United States Library of Congress
"Selected for preservation in the National Film Registry for its cultural, historical, or aesthetic significance, reflecting its importance."
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John Schuyler, a happily married lawyer, is appointed diplomat and sent to England. Due to an unfortunate accident, his wife and child can not come along with him. On the ship to England, Schuyler meets the notorious Vampire - a relentless gold digger who causes the moral degradation of those she seduces, first fascinating and then draining the very life from her victims.
Upon its release, A Fool There Was was controversial for its risqué intertitles and was not approved by the British Board of Film Censors. Despite this, it was later selected by the U.S. Library of Congress for preservation in the National Film Registry for its cultural, historical, or aesthetic significance.

Theda Bara
The Vampire

Edward José
John Schuyler
Mabel Frenyear
John Schuyler's Wife

May Allison
The Wife's Sister
Runa Hodges
Schuyler Child

Clifford Bruce
The Friend

Frank Powell
The Doctor
Minna Gale
The Doctor's Fiancee
Victor Benoit
One of the Vamp's Victims

Creighton Hale
Young Man at Wild Party (uncredited)
Upon release, A Fool There Was was long considered controversial for risqué intertitle cards such as "Kiss me, my fool!"
The film popularised the word "vamp" (short for vampire) to describe a femme fatale who degrades those she seduces.
In 2015, the United States Library of Congress selected A Fool There Was for preservation in the National Film Registry due to its cultural, historical, or aesthetic significance.
Producers paid tribute to the literary source by having an actor read the full poem to the audience before initial showings and presenting passages via intertitles.
Scenes supposedly set in England and Italy were actually filmed in the USA, specifically in St. Augustine, Florida, New York Harbor, and at Fox Studios in Fort Lee, New Jersey.
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United States Library of Congress
"Selected for preservation in the National Film Registry for its cultural, historical, or aesthetic significance, reflecting its importance."
British Board of Film Censors
"Not approved for public showing in Great Britain due to its policy of rejecting films depicting illicit sexual relationships."
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