Summary
In a desperate gambit to salvage Rugaria's imperiled coffers, the venerable King Rudolph dispatches his scion, Prince Boris, across the Atlantic to secure a fortuitous union with American opulence. This royal mission ensnares the ambitious Mrs. Hanway, who, envisioning her daughter Althea as a princess, accompanies Boris to the distant kingdom. Unbeknownst to them, a seismic shift is brewing: Rupert Danza, a seemingly ordinary Columbia scholar, is summoned by an enigmatic envoy to spearhead a burgeoning revolution in Rugaria. Initially dismissive of such a fantastical proposition, Rupert's resolve solidifies upon learning of Althea's perilous journey. His arrival ignites the revolutionary spirit, his profound grasp of democratic principles electrifying the populace, while his surprising prowess with a blade proves instrumental in extricating Althea from the clutches of the princely Boris. The narrative crescendos with an anarchist's assault on the monarch, leading to Rupert's wrongful arrest. As the grim specter of a firing squad looms, Countess Olga dramatically intercedes, unveiling the astonishing truth: Rupert is, in fact, King Rudolph's long-lost progeny, spirited away in infancy to America to imbibe the very democratic ideals now fueling the nation's rebirth. Following Rudolph's demise, Rupert, embodying his cultivated principles, renounces the crown, instead accepting the mantle of president for the newly forged republic, with Althea, his beloved, by his side as its inaugural First Lady.
Synopsis
King Rudolph of Rugaria sends his son, Prince Boris, to America to marry into wealth so that the country can recover from its financial difficulties. Rich Mrs. Hanway, eager to have her daughter Althea become a princess, takes her with Boris to Rugaria. Meanwhile, Rupert Danza, a Columbia University student, is told by a mysterious envoy that he is needed in Rugaria to lead a revolution. Although he laughs at first, he follows, when he learns that his sweetheart Althea has gone there. While Rupert's knowledge of democracy inspires the revolutionaries, his sword play enables him to rescue Althea from Boris. After an anarchist wounds the king, Rupert is arrested, but as a firing squad prepares to execute him, Countess Olga reveals that he is really the king's son who was kidnapped as a child and sent to America to absorb democracy for the coming revolution. After Rudolph dies, Rupert declines the crown, but is elected president of the newly-created republic. Althea then becomes his First Lady.
Review Excerpt
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Step into a bygone era of cinematic grandeur, where the flickering images on screen wove tales of love, intrigue, and societal upheaval with an earnestness that modern cinema often struggles to emulate. Finis Fox's 'The Great Romance' (1919) is precisely such a film, a sprawling melodrama that, despite its age, resonates with timeless themes of destiny, democracy, and the human heart's unwavering pursuit of both liberty and affection. It’s a narrative tapestry woven with threads of desperat..."
