Christine of the Hungry Heart (1924)

Sub-Genres - Marriage Drama  |   Run Time - 75 min.  |   Countries - United States  |  
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Synopsis by Janiss Garza

This adaptation of Kathleen Norris' best-selling novel came out just weeks before its producer, Thomas Ince, mysteriously died while on a cruise on William Randolph Hearst's yacht, the Oneida. The drama was a tour de force for Florence Vidor, who played the title character, Christine Madison. Christine weds Stuart Knight (Warner Baxter) only to discover he prefers the high life to married life. When Dr. Alan Monteagle (Clive Brook) comes along, Christine is drawn to him. But, still determined to stick to her wedding vows, she runs from him, only to get in a car accident with her husband, who happened to be riding by with one of his floozies. Nursed back to health by Dr. Monteagle, she marries him, but soon discovers that his devotion to his work is as all-consuming as Knight's devotion to alcohol and women. As a result, she runs off with Ivan Vianney (Ian Keith), only to discover that he, too, cares more about his work than he cares about her. Meanwhile, Dr. Monteagle takes custody of Christine's child (Dorothy Brock). Christine leaves Vianney and nurses Knight through a terminal illness. Dr. Monteagle realizes that his wayward wife has reformed, and offers to reconcile. Comic actor Walter Hiers has a small role that has little to do with the plot, but the Moving Picture World critic remarked that he "floats through the story like an amiable Zeppelin hovering over a friendly city."

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Keywords

accident, alcoholism, custody, doctor/nurse, extramarital-affair, love, marriage, neglect, playwright, reconciliation, rescue, search, woman