SECOND WIFE (1930) — CLASSIC PRE-CODE DRAMA DVD

Conrad Nagel • Lila Lee • Rare Early RKO Talkie • Collector’s Edition

Step back into the fascinating early years of talking pictures with Second Wife (1930), an emotionally charged domestic drama starring silent-screen favorites Conrad Nagel and Lila Lee as a newly married couple struggling with jealousy, family loyalties, resentment, and the lingering memory of a first marriage.

Released during Hollywood’s transition from silent pictures to sound, Second Wife offers collectors a wonderful glimpse into the dramatic style and filmmaking of the earliest talkie era.

THE STORY

After the death of his first wife, Walter Fairchild hopes to begin a new life with Florence Wendell. Walter realizes that Florence cannot simply step into the life once occupied by his first wife, so the couple establishes a new home and attempts to build a marriage of their own.

But Walter’s young son, Junior, remains an unavoidable connection to his former life.

When Florence becomes pregnant, Walter receives devastating news that Junior has become seriously ill while attending school in Switzerland. Walter immediately prepares to travel to his son's side, leaving Florence feeling abandoned at one of the most vulnerable moments of her life.

Angry and deeply hurt, Florence tells Walter that if he leaves, their marriage may be over.

Into the growing division between husband and wife comes Gilbert Gaylord, a man who has never stopped wanting Florence. With Walter away and Florence believing her marriage has collapsed, Gaylord sees an opportunity to win her back.

Florence must ultimately decide whether resentment and jealousy will destroy her marriage—or whether the complicated family she married into can finally become her own.

AFI classifies the picture as a domestic drama dealing with marriage, family life, infidelity, children, and stepmother relationships.

STARRING

Conrad Nagel — Walter Fairchild
One of the prominent leading men who successfully crossed from silent films into talking pictures.

Lila Lee — Florence Wendell
A major silent-era actress whose expressive dramatic style carried naturally into early sound cinema.

Hugh Huntley — Gilbert Gaylord

Mary Carr — Mrs. Rhodes

Freddie Burke Frederick — Junior

The principal cast and character credits are documented by the American Film Institute.

FILM DETAILS

Title: Second Wife
Year: 1930
Genre: Drama / Domestic Drama
Director: Russell Mack
Screenplay: Hugh Herbert and Bert Glennon
Cinematography: William Marshall
Production: RKO Productions, Inc.
Country: United States
Language: English
Picture: Black & White
Sound: RCA Photophone
Original Release: February 9, 1930

The film was based on Fulton Oursler’s stage play All the King’s Men, which had opened on Broadway in 1929. RKO later produced another screen adaptation of the story in 1936.

A FASCINATING EARLY TALKIE

Second Wife comes from a particularly interesting moment in Hollywood history.

By 1930, studios were rapidly abandoning silent filmmaking while actors, directors, writers, and cinematographers learned how to tell stories in the new medium of synchronized sound.

Both Conrad Nagel and Lila Lee were established silent-film performers who successfully made the transition into talking pictures, making Second Wife especially interesting for collectors of early sound cinema, Pre-Code Hollywood, forgotten RKO productions, and rare 1930s dramas.

COLLECTOR’S EDITION DVD

Your DVD comes presented as a Collector’s Edition designed for classic-film enthusiasts.

Includes:

• Second Wife (1930) feature film
• Professionally manufactured DVD
• Custom-designed classic movie artwork
• Printed DVD case cover
• Bonus feature insert images
• Carefully prepared presentation for collectors
• Physical DVD product shipped directly to you

Please note: Listing images are not always the exact artwork used for the DVD cover. Covers feature custom artwork created specifically around the movie.

PERFECT FOR COLLECTORS OF

Early Talking Pictures
Pre-Code Hollywood
1930s Movies
Rare Classic Films
RKO Pictures
Vintage Romantic Drama
Conrad Nagel
Lila Lee
Forgotten Hollywood Cinema
Classic Black & White Movies

SHIPPING

This is a physical DVD product.

Orders normally ship within 7 days. Your DVD will be carefully packaged for shipment.

PUBLIC DOMAIN STATEMENT

Public Domain Statement: All films included in this collection have been thoroughly researched and verified as public domain under applicable United States copyright law.

Rediscover one of the lesser-seen dramas from the dawn of Hollywood’s talking-picture era with Second Wife (1930) — a compelling story of marriage, jealousy, motherhood, divided loyalties, and second chances.