Thinking it is a worthless trinket, Dorothy trades her husband’s prized Aztec idol to a street peddler in exchange for a beautiful silk shawl. She soon discovers the idol is actually an extremely valuable artifact. Desperate to retrieve it before her husband notices, she learns that it has already been purchased by their neighbor, an artist named Cambridge. Dorothy enters Cambridge’s apartment to recover the idol secretly. Her efforts lead to a series of comedic misunderstandings and frantic situations as she tries to protect her marriage and her husband's property.
Passing Through is a 1921 American silent comedy drama film, directed by William A. Seiter and written by Agnes Christine Johnston, and Joseph F. Poland.
Pinky Cochrane is one of a trio of starving artists: the other two are Sam Wellbridge and Mac MacTavish. When one of their favorite models dies, the three heroes take charge of the woman's infant son Victor. Once the boy has grown to manhood, his three foster fathers decide to choose a likely wife for their "shared" son.
Scion of a distinguished family J. Anthony Bowden is considered unworthy by his father, a feeling he discovers is shared by his fiancée Elma. His father sets up an elaborate ruse involving Anthony’s arrest and Elma’s kidnapping to make him prove his worth which he eventually does.
Billy Davis discovers that his father's bakery business is in serious financial trouble and leaves college in order to help his family.
Georgie gets in wrong with Carmen at school through bad boy Dan, who puts on his innocent rival the blame for his own misdeeds. The two boys go into the cornfield at recess time to fight it out. There they are informed by another youngster that the straw man has come to life. Terrified, they run back to the schoolhouse. Georgie's Grandfather Truax, an old '49er, arrives in search of an escaped convict. He goes to investigate the cornfield, and Georgie follows him. Truax, with the help of his small grandson, takes the animated straw man captive. The 49er turns over the criminal to the guards, and children congratulate Georgie. Carmen is moved to kiss her hero.
The famous child detective Dick, with the collaboration of his stenographer, succeeds in uncovering a desperate character. But the little stenographer falls victim to the wiles of the villain's evil accomplices, and is locked by them under vile duress in a barrel of ashes, where she falls asleep.
After graduating from college, rich girl Margery Carr decides to do some good in the world. Much to the chagrin of her father, she decides to open an office to help derelicts. For her secretary, she picks an ex-gangster named Bubbs out of the throng.
Dan, frustrated by Billie's affections for Mae, turns the lodge goat into a comedic revenge plot. After a series of mishaps involving the goat and a pony, Dan arranges a lodge initiation where Billie is the "goat" of the evening, leading to a bruised and battered Billie and his father returning home and discreetly recognizing each other with the lodge sign.
Doctor Zorba and his followers plan to bring Dracula back to life using electronic means, using blood from victims. Batman saves Marita Banzon and defeats Dracula's creators.
Sir Brian, an irascible old gentleman, who suffers from gout, receives a note saying his son Gerald is very ill at college, and asking him to come to Dublin. He is too ill to go so he gets his friend, Captain Jenks, to go instead of him. Jenks finds Gerald being nursed by a pretty girl and soon discovers that Gerald is in love with her.
Not one but two of Charlie Chaplin impersonators, Harry Mann and Monty Banks, a film directed by Charley Chase still under the name of Charles Parrott. They go driving around town experiencing various car theft problems.
Humanitarian Roberta induces her father to hire former convict, Bill, as his gardener. When she leaves on vacation, Bill steals her jewelry and eventually sells a brooch to her boyfriend, Richard, who unknowingly gives it to her as a present.
Amos Kerran and his wife live a traditional, old-fashioned life on a Connecticut farm, while their son and daughter, Arthur and Maybelle, are successes in New York society. The children want to invite their parents to the city at Christmastime but are ashamed of their unrefined appearance.
Ada Prentice, a girl in a knitting factory, is forbidden by her parents to marry John Horrocks. She confides in her Aunt Sarah, the oldest worker in the factory. Aunt Sarah tells Ada that she has every right to live her own life and to marry the partner of her own choice. The old woman knows what she is talking about, since in her youth she had given up her chance for happiness by rejecting the only man she could have loved.
On a family outing to the golf course rich boy Georgie’s mother invites their poor caddy “Rags” to Georgie’s birthday party which pleases Georgie’s sweetie Carmen, but not the jealous lad. “Rags” feeling self-conscious about his clothes snags rich boy Willie’s togs and locks him in the coal cellar. After many comical mishaps all is straightened out!
A small boy, Bobby, substitutes some counterfeit which is intended for stage use for a real roll of bills. Two crooks steal the counterfeits on a sleeping car, and when they present one after the dinner which they hold in celebration they are promptly arrested.
When Rupert's uncle tells him he must quit his writing and offers him a real job in his tannery, the young man rises in his wrath and dramatically leaves his uncle's home, saying that he will go forth to the big city and carve out his fortune with his pen. After many hardships and cold rebuffs from the cruel publishers and editors he begins to despair
Dr. Spencer's wife becomes intensely jealous when she finds, in her husband's coat, a note signed "Mary," which asks him to visit the writer at the Hotel Mum. The woman carries her tale of woe to Attorney Thomas, a family friend. In his effort to make light of the matter, Thomas soothingly places his arm about Mrs. Spencer's shoulder. Dr. Spencer's office is directly across the court. Glancing out of the window, the doctor sees his wife apparently being embraced by Thomas. The attorney consents to accompany Mrs. Spencer to the Mum and meet "Mary." The doctor trails the two. As luck would have it, Mrs. Thomas passes the Mum just as her husband and Mrs. Spencer enter. The doctor and Mrs. Thomas meet and make their way after their other halves, bent on vengeance bent.
Floss Brannon, expelled from college for mischievous conduct, marries Chester Framm, a struggling young student who aspires to be an orator. When Chester's salary as an insurance clerk proves insufficient for the couple's needs, Claire invents a complexion cream called "Angel Bloom." Deciding to combine Chester's oratory prowess with the promotion of Angel Bloom, Floss rents an elephant, coats it with the cream and plans to have Chester pitch the product from the back of the animal.