Summary
In the cramped, creaking boarding house that serves as the film’s sole stage, two sisters—Virginia, the pragmatic matriarch, and her younger sibling—are bound by blood and rivalry, each nursing a secret devotion for Jimmie, the charismatic star boarder whose charm eclipses the modest charms of the house. Virginia, with a veneer of genteel composure, watches Jimmie gravitate toward her sister, whose vivacity and unguarded laughter seem to magnetize the young man. Desperate to tilt the balance, the elder sister resorts to culinary theatrics, serving a formidable round steak laced with earnest endearments, hoping the hearty fare will stir affection. Yet Jimmie's heart remains steadfastly aligned with the younger sibling. The narrative takes a darker turn when a nefarious drifter, a classic bewhiskered villain, infiltrates the domestic peace, swindling the elder sister of her modest life savings—$37—under the pretense of a lucrative scheme. Jimmie, embodying the archetypal hero, apprehends the crook, and in a gesture of gratitude and redemption, the elder sister relinquishes her remaining savings to the young couple, opting to abandon the boarding house and join them, thereby concluding the tale with a bittersweet amalgam of sacrifice and newfound unity.
Synopsis
The two sisters who run the boarding house are both in love with Jimmie, the star boarder, but he favors Virginia. The other sister seeks to win him with tough round steak and endearments, but to no avail. The villain then approaches and in usual bewhiskered style makes off with her life savings of $37. Jimmie catches him, and as a reward she gives the young couple her savings and goes to live with them.
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