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| John Gilbert, center. |
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| Al Whitcomb works his way up at a DC newspaper. |
The Plot:
Since this film is unavailable for viewing, I'll give a long description of the film for those who have never seen it.
The setting of the film is Washington DC, although this is not clear at the outset of the film.
The first inter-title reads "A story of people who live next door, or around the corner- never very far away."
A young boy, Al Whitcomb (Philip Anderson), is seen picking up coal along the sides of a railroad track. Railroad workers
throw rocks at him from the passing train, striking him in the head, and he falls down. A well-dressed boy on the train points
and says "Hey, Mom, look at that dirty little boy!" She responds, "Don't point dear." The boy returns
home to the slum/alley where he lives among other poor families and his mom (Glady Brockwell) works at home sewing ironing
pads and doing laundry. She sees his injured head, and patches him up with mercurochrome and a bandage. He gives her 11
cents for their "bank" which is a sugar bowl, and they talk about saving for a house. The boy peddles newspapers,
and he passes the home of a wealthy neighbor girl who is having a lavish party. He drops off something his mom has given
him to the lady of the house, who explains Mrs. Whitcomb's business to another well-dressed lady. The other lady says of
Al, "His mother makes a good profit." Hours or days later, on a dare Al enters an allegedly haunted house and makes
a good impression on the rich girl who had been having the party. As he talks to her, her mother comes out and shoos him
away. When Al comes home and tells his story, his mother suggest that "Maribel" is "his girl." Al responds
"You're my girl!" and they embrace.
In the next scene, several years have passed and "the young man has a steady job." Now Al is a young adult (John
Gilbert). Al and his mother drive away in a wagon from the alley and wave goodbye to their neighbors. He has Sundays off
with his new job, so he promises his mom they will always go out together. She suggests he will be getting a girlfriend,
and again he says "You're my girl." Al now works at a newspaper, The Morning World, among the printing presses
getting dirty, although he longs to work in the news room as a reporter. He is still naive about women, however. When a
pretty telephone operator gives him hints that she has the next day off (Sunday) and so does he, he responds "I hope
you have a good time." A montage ensues showing Al at work folding newspaper and doing other odd jobs in the gritty,
dark printing press room. One day while taking a break to eat, he sees an article about "A Love Cottage Victim"
with pictures of vampish women, and a light appears to dawn on his face. The inter-title says "The world of women dawned
upon him." In the next scene he visits a brothel where men, women and US Navy sailors are dancing and lounging about.
He has a drink and is pawed and kissed by one of the girls. A fight breaks out between a woman, a Navy sailor and a man Al
recognizes as a reporter from the newspaper. Al comes to his rescue and drags him away from the house to a diner where they
have coffee. Al tells the man he'd like to be a reporter too, and the man informs him "See the City Editor tomorrow."
Al returns home late to his inquisitive mother.
The next day Al visits the City Editor, and is assigned to write mundane things like a list of hotel arrivals. His mother
is pleased with his larger paycheck, and they add money to the sugar bowl. One evening, the newspaper publisher, Mr. Bancroft
(Marc McDermott), calls the City Editor and asks him to find an escort for Vera Worth (Jeanne Eagels), the society editor,
who is going to the Embassy Ball. We see Vera Worth come into the publisher's office, where she smokes and runs her fingers
through his hair while he is on the phone. After hanging up, he tells her "I wish I was taking you, Vera." She
says "What would wifey and daughter say? Don't let it worry you... We Camilles are used to wives." As he leans
over to kiss her, she blows smoke in his face and laughs heartily. He tells her she smokes too much, and she appears to tell
him something censorable. Next, she saunters to the city news desk, where Al catches her eye. She has the City Editor summon
him as her escort. Al goes out to rent a tuxedo and top hat, and he returns to the newspaper. Vera takes him to the Ball
in her limousine. At the Ball, they walk past the President and Mr. Bancroft, who explains to his wife that Vera comes from
a good family that lost all their money. Vera invites Al to dance with her. He says "I'll try", while his mother
is seen listening to the Ball as it is broadcast on the radio. As they dance, Al compliments Vera on her "wonderful,
wonderful perfume" and she answers tartly "Moth balls, I think", referring to his rented attire. Soon the
time comes when she must return to type her column, and they leave the Ball.
Al returns to the newspaper's city room, but no one pays attention to him in his fine threads. At his desk he sits at
his typewriter and writes his own version of the events of the Ball. The City Editor reads his manuscript, as Al restlessly
visits "the cellar" where he used to work, and reads the paper as it comes off the press. He sees that his own
article has been published. Vera reads it too, and so does his mother, who notes that Al described Vera Worth as the most
beautiful woman at the Ball.
The next morning, Al sends Vera a flower with the note "This is the most perfect rose I could find in Washington",
which she receives rather casually. He comes to visit her in her office, and she asks him"So I was the most beautiful
woman at the ball, was I?" And he tells her "I think you're the most beautiful woman in the world!" and then
awkwardly attempts to ask her to go for a walk with him on Sunday. She tells him that she never"walks out", but
while they are talking, she gets a phone call from Bancroft. He is unable meet her this weekend due to business. She replies
"oh fudge" or something like that, and before Al leaves her office, Vera accepts his invitation to go out.
