Summary
In the twilight of his years, Clem Hawley has traded the grease of his former garage business for the amber glow of the bottle, much to the chagrin of his straight-laced family. While Clem wanders through a haze of Prohibition-era spirits alongside his bootlegging companion Al, his son, Clemmy, is entangled in a more dangerous high-stakes game. Working at a bank overseen by his conniving cousin Webster, Clemmy attempts to maintain the facade of a wealthy heir to woo Ina Heath, a glamorous New York showgirl. When a set of valuable stock certificates vanishes from the bank, the family's fragile respectability shatters. Clemmy confesses his theft to his father, revealing he used the securities to secure Webster's favor, but in a final act of sacrificial paternal love, 'Old Clem' takes the fall. The narrative shifts into a tense confrontation as Ina and the elder Hawley expose Webster’s ties to the criminal underworld, forcing a resolution that restores the family’s honor and reunites the young lovers.
Synopsis
Retired from his garage business, Clem Hawley spends his time and money in the company of Al, the local bootlegger, much to the anguish of his family. Clemmy, his son, is employed at a bank owned by his cousin Webster and makes nightly trips to New York to see Ina Heath, a showgirl, whom he impresses as being the son of a wealthy family. Traveling with some friends, Ina stops by their town on Long Island and is dismayed to learn of Clemmy's humble background; but when she is stranded, she decides to stay for dinner. Mrs. Hawley is informed of the disappearance of some valuable stock certificates. Clemmy confesses to the theft and to having given Webster the stock as a loan, but Old Clem takes the blame. Ina and Clem then force the hand of Webster, who is in cahoots with the bootleggers; Clem saves his son from admitting his wrong to Mrs. Hawley; and Clemmy and Ina are happily reunited.
