(Chaney second from left)

THE SMALL TOWN GIRL

Released 1/17/15 by Universal/101 Bison; Director: Allan Dwan; Screenplay: Beatrice Van; Cinematography: Lee O. Bartholomew; 3 reels

CAST: Pauline Bush (Ruth), William Lloyd (The Hotel Proprietor), Lon Chaney (The Procurer), Richard Rosson (Dick), Rupert Julian (The Snob), Murdock MacQuarrie (The Snob's Father)

SYNOPSIS: Ruth is the niece of the proprietor of the only hotel in Maplehurst, a small rural town. When she was orphaned, she was adopted by Dick, a young hotel clerk who loves her dearly. Ruth cares for Dick, but feels he is too rustic; she wants romance and he is just a country bumpkin. One day, a slick young snob from the East arrives in Maplehurst and Ruth is taken in by his flashy clothes and fast car. Dick is crushed when his sweetheart disregards his simple love. On one of her long drives with the snob, they stop at an inn, where he entices her into becoming drunk. She loses all control of her judgement and the snob takes advantage of her. When he goes East she follows him, but he soon tires of her and throws her out. She later gives birth to a child, and the snob's family will have nothing to do with her. A procurer of women proposes that she become a streetwalker, and she considers both that fate and suicide; however, an elderly, childless couple take an interest in her. Ruth decides to write her uncle for help, and Dick, seeing the letter, sends her money. Her uncle dies soon after, and Dick becomes the proprietor of the hotel. He goes after Ruth and brings her home. Meanwhile, the Snob has gone West, where the change in environment has made a man of him. He returns to Ruth, but she scorns him and refuses to let him see his child.

"The photography is good, the scenes and settings that appear are well laid, but not much variety is given. The whole drama will appeal more to the serious and better educated of the average audience." ---Motion Picture News

NOTES: This is one of many early Universal films that starred Rupert Julian, who went on to direct many films of the 20's, including much of Chaney's THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA. Different sources list Pauline Bush's character as both "Pauline" and "Ruth."

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