Summary
Der goldene Abgrund" unfurls a sweeping, melodramatic saga born from a catastrophic shipwreck that brutally separates two sisters. Jola, the innocent, finds sanctuary and an ascetic upbringing on a remote, volcanic island, while her counterpart, Claire, descends into the glittering, amoral depths of Parisian society, earning notoriety as a 'plunderer of men.' The film's central dramatic engine ignites when one of Claire's ruined lovers, teetering on the brink of suicide, is dramatically interceded upon by an eccentric doctor. This unlikely savior orchestrates a fantastical treasure hunt, setting his sights on the very island Jola calls home – a mythical, submerged remnant of Atlantis. Here, destiny orchestrates a fateful encounter: the heartbroken adventurer discovers in Jola a startling, poignant reflection of his lost affection. Their burgeoning romance, however, is violently interrupted by escaped convicts and the island's own ancient, geological fury. The narrative culminates in a spectacular volcanic eruption, a cataclysmic event that purges the wicked and clears the path for the lovers' escape, laden with unimaginable riches, back to the seductive, perilous world of Paris. It’s a narrative more concerned with grand gestures and operatic scale than nuanced realism.
The sisters Jola and Claire are saved from a burning ship, the former is brought up by a priest on a volcanic island ; the latter reaches Paris and becomes a plunderer of men. Her ruined lover is saved from suicide by an eccentric doctor who organizes a treasure-hunt expedition. They reach the island ; the last remnant of submerged Atlantis. Here the disconsolate one encounters Jola, the image of his lost love. The adventurers are attacked by escaped convicts. The volcano, long quiescent, erupts. The wicked perish. The lovers, with wealth incalculable, escape to Paris.
