Released 9/13/14 by Universal/Rex; Director: Joseph De Grasse; Screenplay: Ida May Park; 1 Reel
CAST: Pauline Bush (Ruth Braddon), Joseph King (David Hale), Lon Chaney (Fred Howard), Beatrice Van (Bessie Clay)
SYNOPSIS: Ruth Braddon, the daughter of a wealthy factory owner is interested in improving working conditions for laborers, but she receives a letter advising her to look at her father's own factory. She visits her father who has his junior partner, Fred Howard, who is engaged to marry Ruth, show her around the factory. In the hallway, she sees a crowd gathered around a girl who has fainted in the poorly ventilated workrooms. David Hale, a young worker, asks Howard for better conditions, but he is ordered back to work. Ruth admires the young man and tells him she will try to intercede on his behalf. David tells his sweetheart, Bessie, that he is expecting a raise soon and wants to marry her. Ruth visits David and, as he shows her through the tenements. Ruth soon falls in love with David and breaks her engagement with Howard. Ruth comes to her father's office and he shows her a letter that David wrote asking for a raise so that he can marry Bessie. Ruth is heartbroken and, as she leaves the office, she meets David and breaks down crying.
"A sympathetic story of sacrifice, nicely presented." ---Moving Picture World
NOTES: This was the first of many productions Chaney worked on with the director/writer team of Joseph De Grasse and Ida May Park.
© 1997,2008 Jon C. Mirsalis
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