A Fool There Was

King Philip of Spain is jealous of his more popular brother, Don John, and sends him into battle against the Moors, hoping he will not return. Don John is in love with Dolores, daughter of General Mendoza, but the general discourages her, as Don John is betrothed to the Queen of England's sister. Don John returns victorious, and following a dispute over a secret letter, the king stabs his brother and leaves him for dead. When Mendoza accepts the blame, Dolores, who knows the truth, tells the court she had been dishonored by Don John, causing her father's reaction. Dolores then threatens the king that she will reveal his guilt unless her father is pardoned. The king pardons Mendoza, Don John recovers, and he and Dolores marry.

A cowpuncher by the name of Whistling Dan is adopted by a rancher, Joe Cumberland (James O. Barrows). His daughter, Kate is immediately attracted to Dan, but Cumberland discourages the union since he thinks the young man is too wild for her.

Henry Potter is the irresponsible playboy son of a New York millionaire. Fearing he will disgrace the family name if he stays in New York, the father sends him to San Francisco to work in the family shipyards and, to make a man out of him, he is told he will have to start at the bottom and work his way up. Henry decides this is not a good idea and resents it to the point he will indeed start at the bottom but will work his way down from there, and disgrace the family name in San Francisco.

The very wealthy and very idle Dickey Derrickson is scorned by his fiancée Madge Earle because of his refusal to work. To counter her criticism, he buys a detective agency that has no cases, but Madge discovers the ruse. To create a demand for his services, Dickey hires a group of thugs to steal valuables from his rich friends.

A cowboy estranged from his family and unsure of his heritage becomes a hero and falls for a beautiful Mexican beauty.

William Fielding, a young widower, is living in Shanghai with his little boy, David. A young Chinese woman looks after the child, and Foo Chang, a trader, lusts after her. Because he believes she is David's mother, he kills Fielding. Fielding's faithful secretary, Li Clung, takes the boy to San Francisco to be raised by his grandfather. As an adult, David (also played by Gilbert) fights against opium trafficking with Li Clung's help.

Gerald Cranston, a successful financier and industrialist who worked his way up through the ranks, enters into a marriage of convenience with Lady Hermione, from which he hopes to gain social prestige; Hermione, for her part, desires financial independence. Gordon Ibbotsleigh attempts to win Hermione's affection, while Hermione's cousin Angela directs her wiles toward Gerald. Both efforts fail, however, and the threat of financial ruin finally and firmly unites the Cranstons.

Nellie Horton, when mistreated by her father, is taken in charge by Thomas Lipton. She grows up in poverty not knowing her true identity as the heiress to her mother's millions. Upon the death of her benefactor, she becomes a model in a fashionable shop. There she falls into the hands of her mother's unscrupulous nephew, who contrives to do away with her in order to obtain her fortune. ....

The Shannons, a vaudeville act, are performing in a New England town when the local hotel owner barges in and yanks his daughter Tessie, who is in the audience with her boyfriend Chuck, out of the theater. Young Mickey Shannon confronts the father, and the upshot is that Chuck's wealthy father threatens to foreclose on the hotel. The Shannons wind up buying the hotel, but it turns out not to be quite the deal they thought it was.

Ralph Ince stars as Brute Shane, a South Pacific trader who has adopted native girl Saina (Olive Broden). When Shane rescues English lass Nona Deering (Claire Adams) from white slavers, the jealous Saina begins plotting Nona's demise.

Hold Your Man is a 1929 American comedy film directed by Emmett J. Flynn and written by Harold Shumate. The film stars Laura La Plante, Scott Kolk, Eugene Borden and Mildred Van Dorn. The film was released on September 15, 1929, by Universal Pictures.

Young Tony, unable to make a living in crowded and fast-paced London, goes to South America in search of his fortune. He soon becomes the owner of a saloon and dance hall. One of the dancers in his place, Maxine, falls in love with him, but Tony is still in love with his childhood sweetheart Una, although Una is now a "party girl" back in London and has forgotten about Tony. However, Tony comes into an unexpected inheritance, along with a title, and returns to London for Una. Although disappointed with Una's current lifestyle, he asks her to marry him despite her "indiscretions". However, the night before they are to be married Una confesses a deep, dark secret to Tony that could change their lives forever.

The successful operations of a lone bandit known as "The Night Hawk" terrorize a frontier town, and when a stranger arrives riding a fine horse, suspicions are aroused and he is mistaken for the criminal.

In 1921, a young man, having read Mark Twain's classic novel of the same title, dreams that he himself travels to King Arthur's court, where he has similar adventures and outwits his foes by means of very modern inventions including motorcycles and nitroglycerine.

Don Sebastian, Portuguese Premier, sets a price on the head of royalist Ricardo Madons. Madons is in love with actress Lola Montez, whom Sebastian also adores. Madons abducts Lola and compels her to wed him, but then does not hold her to the compact. Lola, who is really in love with him, repents having sent for assistance when she was taken. When Sebastian's soldiers arrive, Lola is nearly slain when she stops a bullet meant for Madons. She escapes with Madons. The couple find happiness across the border.

When the ability of Dick Leighton (William Farnum), Sheriff of Randolph, Oregon, to enforce law and order is tested by the leader of the political opposition, he stands his ground and overpowers the unruly element.