The Beautiful and Damned

The Beautiful and Damned (1922), Fitzgerald’s second novel, paints a stark picture of the vibrant yet morally decadent society of early twentieth-century America. While pursuing a life of wealth and indulgence, Anthony Patch and his wife Gloria embark on a destructive path exacerbated by vanity and purposelessness, which eventually takes its toll on their relationship. The earliest film adaptation of the novel came out the same year as the book, with Kenneth Harlan and Marie Prevost playing the lead characters.