Zaza (1923)
1h 24m | PG-13
Zaza is an actress and the favorite at an open-air theater in a small French town. When diplomat Bernard Dufresne comes to the village, he stays away for fear he will fall for her. But during one performance, while Zaza is singing on a swing, her rival cuts the rope and she falls. Zaza is badly injured and she makes Dufresne's acquaintance. A romance quickly springs up and he installs her in a villa. Their happiness is marred, however, when his wife appears.
Director: Allan Dwan
Studio: Famous Players-Lasky Corporation
Genre: Romance, Drama, Comedy
Video: 720p
Cast
Gloria Swanson
as Zaza
H.B. Warner
as Bernard Dufresne
Ferdinand Gottschalk
as Duke de Brissac
Lucille La Verne
as Aunt Rosa
Mary Thurman
as Florianne
Yvonne Hughes
as Nathalie
Reviews
You really have to hand it to Gloria Swanson in this - she goes at it full tilt! "Zaza" is a music hall girl. A bit rough round the edges, but she's a decent sort of soul who falls for the womanising "Dufresne" (H.B. Warner) only to discover he is a true cad... The story is pretty predictable, but the journey is a hell of a ride - we even have a cracking cat fight between her and her rival "Florianne" (Mary Thurman) and there are a few quite enchanting scenes with the young "Cecille" (Helen Mack). There is plenty of humour - verging on the bawdy at times, and it is used effectively to demonstrate the best and worst in human nature. There's a lot of acting here, and though the plot doesn't challenge, it is still joy to watch.