Gender play abounds to comedic and dramatic effect in this special live event screening with live musical accompaniment by L'il Anne and Hot Cayenne and their distinctive zydeco fusion.
Sappho-loving Damophilia (Evelyn Greeley) and woman-hating John Alden are both Greek Professors who free-fall toward the aisle in this comedy about gender play and modern romance. After her father dies, 'Phil' (for short) runs away while impersonating her alleged twin brother in order to avoid an arranged marriage and to seduce Alden, a polyglot misogynist who is petrified of women. Co-written by Clara Beranger, a prolific scriptwriter with over eighty credits to her name, the film’s dialogue crackles with innuendo: 'My husband’s all right, but he’s not vital.' It was even banned in Illinois for allegedly being 'too nice.'
Cinemapolis: 1pm, Sunday April 7 - pre-screening introduction by Lisa Patti
Phil-for-Short (with live musical accompaniment)
Oscar Apfel, USA, 1919, 82 mins
