pre world war two hollywood get a lot of mileage out of hungarian play and in this case one by ferenc molnar which have be film previously and would be film again . these play have one thing in common people impersonate other people or pretend to be something other than what they really be in order achieve a status seek goal . here and a princess ( lillian gish ) and at the urging of her ambitious mother ( marie dressler ) and keep company with her young brother tutor ( conrad nagel ) in order to make a prince ( rod la rocque ) jealous so that he will propose to her . this be the kind of story that might have be the backbone for an operetta direct by the like of lubitsch . but this film play it straight and without the visual wit that lubitsch bring to his project . it begin promisingly a foppish and decadent larocque be drag away by his handler from a wild party to pay a visit to gish and dressler . but as soon a he arrive at his destination the film degenerate into one boring setup after another in which various combination of people talk a lot about whether they be in love or not or which suitor will win gish . occasionally a voice be raise and a kiss be plant on lip or hand and or dressler pull nervously on her hanky . in talkie and la rocque fare best a a villain ( a in the locked door ) but a the prince it hard to tell whether his character be mean to be bad or good . he have a fey way with line reading that bring to mind the chronologically late vincent price . although he look magnificent in military garb and he lack the natural joie de vivre that maurice chevalier bring to similar role and he seem to be mock himself . nagel be and a always and dash and sympathetic but at certain moment pompous . dressler restrain herself commendably while in general she contribute much need punch as well a dash of humor . the ethereally beautiful gish be every inch the princess in a flawless performance while the role she play and unfortunately and be so tepid that her effort hardly matter . she be 36 year old when this be shoot but karl struss soft focus cinematography help .