Release CalendarDVD & Blu-ray ReleasesTop 250 MoviesMost Popular MoviesBrowse Movies by GenreTop Box OfficeShowtimes & TicketsIn TheatersComing SoonMovie NewsIndia Movie Spotlight
    What's on TV & StreamingTop 250 TV ShowsMost Popular TV ShowsBrowse TV Shows by GenreTV NewsIndia TV Spotlight
    What to WatchLatest TrailersIMDb OriginalsIMDb PicksIMDb Podcasts
    OscarsBest Picture WinnersBest Picture WinnersEmmysAPA Heritage MonthSTARmeter AwardsSan Diego Comic-ConNew York Comic-ConSundance Film FestivalToronto Int'l Film FestivalAwards CentralFestival CentralAll Events
    Born TodayMost Popular CelebsMost Popular CelebsCelebrity News
    Help CenterContributor ZonePolls
For Industry Professionals
  • All
  • Titles
  • TV Episodes
  • Celebs
  • Companies
  • Keywords
  • Advanced Search
Watchlist
Sign In
  • Fully supported
  • English (United States)
    Partially supported
  • Français (Canada)
  • Français (France)
  • Deutsch (Deutschland)
  • हिंदी (भारत)
  • Italiano (Italia)
  • Português (Brasil)
  • Español (España)
  • Español (México)

Souls for Sale

  • 19231923
  • PassedPassed
  • 1h 30m
IMDb RATING
7.0/10
934
YOUR RATING
  • Cast & crew
  • User reviews
  • Trivia
  • IMDbPro
Eleanor Boardman in Souls for Sale (1923)
  • Comedy
  • Drama
  • Romance
A young woman hits Hollywood, determined to become a star.A young woman hits Hollywood, determined to become a star.A young woman hits Hollywood, determined to become a star.
IMDb RATING
7.0/10
934
YOUR RATING
  • Director
    • Rupert Hughes
  • Writer
    • Rupert Hughes(Red Book serial novel of Motion Picture Life in Hollywood)
  • Stars
    • Eleanor Boardman
    • Frank Mayo
    • Richard Dix
Top credits
  • Director
    • Rupert Hughes
  • Writer
    • Rupert Hughes(Red Book serial novel of Motion Picture Life in Hollywood)
  • Stars
    • Eleanor Boardman
    • Frank Mayo
    • Richard Dix
  • See production, box office & company info
    • 27User reviews
    • 5Critic reviews
  • See production, box office & company info
  • See more at IMDbPro
  • Photos9

    Eleanor Boardman, Mae Busch, Lew Cody, Richard Dix, Barbara La Marr, and Frank Mayo in Souls for Sale (1923)
    Eleanor Boardman and Frank Mayo in Souls for Sale (1923)
    Frank Mayo in Souls for Sale (1923)
    Eleanor Boardman, Mae Busch, Lew Cody, Richard Dix, Rupert Hughes, Barbara La Marr, Frank Mayo, and Aileen Pringle in Souls for Sale (1923)
    Eleanor Boardman, Mae Busch, Lew Cody, Richard Dix, Rupert Hughes, Barbara La Marr, Frank Mayo, and Aileen Pringle in Souls for Sale (1923)
    Eleanor Boardman, Mae Busch, Lew Cody, Richard Dix, Barbara La Marr, and Frank Mayo in Souls for Sale (1923)
    Eleanor Boardman, Mae Busch, Lew Cody, Richard Dix, Barbara La Marr, and Frank Mayo in Souls for Sale (1923)
    Eleanor Boardman in Souls for Sale (1923)

    Top cast

    Edit
    Eleanor Boardman
    Eleanor Boardman
    • Remember 'Mem' Steddonas Remember 'Mem' Steddon
    Frank Mayo
    Frank Mayo
    • Tom Holbyas Tom Holby
    Richard Dix
    Richard Dix
    • Frank Claymoreas Frank Claymore
    Mae Busch
    Mae Busch
    • Robina Teeleas Robina Teele
    Barbara La Marr
    Barbara La Marr
    • Leva Lemaireas Leva Lemaire
    Lew Cody
    Lew Cody
    • Owen Scudderas Owen Scudder
    Forrest Robinson
    • Rev. John Steddonas Rev. John Steddon
    Edith Yorke
    Edith Yorke
    • Mrs. Steddonas Mrs. Steddon
    Snitz Edwards
    Snitz Edwards
    • Komical Kaleas Komical Kale
    William Haines
    William Haines
    • Pinkeyas Pinkey
    Dale Fuller
    Dale Fuller
    • Abigail Tweedyas Abigail Tweedy
    Erich von Stroheim
    Erich von Stroheim
    • Erich von Stroheimas Erich von Stroheim
    Jean Hersholt
    Jean Hersholt
    • Jean Hersholtas Jean Hersholt
    Charles Chaplin
    Charles Chaplin
    • Charles Chaplinas Charles Chaplin
    Fred Niblo
    Fred Niblo
    • Fred Nibloas Fred Niblo
    Roy Atwell
    • Arthur Tirreyas Arthur Tirrey
    Eve Southern
    Eve Southern
    • Miss Velma Sladeas Miss Velma Slade
    T. Roy Barnes
    T. Roy Barnes
    • T. Roy Barnesas T. Roy Barnes
    • Director
      • Rupert Hughes
    • Writer
      • Rupert Hughes(Red Book serial novel of Motion Picture Life in Hollywood) (adapted by)
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro
    • All cast & crew

