Better Times

A young author, Everett Dryden Hale, has written a book of such strength and originality that it becomes one of the best sellers. The book is entitled "Waifs" and deals with the underworld, a subject of which Hale, who is a New Englander with a Puritanical strain, knows by personal experience, practically nothing at all.

Claire Curtis, Jimmie Strong and Mary have spent their childhood together in the country. Upon reaching adulthood, Claire goes to New York and becomes a success on stage. Jimmie, who has always dreamed of becoming an inventor, goes to New York to sell the machine he invented, and there he renews his acquaintance with Claire. Soon their old friendship ripens into love. Meanwhile, back in the country, Ralph and David Harding, who are making Jimmie's machine, plan to steal the right to it. Back in New York, Mary appears and informs Claire that she loves Jimmie, and the actress resolves to give her a chance to win him. When it appears that the Hardings' scheme to steal Jimmie's machine will succeed, however, Mary's ardor turns cold. Claire and Jimmie then rush back to the country in time to avert the takeover and save his firm from bankruptcy.

When Richard Cameron, a secret service agent tracking down international spies, is kidnapped by the enemy, Mirian Somerset, to whom Richard has been surreptitiously married, believes that he is dead.

When Sassoon, also known as "The Wolf” attempts to swindle Dore Baxter out of her grandmother’s farm Garry Lindaberry and the villain’s wife conspire to thwart him leading to a happy conclusion for Dore & Garry.

Abandoned as an infant on a stranger’s doorstep by her faithless mother, Marcella, Dorothea is taken in by Tom & Sarah Wentworth who in time inherit a vast coal mine in Pennsylvania. Now a young woman “Dot” falls in love with veterinarian Dr. Grant Hunter but her social climbing mother frowns on the match. Sara has set her sights on the Marquis del Carnavacchi for her daughter unaware that he is both a mobster and the lover of her errant natural mother. By chance Dot’s real father, Jim Gregory, also resides in the town and as tensions rise, he and Marcella join to save Dot from both harm and marriage to the wrong man.

Avis Langley's dying mother begs her to look after Avis's errant brother and continues after death to reappear in spirit form to remind Avis of her promise. Avis follows her brother to New Zealand in hopes of protecting him from his own ways, but on the trip tragedy apparently strikes.

Seduced and abandoned by the caddish Louis La Farge shepherdess Marie Beaupre is cast out of the village and forced to survive in the mountains alone. Driven mad she becomes known as “the witch woman” until hypnotist Dr. Cochefort and his friend Delaunay encounter her while on a hunting trip, take her to Paris, and effectuate a cure at which time she becomes heir to Delaunay's fortune. All seems clear sailing until Marie is introduced to Louis's twin brother Maurice and mistaking him for Louis sets forth on a plan for revenge.

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During a raid on a gambling establishment run by her father, Cosmo Lester, Diana Lester rescues Hugh Carton, a member of the English Parliament and a candidate for the Cabinet. Hugh gratefully offers Diana a position as his sister's companion, and soon, the two fall desperately in love.

In this picture, Sessue Hayakawa is in a dual role, playing twin brothers. One of them, Yamashiro is serious and hardworking, while the other, Sadao, is a playboy. There is a girl, Toko-Ku, who loves them both, but really prefers the bad boy. Sadao encounters Paul Berkowitz in a gambling den and borrows far more money from him than he can ever pay back.

The husband of Lady Myra Ingleby is off fighting in the World War. She is devastated when Sir Derysk Brand tells her that her husband has been killed. The War Office gives her the details - Lord Ingleby was killed, not by enemy fire, but because of an error committed by one of his fellowmen, whose name is never to be disclosed. The grieving widow retreats to her Cornwall estate for a rest. Staying at the inn is a man known as Jim Airth, who carries a grief of his own.

A prosperous small-town peddler accedes to his family's wish to move from their secure existence to the uncertainty of New York City. It proves fruitless and eventually his kin sees the error of their ways and return to their true home.

Paul and Rhoda Remsen, having marital difficulties, separate; and each is awarded custody of their child Peggy for 6 months of the year. Rhoda and Peggy move to a farm town, while Paul remains in the big city to write a play for actress Inez Lamont, who is in love with him. Peggy knows that her mother still loves Paul, so she flees to the big city to explain the situation to her father.

Milt Kimberlin is a down-on-his luck horse owner, but Rosalie, a cabaret performer (the lively and engaging Clara Bow), doesn't care -- she turns down the fancy jewelry offered by oily Frank Gorman for a wedding ring from Kimberlin. Even though his finances never improve, Rosalie sticks by her husband only to sicken and die in a garret. Kimberlin's luck changes almost overnight and he becomes incredibly wealthy.

A determined copy boy achieves his aspiration of becoming a journalist after unearthing the hideout of a criminal gang.

A married man suddenly inherits a fortune and finally has enough money to live his dream of becoming an artist. He moves his wife and daughter to a big expensive house and starts living the life of a "bohemian" artist. When he begins an affair with another woman, his wife leaves him and his daughter Alicia breaks off her engagement to a wealthy doctor and becomes involved in the "free love" movement espoused by one Herbert Rawlins. Rawlins, however, has his own plans for Alicia, and they don't involve "sharing" her with anyone else. Complications ensue.