The First Born (1928)

Release Date - Jan 12, 1929 (USA)  |   Run Time - 84 min.  |   Countries - United Kingdom  |   MPAA Rating - NR
  • AllMovie Rating
    5
  • User Ratings (0)
  • Your Rating

Share on

Synopsis by Mark Deming

A woman turns to deceit to win back her unfaithful husband in this silent drama from Great Britain. Sir Hugo Boycott (Miles Mander) is a well-known politician and diplomat who weds a beautiful younger woman, Madeleine (Madeleine Carroll). At first, their marriage is a happy one, until Hugo comes to believe Madeleine cannot give him children. Hugo, who was something of a womanizer before he was married, promptly goes back to his old habits; eventually, he takes an extended vacation in North Africa, where he has a mistress who has already borne one of his illegitimate offspring. Emotionally devastated, Madeleine tries to think of ways to bring Hugo back when she learns a friend has just had a child out of wedlock; Madeleine hatches a scheme to take custody of the baby, and convince Hugo the child is their own. The First Born was directed by leading man Miles Mander, who based the story on his own successful stage play. Mander wrote the screenplay in collaboration with Alma Reville, who would later marry Alfred Hitchcock and write several of his films.