Conrad Nagel and Robert Ames are friends who work in the same bank and live in the same boarding house. Nagel dreams of being a lawyer and invests his money; Ames has no ambition ... until Betty Compson arrives as an immigrant from Sweden. The guys become rivals for Compson's attention as she learns English. Nagel is too careful and she falls for Ames and assumes he will marry her.
At the bank, Nagel (who is the head teller) is at Ames' window when someone rushes in to tell him he needs $10,000 immediately to save his stock portfolio. He grabs the money from Ames' cash drawer but can't replace it before a bank examiner discovers the loss.
Nagel struggles with guilt until the cops pick up Ames who holds a one-way ticket to Rio. Ames never planned to marry Compson. Nagel lets him take the wrap and marries Compson.
Five years later, Compson is bored in her marriage. She has a slight accent and has become a society party giver. Even her son (Dickie Moore) doesn't interest her much. She's about to leave Nagel when Ames shows up, escaped from prison. Compson is willing to run away with him, but he wants revenge on Nagel.
During the following argument, Ames tells her he never wanted to marry her. Nagel, meanwhile, has written a letter of confession. Coompson is still willing to run away until Ames shoves her aside and snarls, "I don't want you!" The cops arrive. Will justice be served? Compson is very good (as always), Nagel is very noble, and Ames is good at being snarky. Robert Emmett O'Connor is the cop, Bodil Rosing in the landlady, Marjorie Beebe has a bit as a flirting bank customer.
At the bank, Nagel (who is the head teller) is at Ames' window when someone rushes in to tell him he needs $10,000 immediately to save his stock portfolio. He grabs the money from Ames' cash drawer but can't replace it before a bank examiner discovers the loss.
Nagel struggles with guilt until the cops pick up Ames who holds a one-way ticket to Rio. Ames never planned to marry Compson. Nagel lets him take the wrap and marries Compson.
Five years later, Compson is bored in her marriage. She has a slight accent and has become a society party giver. Even her son (Dickie Moore) doesn't interest her much. She's about to leave Nagel when Ames shows up, escaped from prison. Compson is willing to run away with him, but he wants revenge on Nagel.
During the following argument, Ames tells her he never wanted to marry her. Nagel, meanwhile, has written a letter of confession. Coompson is still willing to run away until Ames shoves her aside and snarls, "I don't want you!" The cops arrive. Will justice be served? Compson is very good (as always), Nagel is very noble, and Ames is good at being snarky. Robert Emmett O'Connor is the cop, Bodil Rosing in the landlady, Marjorie Beebe has a bit as a flirting bank customer.