Eternal Flame on AllMovie

Joseph Schenck pulled out all the stops in this costume drama starring his wife, Norma Talmadge -- it was adapted from Honore de Balzac's novel, La Duchess de Langeais by Frances Marion, and no expense was spared to bring the Napoleonic era to life. When the Duc de Langeais (Adolphe Menjou) makes a bet with the Count de Marsay (Irving Cummings) on whether his wife, the Duchess (Talmadge) would accept the attentions of any other man, she angrily leaves him. The Duc, who is a solider, goes off to the front, and the lonely Duchess proceeds to cut a swath through all the available men. Ultimately she meets General de Montriveau (Conway Tearle), and when she toys with his affections, he kidnaps her. He is about to brand her for her fickle behavior, but can't bring himself to do it. Instead, he retreats from her and refuses to respond to her letters. The despondent Duchess decides to enter a convent. But before she can take her final vows, the general learns of her whereabouts and comes for her.