“ | Kiss me, my fool! | „ |
~ The Vampire to Reginal Parmalee. |
The Vampire is the main antagonist of the 1909 play A Fool There Was as well as the 1915 film version of the same name, which is based on The Vampire poem by Rudyard Kipling.
She was portrayed by the late Theda Bara.
Biography[]
The Vampire is well known for seducing men and abandoned them when she turned them into despair and death.
She was having a relationship with one of her victims, Reginal Parmalee. She later met the wife and the daughter of John Schuyler. Envious by the happiness of the family, she is planned to seducing John Schuyler so she will goes to the ship which John is about to moved to England. Parmalee come to her home while she is busy packing her clothes for her plan to seduce John Schuyler, accused her of abandoning him for John, but she tempted him again which led him leave her but accidentally left his wallet, which she took it as her own. John's sister-in-law was injured following the accident, Kate has to take care of her.
Before John farewell to his family, the Vampire finally arrived as she is planning to seduce John, she called the police on an nameless homeless man, who happened to be one of her victims, to get away from her so she can finally goes to a ship. A homeless man warned Parmalee about the Vampire, but ignores him as he try to search for the Vampire, who is finally on the ship.
While the Vampire sit and relaxing alone, Reginal Parmalee was finally on the ship and realized that she abandoned him for John Schuyler, he had a gun so he can kill her for ruining his life. The Vampire recognized him and he was pointing a gun at her for what she did to him and his life. The Vampire, feeling amused, put the gun down with the rose and torturing him psychologically, which causes him to committing suicide. Parmalee's body was found by the people on the ship and is taken from the ship, as John and his friend saw it and look at his body. One of them saying that the Vampire laugh at Parmalee's death.
John and his family were having a last moment on the ship while the Vampire open the glass, look at them and doing makeup at herself for her plan. John noticed her. The Vampire sit alone while look at John and his family until she get annoyed by the sounds of the ship as it ready to go for England. John farewell to his family as the Vampire finally met him and order one of the staff to have a chair for John to sit down with her. After being told that she is the one who caused her victim, Parmalee, to committing suicide, but John ignores it and sit down with the Vampire, who would seduced him later.
Two months later, John's sister-in-law was recovering from the accident and is about to returned home with a cane and John's family enjoy a happy time while John and the Vampire were enjoying an affair in England. The postman gave him a letter and John tried to read it, but the Vampire torn it up. In rage, John tried to strangling her but she tempted him. The doctor and his fiancée went to the hotel together while The Vampire and John were spending together, the doctor's fiancée discovered them and tell the doctor that it's John, but the doctor won't listened. After that, she leave the hotel.
The news of John's affair with the Vampire came out to John's family. Kate's sister become devastated and the nameless friend torn a newspaper up in rage following that. John become depressed while he and the Vampire about to leave the party, she attempted to cheer him up by introducing themselves to the people, but they ignored them. The Vampire used him and walk out of the party. Kate's sister and the nameless friend confronting John's friend regarding John's affair with the Vampire at the office while Kate and her daughter spending time writing the letters to John.
John tried to read Kate's letter but the Vampire read it and put the letter away from him. Kate's sister returned home with John's friend to informed Kate about the affair between John and the Vampire and show her a letter about it. Kate asked a nameless friend if it's true and he said it is, Kate becomes devastated. After handed a letter, John read it and it turned out that he is dismissed due to his affair. The Vampire feeling delightful and flirted him. Kate's daughter pray for her father and went to sleep alone.
John is finally returned to US with the Vampire, his friend tried to save him but it's unsuccessful, he telephoned the family regarding John and the Vampire, cause Kate being fainted. John and the Vampire were moved to the former's new house and introduce the Vampire to the maid and housekeeper, who were unhappy with the Vampire and left the house. Kate and her daughter finally find John with the Vampire, her daughter pleaded John to returned with the family, but the Vampire tempted him from returning.
John returning home, feeling guilty about what he did to his family. Upset, the Vampire berate him. She gave him a wine to drink, which led him become an alcoholic. Week later, John drinking wine alone while The Vampire tried to stop him drinking. Six months later, The Vampire abandons him, who is now an alcoholic and his friend announced that he resigned as his secretary. The Vampire was having a party with everyone and is visited by a person who tell her that his secretary is going to bring Kate to John. He asked her to gave him money, she gave it to him and about to returned to John's house. Kate visiting and discovering that John has become an alcoholic. Feeling pity for him, Kate tried to save him by have him returned to his family, but it's unsuccessful as the Vampire has finally arrived, caught Kate with John and kiss him in front of Kate, causing her to faint and leave the house.
Following the week, Kate returned home. Her daughter prayed that her father return to his family and went back to sleep. John was at a party with the Vampire, who is flirted with the man. While dancing, he saw that the Vampire cheats on him with a man and fighting him which causes the man and the people leave the party. Following the event, Kate take her daughter to John's house as a hope that John will reunite with his family. The nameless friend waking John up, John waking and realizing that his family is finally here to save him and hear the voice of his daughter, who is finally here with Kate.
Kate tried to reunite him with her and her daughter. Unfortunately, the Vampire tempting him away from his family as he is hugging the Vampire. His family leaves. John, feeling desperate in the upstairs, look at the flashbacks and destroying the house, died alone. At the end, the Vampire put the petals on his body.
Gallery[]
Trivia[]
- Most scenes on a play were left out of the 1915 version, such as the Vampire killed her father and Kate forgives John.
- There is a 1922 version of A Fool There Was. The Vampire is renamed as Gilda Fontaine, played by Estelle Taylor. Unfortunately, this film has been lost.
- The Vampire was nominated for AFI's 100 Years... 100 Heroes and Villains.