Just Show People (1913)

The performance of "Mlle. Rose," the wife of "Piquet," the leading clown at the Hippodrome, is applauded by thousands. She is the sensation of the age in her triple somersault from a trapeze platform at the top of the theater into a net below. Mons. Le Bang, an acrobat, looks with covetous eyes upon her and tries to win her love. He entices the clown to drink and gamble, to keep him away from his home, while he pays court to his wife. She is incensed at her husband and Le Bang tries to poison her mind against him. One night at the theater Le Bang tells her that her husband is a drunkard and asks her to leave Piquet and live with him. She repulses him by striking him in the face. Piquet enters the dressing room at this moment, very much under the influence of liquor, and noticing his wife's agitation and Le Bang's attitude, is suspicious and denounces him. Le Bang resolves upon revenge. He cuts one of the guy ropes of the net she uses in her act, is detected by Piquet, and has the clown locked up in his dressing room accusing him of being fighting drunk. The sensational feature is due. Rosa is about to make her dive. Piquet smashes his way out of his room, rushes to the stage and warns her of her danger. She, thinking him intoxicated, does not heed him. Piquet climbs to the trapeze on which she is standing and prevents her from jumping. Le Bang, enraged, follows him. The two men struggle on the platform. In the conflict, Bang, by a misstep, plunges to the stage into the net, the severed guy-rope breaks and he is killed. Rosa throws her arms around Piquet and far above the astonished audience, they stand in love's embrace.

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Summary Details
GenresDrama Short