    More like this

    The Last Laugh
    8.0
    The Last Laugh
    Faust
    8.1
    Faust
    He Who Gets Slapped
    7.8
    He Who Gets Slapped
    The Scarlet Letter
    7.6
    The Scarlet Letter
    Pandora's Box
    7.8
    Pandora's Box
    The Navigator
    7.6
    The Navigator
    Hollywood
    6.9
    Hollywood
    A Woman of Paris: A Drama of Fate
    6.9
    A Woman of Paris: A Drama of Fate
    The Last Command
    8.0
    The Last Command
    Greed
    8.1
    Greed
    Scaramouche
    7.1
    Scaramouche
    The Pilgrim
    7.3
    The Pilgrim

    Storyline

    Edit
    On board a train en route to Los Angeles, runaway bride Remember Steddon, believing now that she married in haste, abandons her husband, Owen Scudder, not knowing at the time that Scudder had previously married and murdered solely for money. Unprepared to be on her own, Mem, as she is known to her friends, accidentally stumbles across the outdoor set of a Hollywood movie directed by Frank Claymore. Mem is welcomed onto the set by the cast and crew. But as the shooting moves on, Mem decides to pursue other avenues, as she had been taught by her conservative parents that movie acting was a disreputable occupation. But needing work, Mem decides to try her hand at being an actress. This task is easier said than done, until she runs across Claymore again, he who is determined to make her a star. As her movie stardom does indeed rise, so does the admiration of adoration of legions, including her director Claymore, and her leading man Tom Holby. A further consequence of her stardom is that her parents and Scudder find out where she is. The scandal of being married to a known murderer may jeopardize Mem's budding career. —Huggo
    • casting couch
    • screen test
    • runaway bride
    • hospital tent
    • moviemaking
    • 53 more
    • Plot summary
    • Add synopsis
    • Taglines
      • The Story of a Movie Star in Hollywood
    • Genres
      • Comedy
      • Drama
      • Romance
    • Certificate
      • Passed
    • Parents guide
      • Add content advisory

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      This film offers behind-the-scenes footage of two legendary silent era director/performers at work: Charles Chaplin directing his comedy-drama A Woman of Paris: A Drama of Fate (1923) and Erich von Stroheim directing Greed (1924).
    • Goofs
      The scene in the movie theatre in Egypt shows veiled women sitting with men. This would not have been permitted.
    • Quotes

      Remember 'Mem' Steddon: Are you real or a - - mirage?

      Tom Holby: Neither. I'm a movie actor.

    • Alternate versions
      In 2006, Turner Entertainment Co. copyrighted a 90-minute version with a score composed by Marcus Sjowall and conducted by Mark Watters
    • Connections
      Edited into Hollywood: Autocrats (1980)

    User reviews27

    Review
    Top review
    6/10
    Classic story told with little flair
    For a modern audience, Souls for Sale (1923) is nothing we have not seen before. It's the small-town girl becomes big star overnight story, with healthy helpings of romantic melodrama thrown in. It's a story that can be done well, but here it's done with little to distinguish it from other movies of its kind.

    Eleanor Boardman, a truly underrated talent, does well in the lead, with all the other actors giving solid performances. Silent film mavens will enjoy the topical humor and cameos of famous directors and stars of the early 1920s. (My favorite inter-title takes a jab at The Sheik (1921), a masterpiece of old time kitsch.) In the end, silent film geeks will get more out of this than casual viewers will.
    helpful•2
    0
    • MissSimonetta
    • Apr 6, 2014

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • April 22, 1923 (United States)
    • Country of origin
      • United States
    • Official site
      • Instagram
    • Languages
      • None
      • English
    • Also known as
      • Satılık Ruhlar
    • Filming locations
      • The Lot - 1041 N. Formosa Avenue, West Hollywood, California, USA
    • Production company
      • Goldwyn Pictures Corporation
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Technical specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      1 hour 30 minutes
    • Color
      • Black and White
    • Sound mix
      • Silent
    • Aspect ratio
      • 1.33 : 1

    Related news

    The Birds, Inglourious Basterds Actor Taylor Dead at 84
    Jan 9Alt Film Guide
    Cronenberg/Pattinson Movie Acquired by German Distributor, Screened in Toronto: Cannes 2014?
    Nov 20Alt Film Guide

    Contribute to this page

    Suggest an edit or add missing content
    Eleanor Boardman in Souls for Sale (1923)
    Top Gap
    By what name was Souls for Sale (1923) officially released in Canada in English?
    Answer
    • See more gaps
    • Learn more about contributing
    Edit page

    More to explore

    View list
    List
    The 10 Most Anticipated Marvel and DC Movies
    See the full list
    View list
    List
    2022 TV Guide: The Best Shows Coming This Year
    See the full list

    Recently viewed

    Please enable browser cookies to use this feature. Learn more.
    Get the IMDb App
    • Get the IMDb App
    • Help
    • Site Index
    • IMDbPro
    • Box Office Mojo
    • IMDb Developer
    • Press Room
    • Advertising
    • Jobs
    • Conditions of Use
    • Privacy Policy
    • Interest-Based Ads

    © 1990-2022 by IMDb.com, Inc.