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For Cash
(1915) United States of America
B&W : Two reels
Directed by Lon Chaney
Cast: J. Warren Kerrigan [Arthen Owen], Vera Sisson [Vera Ronceval], Mr. Brown (J. Edwin Brown) [Amos Ronceval], William Quinn [Lee Varick, an artist], Walter Bytell [Vera’s cousin], [?] Lon Chaney?
Victor Film Company production; distributed by The Universal Film Manufacturing Company, Incorporated. / Produced by Lon Chaney. Scenario by W.M. Caldwell. / Standard 35mm spherical 1.33:1 format.
Drama.
Synopsis: [?] [From The Moving Picture World]? Vera Ronceval has been brought up in seclusion by her father, Amos Ronceval, a recluse. One day she meets Orthen Owen, an artist, and they fall in love. When Amos learns of this, he forbids Arthen to see his daughter, and in his rage suffers an attack of heart disease. Dying, he commits Vera to the care of her cousin, Mr. Ronceval, a lawyer. Mr. Ronceval takes Vera away with him to his city home. Arthen, unable to find further trace of Vera, falls upon evil ways, neglecting his art and finding forgetfulness in dissipation. Reduced to poverty, he makes a contract with Lee Varick, famous as an artist, whereby Arthen is to paint pictures, signing Varick’s name to them. Varick has acquired his reputation by this traffic in the work of others. In the meantime, Vera has been living with her cousin, Mr. Ronceval, who is a friend of Varick’s, and who greatly desires a match between Varick and Vera, Although Vera has never forgotten Arthen, she has, to please her cousin, conditionally consented to an engagement with Varick. One day Vera meets Arthen in his fallen condition, and learning the story of his fall, she tells him that she still loves him, and that she will break off her engagement with Varick. At the same time Arthen, obtaining a new lease upon his manhood, seeks Varick out to return the check just given him for the sale of his name and work to Varick. Vera calls upon Varick, tells him that she knows of his mode of obtaining fame and that she will not marry him. Varick, believing that he has her in his power, attempts to commit an assault upon her. Just then, Arthen, on his way to return Varick’s check, hears Vera’s cries for help and breaks into Varick’s studio. He knocks Varick down and rescues Vera. He then takes her to her cousin, who, upon learning the whole story, gives his consent to the marriage of Vera and Arthen.
Reviews: [The Moving Picture World, 8 May 1915, page ?] A two-reel number featuring Warren Kerrigan and Vera Sisson. He appears as an artist and paints a picture of the girl in the nude. The father objects and separates the two. Later the father dies and the girl’s guardian continues keeping them apart. But they meet accidentally, he wins fame and love follows. This is very conventional and not particularly attractive in settings. The principals are interesting, but their work furnishes the chief strength of the production.
Survival status: (unknown)
Current rights holder: Public domain [USA].
Listing updated: 3 November 2022.
References: Edmonds-BigU p. 63; Spehr-American p. 100; Weaver-Twenty p. 76 : Website-IMDb.
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