Cinematic Era: 1915 Vintage

The Fisherwoman was a dominant force on the busy island. Unaided she had built up a large business. She employed many fishermen, and grew wealthier year by year. She sent her son to college, and was delighted when he told her, after graduation, that he intended to help her in the work. Contact with the world, however, had spoiled him for a narrow life. The mother divined his secret, although he tried to hide it. "You have your own life to live, my son," she said, "and I would not keep you here." The son's progress in business was rapid. One day word came from him that he was married, and he sent his mother the picture of his bride. Time passed, and the son wrote more and more infrequently. The mother believed that the wife was to blame, and although they had never met, she began to hate her bitterly.

Sweedie, with her arms splattered by dough, looks out the window and sees her mistress just mounting he horse for her morning ride. The simple, toilsome life straightway becomes monotonous and Sweedie prepares to go and do likewise. She calls up her Romeo, who is a captain of the mounted police squad, and tells him to come with two horses prepared for a canter.

Miriam, daughter of wealthy politician John Barker is engaged to reporter George Prescott. Prescott is assigned to expose gambling conditions and discovers Barker is a grafter. Miriam doesn’t believe Prescott and breaks the engagement only to fall victim to gambling fever. When she is arrested in a raid on a gaming house her father sees the error of his ways and becomes a reform candidate of the "Clean-up" party. He wins and George and Miriam reunite.

Within earshot of her fiancé Leo Holmes and his friend Bruce Morgan Louise Wilke says she could never marry a man who was a drunkard. Morgan, secretly in love with Louise, gets Leo intoxicated and sends him to her home. Louise breaks off the engagement and Bruce pursues her. Undecided, she slips into a dream where she is mired in a life of misery with Morgan, who has become a worse drunkard than Holmes as well as selfish and brutal. In trying to defend herself from Bruce she kills him with a pair of shears. Holmes, a poor derelict, hears her scream, rushes to her rescue. Louise awakens and sends for Leo.

Having declared himself in on a jolly college dinner, Mr. Dubley, member of the class of '88, counted on having a Hot Old Time. Now at a College Dinner the main idea is to get a flying start. It was to be a Dry dinner, so most of the sons of Bohunkus were doing what a Camel does just before crossing a Desert. At 8:15 the Crowd was herded into the banquet hall. Dr. Dubley found himself marooned between two pious elders. The Oysters had been warming up since 6:30. Fortunately, the soup was not warm enough to scald the thumb of a willing longshoreman who had been brought in as an extra waiter.

A young girl, pursued by a band of conspirators, hides in a movie theatre where she watches the film Cabiria. She determines to seek the aid of that film's strongman, Maciste. When she locates him, he helps her overcome her enemies, but not without many thrilling and dangerous adventures.

John Glayde is a stone-hearted man intent on wealth to elevate his family, losing his wife to another man in the process.

La Pampa, Argentina. Don Genaro Gran hires gaucho Juan to capture horses and tame them. In his quest, Juan rescues a girl in trouble whose beauty unleashes Don Genaro's worst impulses.

Movie mogul Thomas H. Ince may well have been the director of The Despoiler as indicated by the credits; but since Ince was known far and wide as a glory-hogger, it's also possible that one of his talented lieutenants wielded the megaphone. A Civil War drama, The Despoiler refuses to take sides, demonstrating that there are heroes and villains in both camps. Capturing a small town, Colonel Charles K. French orders his men to reclaim the funds raised for the enemy by the townsfolk. French's drunken, lacivious second-in-command Frank Keenan intends to extort money from the citizens by threatening the virtue of the town's female population.

Jack goes from business to business, trying to sell ad space in his newspaper. At each stop he catches the boss in a compromising position with a secretary. He writes an editorial about the practice, hinting that he could expose prominent businessmen. Suddenly everyone wants to buy ads in his paper.

Two tramps look so much alike that they can outfox the police time after time. When one of them is locked in a shack, the police manage to catch the other one and expose the trick.

Minerva comes home from school filled with the idea that she has a great mission in life. All society needs reformation. She has her maiden aunt come to live with her as chaperon, and Minerva immediately starts in by reconstructing her. The trust company that has charge of her fortune is represented by young Mr. Grant, who looks on with dismay at the operations of Minerva and tries to dissuade her, but without success. She stops him from smoking and he compiles when she isn't looking. She discovers this and quarrels with him. A laborer making some repairs at the house attracts her attention when she finds him drinking a pail of beer with his lunch. She remonstrates with him and questions him about his home life. As a result she visits his mother's home and tries to educate the family, much against their will, lavishing money on them.

