Summary
In an era where the clarion call of the Great War echoed through the halls of West Point, Bruce Wendell, the scion of an industrial dynasty, finds his martial destiny diverted by a deathbed mandate. As James Wendell’s life flickers out amidst the soot-choked hills of West Virginia, he binds his son to the subterranean veins of the family coal mine—a resource more vital to the war effort than a single soldier’s rifle. This pivot from frontline glory to domestic guardianship is perceived not as sacrifice, but as craven desertion by his fiancée, Ann Blair, who severes their bond in a fit of jingoistic disdain. While Bruce endures the stigma of the white feather, he faces a more insidious foe in Meyer, a Teutonic provocateur who manipulates railroad interests to throttle the mine’s output. The narrative reaches a crescendo of industrial sabotage as Meyer’s agents attempt to level the facility, trapping the loyal Bobbie Blair in the bowels of the earth. In a frantic convergence of rescue and redemption, Bruce must navigate the literal and metaphorical darkness to save his friend and liberate Ann from Meyer’s clutches, ultimately proving that the 'key to power' lies in the fortitude to protect the foundations of one's nation.
Synopsis
Bruce Wendell, the son of West Virginia coal mine owner James Wendell, graduates from West Point and prepares to lead a fighting unit to the front during World War I. As his father lies dying, however, he convinces Bruce to remain at home and guard the mine. Bruce's fiancée Ann Blair assumes that he is a coward and breaks off their engagement, but her brother Bobbie remains Bruce's loyal friend. Meyer, a German agent, persuades railroad president Parrish to refuse to transport Wendell's coal, but when Bruce adamantly refuses to close the mine, the spy's men decide to blow it up. While Ann is being abducted by Meyer, Bobbie is buried in an explosion at the mine. Bruce rescues Bobbie and then sends a plea to Lieutenant Parrish to rescue Ann. Meyer and his gang are captured and Ann renews her vow of love to Bruce.
Director