Vera and Al are seen at the zoo's monkey cages, but Vera is clearly not having a good time, as Al snacks on Cracker Jack.
They go sit down away from the crowd, and she sighs heavily, clearly longing to be elsewhere. He apologizes for spoiling
her day, but she has a change of heart, and tells him "You're sweet, and I'm having a most remarkable time." As
she shares his Cracker Jack (she even feeds him some) she suggests they walk to her place and have tea. At her apartment,
she pulls out a cigarette and he nervously lights her up, and tells her "I kinda hate seeing you smoke so much",
and she tells him "I smoke because I'm nervous and lonely..." He says "How can anyone as lovely as you be lonely?"
He says that her apartment must cost a lot. With a very grave face, she responds "It does cost a lot." As he gets
ready to leave, she suggests that he wait while she changes her dress and then they will have tea. Meanwhile, we see Al's
mom in the park sitting alone. While he waits in Vera's pad, Al finds a note on some flowers that say "Happy Birthday."
Vera reappears, having changed into something more comfortable- a frothy negligee that she models at the head of some stairs.
Al appears to be surprised and unsure of himself. She lies down on a lounge and takes Al's hand as she complains how "my
head aches, it always aches." Vera has him put his hand on her forehead as she lays back and closes her eyes while he
gently strokes her face and kisses her hand. Naively thinking she has gone to sleep, he leaves without saying anything.
But after he leaves, he stands outside her door. Vera, stunned to find her guest has left, goes to her side of the door,
not knowing Al is just on the other side. Alternating shots of Al and Vera show them standing on opposite sides of the door,
each expressing sorrowful looks of painful yearning.
Al thinks of Vera's birthday note on the flowers, and the sugar bowl, and in the next scene, he depletes the sugar bowl
funds. In the next scene Vera opens a box with a Happy Birthday note containing a bracelet. She tries on the bracelet in her
office as Al helps with the clasp. As he is helping her, someone intrudes, and Vera tries to hide what they are doing, thinking
it might be Bancroft. The intruder leaves, and Al expresses his love for Vera. She kisses him and he asks her to marry him.
She says yes, and they kiss passionately. After Al leaves, she expresses joy. Out in the hall the intruder warns Al that
"Go easy, kid. Don't you know she's Bancroft's?" Al tells him "Don't you say anything about her!" and
they fight until the City Editor breaks them up. Bancroft steals into Vera's office unnoticed, and she is surprised when
he kisses her neck. She protests saying she hates being "pawed", but he reminds her that he knows how much she
loves pearls. She tells him that he does not know how quickly she would "throw them out the window." Sensing she
is in a bad mood, he tells her "I hope you will be in a better humor tonight." She tells him she already has plans
to attend a concert, but he insists... "I'll see you tonight at eight." He leaves her alone, but her eyes are filled
with hatred.
Back at home, Mrs. Whitcomb confronts Al about the missing sugar bowl funds, and he insists he needed the money for something
important. "More important than our home?" she asks. "I won't let the woman ruin your life! I know who she
is and what she is." He tells her"Shut up! Don't say anything about her!" and threatens to strike her. She
raises her arm in defense and sits down. "She's an angel!" he says, and then he runs out.
Al goes to Vera's apartment, unannounced, where she dressed in a black dress and waiting for Bancroft. "Is anything
wrong?" she asks. He gets on his knees and begs her to deny what he has heard, which she does. But Bancroft arrives,
and she changes her tune. Al is confused by Bancroft's presence. She tells Bancroft that Al brought papers from the office,
and urges Al to go away. Still not understanding, Al remains and demands her to tell Bancroft the truth. Because he refuses
to leave, she hardens, and lies telling Bancroft that "this fool's been annoying me for weeks..." as she glares
at Al, who is stunned. When Bancroft demands that Al "Get out of my apartment...", a fight ensues when Bancroft
grabs a piece of sculpture. During the brief scuffle there are reaction shots from Vera, after which Bancroft lays dead.
Al leaves the apartment, as Vera calls a lawyer and explains what has happened. The lawyer reminds Vera to save her own reputation
and tells her what to say.
Cops knock on Mrs. Whitcomb's door looking for Al, and they inform her that he is wanted for murder. She denies his whereabouts,
but after the cops leave, she appears to have a hunch, and goes to the haunted house. There she finds him and cradles him
as he sits hunched over. "Don't worry son, mother's with you" she tells him. But we see that the cops have followed
her.
During the trial, Vera tells the jury that Al was a socialist who hated Bancroft. Al admits to killing Bancroft, and all
the testimony is stacked against him. There is no testimony about self-defense. The verdict is guilty and he is sentenced
to be hanged, to his mother's dismay and Vera's relief.
As Al waits in prison, his mother visits Vera to get her to change her testimony. Vera tells her that "The law must
take its course", as she smokes and paces nervously. When Mrs. Whitcomb tells Vera "Then he's got to die- because
he loved you?", Vera has a breakdown, and sobs "I love him... I love him! I don't want him to die!" and they
embrace.
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