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Ambition
(1914) United States of America
B&W : Two reels
Directed by Ben Wilson
Cast: Ben Wilson [John Willis, the husband], Frances Nelson [Marion Davis, the wife], Miss Wierman (Marie Weirman) [Belle de Vere, the model], Jane Lee
Rex Film Company production; distributed by The Universal Film Manufacturing Company, Incorporated. / Released 12 December 1914. / Standard 35mm spherical 1.33:1 format.
Drama.
Synopsis: [?] [From The Moving Picture World]? John Willis, an artist, and Belle Le Veer, a cheery little vaudeville artist, are friends, just friends. For that reason when John meets Marion Davis, an ambitious young actress down on her luck, he feels free to propose to her. Belle is heartbroken but conceals her grief. Five years pass. John has a little son, Don. The child falls ill at a time when John’s pictures are not selling well and Marion, having an offer to return to the stage under the management of Hemenway, a famous producer, accepts the offer and leaves the child in John’s care. Marion makes a hit in the part which has been created for her. After the performance she goes to dinner with her company, leaving John alone. Soon afterward John and Marion quarrel and John, feeling for the child, surrenders little Don to Marion. The child is given into the care of hired nurses who neglect him. Marion, more interested in her footlight success than in the care of her child, leaves home one night when the child falls desperately ill. Fearful of disappointing her audience, Marion sends for John to take care of the boy. Despite the father’s and doctor’s work, the boy dies in the night. Enraged that his wife should leave her dying child in order to strut before a theater audience, John goes to the theater, denounces Marion and strips her of her baubles and tinsel. Then, dazed by his child’s death and Marion's desertion, he seeks out his old friend Belle. Belle, good-hearted little soul that she is, ministers to the half-crazed husband, carefully concealing her real feeling for him. Marion, depressed and repentant at her husband’s denunciation which she feels is well deserved, gives up the stage and lives alone, seeking to find her husband. Away from the world in a quiet cottage John starts a picture for exhibition at the autumn salon. A vision comes to him of his wife and child as they used to look years before in his old studio. Using this vision as the subject of his picture, John wins first prize at the salon with his masterpiece. Marion hears of the painting and goes to see it. As she turns away with tears in her eyes faithful little Belle brings John to her. There is a reconciliation and, while husband and wife stand together before the picture of their child, the little vaudeville artists slips unnoticed from the gallery, happy to have brought them together again.
Survival status: (unknown)
Current rights holder: Public domain [USA].
Listing updated: 10 April 2020.
References: Edmonds-BigU pp. 30, 31, 32 : Website-IMDb.
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