Back Home and Broke on AllMovie

This comedy-drama featured a wry story by humorist George Ade and a warm performance by the always likable Thomas Meighan. Meighan is Tom Redding, who, upon his father's death, finds that he and his mother (Maude Turner Gordon) are broke. Without the Redding wealth, they become outcasts in the social circles where they were once welcomed, and Tom's girl, Olivia Hornby (Florence Deshon), throws him over. Tom finds a more loyal sweetheart in May Thorne (Lila Lee), who offers him her savings so that he can develop an oil well. The well becomes a gusher, and Redding finds himself wealthy once again. But instead of returning to town a success, a pal suggests that he pretend to be a failure to see who his real friends are. While using this ruse, Tom secretly buys up the companies from all the men who snubbed him and his mother. The town is shocked when they discover that Redding is the millionaire who now practically controls the town. But instead of taking vengeance, Redding magnanimously returns the men to their former positions. Mary, who has stuck by him all this time, is proud to become his wife.