The Married Virgin (also known as Frivolous Wives) is a 1918 American silent drama film starring Vera Sisson, Kathleen Kirkham and Rudolph Valentino (credited as Rodolfo di Valentina). During the early part of his career, Valentino was often cast as a villain or "heavy," his part in The Married Virgin reflects this typecasting. Synopsis Mary McMillan (Sisson) is the daughter of tycoon John McMillan (Jobson). She is deeply in love with Douglas McKee (Newburg), a promising young lawyer. Mary's dour "evil stepmother", Ethel (Kirkham) is carrying on an affair with the diabolical Count Roberto di San Fraccini (Valentino). John McMillan is wracked with guilt over his involvement in a violent skirmish, in which a man was killed. While McMillan was not responsible for the murder, he did fire a weapon in the scuffle, and fears he could be implicated. He keeps the gun he used locked away in a safe in his office. Ethel knows the secret, and shares it with Roberto. They arrange to have the weapon stolen from the office and extort McMillan for money for its safe and quiet return. McMillan meets with Roberto, but refuses his demands for money. The lovers move on to Plan B, which involves the virtuous Mary. They plot to force Mary to marry Roberto, and use the dowry to escape to Argentina together. Mary is understandably reluctant to go along with the plan, but eventually acquiesces to save her father from a life sentence in prison. She writes to Douglas, calling off their engagement, sadly marries Roberto and retires to an unhappy existence in her home. Roberto, at first, promises to stay away from Mary until she comes to him of her own free will. Eventually, when it is apparent Mary wants nothing to do with him, he attempts to break into her room and rape her. She is saved only through the intervention of the kindly family servant, Annie (Leighton). Ethel grows increasingly jealous of the attention, albeit unwanted, that Mary is receiving from Roberto. On a drive through the hills, she brandishes a bottle of poison and threatens to use it unless Roberto takes the next boat to South America with her. Roberto attempts to take the bottle away from her, a struggle ensues, and the car loses control and tumbles off a cliff, killing Ethel. Meanwhile, Douglas works tirelessly to clear McMillan and save Mary. He meets with