The Deserter

Unhappy with her daughter's choice to marry a miner instead of her choice, a man of wealth, a mother tries to convince her daughter to get an abortion.

Lord Anthony Crackenthorpe engages the help of a zoologist's widow to help him write a book about his favorite subject, spiders. She moves into his mansion with her impetuous daughter Peggy. Anthony's mother is very worried that her son, heir to the Crackenthorpe estate may become involved with Peggy. She asks her younger son Jimmy to keep company with the young girl.

IN THE SWITCH TOWER stars Walter Edwards (who also directed) as Bill Wharton, a middle-aged alcoholic who was once a leading engineer with a railroad. Wharton is estranged from his son Joel (Frank Borzage), who now works as an executive with the railroad, but Frank does send him money through Bill's longtime friend, Louis Hall (Robert Hall).

Weak-willed Roy Hanford, driven from his father's house by the coldness of his stone-hearted wife and the sanctimonious attitude of his father, the deacon, flees to the city.

When Nora Nolan, a poor bargain-basement clerk, faints from the heat, she is told to take a vacation. Reporter Jimmie Norton, the son of a millionaire, witnesses the incident and sends her an anonymous $200 check. Nora stays at a fashionable seaside hotel, where Jimmie happens to be pitching for the hotel baseball team after he is fired from the newspaper.

For 15 years, wealthy widow Marise Jaffrey has searched for her daughter Mary, who was taken away as an infant by her father and subsequently disappeared after he was killed in a train accident. Mary Healy, a stenographer who has helped in the search, learns that Mrs. Healy is not her real mother. At the same time, Mary's resemblance to the missing girl leads Mrs. Jaffrey to investigate further and discover that Mary is her daughter. Mary then goes to live in the Jaffrey home, but runs away because of the snobbish attitudes of Mrs. Jaffrey's friends. Henry Martin, a printer's foreman, tells Mrs. Jaffrey of his love for Mary. Mary's mother and foster mother reconcile themselves when they see Mary's happiness over her forthcoming marriage.

After Barbara Martin, a naïve young convent girl, elopes with her guardian's degenerate brother, Barton Sedgewick, she discovers that Barton already has a wife and child. Barton then deserts both wives, leaving Barbara to turn to her guardian George Sedgewick for advice. George advises an immediate divorce, but Barbara takes no action until she meets John Brent and falls in love. Upon requesting that George arrange her divorce from Barton, Barbara discovers that Brent is her guardian's lawyer. Panicked for fear of Brent discovering her marriage, Barbara's quandary is resolved when she discovers Barton in his partner Rhodes' apartment. Through Barton's carelessness, Barbara is able to obtain documents which prove that his first marriage was valid, thereby nullifying their marriage and freeing her to marry Brent.

Myrtle Gross escapes her abusive, alcoholic husband, Jim, taking their baby to Alaska with money and a ticket stolen from Tom Winters. She builds a new life, but years later, her past resurfaces when Jim, having traced her, arrives to confront her, threatening her new existence.

A vivacious, carefree young girl is disgusted by the thought of growing old. In her despondency she adopts the motto "Who cares?" and does her best to live up to it, even after she marries the handsome and dashing Martin Grey.

Dr. Dudley Duprez is a well-known Louisiana physician. His beautiful but wayward niece, Rose Duprez, is abducted by Paul Crenshaw, a friend of the doctor, and to prevent her shame from becoming known, Rose kills herself. Dr. Duprez learns her secret and determines to make Crenshaw expiate his crime. While traveling on a Mississippi River steamer, the doctor wins Mercedes, a beautiful slave, at cards. He takes her home and, passing her off as a distant relative, arranges it so that Crenshaw falls in love with the girl.

Ben Anderson, factor of the trading station, impatient with his daughter Anne's coquetries, calls all the trappers to him and promises to wed her to the one who brings back the most valuable catch of furs in the spring. Anne fancies herself in love with Henri Levesnue, a Frenchman. So when he is reported to have brought in the biggest prize she is delighted. But the following day, Joe Eagle, a quarter-breed, reaches the station with twice Henri's catch, Ben insists that Anne marry Joe, but she swears she never could become the wife of the French Indian, and because he really loves her, Joe, who has overheard her protestations, hides half his furs under his cabin floor. Anne is married to Henri, but in a few months is very unhappy. He is a heavy drinker; he neglects her, and at last, being penniless, he steals a bale of furs from the station. The factor sets Joe to catch the thief.

Jim Neal, the proprietor of the "Halfway Saloon," located between Tucson and Gold Creek. A local minister discovers Jim selling alcohol to the Indians and asks him to stop. Jim refuses, telling the minister to mind his own business. The minister then appeals to Jim's wife, Mrs. Neal, pointing out that the saloon is an unfit environment for their young daughter. Realizing the truth in the minister's words, Mrs. Neal decides to take their daughter and leave the area to visit her sister in a distant settlement. Tragically, while enroute, Mrs. Neal and her daughter are attacked by a group of the same Indians who had been incited by the "firewater" sold to them by Jim Neal, demonstrating the consequences of his actions.

A woman has second thoughts about her socialite fiancé when she finds a grey veil in his overcoat. When she discovers that the veil belongs to the owner of a beauty shop, she begins to investigate.

Molly is a wife of wealthy Britisher Sam Thornhill. Though devoutly loyal to her husband, the capricious Molly can't seem to avoid getting herself into compromising situations. The limit comes when a pair of Molly's stockings find their way into the boudoir of another man.

When playwright Curtis de Forest Ralston becomes enamored of actress Viola Strathmore, who is to appear in his play Vanity, Viola induces him to change certain parts and give her more lines. Curtis, who is not as talented as he believes himself to be, fails at his job but is saved by his wife Anita, a former actress, who has forsaken her career for marriage. Anita and her old manager, Bruce Winthrope, fashion the play to suit Viola, and Vanity becomes a huge success. The play's triumph enlarges Curtis's ego even further, and he deserts Anita for Viola.