Empty Hearts (1924) DVD-R

Starring John Bowers, Charles Murray, John Miljan, Clara Bow, Buck Black
Directed by Alfred Santell

Print: black/white
Runtime: 60 min.
Genre: drama

Milt Kimberlin (John Bowers) is a down-on-his luck horse owner, but Rosalie, a cabaret performer (the lively and engaging Clara Bow), doesn't care -- she turns down the fancy jewelry offered by oily Frank Gorman (John Miljan) for a wedding ring from Kimberlin. Even though his finances never improve, Rosalie sticks by her husband only to sicken and die in a garret. Kimberlin's luck changes almost overnight and he becomes incredibly wealthy. Although he can't forget Rosalie, he marries Madeline (Lillian Rich) so that his little boy, Val (Buck Black), will have a mother. Madeline, however, was expecting something more out of the marriage and she's shattered to find out that Kimberlin has a room which he has made into a shrine to his dead wife. Gorman shows up with faked evidence that Rosalie was unfaithful to Kimberlin, and Madeline buys the letter -- not to show it to her husband, but to burn it so he will never know. Kimberlin thinks that Madeline is hiding her own unfaithfulness and after an argument she walks out on him. Kimberlin's trainer, Joe Delane (Charlie Murray), beats the truth out of Gorman, and husband and wife are happily reunited.