The Profligate(1916)

Overview

Young lawyer Richard Potter and Irene Roberts are secretly engaged but Irene’s social climbing mother wants her to marry a wealthy man. To that end she schemes with banker David Winters to break up Richard and Irene and pair her with Winters profligate son Gerald Winters. They succeed temporarily but Gerald is a violent drunk who runs with a fast crowd and eventually ends up charged with murder. Though innocent Gerald has been well framed and faces the gallows until Irene appeals to Richard, now the District Attorney, for aid. At the eleventh hour a confession saves Richard, allowing Richard and Irene to reunite.