The Night Club (1925)

Once he attained full stardom, silk-hatted comedian Raymond Griffith was rushed into several inexpensive Paramount vehicles. The Night Club is so pinchpenny that all the street exteriors are shot on the back lot, with a conspicuous paucity of extras. This hardly matters, since the principal attraction is the dapper Griffith, here playing a man who stands to inherit a million dollars provided he agrees to an arranged marriage. He falls in love with Vera Reynolds, never dreaming that she is his intended bride; Reynolds does know who he is, however, and spurns him, assuming that he's a fortune hunter. To make amends, Griffith pounces upon a clause in his inheritance which states that all of his money will go to Vera in the event of his death. The rest of the film concerns Griffith's genial attempts to kill himself; when each method at self-destruction fails, Griffith moves on nonchalantly to the next, as though choosing between white and black caviar. Vera finally decides that Griffith is worthy of her, and it's off to the altar. The Night Club is based on a turn-of-the-century play co-authored by the DeMille brothers (Cecil B. and William C.).