1913PrincessOne reelDrama

Her Right to Happiness

No copy you can watch online. No print is known to survive. What follows is what does: the release, the cast, the story, and what the trade press said at the time.

The story

“Boyd Marshall is a nature-loving young businessman who works when he works and plays when he plays; thoroughly business while in the office and a good fellow out of it. His pretty stenographer loves outdoor life also, but is prim and efficient during business hours. Although knowing each other only in their business life, they love and are married, and each tries live up to their conception of the other as they have known each other in the office. The strain proves too great, and Boyd goes on a hunting trip to relieve the strain. The little wife sees that there is a joyous side to her husband’s life to which she had not guessed the existence and follows Boyd into the woods and claims her right to share his happiness.”

Summary from The Moving Picture World · 29 November 1913

Another synopsis, from Reel Life · 22 November 19131 min

“For beautiful scenes, through which a wholesome, pretty love story runs like a thread of rose-colored ribbon, this Princess play is one of the most attractive this month. The story is simple. By itself, there would hardly seem to be enough to make a full reel. But as the love-story develops, one scene leads to another in rapid succession, and one’s interest is held without a break. Mansfield is a young business man who is ‘all business’ in his office, and the primitive, out-of-door athlete after business hours are over. His youngest and prettiest stenographer is an ‘outdoor’ girl, herself—but attends strictly to business in the office. Attracted merely by what they know of each other during business hours, they fall in love and are married. Then—each tries to live up to a business conception of the other—which becomes a good deal of strain. To relieve this for a while, Mansfield goes off on a hunting trip. And, finding there is another, unknown side to his character which she has never suspected, his wife presently follows him into the woods. She comes upon his camp when he least expects her, and proves herself such a thoroughly good out-of-doors comrade that they live through a second honeymoon, alone with each other in the woods. A good many wives might take the lesson to heart and acquire additional hold upon their husbands’ affections if they cared to play a man’s game occasionally.”

What the papers said

2 reviews

“This is a simple but very sweet little story of the experiences of a newly married couple. Boyd Marshall plays the part of the young husband while his wife is portrayed by Muriel Ostriche. Fannie Gregory is the other member of the cast. Mansfield is a thoroughly practical business man who is very fond of outdoor life. He marries a …

Read in full · 1 min

“This is a simple but very sweet little story of the experiences of a newly married couple. Boyd Marshall plays the part of the young husband while his wife is portrayed by Muriel Ostriche. Fannie Gregory is the other member of the cast. Mansfield is a thoroughly practical business man who is very fond of outdoor life. He marries a stenographer in his office who has the same characteristics. Neither knows of the other’s hobby, and they try to show each other only that aspect of themselves their business relations had taught them to respect. To relieve the strain Mansfield goes off on a hunting trip. His wife says nothing in objection, but shortly after follows him and appears at the camp when least expected. Thus discovering this unsuspected trait in each other they have a second and delightful honeymoon out in the great woods.”

The Morning Telegraph · 30 November 1913

“There is a pleasing idea in this story of the young wife who follows her husband on his camping trip. Both have concealed their love of the country from each other since marriage. Boyd Marshall and Muriel Ostriche play the leads. More strength could have been infused into the scenes, but the story is a pretty one as presented.”

The Moving Picture World · 13 December 1913

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Cast and crew

Cast
Boyd Marshall as Brandt Mansfield
Fannie Gregory as Fana, one of Mansfield’s stenographers
Muriel Ostriche as Mansfield’s wife, young and pretty
Photographed by
Carl Louis Gregory

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More about this film

Bowers’ notes

Thanhouser publicity was inconsistent for this film, and it was variously called a comedy, drama, and farce. A reading of the synopsis suggests that it was primarily a drama.

From Volume II: Filmography of Q. David Bowers’ Thanhouser Films: An Encyclopedia and History, reproduced with permission and unchanged. Read the history of 1913 →

Cite as: Bowers, Q. David. Thanhouser Films: An Encyclopedia and History, “Her Right to Happiness”. thanhouser.org/films/her-right-to-happiness/

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