The Octopus (1915)
Archie Sheldon, determining to go to New York City, is given a letter by his mother to Thatcher Thole, Gotham's most unscrupulous financier. She tells her son that Thole is an old friend of the family, and will undoubtedly give him a start in life. Archie rises in the business world under the unscrupulous financier's tutelage until he becomes known as Thole's right-hand man. Early in his start Archie becomes acquainted with Violet Reinhardt, an artist's model, who has become afflicted with the great white plague. Violet Reinhardt has been told by her physician that a year in the country will restore her health. Archie Sheldon sends her $500 with boyish liberality and the Octopus, the great city, retains Violet in its clutches. Instead of spending this money in the recovery of her health, she again seeks the bright lights of Broadway. In the meantime, Thole is coaching Archie, who frequently proves the intermediary for Thole's shady deals. Mrs. Slade, a prepossessing widow, has invested in Thole's worthless stocks. Thole, in the meantime, becomes entangled with a chorus girl, who being insanely jealous, writes Thole a letter telling him that she will not be supplanted by another woman, and that she will make known his shady deals. This letter is inadvertently left in the home of Mrs. Slade by Thole, and is read by her. Planning to marry Thole herself, she becomes enraged and asks for an explanation from the financier. Thole cannot afford to lose Mrs. Slade's investment. At one of the midnight revelries at his palatial home, he orders Archie Sheldon to assume responsibility for the letter, telling Archie that he, Thole, has informed Mrs. Slade that the letter was intended for Archie. Archie refuses to surrender his manhood in such a manner. Then it is that the insanely jealous woman, supported by Thole, cries to Archie, "You cannot refuse. He is your father and everybody on Broadway knows it." Archie is stunned by this news. He looks questioningly at Thole, who acknowledges the fact. The women leave and they are left alone. Thole then tells Archie of the old life, when he had promised to marry Archie's mother, but how the poison of the great city had compelled him to forget his determination, of how Archie's mother had returned to him unopened his letters and drafts, and of how mother love finally conquered and she had sacrificed her pride and asked that her son be cared for by Thole. Archie refuses a reconciliation with his conscience-stricken father and informs him that he will return to his mother who needs him.
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Domestic
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Worldwide
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GenresDrama
Short
IMDbPro
See more details at IMDbPro
| Filmmakers | Role |
|---|---|
| Tom Santschi | Director |
| Charles Belmont Davis | Writer |
| Frank Norris | Writer |
| Tom Santschi | Writer |
| William Nicholas Selig | Producer |
| Cast | Role |
|---|---|
| Tom Santschi | |
| Lillian Hayward | |
| Leo Pierson | |
| Lafe McKee |
