Bill Matthews, foreman for Bethel Steel, works hard to perfect a means for the elimination of waste in steel manufacture. Philip Colt, inheritor of the steel mill, is in love with Daphne Van Steer, whose father is in financial straits. One day, visiting the mill with Philip, Daphne witnesses Bill thrash an insolent workman, and is impressed with his strength though she then snubs him. Bill soon perfects his invention, and coming into great wealth, resolves to become Daphne's social equal by employing socialite May Larrabee to coach him.
Irked by the success of a brassy nightclub owner. her rivals set out to drive her out of business, and frame her for a murder in the bargain.
After locksmith Joe Sands is acquitted of charges he cooperated in a burglary, master criminal Steve Benson, who poses as a philanthropist, asks him to join his gang. Joe refuses, but because his crippled brother needs an operation, he robs a safe. Joe is caught, but Sadie, a member of Benson's gang, saves him. Because Joe again refuses Benson's offer, Benson turns Joe over to the police. Joe is saved from prosecution by the man whose safe he robbed, the physician who operated on his brother. Finally, Joe, Sadie and the brother start life over in the country.
When Charles Hale is visiting his mistress, Sybil Russell, he is shot in the arm by Sybil's estranged and outraged husband. Hale's daughter, Marjorie, is so shocked to discover in this abrupt fashion her father's philandering that she leaves her wealthy home and goes to the slums to do settlement work. Marjorie, who is engaged to the district attorney, is there placed in a compromising position by her father's assailant, who intends to revenge himself upon the entire Hale family.
Based on the David Belasco stage production of the Max Marcin play in which heavyweight-champion Jack Dempsey played the role of the fighter, Tiger: This "behind-the-scenes look of a heavyweight-championship fight" looks much like all of the other boxing films in which the Champ gets involved in a frame-up and is asked to take a dive.
A young man becomes a burglar due to hunger, but after gathering up his booty feeds himself from the victims' larders, and thus, no longer hungry, feels compelled to return the loot. In one case, he is discovered in the act by a young lady who finds in him a suitable case for reclamation.
Soon after arriving in the U.S., Romanian immigrant Franz Libelt dies, leaving his daughter Michelna an orphan. The girl is befriended by newsboy Blackie Moyle, who invites her to share his home, which is a large piano box in a vacant lot. After he teaches her to be a "newsie," she cuts her hair, dresses as a boy, and changes her name to Mike. When Blackie is blinded while protecting her from a thief, Mike is forced to find a way to support them both
Abby Lou is the niece of the crabbed old antique dealer, Richard Cobb. Old Richard Cobb has a son who possesses all the qualities that his father seemingly was born without. This son, Tom Cobb, loves Abby Lou and is working on his great invention, a kettle that will not boil over. Finances are the only drawback to its successful achievement.
Comedy of a school marm teaching a social climber some life lessons.
Meg Chaney, despairing of being passed by the good-natured lumberman Pete Horner, decides to convince the 'half-witted' ‘Humpy’ Duncan to kill her romantic rival, Molly Berger.
Gamblers Dave Hume and Ed Felton are rivals for the love of Babe Lennox, a chorus girl. Hume informs on Felton, and though the latter is arrested he is released on bail, and Talbot, the attorney, warns Hume to stay clear of him. Hume, who is in ill health, determines to commit suicide, making it appear that Felton killed him; and (concealing a record of his plans on a small statuette) he makes a wager with Felton that he can do so.
Club pianist Ted Mason writes a love song for Beth Barton. A rival named Goldie steals the song for her husband, Steve, to publish. Beth faces unfair blame from her friends and teacher because of the popular song. Ted proves he wrote it by creating an even better song, exposing the theft, and winning Beth back.
A small town girl goes to Hollywood with ambitions of becoming major dramatic star. However, the melodrama she appears in is unintentionally amusing and becomes a comedy hit.
When a mayoral candidate finds out that he will be exposed in a newspaper article, he goes to the political boss who put him up for the job and says he wants to quit. Enraged, the boss pulls a gun on him, and the man promptly dies of a heart attack. The boss stages a fake car "accident" to make that look like his cause of death, but a suspicious newspaper reporter decides to look more deeply into the story.
Alice Davis and Charles Turner are arrested for petting in an automobile and marry on impulse.
Homesick for America, Jack and his pals get aboard a ship U. S.-bound disguised as entertainers. As entertainers they're flops, but evoke considerable mirth among the passengers by their efforts. Jack arouses the jealousy of a Frenchman, who is keen on a young French girl, and is challenged to a fight. The Frenchman fights a la Savatte (the French method, including kicking, bucking, etc.) and is getting the better of Jack, until the latter dons a pair of hobnailed brogans. He consents to remove these if his adversary will put boxing gloves on his feet. The Frenchman gets seasick and is counted out as he leans over the rail, where he is soon joined by Jack.
Ruthless stockbroker John McLane has ruined James Horton through reckless money management. McLane is extremely hard in business matters. When Horton’s son, Walter, confronts McLane they have a stormy altercation in which McLane is accidentally killed with a paper knife. McLane’s blind daughter Nora has been upstairs during the incident but runs down to find Horton sitting in a chair feigning sleep. Nora touches him lightly on the face thus impressing his features in her mind and when she turns to her father he flees. In time Nora’s blindness is cured and at a house party she meets Walter Horton. He recognizes her but she does not know him, and they fall in love but when she touches his face, she realizes the truth.
Ranch foreman Kerry has boarded with Kitty Tynan and her mother for five years in western Canada, his past is a mystery to everyone. He is actually an English aristocrat who lost all his money gambling and left the country in search of work. Kerry and his friend Horan own an option on property which crooked lawyer Burlingame is trying to secure. Burlingame's cohort Logan murders Hogan, and is caught and arrested. In the trial, Burlingame forces Kerry to admit his past, and succeeds in preventing Kerry from receiving bank assistance. When Kerry is shot, Kitty opens a letter from Kerry's wife that he had been carrying for five years, and cables her. Kerry's wife arrives and informs him that his last bet in England had turned out to be a $20,000 winner. Kerry is able to use the money just in time to foil Burlingame and secure the property, thus winning prosperity and the affections of his wife.
Drama of Indian life depicting Young Deer and Red Moon in a story about bravery.
John and Tom Wilkins are brothers and most divergent in natures. John is a clergyman and a noble, upright fellow, while Tom is a scapegrace, wild, reckless and unscrupulous. Not having the parental guidance so essential in youth, his father being dead and his mother blind, he drifted into bad company, the contaminating influence deeply affecting his susceptible nature.