Also Directed by King Baggot
Raffles (House Peters) is an English gentleman with a secret life—he is the notorious jewel thief known as "The Amateur Cracksman". While sailing from India to England accompanied by his friend, Bunny Manners (Freeman Wood), it is rumored that the infamous cracksman is aboard ship. Raffles warns a lady passenger to keep an eye on her necklace, which is stolen soon afterward. Although a search reveals no evidence, the necklace is returned upon reaching London.
Unattractive and poor Polly Gordon, is taken to the college dance by eligible Vincent DePuyster only as part of a fraternity initiation. Suitors flock to her, however, when she inherits half a million dollars from her aunt, but she grows cynical and dismisses them.
Santussa, an orphan who becomes separated from her nurse en route to America to live with her grandfather, is cared for by gangsters who hide their stolen jewels in her ragdoll. In New York, Big Mike, finding Santussa a nuisance, dumps her and the doll in a trash can, where a newsboy finds her. After several adventures, Santussa finds her grandfather, the jewels are handed over to customs officials, and the gang of crooks is reformed.
A man's life seems to be falling apart. He's bored with his job, gets passed over for a promotion and, when the pressures get to be too much, he tries to commit suicide, but he even fails at that and manages only to cripple himself instead of killing himself. Forced to stay at home, he finds the role of "househusband" enjoyable--until his wife takes a low-paying job with his old company, and rapidly rises up the corporate ladder.
The once-famous cowboy star, William S. Hart, stars in this 1925 silent film as a "tumbleweed" (i.e., a drifter) intent on claiming land during the 1889 land rush in the Oklahoma Territory. Though he falls in love with a beautiful woman (Barbara Bedford) and hopes to settle down with her on his newly acquired land, he must first contend with men who wish to bring him harm. In the prologue of the 1939 Astor Pictures revival of this film, Hart gives a moving eight-minute introduction -- the first and only time he appeared in a film accompanied by his striking voice.
Constance Keener, who is betrothed to young millionaire Merton Torrey, confesses to him her desire for romance such as he does not give her. On the occasion of a masquerade ball, Torrey is unable to escort her; and while she is alone on the balcony, someone suddenly seizes and kisses her, then disappears. She attempts to discover her assailant's identity.
Lovely Mary, an orphan girl, reluctantly takes charge of her sister's child when her sister Kate is jailed.
