as far a i be concern this silent version of the merry widow be the bad version ever make . there be no tenderness or love or spirituality about this version and it be all macabre and germanic and sinister nonsense . it remind me of nazis fall in love while who care . this silent version by von stroheim be not a faithful adaptation of the original story . in this one we have leer john gilbert and his gross relative the prince lusting after this silly american actress and play by mae murray and possess with a modern perm hairstyle and implausible feminist manner that throw me off again and again . i like my romance light and beautiful and with slow build ups while not harsh and sadistic like this one . and come on and those bee stung lip and get rid of them and girl . go see a live performance of the show if you would like to get a real idea of the sweetness of the original operetta by franz lehar . fail that and wait till tcm show the jeanette macdonald maurice chevalier sound version . it much well .