The False Gems (1916)
Angus Leroux and his wife have a happy little home. Leroux is one of the bookkeepers in a commercial house, and he frequently brings his books home when he's unable to finish his work at the office. Mrs. Leroux is inordinately fond of jewelry. Her father Michael Henning, a cynical old man, lives with them. They have a friend named Fred Von Twiller. Exhausted by the day's work, Leroux often insists that Von Twiller take his wife out at night to give her a little pleasure. Sometimes Leroux feels inclined to blame his wife for her fondness for jewels, but when she tells him how fond she is of the false gems, and that it is her only weakness, he is inclined to let her feed her vanity. One evening as Von Twiller and Mrs. Leroux are out enjoying the opera, Leroux decides to get rid of the false jewelry and cure her of her weakness. He accordingly takes the jewels to a pawnbroker and remarks that he doesn't think they are worth much. After a close examination, the jeweler announces that $50,000 would be a very low price for the gems. Leroux returns home, and at once suspicion begins its insidious work: the more he thinks, the more his suspicion grows, and he has fully made up his mind that Von Twiller, who is very wealthy, gave his wife the jewels. The jeweler makes a close examination, and tells him that fifty thousand dollars would be a very low price for the gems. Securing a revolver, he goes to his wife's bedroom and awaits her return. Mrs. Leroux and Von Twiller return after a happy evening, and Leroux, placing the revolver in his coat pocket, comes into the room and begins to accuse his wife. Von Twiller is thunderstruck. Old Michael looks on the scene with his cynical smile. Mrs. Leroux goes to the jewel box and finds the necklace is missing. Leroux is working himself up to commit a deed for which he would always repent, when old Michael pushes the trio aside and grabs up the box. He tells Leroux that the jewels were genuine; that he had saved up and bought them for his daughter to play with. He told them the jewels were paste, knowing that if the real value were known that more than likely they would be sold and the money spent. Leroux begins to sob. Von Twiller slips out of the house. Mrs. Leroux goes to her husband and takes his head in her arms. She forgives him for his outburst and the worst pang of remorse is his unjust suspicion against faithful friend. He assures her that in the future she can indulge her love of jewels to the utmost and never again will he attempt to discourage her craving for jewels.
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| Filmmakers | Role |
|---|---|
| Rupert Julian | Director |
| Elliott J. Clawson | Writer |
| Carl Laemmle | Producer |
| Cast | Role |
|---|---|
| Rupert Julian | |
| Elsie Jane Wilson | |
| Mark Fenton | |
| Douglas Gerrard |
