Intolerance: Love's Struggle Throughout the Ages 1916
The story of a poor young woman, separated by prejudice from her husband and baby, is interwoven with tales of intolerance from throughout history.
The story of a poor young woman, separated by prejudice from her husband and baby, is interwoven with tales of intolerance from throughout history.
While conducting a pagan ritual in the woods with her friends, Kirsten inadvertently awakens the spirit of a demonic Christmas elf involved in a neo-Nazi plot to bring about the master race. After the rent-a-Santa in her department store is murdered, an unemployed, alcoholic ex-cop takes the job and the two set out to unravel the mystery.
Coke Ennyday, the scientific detective, divides his time into periods of "Sleep", "Eat", "Dope" and "Drinks". In fact, he overcomes every situation with drugs: consuming cocaine to increase his energy or injecting it in his opponents to incapacitate them. To help the police, he tracks down a contraband of opium (which he eagerly tastes) transported within "leaping fishes", saving a "fish-blower" girl from blackmail along the way.
Gambler "On-the Level" Leigh (William S. Hart) is forced to leave his high rolling lifestyle to move his ailing sister Alice (Mildred Harris) to the healing climate the mountains. Financial strain compels him to resume his favored vocation. Unfortunately for Level, the dance hall girl Coralie (Alma Rubens) doesn't take rejection well and convinces the dealer to clean him out with a "cold deck". A desperate robbery ensues, leading to Level wanted for murder!
Brent Brewster, formerly a Yale athlete known for his pole vaulting prowess, is unsuccessful in business. When his wealthy relatives send him out to fend for himself, Brent joins a detective agency. After Craig Lansing, a family friend, hires Brent to investigate the numerous jewel thefts in Poughkeepsie, Brent works undercover at Lansing's house party and recognizes Captain Drake, an English crook. Although Brent temporarily forgets detective work when he meets Ann, the beautiful sister of Lansing's wife Ruth, Ann's remark that $40,000 a year would be enough for her to live on brings Brent back to the job.
Karl Heinrich is the heir to the throne of the small European principality of Rutania, but he's a lonely child, not allowed to play with other children and knowing little about life outside the castle. When he reaches maturity, he is sent to attend the University of Heidelberg, and finds fellowshi with classmates and a blossoming love with Katie Ruder, his only friend during childhood and the niece of an innkeeper. However, political turmoil in Rutania forces him to return. War is declared. Heinrich returns to Heidelberg one last time to bid a somber farewell to his beloved Katie.
In the Latin Quarter of Paris, American artist David Lane (Norman Kerry) marries his model Yvonne (Olive Thomas), but just prior to the birth of their baby, David's mother dies, and he is forced to depart for the United States. In David's absence, his father hires a lawyer to convince Yvonne that David has abandoned her, and grief-stricken, she dies soon after her little girl is born. Yvonne's trusted friend Pierre rears the girl as a boy, whom he calls Toton, and trains her to become a skilled pickpocket. Meanwhile, David adopts a boy named Carew, and when he grows to manhood, the two move to Paris to establish an art studio. In robbing the studio, Pierre recognizes David, and to avenge Yvonne's death, he claims that Toton has been taught to hate her father. Later, Pierre becomes convinced of David's innocence, and before he dies, he reveals the truth to Toton. Finally, the girl is reunited with her father and marries Carew.
During World War I, Jeanette Gontreau becomes a "godmother" to three Allied soldiers imprisoned in a German camp. Describing herself as an old woman, she sends them cheerful letters and baskets of small gifts until one of the soldiers, Harry Ledyard, informs her that he has been released and will visit her in New York. Panic-stricken, Jeanette dons a wig and spectacles, and although she convinces Harry that she is old and gray, she soon falls in love with him. Harry worships his "godmother," and when secret service agents discover coded messages on her letters, he shields her by assuming the blame.
Hard-working insurance company bookkeeper John Carter, comes home Easter eve to his suburban cottage with a potted lily for his loving wife and two daughters. The Carters live happily until cashier Charles Ryder is murdered by the night watchman, a "coke sniffer" in need of money, and Carter is accused because he worked with Ryder that evening.
A panhandler who opens car doors for people in London's theatre district finds himself involved in a deadly mystery when a corpse with a cash-stuffed wallet falls out of a vehicle and he helps himself to some of the money.
At the end of the Civil War, engineer Jim Bludso, accompanied by his friend, Banty Tim, returns home to the town of Gilgal, and discovers that his wife Gabrielle has deserted him and their son Breeches for another man. Jim is welcomed by Kate Taggart, the village storekeeper's daughter, and their attachment deepens until Gabrielle returns after being deserted by her paramour, and Jim forgives her for their son's sake. Meanwhile, Ben Merrill, an unscrupulous contractor who has built the town levee, fears that the structure will not hold the coming flood waters. Merrill destroys the levee and attempts to place the blame on Jim and Banty Tim. In the flood, Gabrielle is killed, but before dying, she exposes Merrill as the man for whom she had deserted her home. This information reaches Jim when he and Merrill are aboard the boat The Prairie Bell . In the ensuing fight, the ship catches fire and explodes. Rescued from the debris by Banty Tim, Jim marries Kate and begins a new life.
Set in the Great White North, the film stars Bennett as the object of affections for several rugged northerners, including a couple of disreputable gamblers.
A 1916 silent Western
Sally Carter Rand, married to an elderly senator, is accused of espionage, but she is able to clear herself by proving that her mysterious knitting is actually a baby sweater.
Half-breed Joe Elk wavers between the "civilized" nature of his white father and the passion of his Indian mother. He falls in love with Alice McRae, but Alice is in love with Bruce Smithson, who is an officer at the Hudson Bay Trading Company.
While on vacation in New York, millionaire cattle rancher John Keyes falls in love with musical comedy star Fritzi Carlyle. Recognizing the opportunity for a great story, Fritzi's press agent encourages her to accept the Westerner's proposal of marriage, only to deny it the next day in a wave of newspaper publicity. Disheartened, Keyes returns to Arizona and Fritzi continues performing until she suffers a nervous breakdown. Reading of Fritzi's misfortune, Keyes returns East, kidnaps Fritzi and takes her to Arizona. There, the change of climate performs wonders and she recovers quickly. Meanwhile, her stage manager sends detectives after her, and when they arrive in Arizona ready to arrest Keyes for kidnapping, Fritzi explains that the whole adventure was an elaborate publicity stunt and announces that she and her Arizona cowboy are going to be married.
Raymond Griffith out in the wild west, and in the process takes care of the bad guy to save his gal.
A wayward wife abandons her husband but finds redemption by preventing a railway accident and finding her way back to him.
In New York's Washington Square, a poet named Karl (Jack Livingston) is the king of art and artifice. But World War I breaks out and the spotlight on him begins to fade, so he dramatically declares his intention to enlist in the British Army. His friend Marcarson announces that he will go with him, keeping Karl to a promise which he hadn't planned to see through.