Synthetic Sin

Synthetic Sin is a 1929 American Synchronized sound comedy film directed by William A. Seiter, based on a play of the same name.^[1] While the film has no audible dialog, it was released with a synchronized musical score with sound effects using both the sound-on-disc and sound-on-film process. It was released by Warner Bros. and was recorded using the Vitaphone sound system.^[2] Only the soundtrack disc for the last reel is known to survive.

Synthetic Sin
Theatrical release poster
Directed by	William A. Seiter
Written by	Thomas J. Geraghty Tom Reed
Based on	Synthetic Sin by Fanny Hatton and Frederic Hatton
Produced by	John McCormick
Starring	Colleen Moore Antonio Moreno Edythe Chapman
Cinematography	Sidney Hickox
Edited by	Alexander Hall
Music by	Nathaniel Shilkret
Production company	First National Pictures
Distributed by	Warner Bros. Pictures, Inc.
Release date	January 6, 1929 (1929-01-06)
Running time	72 minutes
Country	United States
Languages	Sound (Synchronized) (English intertitles)

Plot

Famed playwright Donald Anthony returns home to Magnolia Gap, Virginia, and proposes to Betty Fairfax. She accepts and he offers her the lead part in his next play, but the play is a disaster. Donald tells her that she is unsuited for the role, that it requires someone with more life experience. Rather than return home defeated, Betty stays in New York, in a bad neighborhood where local gangsters adopt her as their own. When Donald comes to visit her, they eject him. There is a gunfight, and in the resulting confusion Donald sweeps in and rescues Betty. After the excitement, Betty gives up her dreams of the stage and devotes herself to Donald.

Cast

• Colleen Moore as Betty Fairfax
• Antonio Moreno as Donald Anthony
• Edythe Chapman as Mrs. Fairfax
• Kathryn McGuire as Margery Fairfax
• Gertrude Howard as Cassie
• Gertrude Astor as Sheila Kelly
• Ray Turner as Sam (credited as Raymond Turner)
• Montagu Love as Brandy Mulane
• Ben Hendricks Jr. as Frank
• Philip Sleeman as Tony (credited as Phil Sleeman)
• Jack Byron as Tony's Henchman
• Fred Warren as Joe
• Jay Eaton as Member of Frank's Gang
• Stanley Blystone as Member of Frank's Gang
• Art Rowlands as Member of Frank's Gang
• Dick Gordon as Member of Frank's Gang
• Julanne Johnston as Member of Frank's Gang
• Hazel Howell as Member of Frank's Gang

Moore

Music

The film featured a theme song entitled "Betty" which was composed by Nathaniel Shilkret and Harold Christy.

Preservation status

A copy survives at the Cineteca Italiana archive in Milan. Previously it was considered to be a lost film. Colleen Moore had deposited copies of several of her movies with the Museum of Modern Art (MOMA), but it allowed the films to decompose before they could be restored.^[3]

See also

• List of early sound feature films (1926–1929)
• List of early Warner Bros. sound and talking features
• Gertrude Astor filmography