taylor Directs Mary Pickford "

[17 September 2013]

This lost film was the first of three that Mary Pickford had William Desmond Taylor direct. It is also the first Pickford picture to be photographed by genius Charles Rosher, who would be Mary's chief cameraman for seventeen consecutive productions. Frances Marion wrote the scenario for "How Could you Jean?," a story about a young woman, Jean Mackaye ( Mary Pickford ) who discovers she has lost her fortune and pretends to be Swedish in order to snare a job as a cook-with whom the hired hand, Oscar, falls in love. So does Ted Burton ( Casson Ferguson ), the son of a millionaire ( Herbert Standing ). He persuades Oscar to resign and takes his job. His father troubled by his son's odd behaviour becomes a border in the house. Following a series of adventures in which Jean saves the millionaire's life, the old man is only too happy to allow Ted to marry Jean, the "Swedish cook." Mary Pickford remembered William Taylor as a quiet, cultured man with beautiful manners, who read a lot - he'd bring books to the set and sometimes read aloud the passages that interested him. The loss of this interesting light drama movie is another sad one for silent films and Mary Pickford fans.