"Manslaughter" was another of Producer/Director Cecil B. De Mille's melodramatic get out the Kleenex soap operas with flashbacks to Roman times that foreshadowed his epic costume dramas to come, thrown in for good measure.
Lydia Thorne (Leatrice Joy) is a rich socialite with a penchant for living life in the fast lane. She loves fast cars, wild parties and lives life to the fullest. District Attorney Daniel O'Bannon (Thomas Meighan) is in love with her but abhors her life style, that he hopes to change. Lydia's maid, Evans (Lois Wilson) has a sickly son and aging mother who cares for the boy. The boy needs to move to a warmer climate (California) to survive but his mother cannot afford to send him.
One day while driving, Lydia is pulled over for speeding by honest cop Drummond (Jack Mower). The spoiled Lydia lets an expensive bracelet drop to the ground and drives away. The policeman is bewildered at this bribery attempt but keeps the jewel.
Evans goes to the hung over Lydia one morning to ask for a loan. When Lydia refuses, the maid steals an expensive ring from Lydia's safe and pawns it to buy a railway ticket to California for her son and mother. O'Bannon is called in to investigate and Evans confesses her crime to him. She is tried and convicted of theft and sentenced to 3 1/2 to 7 years in prison.
Drummond meanwhile is having guilt feelings about keeping the bracelet that he took from Lydia. He confides in his wife (Julia Faye) and promises to return it. As luck would have it, Lydia goes speeding by and Drummond gives chase at first, to return the jewelry. But Lydia sees it as a game and she speeds up and turns at a sharp curve blocking the road. Drummond is unable to negotiate the curve, hits the car and is killed.
Lydia, with the help of former governor Stephen Albee (John Miltern) hopes to beat the charge of manslaughter which O'Bannon has brought against her. With the tear stained testimony of Mrs. Drummond and an eye witness (Lucien Littlefield), Lydia is convicted and sentenced to 3 to seven years in prison. O'Bannon hopes that the time she spends in prison, will change her ways.
In prison, Lydia meets Evans her former maid and tries to order her about. But Evans soon teaches her the facts of prison life. O'Bannon, despondent over the conviction of his lady love, resigns as District Attorney and takes to the bottle and ends up on skid row.
After two years, Lydia and Evans receive paroles and.....................
As he had done in earlier films, De Mille again inserted well costumed flash back sequences. During Lydia's trail, O'Bannon likens Lydia's life style to the Roman orgies of long ago. The orgy scenes are quite graphic for the day and leave little to the imagination. I suppose that De Mille thought that he could get away with more racy scenes (and did) with this format.
Leatrice Joy was now De Mille's newest star as Gloria Swanson had moved on. She gives a good performance as the spoiled rich girl. Lois Wilson also evoked sympathy as the maid. Thomas Meighan again was De Mille's tragic hero. He goes from riches to rags convincingly.
Oddly enough, you'll notice that the maid Evans was given a more stiffer sentence for robbery than was Lydia for second degree manslaughter...go figure.
The following year De Mille would produce and direct his first truly epic film, "The Ten Commandments".
Lydia Thorne (Leatrice Joy) is a rich socialite with a penchant for living life in the fast lane. She loves fast cars, wild parties and lives life to the fullest. District Attorney Daniel O'Bannon (Thomas Meighan) is in love with her but abhors her life style, that he hopes to change. Lydia's maid, Evans (Lois Wilson) has a sickly son and aging mother who cares for the boy. The boy needs to move to a warmer climate (California) to survive but his mother cannot afford to send him.
One day while driving, Lydia is pulled over for speeding by honest cop Drummond (Jack Mower). The spoiled Lydia lets an expensive bracelet drop to the ground and drives away. The policeman is bewildered at this bribery attempt but keeps the jewel.
Evans goes to the hung over Lydia one morning to ask for a loan. When Lydia refuses, the maid steals an expensive ring from Lydia's safe and pawns it to buy a railway ticket to California for her son and mother. O'Bannon is called in to investigate and Evans confesses her crime to him. She is tried and convicted of theft and sentenced to 3 1/2 to 7 years in prison.
Drummond meanwhile is having guilt feelings about keeping the bracelet that he took from Lydia. He confides in his wife (Julia Faye) and promises to return it. As luck would have it, Lydia goes speeding by and Drummond gives chase at first, to return the jewelry. But Lydia sees it as a game and she speeds up and turns at a sharp curve blocking the road. Drummond is unable to negotiate the curve, hits the car and is killed.
Lydia, with the help of former governor Stephen Albee (John Miltern) hopes to beat the charge of manslaughter which O'Bannon has brought against her. With the tear stained testimony of Mrs. Drummond and an eye witness (Lucien Littlefield), Lydia is convicted and sentenced to 3 to seven years in prison. O'Bannon hopes that the time she spends in prison, will change her ways.
In prison, Lydia meets Evans her former maid and tries to order her about. But Evans soon teaches her the facts of prison life. O'Bannon, despondent over the conviction of his lady love, resigns as District Attorney and takes to the bottle and ends up on skid row.
After two years, Lydia and Evans receive paroles and.....................
As he had done in earlier films, De Mille again inserted well costumed flash back sequences. During Lydia's trail, O'Bannon likens Lydia's life style to the Roman orgies of long ago. The orgy scenes are quite graphic for the day and leave little to the imagination. I suppose that De Mille thought that he could get away with more racy scenes (and did) with this format.
Leatrice Joy was now De Mille's newest star as Gloria Swanson had moved on. She gives a good performance as the spoiled rich girl. Lois Wilson also evoked sympathy as the maid. Thomas Meighan again was De Mille's tragic hero. He goes from riches to rags convincingly.
Oddly enough, you'll notice that the maid Evans was given a more stiffer sentence for robbery than was Lydia for second degree manslaughter...go figure.
The following year De Mille would produce and direct his first truly epic film, "The Ten Commandments".