Very early sound version of a one-act play based on the "Bishop" sequence in Victor Hugo's "Les Miserables". The first filming of any portion of "Les Miserables" with sound.
Joe Louden is an outcast in the small town of Canaan, and is especially disliked by Judge Pike. There is one inhabitant, however, who is fond of Joe -- the pretty but poor Ariel Tabor. But she inherits some money and goes to Paris with her father.
Young marrieds Guy & Bee are ostracized by their supposed friends in town when Bee discovers she is expecting but the legitimacy of their union is called into question. Eventually the squire who performed their ceremony becomes aware of the scandal and produces the necessary certificate.
A man rises from rags to riches, first by boxing, then as a saloon owner, freight contractor, and eventually dockyard boss. However, the man's brother-in-law complicates things with his dockworker union activism. The film is presumed lost.
When seaman Matt Peasley and his friend, Murphy (Hugh Cameron), go ashore in San Francisco, they save Florrie Ricks (Agnes Ayers) from a couple of robbers. Matt falls in love with Florrie, whose father is ship owner Cappy Ricks (Charles S. Abbe).
