The Beautiful Lie is a 1917 American silent drama film, directed by John W. Noble. It stars Frances Nelson, Harry S. Northrup, and Edward Earle, and was released on May 21, 1917. It tells the tale of a woman whose reputation is sullied, and then recovered. It received mostly positive reviews, and the performances by the three stars were all given high marks for their work, particularly Nelson. As of 2019, it is considered a lost film.

Plot

Frances Nelson works for architect Mortimer Grierson, who desires her. He tricks her into a false marriage so that he can have her. When he tires of her, he begins seeing Elsie MacLeod, among others. One night he returns from one of his assignations, and Frances and he fight, during which he lets her know that the marriage was a fraud. He deserts her, after which she can only find work as an artist's model, due to her lack of skills and the fact that she is seen as a fallen woman. She is hardened mentally while working for the artist, but manages to not succumb to his sexual advances.