Fate’s Vengeance (1915)

movie

Country: USA
Genres: Drama, Short
Release: 1915-03-08
Director: Donald MacDonald
Writers: Anthony Coldeway
Language: None | English
Stars: Dorothy Davenport , Lee Hill , Ben Horning , Rupert Julian
Runtime: min
Awards: N/A
AKA: Fate's Vengeance , Fate's Vengeance (United States of America)
Plot: Unknown to John Anderson, wealthy land owner, Jane Warren and her invalid mother are threatened with eviction from their humble cottage by Anderson's agent. Later, Jane almost forced to beggary in an effort to secure supplies and medicines, meets Harry Anderson, John's younger son, also personally unknown to her, and in pity for her destitute condition, he gives temporary aid. Jane hastens home with the supplies only to find the house in the hands of Anderson's agents and her mother in a dying condition. Walter Anderson, the elder son, dissipated and an habitué of gambling clubs, loses heavily and forges a note in his father's name. Harry learns of the note but shields his brother in the hope that some way of meeting the note before it is due may relieve Walter of the stigma of forgery. Meanwhile, Jane, embittered and hateful of the upper classes generally, has found temporary shelter in the tenements where she has met and becomes associated with a band of anarchists. During a slumming expedition, Walter sees and is enamored of Jane. Fearing arrest, he dons old clothes and takes rooms in the neighborhood. He meets Jane and eventually learns of her connection with the band, for which he professes sympathy. Later just before the maturity of the note, he returns to his father and asks for money with which to meet it. Angered, Anderson, Sr., refuses the advance and tells Walter that he must raise the money himself within twenty-four hours or else be disinherited. Walter returns to his rooms in the slums. A meeting of the anarchist band takes place that night at which chance is to determine which member of the association is to be chosen to put out of the way some wealthy oppressor of the masses. Walter takes the opportunity to stop the wheel of chance by trick opposite Jane's number. According to the law of the band, the loser is permitted to choose the victim and Walter suggests to Jane that the man who had them evicted from their home be made to pay. Later, she leaves for Anderson's home to carry out her mission. Walter accompanies her to Anderson's home ostensibly to aid and keep watch for her while she is within the house. Anderson, Sr., about to retire, is suddenly aware of someone present in the room. He glances up to find himself looking in the muzzle of Jane's revolver. Behind the curtains, eagerly watching is Walter. Jane tells Anderson of what his grinding, money grabbing policies have brought upon her. Looking over Jane's shoulder, he suddenly calls behind her. She turns for a fraction of a moment and he seizes the hand holding the revolver. They struggle. Walter emerges slightly from behind the curtains, half inclined to join in the fight, when suddenly the revolver explodes and he receives the bullet meant for his father. Harry, entering the front door, comes upon the scene. Jane, appalled at what she has done and horror-struck, moreover at the broken figure of the old man before her. She recognizes Harry as being the one of all who has aided her. In a few words the situation is explained; Jane tells them of Walter's part in the plot against his father and the old man, realizing the enormity of the hardships the girl has had to bear, forgives her. As a further appreciation of the conditions she has related, Anderson, Sr., endows an institution for the investigation and alleviation of such cases as hers and places Jane at the head of it. Later she and Harry become engaged and take up their new work together.
IMDB:tt0447081