Moral (1928)

The titular “Morality” is better understood as hypocritical pseudo-morality, since the story revolves around its supposed endangerment in a small town whose long-established dignitaries and members of a morals league are supposed to protect it from allegedly overly sensual temptations. In any case, the citizens of sleepy Emilsburg, led by rentier Beermann, president of the morals league, put on a show of outrage over a revue troupe made up mostly of scantily clad young women that is due to perform there. The gentlemen immediately see the moral decency of the village community as being under threat, even though more than a few of the old lechers would gladly sneak a look at a shapely bare female leg … but, of course, would never admit it in public. Ninon de Hauteville is the name of the troupe’s lead dancer and leader of these “immoral women,” from whom all of Emilsburg must naturally be protected. So the townspeople indignantly raise the alarm and vilify the revue girls as “immoral” and “corrupting.” But when word gets around in whispers that Mademoiselle Ninon is supposed to be the heir prince’s favorite, the social climate changes in an instant. One “respectable” citizen after another bows and scrapes before Ninon, hoping to win her favor—and thus the heir prince’s. Ninon uses the crowd of submissive hypocrites dancing attendance on her to take her personal revenge. With a small handheld camera, she films them as they one by one flirt with her and try to get close. This gives the dancer perfect leverage over the “guardians of morality,” and soon the entire morals league has been captured on film. The next revue performance must now be attended by all the “moral” hypocrites, who must give it thunderous applause. In return, Ninon promises to destroy the highly embarrassing film footage that incriminates them all.