The Unexpected Honeymoon (1910)
Bob Black's uncle leaves him his entire fortune of $500,000 on condition that he marry, and not one cent of the money can he touch until the terms of the will have been fulfilled. The unfortunate, or fortunate, legatee has no desire to tie himself down with a wife at his time of life, so he hits upon a capital plan to evade the spirit of the will, although conforming to the letter of it. He writes his lawyer, James Henshaw, instructing him to hunt up a hopelessly homely girl and offer her $25,000 to become his wife in name only for a year, at the expiration of which time they are to be divorced. In the same mail with Bob's letter Mr. Henshaw receives a letter from his niece, Bella, requesting him to obtain a position for her, as she feels she ought to go to work. Henshaw at once sees a chance for Bella to make a tidy sum of money and telephones her to come to his office immediately as he has found a fine position for her. When she arrives he explains matters to her, but she objects, because she is not one bit homely. He, however, tells her he can fix that part of it and she consenting, he proceeds to help her get herself up to look as hideous as possible. When Black arrives and gets one look at his prospective bride he almost faints. But the match is duly arranged and the bride's check handed over and then Bob is requested by the lawyer to give the bride that is to be a pre-nuptial kiss. He attempts it several times, but his courage fails him each time, until finally bethinking himself of his handkerchief, he spreads it over her face and the deed is done. When the year is up Bob gives a dinner to his friends, in honor of the divorce, which is to be granted the following day. And when the next day arrives he accompanies his lawyer to the home of his wife and is greatly surprised to find it a mansion. Bella enters the room, stylish and beautiful, and when he is presented to her poor Bob almost faints again, and now his desire for a state of single blessedness leaves him; the thought of divorce becomes suddenly abhorrent to him and he attempts to fly from the house in order to escape it. But old Henshaw, the lawyer, is close on his trail, and seizing him throws him back into the house, and then closing the door holds it shut from the outside. Bob vainly struggles to reopen the door, begs and pleads to be allowed to escape, but Henshaw is obdurate and Bob is forced to face the music. Returning to the drawing room, he finds Bella playing the piano and singing and not one bit of attention will she pay to him. As he stands around awaiting her pleasure he discovers his photograph, at which Bella has gazed fondly every day since she received it. The sight of this gives him hope and finally, taking the music off the rack from under her pretty nose, he proceeds to declare his undying love. She listens for a few minutes and then surrenders herself to his loving embrace. When old Henshaw learns through the medium of the newspapers that Bella and Bob have stopped all divorce proceedings and have gone on a European honeymoon, he tosses his papers and letters into the air, in one grand "Hurrah." And the desperate spooning of the young people on board the ocean liner becomes the one topic of conversation amongst the balance of the passengers.
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GenresDrama
Short
IMDbPro
See more details at IMDbPro
| Filmmakers | Role |
|---|---|
| Carl Laemmle | Producer |
