Paul Potter (Frank Mayo) is a Midwestern boy who goes to Yale and becomes a shallow society wannabe. When Sylvia (Kathryn Adams), the "girl back home" comes to visit, her simple clothes and demeanor pale next to the other, more stylish girls. Since Sylvia is no dummy, she decides to let Paul go his own way, which he does -- to Wall Street and a bad marriage. Meanwhile, Sylvia's family finds itself in dire financial straits, and she becomes an actress. While Paul struggles with the boredom of his life, Sylvia becomes famous and wealthy. The two encounter each other again, and Sylvia thinks she still loves Paul until he shows his true colors by making her an indecent proposal. With that, she goes off in a huff and marries her leading man. Future silent-screen idol John Gilbert had a small featured role as the son of a millionaire. This picture was based on a book of the same name by Joseph Medill Patterson. The novel was sophisticated for its time, and caused quite a few raised eyebrows. Typically for a Hollywood production of its era, the content was watered down. On top of that, it suffered lackadaisical direction, making poor entertainment out of potentially interesting subject matter.
by Janiss Garza
synopsis
