An early satirical anthology of socially conscious shorts.
Social & External
A short that follows the legend of Wilhelm Gorkeit of Tellikon (William Tell), the legendary archer and hero from Switzerland.
Betty falls in love with Samuel Hayden, who was washed ashore after having survived a shipwreck. The self-acclaimed most religious man in town accuses a kindly man, whom he calls "The Devil," of robbing Samuel. Soon becoming bored with this slander, he attempts to break up the romance between Betty and Samuel, contriving to have her turned out by her stern father. Samuel is later discovered to be an escaped convict. This disclosure results in a series of escapades during which the true character of the village hypocrite and "The Devil" are revealed, showing the former to be vicious and the latter to be generous and benevolent.
Steel mill owner Sarah Maitland has raised her two children, Blair and Nannie, to be honest and caring, however Blair disappoints her when he seduces the wife of his best friend and breaks up her marriage. No one is happy but it takes a near fatal accident to set things right.
Firemen Tom and Joe each loves the other's sister, although neither is able to support a wife. Tom's troubles are compounded by a rival for his sweetheart's hand. In a drawn out fight he bests the rival, who steals the revenue from the firemen's ball (of which Tom is treasurer) and hides the money in the storage warehouse in which Tom's sister works as a stenographer. While Tom, Joe, and their sweethearts search for the money, the villain also returns for his loot, and, in his haste, he sets the building afire--trapping the foursome behind a steel door. Their calls for help reach the street, an alarm is turned in, firemen come to the rescue, and the money is found in a blazing desk.
During his daily duties, Casey the Cop rescues a woman who's soon his sweetheart. Later, she learns from her banker uncle that her inheritance has been stolen, and he's accusing Casey's own cashier brother. Casey is on the case.
Every night, in danger of being beheaded, Scheherazade tells King Shahryar unfinished tales to continue them the following night, hence defying his promise of murdering his new wives after their wedding night. Scheherazade tells King Shahryar her stories but these are not those in the book. As in the book, these stories are tragic and comical, with rich and poor, powerless and powerful people, filled with surprising and extraordinary events.
Although Susan Branch is herself without finances, she has many wealthy friends who supply her with clothes and gay times. She is in love with struggling author Nick Lansing, who also attracts the interests of Susan's chief patron, Ursula Gillow, and is persuaded by Ellie Vanderlyn to marry him for at least a year's happiness. Their marriage falls apart when their wedding gifts are spent; they become involved with the Vanderlyns' domestic affairs; and Ursula decides she wants Nick for herself. However, the lawyer handling the Lansings' divorce proceedings brings them back together, and Nick sells his novel. A lost film.
This film combines four short films under the title Bits Of Life. The Bad Samaritan is taken from a story in Popular Magazine in which the son of a Chinese father and a white mother is sold into slavery by his father. The boy becomes a criminal and a cunning but cruel thief. The one time he stops to help a lady in distress he is thrown in jail. Wesley Barry is the young boy and Lon Chaney the grown-up criminal.
This obscure silent melodrama, directed by the veteran Harry J. Revier, was filmed entirely in San Francisco with an all-Asian cast that included Chinese-born Jimmy B. Leong and Hollywood's own Anna May Wong.
Gangster Jim Boyd serves a 15-year prison term when Hardy, a rival crook, doublecrosses him. On his release from prison, Boyd seeks out Hardy in Chicago, where he runs a cafe and bootleg operation. He makes the acquaintance of Mona Gale, a dancer in Hardy's cafe who is engaged to marry Jack Waring, the orchestra leader. Unaware that Mona is his daughter, Boyd shoots Hardy in a brawl and leaves behind evidence implicating Waring as the murderer. After Hardy's death, Mona joins Boyd's gang to gather evidence proving her fiancé's innocence. The gang members discover that Mona has dealings with the police, and they begin to torture her. Having learned of Mona's relationship to him at the last minute, Boyd arrives at the gang's hideout in time to save her. He confesses to killing Hardy before he dies from a wound inflicted by one of his own gang, thus freeing Waring to marry Mona.
Tammany Burke, young owner of a giant roller coaster, is fighting heavy odds against a syndicate led by financial baron Hughey Cooper. Assisted by his sweetheart, Joan, and her father, Jingles Wellman, formerly a clown, Burke prepares for a sabotage of his machine by syndicate hirelings. In the midst of a great battle the riot squad arrives to arrest the troublemakers, and Burke and his sweetheart are left in happy possession of their roller coaster.
The film explores the journey of Nora Dowen as she rises to fame and stardom, facing the challenges and temptations that come with the industry.
Sonya, a Marseilles Cafe performer involved with a pack of thieves is rescued from her criminal life by a police official who sends her lover and partner in a knife-throwing act to jail and then tries to seduce her. Not submitting to the official's advances, she falls in love with an Apache dancer in Paris and works with him, holding her other admirer at a distance. The official is mysteriously killed, presumably by her lover, it then falls to Sonya to find the real felon.
Jati works out day and night to be like his idol, Joni Krakatau, a legend who stands atop the peak of success. When the more popular Abe stands in the way of his dream of becoming the best, Jati challenges him. As both men tear their muscle and dislocate their joints, they realize that success is not determined by who is the strongest, but who has the stronger determination to reach the top. With both men drenched in the pink goop of Joni Krakatau-branded protein shake, the whole gym goes into a frenzy in search of a true legend.
A woman is murdered during an overnight train ride and a veteran detective clashes with young P.I. on how they are going flush out the killer. They find themselves racing against the clock when a second body is discovered.
A respectable Paris jeweller becomes engaged to a celebrated performer of the Montmartre cafes.
Richard Gordon is an aspiring composer who can't get arrested in his field of endeavor. Upon meeting nightclub singer Mary Talbot, Gordon is inspired to write his greatest melody. The song catches the ear of impresario George Monroe and before long Gordon has scaled the heights of fame and fortune. Mary despairs that she's been forgotten.
A collection of magical tales based upon the actual dreams of director Akira Kurosawa.
A group of idealistic but frustrated liberals succumb to the temptation of murdering right-wing pundits for their political beliefs.
A disgraced former District Attorney plots his revenge on the members of a criminal gang who had him framed and sent to prison.
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