The Help Fights Back!

Miss Lulu Bett (1921)

Sunday, July 15, 3:35 p. m., The Castro, San Francisco

Lois Wilson stars as the put-upon servant of her older sister’s household in this melodramatic gem, directed by William C. deMille. Dominated by bombastic man-of-the-house Dwight Deacon (Theodore Roberts), Miss Lulu and her mother (Ethel Wales) exist on the periphery of family life until Dwight’s brother Ninian (Clarence Burton) visits and takes a liking to the shy, withdrawn girl. Lulu is also noticed by family friend Neil Cornish (Milton Sills), and shares what seems to be a mutual attraction. Ninian insists on taking Lulu to dinner with his sister-in-law and brother, where he jokingly proposes marriage. Dwight officiates an impromptu ceremony then realizes the marriage is legal when he recalls he is a justice-of-the-peace. To spite her benefactor Lulu agrees to stay with Ninian, until he realizes he may be married to another woman. She is forced to return home in shame, then lie in public about her marriage to save the family from scandal. When Lulu helps the Deacon’s older daughter Diana (Helen Ferguson) narrowly avoid the mistake of eloping with her spineless boyfriend, a misunderstanding leads to Dwight believing Lulu is about to run off with Neil. He claims she is not fit to live with his children and Lulu agrees to leave. Suddenly, the household questions who will cook and clean if Lulu is gone. They relent and invite Lulu to stay and she releases all her pent-up frustration and anger in a furious display, overturning pots on the stove and smashing dirty dishes as she finally tells them off. Miss Lulu Bett concludes with Lulu and Neil professing their love when she learns she is free from her sham marriage.
While greatly overshadowed by younger brother Cecil, William C. deMille was an accomplished stage director who proffered his talents in numerous films. Miss Lulu Bett is a fine example of carefully built momentum, a thoroughly satisfying pay-off and conclusion, without the need for cheap or salacious theatrics.