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.
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!
When playwright Curtis de Forest Ralston becomes enamored of actress Viola Strathmore, who is to appear in his play Vanity, Viola induces him to change certain parts and give her more lines. Curtis, who is not as talented as he believes himself to be, fails at his job but is saved by his wife Anita, a former actress, who has forsaken her career for marriage. Anita and her old manager, Bruce Winthrope, fashion the play to suit Viola, and Vanity becomes a huge success. The play's triumph enlarges Curtis's ego even further, and he deserts Anita for Viola.
Young Polly-Ann works in a small town inn as a maidservant. A troupe of actors comes to town and the innocent girl falls in love with one of its members. Howard Straightlane is sent to the small town by his father, to work as a schoolteacher in hopes of smartening up the young man from his wild ways. Howard soon meets Polly-Ann and saves her from the unscrupulous actor.
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.
A saloon owner loans her lover the money to buy a house, which he has led her to believe they will live in after they're married. Instead, he takes the money and buys a saloon in another town.
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.
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.
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.
Squire Peachem (Ford Sterling) wants to marry the innkeeper's daughter (Normand). Since Peachem has a hefty mortgage on the inn, he thinks he can use it to effect a union, but the girl is not interested in him. She already has a sweetheart, handsome Randolph Roanoke (Owen Moore). Peachem and his dumb-as-dirt assistant, Blaa Blaa (Sennett), try to keep Roanoke and Mabel apart. Their feeble attempts are in vain, and Mabel easily manages to outwit them and win the man she loves. - Janiss Garza
During World War I, John Stevens invents an anti-submarine device, but the plans are stolen by two German spies, the Baron von Wiederholtz and Madame Elsa, who flee to a New York hotel. Stevens' daughter Alice pursues the spies hoping to retrieve the plans.
Wee Lady Betty rules the O'Reilly castle with a stern hand and a big heart until she learns that Roger, the O'Reilly heir, is coming to take possession of his estate. Unable to provide for her aged father, Betty conceives of a scheme. Feigning to leave the castle, she returns after dark with her father and installs him in the haunted chamber.
Layabout Al Beresford is in a position of responsible in the brokerage film he works in only because of his smart and self-sacrificing wife Mary. While he dawdles and wastes his time she works behind the scenes to complete his work in order to save his position. One day when Al is out wandering Mary delivers important documents she's completed to Wall Street broker Elihu Jasper. He in turn is charmed by her and offers Al a job, though he recognizes his worthlessness. Jasper offers him many tips and with Mary's support Al prospers. Foolishly not realizing it is due to the work of others Al leaves Mary and is soon ruined, taking desperate measures he frees Mary to enjoy a life with Elihu.
A young girl is betrothed to a rich Count by her family who have hopes of partaking in the Count's fortune. A parson who loves her uses his pulpit in a scheme to shame the family into allowing the girl to break the engagement and marry him instead.
Claire Curtis, Jimmie Strong and Mary have spent their childhood together in the country. Upon reaching adulthood, Claire goes to New York and becomes a success on stage. Jimmie, who has always dreamed of becoming an inventor, goes to New York to sell the machine he invented, and there he renews his acquaintance with Claire. Soon their old friendship ripens into love. Meanwhile, back in the country, Ralph and David Harding, who are making Jimmie's machine, plan to steal the right to it. Back in New York, Mary appears and informs Claire that she loves Jimmie, and the actress resolves to give her a chance to win him. When it appears that the Hardings' scheme to steal Jimmie's machine will succeed, however, Mary's ardor turns cold. Claire and Jimmie then rush back to the country in time to avert the takeover and save his firm from bankruptcy.
After leaving her sweetheart Jed Bronson, and small country town life, Minnie Wills (Olive Thomas) obtains a job as a model in a stylish Chicago shop and soon attracts the attention of Moncure Kelts, a wealthy playboy. Enchanted by her beauty and innocence, Moncure proposes, but once she has accepted, he loses interest in her and soon becomes desperate to get rid of her. With her emotions very much under control, Minnie agrees to break off the engagement in exchange for a limousine, a large wardrobe, and a large check, and then returns to Three Oaks. Overjoyed to see her, Jed proposes, and after their marriage, Minnie convinces him to establish a business in Chicago. The plan proves highly successful, and later, when the couple encounters Moncure on the street, Minnie thanks him for giving them their start in life.
A secretary (Gloria Swanson) uses her boss to get money for her unfortunate sister (Ann Kroman) but eventually falls in love with him.
A young woman whose domineering mother almost ruins her marriage eventually learns that mother does not always know best when her father commits suicide.
Patricia Reynolds, the belle of the summer resort she is visiting with her friend, Amy Powellson, attracts the attention of Arthur Kirby, whom Amy loves. On an evening drive, Arthur tries to kiss Patricia , whereupon she leaps from the car and walks home. While Amy, disguised in Patricia 's clothing, accompanies Arthur to a roadhouse, Patricia , walking near the beach, sees her invalid friend, Jim Wheeler, jump into the ocean intending to kill himself. After rescuing him, Patricia persuades Jim to visit a specialist, but when she later is accused of spending the night with Arthur, she refuses to defend herself in order to conceal Jim's attempted suicide.