A Successful Calamity

Adapted from the stage and expanded beyond a simple set, "A Successful Calamity" is an enjoyable cinematic parable that illustrates---through a simple deception---that money, though it is not the root of all evil, is not the measure of true success.

George Arliss plays financier Henry Wilton who, like Odysseus, returns from his journeys to find his home in shambles---not literally, but figuratively. He devises a risky scheme to help him determine how desperate thing are.

This is a light-hearted film due to its clever script and the masterful performance of Arliss, around whom everything revolves. With nuance of voice and manner, he elevates the comedy and injects tenderness into every scene. It's a heartwarming tale that must have carried added significance during the Great Depression.