Compare Films

The Pawn of Fortune Synopsis

It is an unfortunate day for John Hadley when he protects Doris Jackson from the unwelcome advances of the boss's son, for it results in his discharge. It is doubly unfortunate as Hadley is a married man with an infant daughter, Janet. Not satisfied with discharging Hadley, the vengeful boss succeeds in preventing him from securing other employment. Matters go from bad to worse until at last starvation stares the little family in the face. Driven at last to desperation, Hadley finds himself at the docks where the waters of the swiftly flowing river seems to suggest a way out of his difficulties. Plunging blindly off the end of the pier, he lands in a rowboat which at that moment comes from under the pier. In it are three river pirates who think that Hadley is spying on them. They capture him and take him to a nearby yacht which is owned by J. Harvey Hall, the leader of a band of crooks, who demands that Hadley join them. Upon his refusal, Hadley is set adrift near the South African coast to prevent him from "peaching." He is captured by a band of Mayas on the Santos Islands and is doomed to die. They bedeck him with precious jewels and prepare to offer him up as a living sacrifice to their gods. Watching his chance he makes a break and succeeds in escaping. He attracts the attention of an exploring party and returns to civilization. He realizes a large sum by selling the jewels and institutes a search for his wife and child. By chance he locates his wife in a hospital where she has been taken when found exhausted in the street. His daughter, however, cannot be found, she having been adopted by Hall, who finds her on his doorstep. Eighteen years elapse. Janet has become an inventive genius and perfects a safe opening device. One night, Hall, who has concealed his real identity from her, persuades Janet to try to open a jeweler's safe, pretending that it belongs to a friend. She succeeds in opening it, but the police have been tipped off and raid the office where Hall and his pals are gathered. Hall is killed, but Janet escapes. Grief-stricken by the revelation of Hall's true character, she returns home where she learns that he is not her father. Detective Baggett arrives too late to intercept her. He searches the house and finds a record of Janet's adoption by Hall. Hadley advertises for news of his long-lost daughter. The detective, reading the advertisement, thinks he has a clew in the papers which he found and starts a search for Janet. Baggett picks up her trail, which leads to Hadley's home. Meeting Hadley and his wife outside, they enter and see Janet, who, by a strange coincidence, has taken a position as governess to the Hadley's adopted daughter, in front of the safe endeavoring to open it. As the doors of the safe swing open they rush forward only to see Janet reach in and take out a small kitten which had been locked in by Hadley's adopted daughter. Recognizing the detective, Janet attempts to escape but is held by him. Great is the surprise when he produces the secret papers and proves to the Hadleys that their governess was in reality their long lost daughter.

A Prince of India Synopsis

An Indian rajah determines to give the prince, his son, the advantages of an American university education, and brings him to the United States. Arriving at the university town they stop at the hotel there and are immediately besieged by the reporters who scent a good story, especially as it is reported that the rajah brings with him one of the famous jewels of the world, a magnificent diamond. Among the reporters is a young man on his first assignment who at once makes friends with the prince. In the meantime Nell Reardon, the "badger queen," is approached by Moreland, a "gentleman" crook, and threatened with exposure if she does not aid him to obtain possession of the rajah's jewel. She promises her aid and as a first step registers at the same hotel as the rajah, under the alias of the "Countess Mirska." Billy is assigned to interview her. The prince is struck with the woman's charms and persuades Billy to introduce him. At the instigation of Moreland. the woman persuades the prince to show her the diamond. Fearing his father's displeasure the young man secretly takes the jewel from the strong box. Seeing their opportunity, Moreland and Harley, his "pal," invite the prince to have some refreshments at the hotel café and the prince asks to have Billy included in the party. The jewel is passed around and admired. By accident, and while no one is looking, it falls from the case and lodges in the cuff of the reporter's trousers. Later, while in his own room, he discovers it and immediately runs back to the hotel to return it to the prince. Unable to find him, he decides to stay at the hotel for the night, takes a room and throws himself upon the bed, fully clothed. The anxiety of his responsibility preys upon his mind so that his slumbers are disturbed and his rest is a nightmare. In the meantime the prince discovers the loss, tells the crooks of it and they search the café together. The crooks secretly believe each other guilty, but when they tax one another with the crime they mutually prove their innocence. Without saying anything to each other they visit the reporter's home and search his room. Finding one another in the room their mutual distrust deepens. Billy's distraught mind causes him to talk in his sleep and while doing so he drops the jewel over the hotel balcony. It falls at the feet of the prince, but he does not enjoy its possession long. Harley, who has been spying upon him, knocks him out and escapes with the diamond. The further vicissitudes of the diamond are intensely interesting and lead up to the superb climax where the prince recovers it and sees the baffled crook, Moreland, go over the bridge into the ravine below in the trolley car in which he has tried to escape.