Kenneth Webb Movies

In this musical, a singing Yankee stable boy works for a rich Irishman. When he meets his boss's granddaughter and they soon fall for each other until he must head back to the States where he becomes a singing clerk at the music counter of a major department store. Back in Ireland, the girl he loves finds that an evil villain is about to foreclose on her estate. Songs include: "Love is a Dreamer," "For the Likes O' You and Me," and "When They Sing 'The Wearing of the Green' in Syncopated Blues." ~ Sandra Brennan, Rovi

The presence of Richard Barthelmess adds a poetic quality to this romantic melodrama. Tony Gillardi (Barthelmess) is a flower vendor on New York's East Side. His brother, Carlo (Frank Puglia), is the favorite of their mother (Florence Auer), but in reality, he is a weak-willed youth who is under the control of Nick Di Silva (William Powell), a gangster who runs a Chinese theater as a cover for his operations. Di Silva and Carlo rob an Automat, but Tony convinces his brother that the money should be returned. Tony takes the money to the Automat himself, but is arrested for the crime and sent to prison. When he is released, he wants to get Di Silva but is dissuaded by his sweetheart, Molly O'Connor (Dorothy Gish, who is wasted in this role). A fight ensues in the Gillardi home between Carlo, Di Silva, and Tony. Di Silva shoots Mamma Gillardi, and Tony chases him to the theater where they get into a brutal fight. Di Silva falls from a roof to his death. Mamma Gillardi recovers from her wound and Tony and Molly are united. ~ Janiss Garza, Rovi

This independently made drama featured some notable cast members -- Charles Emmett Mack was a D.W. Griffith protégé (although he had the misfortune to earn this credit co-starring with Carol Dempster), Tyrone Power Sr. was a thespian who was father to future film star Tyrone Power, and Clara Bow, in one of her first films, has a bit part. Even leading lady Mildred Harris had a couple of good credits -- she acted for Cecil B. DeMille and, for a while, co-starred in Charles Chaplin's private life as his first wife. John Browning (Mack) is a sheltered college youth who refuses to listen to the wise counsel of his mother (Mary Carr). He gets involved with cabaret entertainer Susie LaMotte (Harris), not realizing that she's merely toying with him. She also has another beau, fighter Jim Moran (Joe King). Browning walks in on Susie and Moran and the two men have an argument. Moran accidentally kills himself with his own weapon, but Browning is tried for his murder and convicted. He is saved from the electric chair only because a bolt of lighting knocks out the power. This gives Moran's wife time to force Susie into confessing the truth. As a result, the governor pardons Browning and frees him. ~ Janiss Garza, Rovi

This melodrama was based on Rex Beach's novel The Net. Countess Margherita (Betty Blythe) is a Sicilian girl who is about to be married, but Caesar Maruffi, the head of a criminal syndicate (Thurston Hall), wants her for himself. He arranges to have the bridegroom assassinated, and Norvin Blake, a young American (Robert Elliott), almost loses his life in his attempt to save him. Margherita is devastated by the death of her loved one and, like a true Sicilian, she swears vengeance. She travels to America, where she poses as a nurse in New Orleans. Once again she encounters Blake, who reveals that he loves her. Together they track down Maruffi and his syndicate, determined to bring them to justice. Blake and Maruffi battle it out with their fists, with Blake emerging victorious. Gladys Hulette almost steals the show from the leads in a supporting role as the spirited Myra Drew. ~ Janiss Garza, Rovi

Although she had been Fox's replacement vamp after the exit of Theda Bara, Betty Blythe chose a far less exotic character than 1921's Queen of Sheba for her first self-produced picture. Here she is Rosa Roma, the daughter of a famous prima donna, who has inherited her mother's voice. She comes to America with her aunt, and soon thereafter millionaire Ogden Ward (Charles Lane) offers to finance her studies -- just so long as she doesn't fall in love and follows his direction for her career. But then she meets composer Griffith Ames (Robert Fraser) and all that flies out the window. Ames creates an opera, and Rosa plays the lead for charity, which infuriates Ward. She plans to buy him off with some of her jewels, which she has been hanging onto for sentimental reasons. But the gems are stolen and it is revealed that Ward -- who collects valuable stones -- is in cahoots with a Count-of-no-account, who committed the theft. Rosa overcomes all this, becomes a success, and weds the young composer. ~ Janiss Garza, Rovi

