The Lure of Drink

A lurid temperance tale warning of the evils of wicked women and the demon drink.

This surprisingly violent piece of temperance propaganda uses shock tactics to hammer its point home. Big-hearted Ned has sworn off booze, enjoying a happy and sober marriage with widowed Peggy. But when Peggy's conniving rival Kate tempts him with a tipple, Ned's 'dormant demon' is unleashed in a dramatic Jekyll-and-Hyde-like transformation.

While the film's pro-temperance agenda is obvious, you may need to look a little closer to spot the WWI subtext. Military recruitment posters adorn most of the pub interiors, inviting the punters to "fall-in". While these are routinely ignored by the idle drunks, the final scene implies that Ned, now a reformed character, goes on to fight for his country. Watch out, too, for the striking street and dock scenes filmed around the west London borough of Ealing; the film was produced at the first generation of Ealing Studios by pioneer William Barker.