Theda Bara
The Vampire
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Synopsis
A respected lawyer leaves his wife and daughter for a diplomatic assignment and meets a captivating stranger aboard ship. The relationship gradually consumes his attention, career and family commitments. Attempts to bring him home fail as dependence on the woman replaces the identity and standing he once took for granted.
Cast
DirectorsFrank Powell
Historical context
Theda Bara's role helped establish the screen 'vamp' as a recognisable image of dangerous female attraction. One of relatively few surviving Bara features, the film is a useful record of both her performance and the gender anxieties surrounding that persona.
Sources and availability
The synopsis and editorial text were written for this collection. The references below were cross-checked to identify the film and its copy; each editorial section identifies its reference.
Work catalogued as public domain in the United States.
The reference concerns the original work. Restorations, colorization, translations and other territories may have different conditions. This site uses the player enabled by the channel.
Availability checked on September 10, 2026.
Photograph credit
Photographs cropped, resized and optimized as WebP, displayed in monochrome.
- Theda Bara — Orval Hixon · Public domain
- Edward José — Unknown photographer · Public domain