John Douglas, a high-society playboy, is a cynic concerning the women of his social set, and has a pictured ideal of the girl of his dreams. Wising to avoid the upcoming social season, he hops a freighter bound for the Orient. It sinks in mid-ocean and he, as the sole survivor, is washed upon a island, where he is rescued by Nia, daughter of the tribal chief, Neto.John is puzzled as all of the tribe are white people, but he learns from the tribal chief they are descendant's of English-origin who also are on the island because of a ship wreck a few hundred years ago.

Saved from a terrible shipwreck by Stephan Royston, son of a farmer. Nana, orphaned by the catastrophe, is adopted by the family and the two sons, Stephan and Godfrey, fall in love with her. Stephan's artistic tendency for painting, etc., is classed as foolishness by his stern father, while Godfrey, realizing that the girl favors his brother, determines to get rid of him.

The husband sits by the fire musing over his married life and what might have been. He gets up and goes to the window to look out into the night. Across the yard in his neighbors' house, he sees two children being put to bed by their parents. The wife neglects her married life for social affairs. The husband sees her bidding an affectionate good night to a man who is in love with her. When she comes in he suggests that they be divorced, saying that their union has been without issue. He shows her the happy family. A poor woman leaves her baby on the doorstep of the home.

Dakota Dan, who runs the saloon and gambling hall, is refusing to take another drink with the boys, who commence to kid him, saying he's been scared to drink ever since he heard the new parson's daughter was going to convert him. Dakota flushes and replies half angrily that he has never seen the parson's girl and don't ever want to. That afternoon Daisy goes to the saloon and invites Dakota to attend church. Dakota refuses her invitation; Daisy tells him she will make a bargain with him to tend his bar for five minutes if he will go to church the next day. Dakota is slightly startled, but he admires her grit and accepts the challenge. Daisy goes behind the bar. The men line up and she is about to serve a fresh guy when he suddenly reaches over and kisses her. Dakota immediately knocks him "cold, and, ashamed of his bargain with Daisy, grimly escorts her to the door. The next day he tells the men that if they don't accompany him to church he will close.

Masha, a young Russian emigrant traveling to the U.S., is saved from an officer's advances by civil engineer David Harding. Upon landing in America, J. J. Walton, a self-made political boss and contractor, pursues Masha and hires her as his maid. She leaves after the first night, but becomes his mistress after Walton promises her an education and marriage. A lost film.

Paul Sturgess is engaged to Grace Van Austin. At a party at their Newport home, Grace flirts with Howard Esterbrook leading to a fight between the two men. Later that night, a servant witnesses Paul, with a revolver entering Esterbrook's room. The servant follows, sees a hand emerging from a window curtain, stab Esterbrook then vanish mysteriously. Paul is arrested based on circumstantial evidence. Six months later, a woman known as "The Woman of Mystery" is shot during a raid while trying to assist the police. Moved by hearing about Paul's denied pardon and impending execution, the "Woman of Mystery" reveals information to the detective leading the raid. This revelation leads to a call to the Sing Sing Warden just in time to halt Paul's electrocution.

When Mrs. Justwed receives a note from her mother telling her that she expects to arrive next day, her husband seems overjoyed, and says he intends to make her stay all winter. She arrives next day, but it is not long before the well-meaning husband is hoping it will be a short winter.

The husband sits by the fire musing over his married life and what might have been. He gets up and goes to the window to look out into the night. Across the yard in his neighbors' house, he sees two children being put to bed by their parents. The wife neglects her married life for social affairs. The husband sees her bidding an affectionate good night to a man who is in love with her. When she comes in he suggests that they be divorced, saying that their union has been without issue. He shows her the happy family. A poor woman leaves her baby on the doorstep of the home.

Dakota Dan, who runs the saloon and gambling hall, is refusing to take another drink with the boys, who commence to kid him, saying he's been scared to drink ever since he heard the new parson's daughter was going to convert him. Dakota flushes and replies half angrily that he has never seen the parson's girl and don't ever want to. That afternoon Daisy goes to the saloon and invites Dakota to attend church. Dakota refuses her invitation; Daisy tells him she will make a bargain with him to tend his bar for five minutes if he will go to church the next day. Dakota is slightly startled, but he admires her grit and accepts the challenge. Daisy goes behind the bar. The men line up and she is about to serve a fresh guy when he suddenly reaches over and kisses her. Dakota immediately knocks him "cold, and, ashamed of his bargain with Daisy, grimly escorts her to the door. The next day he tells the men that if they don't accompany him to church he will close.

