ALL NIGHT
starring Carmel Myers and Rodolfo di Valentina (Rudolph Valentino)
VARIETY
December 13, 1918
Bluebird has produced one of the funniest farces ever presented on the screen -- one which should make a great piece of stage property. It is from a story by Edar Franklin called "One Bright Idea," published in the All-Story Magazine. Paul Powell is the director and Fred. Myton the scenarist, with Carmel Myerrs starred in the billing, although the entire cast have almost equally good roles and handle them admirably.
A clever young promoter with milliions in front of him and bankruptcy just behind, has a letter from a western copper man promising him to invest a million in his scheme, but will first visit New York to see how he manages his own home. They have never met. The millionaire is an eccentric old cuss, in the habit of having his own way and prone to "fix" things for everybody.
The promoter's wife is giving a dinner to a girl friend at the earnest request of a young man who is anxious to get her alone and propose. Just as they arrive, a wire comes announcing the western man will be there shortly. Prior to that the promoter had discharged all his servants because they were panic-stricken over the non-payment of their wages.
To shorten this recital, the promoter and his wife become maid and butler, while the girl and the young man pose as the hosts. Old miner is bluff and direct -- asks them why they don't have children, etc.
The climax comes whe the miner insists they keep late hours and demands they retire early -- shoving them into the same room, and when they escape, he undresses the young man by force and puts him to bed. Just as he gets the girl for the third or fourth time, the girl's father arrives to take her home. It is framed that the girl's father is an eccentric uncle, whereupon the miner locks him in a cupboard for the night.
Again awakened, the miner finds husband and wife kissing, and mistaking the supposed butler's attentions toward the maid, throws him out and tells the wife he's going to marry her himself in the morning.
It is all explained in the morning, whereupon the miner says to the promoter: "I don't know what kind of a manager you are, but you sure show a lot of originality in an emergency," and finances the venture.
The happy promoter rushes out to thank the young folks for
their aid and finds them seated on the stairs holding hands, crying:
"I got my million," to which they reply: "Why bother
us about a little thing like that?"