The Decoy (1915)
Robert Smith, an Eastern "sharper," arrives in Sunset, a small city in the west, and opens business under the guise of a real estate operator. His daughter, Flo, an attractive girl, has been brought up to help her father without question in his "sharp" practices. Accompanying Smith is his right-hand "skin" artist, "Spider" Brown. Through an item in the Sunset newspaper, Smith learns that Bert Sheldon of New York, who has inherited a fortune of $30,000, is in Sunset with the intention of investing in some land. The "sharper'' orders Flo to meet Bert, exert all her fascinations on him and induce him to visit the office of Robert Smith, real estate operator. By means of a clever ruse, Flo attracts Bert's attention and they become acquainted. She takes him to Smith's "office and the "sharper" shows the young Easterner a fine tract of land and offers to sell it to him at a low figure. As a matter of fact, the land in question is the property of the Sunset Water Company. Smith figures on "selling" the land to Bert and making a "getaway" with the money. Bert is pleased with the land and promises to consider the proposition. Two days later, Flo and Bert stroll out to the land. Bert asks Flo what she thinks about the land. The girl, who has come to admire Bert, especially when she compares his treatment of her with that of her father, warns Bert of the conspiracy. The latter is profuse in his thanks and shows Flo the picture of his Eastern sweetheart. He also decides that he will not get in a mixup with Smith, in order to protect Flo. Learning that Bert has decided not to buy the land, Smith is desperate. He tries to "dope" Bert with the intention of getting what money he has. Flo, apparently through an accident, knocks over the glass of wine. Bert prepares to leave town. Smith determines to rob him openly, using "Spider" as an accomplice. Smith returns to his office to get a knife. Flo, who has found that she loves Bert and knows that it is a hopeless love, resolves to save him. She seizes her opportunity and in an unusual way holds her father a prisoner until she knows that Bert is safe on the outbound train. Smith is enraged at first, then slowly realizes the situation from Flo's point of view. There is the promise that the turning point has come in the "sharper's" life.
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Domestic
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International
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Worldwide
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GenresDrama
Short
IMDbPro
See more details at IMDbPro
| Filmmakers | Role |
|---|---|
| Will M. Ritchey | Writer |
| Siegmund Lubin | Producer |
| Cast | Role |
|---|---|
| Velma Whitman | |
| Lee Shumway | |
| Henry Stanley | |
| Sam De Grasse |
