The verbal wit of Oscar Wilde might seem like the last choice for the silent screen, but in the hands of a master like Ernst Lubitsch, this adaptation of his first play becomes a sophisticated comment on society and its morals. It’s a romance, but not a traditional one. Lady Windermere (May McAvoy) is a married woman wooed by Lord Darlington (Ronald Colman), who’s genuinely in love with her. The real focus, however, is on maternal love with the return to society of Mrs. Erlynne (Irene Rich), the mother McAvoy thinks died years earlier. Lubitsch captures the spirit of Wilde in this portrait of a hypocritical society where people are constantly on display because appearances are everything. However, wit is not in the lines, but in the visuals, which are loaded with innuendo but never coarse. With no words, the film reveals the famous Lubitsch touch in its purest form.

Restored by The Museum of Modern Art, with the financial support of Matthew and Natalie Bernstein.