AllMovie

Butterfly on the Wheel was the fifth of director Maurice Tourneur's six films for 1915. Devoted to his business, prominent theatrical producer Adamston (Holbrook Blinn) sorely neglects his beautiful wife Peggy (Vivian Martin). Arriving home early one afternoon, Adamston is confronted with circumstantial evidence that his wife has been entertaining a gentleman caller. Ignoring Peggy's pleas of innocence, Adamston immediately files for divorce. Alas, the jury is on the husband's side, and Peggy is dragged through the muck and mire of scandal. Even the last-minute revelation that Peggy was blameless does not diminish the film's powerful indictment against hearsay and matrimonial neglect. Butterfly on the Wheel was highlighted by a spectacular backstage fire, the sort of seemingly spontaneous "thrill" scene in which director Tourneur excelled.