Money to Burn

Money to Burn (1926) is a high-stakes melodrama that follows Dolores Valdez, a young woman returning to her South American roots, only to find herself entangled in a web of familial betrayal and criminal enterprise. On her voyage home, she falls for Dr. Dan Stone, the ship's physician. Their burgeoning romance is seemingly cut short when Dan, believing he has committed a fatal act while defending Dolores, leaps into the sea to escape justice. However, fate is rarely simple in 1920s pulp cinema. Dan is rescued by Ortego, a man who—unbeknownst to the doctor—is the business partner of Dolores’ power-hungry uncle, Diego. The two men operate a sophisticated counterfeiting ring out of a secluded, 'forbidden' chapel on the Valdez estate. While Dolores is pressured into a loveless marriage with Ortego to solidify the family’s illegal empire, Dan is held captive to treat a mysterious, guarded patient. When the lovers inevitably reunite within the walls of the chapel, they must navigate a labyrinth of secrets, armed guards, and the looming threat of the printing press to secure their freedom.