Aurora Lane (Bessie Barriscale) lives in a small town loaded with small-minded residents. She had an illegitimate child and with the earnings from her millinery shop, she has sent him away to be educated. When Don, her son (Arnold Gregg), returns from college, he finds he has to defend his mother constantly. He is accused of murdering a man who made a snide remark about Aurora and is put on trial.
Russian Jews Nathan & Esther Levinsky, along with son, David, escape to the U.S. Nathan’s life as a peddler is hard, and Esther leaves him for Max Levy allowing David to be adopted by the wealthy Danvers family. In time Nathan prospers on a small California ranch, which abuts the larger ranch of the bigoted John Comstock. When Comstock’s daughter Helen, falls in love with the Danvers' adopted son, Jimmy, who Nathan secretly recognizes as David. Fire destroys his farm and Nathan goes to San Francisco to begin again with the contrite Esther. Jimmy follows after learning the truth to search for Nathan with Helen and Comstock in pursuit. Nathan saves Helen from the lecherous Max Levy and Comstock gives his blessing to Helen and Jimmy’s marriage.
This exotic adventure drama was based on the novel, The Daughter of Brahma, and went through at least one title change before reaching the screen as Shattered Idols. Jean Hurst, the widow of a British Army officer in India, hates her crippled son David because she thinks he is a coward and a weakling. She sends him away to England for his education. When he returns to India, he falls in love with native girl Sarasvati, who he saves from being burned on a funeral pyre.
