| The One Woman: A Story of Modern Utopia | |
| Authors: | Thomas Dixon Jr. |
| Language: | English |
| Publisher: | Doubleday, Page[1] |
| Release Date: | 1903 |
| Pages: | 350 |
The One Woman: A Story of Modern Utopia is a 1903 novel by Thomas Dixon Jr.
Reverend Joseph Gordon, a preacher in New York City, clashes with church elders because of his socialist views.[2] [3] Despite being a socialist, his best friend, Mark Overman, is a millionaire Wall Street banker.[2]
Meanwhile, Gordon grows apart from his wife, Ruth, who disapproves of his politics.[2] After he starts a relationship with Kate Ransom, a wealthy female parishioner, he divorces his wife.[2] Kate Ransom donates a million dollars for him to start a new church and thus get rid of the disapproving church elders.[2] [3] The new church is called the "Temple of Man".[3]
Unfortunately, Kate Ransom falls in love with his friend Mark Overman.[2] The two men have a fight over the woman, and Gordon kills Overman.[2] Ransom tells the police about the murder and Gordon is sentenced to the death penalty.[2] Meanwhile, his faithful ex-wife asks her childhood lover, now the Governor of New York, to grant him a pardon, which he does.[2] Gordon is rescued from execution at the last minute.[2]
The novel's primary theme is socialism,[2] and it has been described as an 'anti-socialist novel.'[4]
Another theme is feminism.[2] [5] However, biographer Anthony Slide explains that it is construed as a by-product of socialism.[2]
The book was widely reviewed and became a best-seller.[2]
It has been interpreted as an attack on socialist clergyman George D. Herron, who had recently divorced.[6]
The novel was adapted as a play in 1906.[4] The first performance took place in Norfolk, Virginia, October of that year.[2] [4] It was performed on a tour in the American South.[2] The main character, Frank Gordon, was played by D. W. Griffith.[4] His wife, Linda Arvidson, also acted in the play.[4] Two months later, they were replaced with cheaper actors.[4]
The novel was adapted into a film in 1918.[2] [5] The screenwriters were Harry Chandlee and E. Richard Schayer.[2] It was directed by Reginald Barker.[2] It was shot in May–June 1918 at Paralta Studio on Melrose Avenue in Los Angeles.[2] Actors included W. Lawson Butt, Clara Williams and Adda Gleason.[2] The film, which is now lost, was reviewed in Variety.[2]