FOR CASH

Released 5/3/15 by Universal/Victor; Director: Lon Chaney; Screenplay: W.M. Coldwell; 2 reels

CAST: Vera Sisson (Vera Ronceval), Lon Chaney (Amos Ronceval), Jack Warren Kerrigan (Arthen Owen), Dr. Blytell (Mr. Ronceval), Billy Quinn (Lee Varick)

SYNOPSIS: Vera Ronceval has been brought up in seclusion by her reclusive father Amos. One day she meets Arthen Owen, an artist, and they fall in love. When Amos learns of their romance, he forbids Arthen to see his daughter, and in his excitement, suffers a heart attack. His dying wish is that Vera be given to the custody of her cousin, Mr. Ronceval, an attorney. He takes Vera away to his home in the city, and Arthen, unable to find his sweetheart, falls into a dissipated lifestyle. Broke, Arthen agrees to paint pictures for Lee Varick, a disreputable "artist" who signs his name to the work of others. Mr. Ronceval is a friend of Varick's and decides he would be a suitable match for Vera; she reluctantly consents to the engagement. Vera sees Arthen one day, and despite his fall from grace, tells him that she still loves him. Arthen, with a new lease on life, goes to Varick to return his latest check, when he hears screams from the man's apartment. He breaks in to find Vera, who went to break her engagement, being assaulted by Varick. Arthen knocks Varick down and rescues Vera. When her cousin learns of Varick's evil deeds, he consents to Vera marrying Arthen.

"This is very conventional and not particularly attractive in settings. The principals are interesting, but their work furnishes the chief strength of the production." ---Moving Picture World

"The two reels have been photographed well and some pretty scenes have been obtained, but the story becomes more vague as the action progresses and the main idea is hard to grasp." --- Motion Picture News

NOTES: The formal description of the film filed with the U.S. Copyright office describes the actor that played Amos (Chaney) as "Mr. Brown." Perhaps Chaney chose to receive credit only for his role as director, although stills from the picture clearly reveal that he appeared in the film.


© 1996,2008 Jon C. Mirsalis


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