A Fool There Was

Theda Bara, she of the weird publicity ('born in the shadow of the Sphinx, etc.), was a dynamic personality and a true screen femme fatale, and we're lucky that this, perhaps her best known film, has survived. She also portrayed Cleopatra and others but that work can no longer be seen.

'A Fool There Was' presents Bara as a woman who brings madness and ruin to the men in her life, as we watch them go headlong to their destruction while under her spell. The bulk of the story presents her romance with a middle-aged millionaire she meets on a cruise, where a scene with a lounge and grapes soon establishes their relationship. No matter that he has a wife and young daughter at home; he is completely in thrall to this modern vampire.

Yes, it was made in 1915 so certain allowances have to be made regarding the filming and acting, but at this time in the story of cinema techniques were getting more sophisticated, and in Bara a sexy and appealing star was born. 'A Fool There Was' showcases her perfectly.

Considering that 1915 was the year of "Birth of a Nation", it is interesting to see what else passed as entertainment for cinema goers that year. "A Fool There Was" is probably the equivalent of your average Sharon Stone epic; lurid, melodramatic and utterly irresistible. This was a star making vehicle for Theda Bara, and though her style seems as remote as the ice age, one can clearly see the strength of her persona. Her appeal to 1915 audiences must have been profound.

The film is primitive even by silent standards. Close ups are stinted upon, the direction is rudimentary. Alone in the cast Bara is worth watching, though I suspect it gives but a glimpse of her full powers. Good fun, if hardly profound entertainment.

A pity for this is only one of a few films left of the icon Theda Bara. Theda was a true madame who knew how to act. The film is not with Theda in a leading role. Although the movie to me is completely about miss Theda. Especially the scene where she truly convinced everyone she was a vamp. The scene where she convinces 'the fool' that she does not discard him but that she just took a ruse to test his love. But later on when he is gone she takes a wallet full of money. Another scene that draws attention is when Theda take a few flowers and crumbles one of them to dust. I truly enjoyed this classic and I surely tell you all to also see this masterpiece.

A Fool There Was (1915) wasn't Theda Bara's first film (The Stain (1914) holds that special honor), but it was her first lead role. It also, I think, sets the template for every other role she played and her entire persona. I say that I think, because while I am familiar with Theda Bara the legend, A Fool There Was is the first and only Theda Bara movie I've watched. Will it be my last? A Fool There Was, directed by Frank Powell and produced by William Fox, centers around The Vampire (Theda Bara) and wealthy lawyer John Schuyler (Edward José) who falls under her seductive spell. In pursuit of this (apparently) irresistible piece of tail, he leaves his loving wife and cherubic child, ruins his successful career, and destroys his health. I believe there's a moral in this story, but it's hard to sympathize with any of these characters. As the wronged wife, Mrs. Schuyler (Mabel Frenyer) just comes off as a self-righteous, judgmental martyr and Schuyler seems too easily swayed by another woman to be as devoted to his wife as the title cards might lead us to believe.

Of course, none of that matters. The real attraction in A Fool There Was is Theda Bara herself. I was prepared to be disappointed by her, mostly because of the disappointment of others. Despite being the designated first sex symbol of the silver screen, the original Vamp as it were, and one of the highest paid actresses of her day, very few of Theda Bara's films exist. Out of more than 40 films, complete prints of only six of her movies remain. While silent film fans will wring hands over the lost Cleopatra, based almost solely on the astounding still photos of Bara in character, the quality of her surviving works suggests it may be no tragic loss.

In A Fool There Was, Theda Bara is confusing to me. She is certainly magnetic, much more so than any of her screen mates. But is she the soul stealing Vampire that the script calls for? I don't think so. Theda Bara was no beauty. She is sensual, with the soulful eyes, fleshy physique, and full lips of a sex pot, but there's a certain vulnerability about her that makes the role an ill fit. In one scene, The Vampire dances about the deck of a steam ship after having driven one man to suicide and just before seducing her next chosen victim. As she swans about, Theda Bara actually makes eye contact with the camera once or twice, and generally looks uncomfortable with all the shimmying. As any good Vamp can tell you, you got to own that stuff and Theda Bara looks like she left the tags on so she could return it if it didn't work out.

Of course, Theda the Vamp is a construct, perhaps one of the earliest examples of a complete movie marketing package. Born Theodosia Burr Goodman, she was really just a good girl from Cincinnati, Ohio. Producer William Fox saw something there, however, and set about constructing an exotic, mysterious persona. She was rechristened Theda Bara, she grew up in the shadows of the Great Pyramid, and came to Hollywood via the French stage, and she was encouraged to discuss the occult and mysticism. Flip through a few publicity shots of her and you'll find snakes, skulls, skeletons, and all manner of occult paraphernalia. She was also costumed in very revealing – keep in mind this is the silent era – get ups. It all added up to sensation.

To see more pictures of Theda Bara, visit my Facebook Photo Album.

For me, in looking at publicity photos of Theda Bara, I still see someone who isn't quite sure about what she's doing there in a snake bra, holding a skull. Theda Bara has large, lovely eyes that even an excess of kohl can hide, and more often than not she's confronting the camera head on. But it's not the mystery of the seductress I see there, but rather a certain confused innocence. There's something tragic in those eyes, and that tragedy is born out by the typecasting that began with A Fool There Was. The Vampire became the Vamp, synonymous with Theda Bara herself.

She did try to branch out of that mold and work on more serious roles. But Theda Bara was worth too much as a wanton woman, and she never really launched that dramatic version of herself. After marrying film director Charles Brabin in 1921, Theda Bara retreated from the spotlight. Hers was a popularity that probably wouldn't not have survived the harsh trials of the late 20′s and early 30′s, but she got out while the getting was good. What we're left with is A Fool There Was and a handful of other vamp roles to judge her by. This movie is worth checking out to see the wicked woman in action. Then you can tease the hype from the reality for yourself.

I've been frequenting YouTube a lot lately in order to search for various movies I'd like to see that happen to be in the public domain (and many that aren't that haven't been taken off). Many of these movies are shown in segments that last little more than ten minutes each though there are some exceptions like this one that was shown in its one hour, seven minute entirety. It's one of the few surviving films of Theda Bara who is a pioneer as an alluring sex symbol of the movies. Here she likes to take happily married rich men and play with their emotions for the fun of it. Having said all that, while I found Ms. Bara's vamping pretty entertaining near the end, the first 30 minutes of A Fool There Was almost put me to sleep since that time mainly concerned the man she was fooling with's family. It probably didn't help that many messages that were shown on screen were mainly blurry. So for that, I'd only recommend A Fool There Was for any silent movie buff out there. P.S. This is the one with the famous inter-title card "Kiss Me, You Fool!"