The Law of Compensation


The Law of Compensation is 1917 American silent drama film based on a story by Wilson Mizner and directed by Joseph A. Golden. The film starred Norma Talmadge, who played a dual role, Fred Esmelton, and Chester Barnett. It was produced by Joseph Schenck, the husband of its star Talmadge.

Plot

While her husband is out of town, Ruth is approached by Wells, a small-time song plugger. He claims that he can make a musical comedy star of her if she will come up with some money. But when she tries to ante up the funds, her father takes her aside and tells her the story of her mother who found herself in a similar situation. Her mother ran off with a man, Trevor, who later deserted her; after her death, Ruth's father tracked Trevor down and killed him. With all of this in mind, Ruth wisely decides to send Wells on his way.

Cast

While the lives of the mother and daughter interact through their repetition and parallel situations, the story of the mother, while referenced in the first half of the film, is withheld from Flora and the audience until it is told to her in the second half of the film. Although Talmadge is the star with two roles, the men of the film hold all the power and make all the decisions on behalf of the women; the one choice made by a woman, the mother Ruth, has immense consequences for her and her daughter as deviates it from the straight path.

Preservation status

Prints of The Law of Compensation are held at the Library of Congress and the Museum of Modern Art, 35mm.