Lionel Barrymore stars in this melodrama, based on the play by Sir James L. Young. Jim Ralston (Barrymore) is a country bank clerk who has a talent for forging signatures. He's in love with Nina Bronson (Doris Rankin, Barrymore's real life wife) and saves her father (Ned Burton) from financial ruin by forging a check. Baron Hartfeld, the check's owner (Anders Randolf), catches him, but instead of prosecuting, he decides that Jim could be of use. As a result, Ralston winds up in charge of a gang of forgers. He also destroys Nina's romance with Louis Percival (Douglas MacPherson) through a series of forged notes. Jim then marries Nina and their daughter Louise grows up to become engaged to the son of an English banker who is about to be victimized by Jim's gang. Then Percival and Nina discover the forgeries that caused their misunderstanding. Jim realizes it is the end for him, so he takes his gang out on a yacht and sinks it, killing everyone aboard. ~ Janiss Garza, Rovi

Although Jim Carson (Fred Burton) supposedly runs Society Chatter, a scandal sheet, it is Maxwell Stone (Frank Losee) who is the publisher and real power behind the paper. There is talk of a juicy scandal going on at a posh Italian resort, and Stone goes to check it out, combining the trip with a visit to his daughter, Sylvia (Alice Brady). At the resort, Sylvia has become friends with Laura Hill (Edith Stockton), the flighty Milly Sayres (Nora Reed), and Milly's brother, Oliver Ellis (Richard Hatteras), who owns a New York morning newspaper. Sylvia also has become infatuated with Ettare Forni, a lusty tenor (Harry Mortimer). They plan to run off together, but Sylvia changes her mind when she discovers he does not plan to marry her. Stone unearths a scandalous tidbit surrounding Laura, and runs it in the paper. Laura is devastated by this and commits suicide. Sylvia returns to New York with Milly and Ellis, intent on avenging Laura's death. Carson tries to stop them by looking for dirt on Ellis. An attempt to link Milly with Forni is unsuccessful, and Carson is revealed as a blackmailer. Sylvia is shocked to discover that her father is the owner of Society Chatter, but he promises to close down the paper and reform, so she forgives him. She and Ellis wind up together. ~ Janiss Garza, Rovi

Corinne Griffith plays Erminie Foster, a girl with literary aspirations. Since her ambitions lie beyond her grasp, she has a day job as a model. One day writer Ernest Sanford (Walter McGrail) comes into the modiste's shop where she works and wants to use her as the "flapper" prototype in a satirical book he's writing on women. Erminie is insulted and refuses. Some days later, wearing a sumptuous gown from her work, she crashes a fancy reception. Sanford is there. So is Erminie's boss, who is about to have her thrown out but the writer comes to the rescue, claiming her as his cousin. He takes her home at 3 A.M., but her crusty aunt won't let her in. Sanford suggests she stay at his place (he also has an aunt, but this one will conveniently serve as a chaperone). She winds up staying there as inspiration for Sanford's book and starts to do a little writing of her own. She also proceeds to become entangled with Sanford's love life. He's engaged to be married to Helen Reeves (Agnes Ayres) who likes his money, but loves Monte Ralston (William David). Ralston is determined to have Helen, so he tells her he will show Sanford her letters to him. Erminie hears of this and goes to steal the letters from Ralston's apartment. When she gets back, Sanford (who has fallen in love with her) is angry and wants to know where she has been. Just then, Helen and Monte come by and explain the situation. All wind up happily with the ones they love. ~ Janiss Garza, Rovi

This farce comedy was based on the play by Lawrence Irving Rising. Moving Picture World, expressing the delicate mores of the era's movie audience, asserted, "it is not, after all, the sort of picture to flaunt in the face of an innocent debutante," in part because one of the characters reveals an identifying mole -- on her ankle! Alice Brady has a dual role, as the mischievous Vi Playfair (the one with the mole), and her tamer twin sister Tiny. Vi is about to marry Joe Damorel (Edward Earle), but first she wants to have a secret meeting with a former suitor, Lent Trevett (James L. Crane). Tiny -- who's more than a little in love with Trevett herself -- is shocked at her sister's plan, and goes to meet him herself. After receiving the kisses and affection meant for her sister, Tiny sends him on his way, but the next day, after the wedding, Trevett shows up in an attempt to convince Vi to run off with him. Tiny is furious when Vi agrees, and since there is a second dress identical to the wedding gown, she puts it on and goes off with Damorel. Now it's Vi's turn to become incensed, but after a lot of confusion, husband and wife get back together, while Tiny and Trevett decide they're happy with each other. ~ Janiss Garza, Rovi