Temptation (1923 film)

Temptation is a 1923 American silent drama film directed by Edward LeSaint and starring Hope Hampton, Milton Sills, and James T. Kirkwood. The film is based on the play "The Second Mrs. Tanqueray" by Arthur Wing Pinero.

The story revolves around Helen, a woman with a scandalous past who marries Aubrey Tanqueray, a wealthy widower hoping to escape his own sorrows. Helen's attempts to fit into respectable society and gain acceptance from Aubrey's daughter, Ellean, are repeatedly thwarted by her reputation and her own insecurities. The film explores themes of societal judgment, forgiveness, and the difficulty of escaping one's past.

While Temptation garnered some attention for Hope Hampton's performance and the lavish sets, it was not a major critical or commercial success. The adaptation of Pinero's play was considered by some to be less effective on screen than on the stage. Like many silent films, Temptation is now considered a lost film, with no known copies surviving.