Masha, a young Russian emigrant traveling to the U.S., is saved from an officer's advances by civil engineer David Harding. Upon landing in America, J. J. Walton, a self-made political boss and contractor, pursues Masha and hires her as his maid. She leaves after the first night, but becomes his mistress after Walton promises her an education and marriage. A lost film.

Paul Sturgess is engaged to Grace Van Austin. At a party at their Newport home, Grace flirts with Howard Esterbrook leading to a fight between the two men. Later that night, a servant witnesses Paul, with a revolver entering Esterbrook's room. The servant follows, sees a hand emerging from a window curtain, stab Esterbrook then vanish mysteriously. Paul is arrested based on circumstantial evidence. Six months later, a woman known as "The Woman of Mystery" is shot during a raid while trying to assist the police. Moved by hearing about Paul's denied pardon and impending execution, the "Woman of Mystery" reveals information to the detective leading the raid. This revelation leads to a call to the Sing Sing Warden just in time to halt Paul's electrocution.

Lieutenant Curren of the regular army, is assaulted by Private Roy, of his company, and the latter is sent to the military prison. Known as Convict 125, Roy serves a year of his time, then his desire for revenge turns to repentance and he apologizes to Curren. A pardon is secured and Roy reinstated in the service. War breaks out, and Roy saves the Lieutenant's life on the field of battle but loses his own in doing so. From a locket found on Roy, Curren's wife identifies him as her long-lost brother

When Mrs. Justwed receives a note from her mother telling her that she expects to arrive next day, her husband seems overjoyed, and says he intends to make her stay all winter. She arrives next day, but it is not long before the well-meaning husband is hoping it will be a short winter.

While boarding a streetcar, wealthy, middle-aged Samuel Peckham slips, and the car starting up suddenly, throws him to the street. The only injury he suffers is a ruined suit of clothes, but his wife Maria insists he ought to make some money out of the mishap. Though the company offers a nominal amount to settle Maria insists on the full $50,000 they asked for or they will sue! The company hires a young lady detective to get proof and once she entices Samuel to tango the jig is up!

Geoffrey's relationship with his fiancée is threatened by Ameuset, a princess of Egypt awakened after five thousand years. Originally a six reel feature, only short fragments of The Dust of Egypt survive today.

When young Mary Carpenter and wealthy Peter Cooper, both carrying luggage initialed with a large “C,” check into a seaside hotel they end up with each other’s bags. Mary, an astronomy fan, has several volumes by Prof. Carl Von Munsternberg mixed in her bag which Peter takes note of before also slipping in a bestseller, "The Road to Love," before returning it to the desk and retrieving his own bags. Peter, trying to avoid a widow who pursues him but still meet Mary, disguises himself as Prof. Von Munsternberg so that Mary will take notice of him. Gaining her acquaintance all is going well until the real professor shows up! Becoming convinced Peter is the thief who stole the widow’s jewels a madcap chase begins that ends with Mary and Peter united at last.

A 1915 short film directed by Walter Wright.

A family is attacked by Indians, the father killed and son captured. The widow remarries and her stepdaughter, Mabel, encourages her stepbrother to find his lost half-brother. Dick, influenced by a gambler, gambles away his money and tries to exploit Mabel, prompting her to join the search with a gambler she meets, Jack. They discover the brother is now an Indian chief, leading to further complications.

The convict's cellmate, his time up, calls on the former's wife with a letter of introduction from the convict, and threatens to tell who her husband is unless she gives him money which she has earned by hard work as a stenographer and seamstress. The convict saves the warden's little daughter from drowning and is pardoned for his brave deed. Meanwhile his released cellmate forces the convict's wife again and again to give him money, and calling at her home one night, attempts to kiss her, but she repels him with a revolver. The pardoned convict arrives just in time to hear what passes and almost chokes his former cellmate to death.

This shows the regeneration of a gang leader, who remains true to his first sweetheart after his change of fortune.

