The Politicians (1915)

Fleeing from New York after election frauds McQuire and Olson, strong-arm politicians, are pursued by female detective Ruby Swift. The politicians elude her, purchase an ancient automobile, and arrive in the rural community of Hicktown just in time for the yearly mayoralty election. Ruby trails them and is on the scene when they put their big-city political knowledge to use in stealing the election. The politicians adopt suffrage as their party and defeat one Franklin Bond, the crusty mayor who has become so hard shelled in his small bailiwick that his defeat is easy at their hands. Ruby poses as an adventuress, is enlisted by the politicians to help them "trim" the town and is present when they steal the ballot boxes and win the election, but does not know where they have hidden the ballots. The daughter of the mayor loves the candidate opposing her father and gets him to withdraw, leaving her father a supposedly-easy field. Later when the ballot boxes are stolen, a rival suitor for the mayor's daughter puts the blame on the young candidate who has withdrawn, and he is sent to jail. Ruby, as secretary to the politicians, causes both to fall in love with her, hoping their rivalry will part them and reveal the hidden ballot boxes. Jealous over Ruby, the politicians quarrel, and not even the suffragette Chief of Police can reconcile them. How Ruby takes advantage of the quarrel and brings them to justice is the climax of this five-reel comedy.

All Releases

Domestic
International
Worldwide
Summary Details
Running Time50 min
GenresComedy