Fraunie Fraunholz and Marian Swayne star as the feuding husband and wife in this rare surviving situation comedy from pioneering filmmaker Alice Guy-Blaché. Like all of Madame Blaché's American films, A House Divided was produced at the French-born director's own studios in Fort Lee, New Jersey. As a comedy, it is really no worse, nor any better, than the average one-reel presentation of 1913, although Madame Blaché's penchant for having her actors break the "fourth wall" is much in evidence. Another idiosyncrasy of the era was letting the subtitles explain the action before it is shown, a rather disconcerting method to a modern audience who have no problems following the simple plot, but considered a necessity at a time when cinematic narrative was still new to many moviegoers. Neither Fraunholz nor Miss Swayne are exactly subtle in their emoting, but overall Madame Blaché keeps the action fairly simple and to the point.
by Hans J. Wollstein
review