Ralph Valentine, a penniless pianist, goes to Paris to pursue his career. He is attracted to two women: Pauline, the sweet and innocent daughter of his landlady, and Flora Margot, a woman of loose morals who runs with a wild crowd. Because of his irrational passion for Flora, Ralph makes a bargain with Satan, who gives him a magic skin which gratifies every wish and shrinks, along with the well-being of its possessor, in proportion to the number of wishes realized. Ralph tries in vain to rid himself of the skin after Pauline commits suicide because of his vices. Just as the devil comes to lead him into hell, Ralph awakes with the skin in his hands in an antique store where he had gone to buy a necklace for Flora. He throws down the skin, and runs to Pauline and professes his love for her, happy that he had been only dreaming.

Unable to pay for the operation that cured his daughter, a man promises to surrender her to the doctor on her eighteenth birthday. Knowing that the physician wishes to make her the subject of his experiments with hypnotism, the distressed father ultimately reneges on his promise, whereupon the doctor attempts to hypnotize the girl from afar.

Brent, the night operator has been knocked unconscious by a piece of lumber projecting from a passing freight, and has been rendered temporarily insane. Meantime, a furious storm arises, a track walker discovers a washout and wires a warning to Helen, who sets the danger signal for the Limited which is due in ten minutes.

At a dance given by Earl Dexter, his wife, for the gratification of a whim, wears a beautiful pearl necklace recently purchased by Viscount Acheson. Craig Dare, who is a gentleman thief, makes love to Earl Dexter's wife, and at the same time succeeds in stealing from her the pearl necklace and handing it out of the window of the house to Tony Oscaros, a chauffeur, who is none other than Dexter, who is leading a dual life.

In Montegro brothers Stefan and Michael kidnap American heiress Delight Warren. Stefan marries her so he can claim her wealth, but then they fall in love.

To escape the dreary formality of her born life, Drucilla marries a missionary, Ferdinand Smith, and goes with him to Africa. Here her life proves anything but happy. Denied the pleasures enjoyed by most girls of her age, she endures her husband's cold severity as long as possible and then leaves him, returning to America, where she visits her old school friend, Letitia Proudfoot. It is while attending a reception with Letitia that she meets the poet, Forrest Smith, whose attentions are welcome after the austerity of the frigid Ferdinand.

As violinist Alfred Wantez embarks on a concert tour leaving his wife Olga and son Billy at home he is attacked by a tramp on his way to the train. The tramp steals his clothes, knocks him unconscious then boards the train. When the train is wrecked the tramp is killed and buried as Wantez. Meanwhile Alfred is found and cared for but has no idea of his identity. Becoming an itinerant musician, he wanders to the seaside where by happenstance Olga and Billy are vacationing. Upon hearing him play “Hearts and Flowers” Olga is drawn to the street where she finds Alfred doesn’t recognize either, she or Billy. She turns to her friend Dr. Allen who performs an operation that restores the violinist’s memory.

Rev. Horace Brightray, pastor of a New England village church, is ordered by his physician to seek another climate. He goes to Agua Caliente, where he attempts to hold services in the hotel dining room, but nobody attends excepting the hotel clerk and maid, and a dance hall girl, Bubbles. The proprietor of the Legal Tender saloon is very bitter toward Horace and commands them not to attend services. Horace is soon out of funds and is ejected from the hotel. Sick and hopeless, he goes to the Legal Tender and slaps Frosty across the face with his hat, feeling sure it will mean death to him.

The new foreman falls in love with the ranchman's daughter, and notes with jealousy her joy over a letter which her father receives.

Lockwood, the old, one-armed flagman at Lone Point, tells Helen and a young soldier of his experiences during the Civil War, and how he lost his arm. The Civil War flashback sequences consist of archive footage from Kalem's Railroad Raiders of '62 (1911), rather than newly filmed footage.

After Roger Laroque maims Louversan, his look-alike, in an honorable duel during the Franco-Prussian War, Louversan swears revenge on his better. In Paris, Roger falls in love with Julia, who he later discovers is married to Lucien, his close army friend. Out of duty to Lucien, Roger ends the affair and leaves for the country where he meets and marries Marie Greville, his uncle's ward. Furious at Roger's desertion, Julia vows revenge and joins forces with Louversan.

Daire Vincent elopes with the revivalist Davids. He soon abandons her and their child, moving to New York where he becomes successful. Daire, after many hardships, becomes a dance hall singer to support their child. Eventually Daire moves to New York where she and Davids later cross paths again.

