Summary
In an audacious ballet of avarice and theatrical deception, Al St. John's character, already bound in wedlock to Doris, receives a missive from his estranged Uncle George Davis, dangling a colossal million-dollar inheritance. The catch? He must remain resolutely single. Rather than simply feigning bachelorhood, a plan too pedestrian for their ambitious machinations, St. John and his quick-witted best man, John Sinclair, concoct an elaborate charade designed to elicit profound sympathy for marriage from the unsuspecting uncle. St. John assumes the role of a man driven to the brink of madness by the very thought of the inheritance precluding his marital bliss. His devoted wife, Doris, seamlessly transitions into the guise of his 'nurse,' while a trusted friend embodies the stern 'keeper,' and Sinclair, with a flourish, becomes the authoritative 'doctor.' Uncle George is fed a convoluted narrative: St. John's profound despair over his inability to marry due to the inheritance clause has shattered his sanity. Each mention of 'love' or 'marriage' triggers a dramatically exaggerated paroxysm from St. John, sending him into a theatrical frenzy that 'raises the roof.' Eventually, Uncle George, thoroughly convinced and emotionally manipulated, capitulates, believing he has witnessed a genuine tragedy. The conspirators then inform him that St. John, in a moment of supposed clarity, has indeed married. The check for a million dollars is promptly handed over, the grand deception seemingly concluded. However, just as the audience settles into the satisfaction of the swindle, a stranger abruptly appears, apprehending 'Uncle George' and whisking him away, revealing the astonishing truth: the man they had so meticulously deceived was not the genuine Uncle George, but rather a lunatic who had escaped from a nearby asylum, rendering the entire elaborate scheme a magnificent, ironic folly.
Synopsis
Al, married to Doris, gets a letter from his uncle saying that he will inherit a million dollars if he is still single. Instead of simply posing as unmarried, St. John and John Sinclair, his best man, decide to win George Davis' (Uncle George) sympathy for marriage. St. John poses as insane, his wife becomes his nurse, a friend is the keeper and the best man is the doctor. Uncle George is told that St. John's inability to marry because of the coming inheritance has driven him mad. Each time that love is mentioned St. John raises the roof. Then Uncle George capitulates and is told St. John has been married. The million dollar check is handed over. A stranger appears and takes "Uncle George" away, revealing the fact that he isn't Uncle George, but a lunatic escaped from a nearby asylum.
