The Birth of Patriotism

Lost film.

A girl known as "Boots," who keeps house for a band of crooks led by her kind guardian, Uncle Ben, called "The Lion," demands that she be allowed to accompany them on a burglary. Dressed in boy's clothes, Boots is caught by Mrs. Kathryn Sylvester, a rich society widow, who, upon learning that Boots is a girl, resolves to avenge herself on James Graham, who refused to marry her stating that he wanted no stain on his lineage.

Northerner Captain Ford, U.S.A., is sent down south to trail a gang of moonshiners. Jefferson Gwynne, hot-headed young southerner, believes Ford is an abolitionist and takes an instant dislike to him. Jeff’s sister Georgia is attracted to Ford, especially after her saves her in a runaway accident, much to the chagrin of her cousin Paul Fitzhugh who is in love with her. Jefferson accuses Ford of fomenting political unrest among the blacks and attacks him with Ford’s sword. Ford fends him off but when Jeff is wounded the captain goes for help rabble rouser Sampson steals up and murders Jeff observed by Paul, who remains silent. Ford is jailed for the murder but after many travails is finally cleared and reunited with Georgia.

The picture starts with Robert Warwick walking into the office of director Albert Capellani (the film's actual director). Capellani offers him the role of a heavy and hands him the script. The next four reels show Warwick playing a Raffles-like character, an ingenious crook who moves through society, committing robberies and even murder.

Three castaways all from differing levels of society reach and board a deserted schooner in mid-ocean.

New York society member Priscilla Maine is troubled by strange dreams in which she vividly sees members of the underworld involved in a murder. She confides this to her admirer, Dr. Philip Fosdick, who undertakes to solve the mystery.

When brilliant lawyer Harry Sevier, an alcoholic, cannot cope with the prosecution's tactics, his innocent client Paddy the Brick goes to prison. After Harry's sweetheart Echo Allen, the daughter of Judge Beverly Allen, breaks their engagement, Harry leaves to combat his problem. Meanwhile, Cameron Craig, whose interest in a distilling corporation is threatened when a suit is brought before Judge Allen, steals incriminating love letters written by the Judge years earlier. Echo boards a train to offer to marry Craig for returning the letters. Harry, on the same train, and now beardless, follows Echo to Craig's home, where a burglary occurs. After Harry, not recognized by Echo, gives her the letters, Craig is shot, and Harry, along with Paddy--now a burglar--is sent to prison. Harry escapes and finds himself nominated to run for governor on the "dry" ticket. After Echo confirms that he was innocent of shooting Craig, Harry wins the election and her love.

Jimmy Mason lifts himself up from poverty to unlimited riches. The audience knows that he couldn't have done it without the help and support of his wife Marion. When Jimmy starts cheating on her, she divorces him, receiving an enormous settlement. Reduced to penury by various spendthrift mistresses, Jimmy is rescued once more by Marion, who once more guides him to success-and remarries him, this time on her terms.

A young lady, who "hates the law" rises from the tenements to society. Financial reverses lead her to commit a series of burglaries as "The Bird". She becomes involved with the detective investigating the burglaries. After she confesses and pays for her crimes, they marry.

The hypnotic Svengali controls the singing voice of a young starlet, but he cannot control her heart.

A raft carrying a little girl and a dead woman drifts in from a shipwreck to Devil's Island. There, a band of thieves and smugglers name the girl Rose Marie, though she grows up as "nobody's girl."

A widely respected deep-sea diver is approached by a ring of con artists who want him to be the front man for a phony scheme to recover gold from sunken ships. When he refuses, they send a sexy young woman to seduce his son, and then blackmail the father into going along with their scheme.

Traveling from the Latin Quarter of Paris to Brittany to seek inspiration for his painting, artist Paul Dachette finds it in the person of Mignon, an orphan who consents to pose for him.

Social worker John Warfield meets socialist radical Guido Garcia, and together they establish a refuge in San Francisco for life's unfortunates.

Hartley, fascinated by the vampish Leonie, steals and serves a term in prison. Not satisfied with this downfall, Leonie again works her womanly charms upon Dr. Gerald, who is engaged to Johanna, the adopted daughter of Dr. McLean. Learning of the woman's designs on the young doctor, Hartley denounces her in Gerald's presence. In response, Gerald foolishly renounces Johanna and his friendship with Dr. McLean. However, when Leonie discovers that Johanna is her own daughter whom she had deserted as a child, she becomes conscience-stricken, gives up the young man and begs forgiveness.

Comedy of errors about Sir Anothony, his twin brother Blink and his son Aubrey. Mary Priestly is fooled but by the end flourishes.