Summary
The narrative of The Profiteers unfurls a taut melodrama steeped in the moral quagmire of post-war avarice. Richard Randall, a young legal luminary propelled by a fervent patriotism, embarks on an impassioned speaking circuit, his voice a clarion call against the insidious practice of food profiteering. His righteous crusade, however, attracts the malevolent gaze of Everett Dearing, the shadowy puppet master behind a vast, illicit food conglomerate. Dearing, a villain of cunning and boundless cynicism, orchestrates a vile scheme: he blackmails Tony Terle, a dissolute socialite with an existing acquaintance with Randall’s devoted wife, Beverly. Terle, under Dearing’s coercive thumb, is tasked with compromising Beverly’s reputation. A deceitful summons, feigning Randall’s sudden illness, lures Beverly to a secluded roadhouse. There, Terle, a reluctant pawn in Dearing’s machinations, stages a contrived embrace, meticulously captured by Dearing’s operatives. Armed with this damning photographic evidence and the threat of a scandalously fabricated narrative, Dearing attempts to strong-arm Beverly into silencing her husband’s principled campaign. The confrontation culminates in Dearing’s office, where a desperate Beverly grapples with her tormentor. Amidst the struggle, Dearing meets a sudden, gruesome end, impaled by a paper spindle. Randall, ever the protector, gallantly assumes responsibility for the death, only for a medical examination to reveal the true cause: a gunshot wound to Dearing’s back. Terle, the terrified accomplice, flees but is swiftly apprehended, ultimately confessing to the murder, revealing his use of a silenced weapon. The intricate web of deceit unravels, clearing Randall’s name and reuniting him with his steadfast wife, Beverly, their bond forged anew in the crucible of this harrowing ordeal.
Synopsis
Patriotic young lawyer Richard Randall conducts a speaking tour denouncing food profiteers. When spies for Everett Dearing, the secret head of a large food combine, report on Randall's efforts, Dearing blackmails Tony Terle, a society idler who is acquainted with Richard's loving wife Beverly, into putting her in a compromising position so that Randall can be persuaded to discontinue his campaign. By notifying Beverly that Richard is ill, Terle lures her to a roadhouse where he is photographed embracing her. Dearing threatens to publish the photo and an accompanying lurid story unless Beverly convinces Randall to end his crusade. While Terle hides in Dearing's office, Beverly struggles with Dearing. When Dearing falls onto his desk, his paper spindle pierces his chest. After Randall takes the blame for Dearing's death, a doctor discovers that he was shot in the back. Terle flees and when he is caught, confesses shooting Dearing with a gun equipped with a silencer. Randall and Beverly are then reunited.
Review Excerpt
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Unmasking the Shadows: A Deep Dive into "The Profiteers" (1919)
There's a certain raw, unvarnished power to the dramas of the early 20th century, a directness that often cuts through the layers of cinematic sophistication we've grown accustomed to. The Profiteers, a 1919 silent film, stands as a stark, compelling testament to this era, delivering a narrative that, despite its century-old vintage, feels remarkably resonant in its exploration of societal corruption and personal i..."
