In 1914, Boyd (Henry B.Walthall), a brilliant scientist, went to prison
when he admitted to a murder his wife Peggy (Grace Valentine) had actually
committed to protect her honour.
Now, 15 years later, Boyd comes out of prison to find his wife having
made a fortune from his inventionsand mingling with high society. Still,
she accepts him into her house even if he is not to reveal his true
identity, even to their daughter Dorothy (Nancy Welford). Dorothy has
meanwhile found herself a lover she wants to marry, Paul (Ricardo Cortez),
whom her mother opposes to though, wanting Dorothy to marry a title.
Boyd on the other hand likes Paul and now uses all the power he's got to
make Peggy change her mind.
But Peggy still has an ace up her sleeve, judge Thompson (Thomas
A.Curran), the only one besides Dorothy to know Boyd's true identity, and
she makes the judge tell Paul about it who threatens Paul to also tell
Dorothy should he not stay away from the girl (this of course makes no
sense today, but these were the late 1920's after all). Problem is,
shortly after this threat, the judge is shot, and Paul is immediately
arrested - even if it wasn't him but Biffer Bill (Jack Curtis),
coincidently Boyd's cellmate.
Boyd wants to track down Biffer and make him confess, but is only
beaten half to death by him. So Boyd decides to go to prison for another
murder he did not commit, for the sake of his daughter's luck, even though
nobody really believes in his guilt. Ultimately though, Dorothy is
abducted by Biffer Bill, but is somehow saved or saves herself (this
happens off-screen, rather inexplicably), and Biffer is arrested for the
murder while both Boyd and Paul are set free, Peggy gives in to Dorothy's
and Paul's wedding, and Dorothy even knows who Boyd really is - and is
happy she has finally found her daddy ...
At times very contrived crime drama that especially from today's
point-of-view doesn't always make sense ... but that said, at least it
moves along at a steady pace and remains entertaining throughout.
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