Meddling Women (1924)

Lionel Barrymore has a dual role in this play-within-a picture. Grace Ainsworth (Sigrid Holmquist) wants to return to her career as an opera singer, and her mother-in-law (Ida Darling) supports her. Grace's husband, Edwin (Barrymore), wants her to stay at home and to convince her, he relates the story of his latest play about a man (Barrymore again) who allows his wife (Holmquist) to return to the stage. Edwin comes to believe that Grace is in love with Harold Chase, a manager (Hugh Thompson), and the couple separates. Edwin has an affair with a dancer, Madeline (Dagmar Godowsky), and he winds up in a fight with her dancing partner, Vincenti (Antonio D'Alagy), which causes him to lose his memory. Madeline takes him to Dr. Giani (William Bechtel), who notices his resemblance to John Wells, a bootlegger who has just died from alcohol poisoning. Wells' body is identified as Ainsworth, while Edwin is convinced that he is Wells. Grace marries Chase just before Edwin gets his memory back. He returns to his wife, but the jealous Madeline kills him. Edwin's wife and mother take this improbable story to heart and decide that it's better for Grace to stay at home. ~ Janiss Garza, Rovi