Dick hastily marries a young woman, yet his wealthy father rips them apart. Unbeknownst to him, a son is born. Years later, Dick is in happy, but childless marriage when they decide to adopt a child. By chance and unknown to him, the boy is his son.

John Morning, rich, without family, dreams of things that might have been. He discovers a poverty-stricken woman who is fatally injured, takes her to her home in the slum district, where she dies, and John Morning assumes charge of the woman's daughter of fourteen, Ritta. He determines to try his "great experiment," and Ritta is unaware of whom her benefactor is.

Lucy works for the Grouch family, and is used to being overworked and abused. But when Mr. Grouch punches her sweetheart, Bill, she has had enough. She grabs a knife and chases Mr. Grouch until he apologizes to Bill.

Actress Jane Carleson has three admirers: Henry Strong (a millionaire), Hamilton Ross (a chemist), and Murray Campbell (a district attorney). When Jane weds Campbell, Ross writes an anonymous letter to Campbell, warning him that Strong is after his wife.

Walton the pharmacist, convicted of selling drugged candy to children, is released from prison through the intercession of political “boss” Lee O'Neil. Unfettered by conscience, Walton opens a disreputable pool hall and hires Tony, an Italian ex-convict, as a pool hustler. The pool hall becomes a meeting place for criminals and naïve young men, including Elmer, a bank messenger, and Bingham, the neglected son of wealthy parents. One night at a cabaret, Bingham and Tony meet O'Neil’s daughter, Hazel. Tony borrows Bingham’s car without permission and takes Hazel for a late-night drive. After Bingham reports the theft to police, a chase ensues, and Hazel is killed when the car is struck by a locomotive. While detectives wait for Tony at the pool room, they thwart a pair of thugs who attempt to rob Elmer. The bank messenger confesses that he learned to gamble at the pool room, prompting the authorities to force Walton out of business. Tony survives the wreck and is taken into custody.

Sourball Joe gets the "can" for sassing the tenants, and Easy Otis supplants him. But the latter does not know an awful lot of the art of "janitoring" and soon gets into many and various jams with the people upstairs.

A party of settlers emigrating westward with a wagon train to find new homes, go into camp for the night. Tom Golden bids his sweetheart, Nell, good-bye and rides off into the hills to look for hostile Indians. Savages are discovered. Nell offers to go for help, and is captured by Indians after her horse escapes.

The world's finest ruby was stolen from the bride of Prince Kassim's great-grandfather several generations ago in India by a marauding rajah. It's now several decades later and the British have conquered India, and one day the ruby shows up for sale by a wealthy London jeweler, Sir John Garnett. Garnett has his own problems--there have been a rash of thefts of his wife's jewels, and he hires a private detective named James Brett to investigate.

Amy Benham, known as "West Wind," daughter of John Benham, a ranch owner, is abducted by Girot, a cowboy, and her father is killed. Kennard, a young Army Captain, in love with Amy, and Sullivan, the ranch foreman, head a searching party, but Girot dares the rapids of White River in a canoe and brings the girl to the Sioux encampment. She is aided by Mahwissa, an Indian squaw, to escape and hide in a cave, where Sullivan finds them. After a confrontation between her saviors and the villains all is resolved happily.

When the king is killed by his rival, his English double takes his place and is shot.

Hatch, the world's greatest wrestler, arrives in Snakeville and stands ready to defend his title against all comers. Bloggie meets him on the street, and not knowing who he is, starts a fight. The result is that the champion sends a challenge to Bloggie. Bloggie immediately starts training for the match. Bloggies wins the first fall, and Hatch the second. Bloggie wins the third and deciding fall by tickling the bottom of his opponent's feet, and amid cheers is carried away on the shoulders of his admirers. —Moving Picture World synopsis

Robert Brent and Dick Morgan, the former wealthy, the latter poor, are chums at one of the big colleges until they both fall in love with Viola Scott, a college girl.

A puppeteer fall asleep after a performance of his marionette theater and dreams that his protagonists, Pulcinello, Pierrot and Pierette, have made off with a bag of money. In his dream, the three have freed themselves from the ropes on their bodies and limbs and are beginning to lead a life of their own.

Pretty Dixie Chene is abut to be married to Slim Summerville besides a swimming pool stocked with baby alligators -- wait for it -- but before the minister shows up, Charles Murray and a drunken Polly Moran manage to cause quite a fuss.