Why Change Your Wife?

The Victrola and Victor Records in a Moving Picture

 

By Doug Boilesen

Orchestras, organs, and pianos would provide most of the 'sound' for the silent films. The phonograph, however, was also a contributor to making "silent films" not silent.

 

A "Victrola" provides the music for two songs in the 1920 film "Why Change Your Wife."

In the following article from The Talking Machine World, The Lehman Music house In St. Louis is highlighted for providing a Victrola and the Victor records "Hindustan" and "Dying Poet" to a movie theatre after Mr. Lehman had watched the Cecil B. DeMille film "Why Change Your Wife."

The article goes on to describe how Mr. Lehman realized the advertising opportunity he would have if he could replace the orchestra at just the proper time with the Victrola's music.

 

The Talking Machine World, June 15, 1920, p. 3.

 

Scenes from "Why Change Your Wife" featuring Victor Records

 

There is actually a third record scene also in this film. This screenshot shows the married couple looking at Victor Record 18623-A "Give Me a Smile and Kiss" with their phonograph to the right and then putting the stylus onto the record (a close-up of the Victor record is also shown in the movie so that the audience can read its title).

LISTEN to Victor 18623-A "Give me a smile and kiss" / John Steel (Black label (popular) 10-in. double-faced) recorded on September 20, 1919 and released on September 29, 1919. (Source: DAHR Recording from Library of Congress).

 

 

The above screenshot of the wife seemingly upset with the record and breaking in half after she hears Victor Record 35426-A "The Dying Poet" and comes into the room. A close-up of that record (before breaking it) was also shown in film.

 

 

LISTEN to Victor Record 35467-A "The Dying Poet," Sousa's Band, recording May 14, 1912 (Courtesy Library of Congress).

 

Another screenshot of the wife selecting Victor Record 14507 "Hindustan" reveals that she wasn't really upset as apparently breaking "The Dying Poet" was some sort of joke. They happily play "Hindustan," dance and then kiss.

LISTEN to Victor 18507-A "Hindustan" performed by Joseph C. Smith's Orchestra, (Black label (popular) 10-in. double-faced) released on July 17, 1918 (Source: DAHR - Recording Courtesy David Giovannoni Collection).

 

All is well for the married couple as the film concludes with its moral of the story provided in the film's closing intertitle.

 

 

Lehman also created a colored slide which invited the audience to visit his store and hear more records. With the house in darkness, Lehman also arranged to have a spotlight reveal a Victrola which was on the stage. "Now this is the kind of advertising which is well worth emulating" noted The Talking Machine World.

 

 

Phonographia