A Woman of Affairs

Plots: When two childhood sweethearts are kept from marrying, misery ensues. Even when Diana, Neville and David played together as children, Diana knew that she loved Nevs. But Morton, Nevs’ father, did not like any Merrick. Since Nevs did not have any money, Morton sent him off to Egypt to work and also talked him out of marrying Diana before he left. Diana waited two years and then married David, who her brother Jeffry thought was the greatest thing since sliced bread. While in Deauville, David jumps to his death when the cops come after him, and Diana lies about the reason for the sake of Jeffry. Of course Jeffry, who has been a drunk all his life, cuts all ties with Diana. While Nevs still loves Diana, she does not return to England for seven years – just 3 days before Nevs’ wedding to Constance. But the scandalous life she’s lived in widowhood has done nothing but harm her reputation with Neville and his father. It should have been called ‘The Gren Hat as based on the notorious novel of the same name but the Hayes Office wouldn’t allow the book to be filmed as Heroin was described as a nymphomanaic and the man she marries kills himself on their wedding night because he suffers from Syphyllis, none of which could be touched then..MGM knew it would be a gold mine once past the censor but by the time all the changes were made the basic theme was unrecognisable so they were forced to alter the title. Iris becomes Diana and her husband kills himself due to embezzlement. Drinking on screen was forbidden due to prohibition but Jeffrey (Douglas Fairbanks is rarely seen without a whiskey in his hand. The fact that drink kills him is what probably persuaded the censors to let it pass plus the fact that the film was set in England.