Because of her father's death at the hands of Russian soldiers, Ilda Barosky (Alice Brady) carries a grudge against the government. Her brother, Ivan (Norbert Wicki), has more than a grudge -- he's a revolutionary. He secretly marries Olga (Lillian Cook), the daughter of Constantine Karischeff, the minister of police (J. Herbert Frank). Meanwhile, Alexis Nazimoff (John Bowers) romances Ilda. Olga and Alexis's parents, unaware of all these happenings, try to arrange a marriage between them, but when they ask Ilda to play "God Save the Czar" on her violin at the betrothal party, she refuses and is whipped in front of the gathering. All hell breaks loose; Alexis, Ilda and Olga wind up being accused of being in league with the revolutionaries and sent to Siberia. Ilda gets a pardon, but since she wants to stay with Alexis, she has Olga leave in her place. The couple are about to be shot when they, too, are pardoned. They come home, and their families are all reconciled. This picture (based on a play by H. Grattan Donnelly and Sidney R. Ellis) came out just as the overthrow of the Russian government was reaching its full completion, and as a result, it was out of date almost upon its release.
by Janiss Garza
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