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Damaged Goods

1914 1h 17m Drama List
86% Tomatometer 7 Reviews Popcornmeter 0 Ratings
Veteran Broadway actor Richard Bennett (father of Barbara, Constance and Joan) brought the 1902 French stage sensation +Les Avaries to America in 1913. Dealing forthrightly with the horrors of syphilis, the play was a major triumph for Bennett, who turned it into a seven reel screen attraction the following year. Although no longer in the bloom of youth, Bennett nevertheless played the leading role himself, a conscientious young lawyer who is lead down the garden path by a married woman (Josephine Ditt). Recovering from that indiscretion, Bennett's George Dupont is all set to marry Senator Locke's daughter Henriette (Olive Templeton), when he is once again lead astray, this time by a "girl of the streets" (Adrienne Morrison, Mrs. Bennett in real-life). The encounter leaves him with a bad case of syphilis, and a doctor (Louis Bennison) warns him not to marry for two years, or he will be in violation of the law. Dupont seeks a second opinion and a quack (William Bertram) pronounces him healthy. He marries the senator's daughter and their child is born with the disease. In despair, Dupont takes the coward's way out and drowns himself. Like later exploitation films, Damaged Goods got away with showing scenes of ravaged patients in the syphilis ward, not to mention the rather frank discussions of intercourse, by playing up its educational appeal. Released by the American "Flying A" Company on states rights in September of 1914, the film was picked up by the powerful Mutual Film Corp. the following year and given a highly publicized re-release at New York's Broadway Theatre. Bennett continued to tour with the play for years and a British stage version featured a young Ronald Colman. Alexander Butler directed a British screen version in 1919, which, according to film historian Kevin Brownlow, "came dangerously close to being a series of subtitles" due to the stringent British censorship.

Critics Reviews

View All (7) Critics Reviews
Kitty Kelly Chicago Tribune It is to be regretted that it is no better a piece of workmanship than it is, for in spite of its pictorial shortcomings, it will probably have a wide circulation and it might have been much more efficient in its purpose had it been more artistic. Mar 12, 2021 Full Review Grace Kingsley Los Angeles Times In its film form this work of Brleux's is replete with interest and contains many powerful dramatic moments. The action has been quickened and the story is told in a matter not possible on the stage. Mar 12, 2021 Full Review Sime Silverman Variety See Damaged Goods, and alter seeing it, tell your son or daughter to see it, and let them tell other boys or girls, and you tell other fathers or mothers, until all of the world has seen Damaged Goods on the picture screen. Mar 12, 2021 Full Review James Warren Currie Chicago Examiner The experience was profitable, not only because the picture under any circumstances is always interesting, but also because of what the censors did not do to it. Mar 12, 2021 Full Review C.J. Ver Halen Motion Picture News It may be considered gruesome in parts, but nevertheless this makes it so much more convincing. There is nothing left undone to pound home the argument which it sets out to give. Mar 12, 2021 Full Review Motography Staff Motography [Damaged Goods drives] home facts of life that could never be so convincingly portrayed in literature or upon the legitimate stage. Mar 12, 2021 Full Review Read all reviews
Damaged Goods

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Movie Info

Synopsis Veteran Broadway actor Richard Bennett (father of Barbara, Constance and Joan) brought the 1902 French stage sensation +Les Avaries to America in 1913. Dealing forthrightly with the horrors of syphilis, the play was a major triumph for Bennett, who turned it into a seven reel screen attraction the following year. Although no longer in the bloom of youth, Bennett nevertheless played the leading role himself, a conscientious young lawyer who is lead down the garden path by a married woman (Josephine Ditt). Recovering from that indiscretion, Bennett's George Dupont is all set to marry Senator Locke's daughter Henriette (Olive Templeton), when he is once again lead astray, this time by a "girl of the streets" (Adrienne Morrison, Mrs. Bennett in real-life). The encounter leaves him with a bad case of syphilis, and a doctor (Louis Bennison) warns him not to marry for two years, or he will be in violation of the law. Dupont seeks a second opinion and a quack (William Bertram) pronounces him healthy. He marries the senator's daughter and their child is born with the disease. In despair, Dupont takes the coward's way out and drowns himself. Like later exploitation films, Damaged Goods got away with showing scenes of ravaged patients in the syphilis ward, not to mention the rather frank discussions of intercourse, by playing up its educational appeal. Released by the American "Flying A" Company on states rights in September of 1914, the film was picked up by the powerful Mutual Film Corp. the following year and given a highly publicized re-release at New York's Broadway Theatre. Bennett continued to tour with the play for years and a British stage version featured a young Ronald Colman. Alexander Butler directed a British screen version in 1919, which, according to film historian Kevin Brownlow, "came dangerously close to being a series of subtitles" due to the stringent British censorship.
Director
Tom Ricketts
Screenwriter
Harry A. Pollard
Genre
Drama
Original Language
English
Runtime
1h 17m