Fact1: common convention in early decades of newspaper and magazine film reviews was to describe in write-up entire storyline including ending thus unintentionally enabling subsequent generations of readers to reconstruct lost film 's contents, Fact2: Papa Chibou feels strong kinship particularly with that of Napoleon, Fact3: stern judge forbids her to see Georges, Fact4: foolish young man preoccupied with stylish personal appearance and elegant clothing, Fact5: Georges knows nothing of love old man
Output: A common convention in the early decades of newspaper and magazine film reviews was to describe in the writeup the entire storyline including, in a substantial number of instances, the ending, thus unintentionally enabling subsequent generations of readers to reconstruct a lost films contents. True to form, those who evaluated Seven Faces, such as Mordaunt Hall of The New York Times, did go into considerable detail regarding plot twists, as related herein below. Papa Chibou Paul Muni, the elderly caretaker of Musee Pratouchy, a Parisian wax museum, feels a strong kinship with the figures, particularly with that of Napoleon. He spots at the waxworks a romantic young couple, Georges Russell Gleason, a lawyer, and Helene Marguerite Churchill, the daughter of a stern judge Lester Lonergan who disapproves of his daughters choice and forbids her to see Georges. Papa Chibou suggests to them that they can still stay in touch, without disobeying her fathers directive not to speak with each other, by placing secret personal messages in the pockets of Napoleons uniform. However, a missing letter and confusion in communication causes Georges to arrive at the mistaken conclusion that Helene has redirected her affections towards a foolish young man Walter Rogers, who is unworthy of her and excessively preoccupied with his stylish personal appearance and elegant clothing. Seeing their lovers quarrel, Papa Chibou attempts to mollify the heated language, but George and Helene rebuff his soothing words by telling him not to interfere, since as an old man he knows nothing of love. Saddened by this rejection, he dreamily imagines that seven of the museums waxworks come to life and offer philosophical advice on the intricacies of courtship and love. Don Juan, the legendary 17th century libertine, Napoleon 1769–1821, Franz Schubert 1797–1828, African American boxer Joe Gans 1874–1910, Willie Smith, a Cockney costermonger who became a music hall attraction after winning a lotteryauction known as Calcutta Sweepstakes and a Parisian hypnotist whose purported mastery of dark arts earned him the stage name Diablero all portrayed by Muni as well as Catherine the Great 1729–1796 portrayed by Salka Stenermann speak to Papa Chibou, each in his or her own unique manner and accent, providing insight and personal experience in their reflections on this very intimate topic. The wax museum is unable to support itself and has to close. The owner, Monsieur Pratouchy Gustav von Seyffertitz puts the figures up for auction and Papa Chibou bids his life savings to acquire Napoleon, but is outbid. He then decides to take the waxwork and, while struggling to carry the heavy and unwieldy lifesize figure in his arms through Paris streets, attracts public attention and is arrested for theft. At his trial, the judge is Helenes father, while the defense attorney is Georges, the young romantic, who delivers an impassioned summation vividly describing how the defendant was overcome by patriotic fervor over Napoleons victories and his contributions to the glory and grandeur of his beloved France. Although the judge finds Papa Chibou guilty, as required by law, he is so impressed that he suspends the punishment and contributes towards the purchase price of the figure which is given to Papa Chibou who then confesses that as an uneducated man he never knew that Napoleon had accomplished all those great deeds and that he simply formed a close attachment to him. Then who did you think Napoleon was, he is asked. A sort of murderer, he replies. At that point, as he straightens Napoleons pockets, Papa Chibou discovers the overlooked letter which explains and resolves Georges and Helenes misunderstanding, thus allowing the young lovers an opportunity to declare their true feelings, with her fathers blessing.