LOVE NEVER DIES
Starring Madge Bellamy and Lloyd Hughes
VARIETY
December 16, 1921
A "somewhat different" picture story is "Love Never Dies," adapted from Will N. Harben's novel, "The Cottage of Delight," directed by King Vidor, featuring Lloyd Hughes, by Max Dupont, distributed by First National. Running 80 minutes, the spectator is intrigued through what is apparently the final "clinch" in the first reel, which turns out to be just the beginning of an absorbingly interesting and appealing heart-interest story.
Considerable ingenuity has been exercised in putting over the fact that the hero's mother is a woman of ill repute without likelihood of objection on the part of the censors.
John Trott (Lloyd Hughes) marries Tilly Whaley (Madge Bellamy). When her father discovers a stain on his son-in-law's parentage, he takes his daughter home. John goes to "the city"; there is a train-wreck en route; he is believed to have died in the accident; the girl's father persuades her to marry another man; John returns years later; the second husband tries to make way with himself by riding over the whirling rapids; John goes to his rescue; husband No. 2 does not survive, and the loving couple are reunited. Although Trott is the hero, it is a question to determine which is the "Gunga Dhin" of the tale - the second husband, who gave up his life, or the first one, who went to his rescue.
An extraordinary cast has been assembled for the enactment of the tale. They are so uniformly excellent that it is an injustice to the others to feature any individual. Lloyd Hughes is an attractive hero, with one criticism - he doesn't make up to look older and worn with the passing of time. Joe Bennett supplies a fine bit of characterizing as the second husband; Madge Bellamy is very pretty as the heroine, and her excellent pantomiming enables her to express suitably the emotional characterization; Claire McDowell's work as the immoral mother stands out brilliantly with the others equally competent. Photography and direction are all that could be desired.
An exceptional photoplay.