What Happened to Rosa

Reincarnation and spiritualism were popular at the time What Happened To Rosa? was made. There was also much skepticism, too. What Happened To Rosa? draws upon both a little belief and skepticism.

Daydreaming Mayme Ladd lets Madame O'Donnelly convince her that in a previous life she was a Spanish woman, Rosa Alvaro. From there the story unfolds as Mayme, pretending to be Rosa, pursues the man of her dreams, Dr. Maynard Drew, at a masquerade party. Dr. Drew falls deeply in love with the mysterious Rosa while Mayme's friends try to stop her from making a fool of herself. The way Mayme finally gets back to Dr. Drew is classic.

The written dialogue for Mayme and her friends and co-workers is written in a big city vernacular that further sets her apart from the doctor she desperately wants to meet. When acting the part of Rosa her dialogue turns into an exaggerated European accent. Although the film is silent, the implied accents actually work very well.

Mabel Normand could hold her own in slapstick comedy, but in this film the physical comedy was not the focus of the humor. The situation was the driving force of the plot and action. There was no comedic routine for the sake of adding filler. Every scene was important to the story, never deviating from the plot.

Although What Happened To Rosa? is almost an hour, it feels much shorter than that. Perhaps that is because the movie is so well done that it left me wanting more.