A Leech of Industry - Production & Contact Info

A Leech of Industry (1914)
Short | Drama, Short

A Leech of Industry (1914)

Short | Drama, Short

Old Romanoff has found Russia too hot for a person of his political beliefs and activities and has come to America with his sons. The boys obtain jobs in a factory, where are employed many of their own race, and Alex soon becomes ...See moreOld Romanoff has found Russia too hot for a person of his political beliefs and activities and has come to America with his sons. The boys obtain jobs in a factory, where are employed many of their own race, and Alex soon becomes acquainted with Irma, whose charms make a deep impression upon him. Of glib tongue and good looks, he easily wins the unsophisticated girl and they plan marriage in the not far distant future. Margaret occasionally calls upon her father at his office and seeing her, Ivan builds castles in the air and hopes to one day so advance himself that he may aspire to her hand. A few months later Irma's dream of happiness is shattered. Alex is killed in a factory explosion and too late the girl realizes that relying too much on the coming marriage she had become indiscreet and that the man was dead who could save her good name. She tells her father of her misfortune and the angry old man determines with his son to see that the injury is avenged or righted. Ivan is told and he begs that his feeble old father be not informed of the wrong. To save the day he consents to marry the girl himself, though he realizes that by so doing he is destroying his castles in the air. They marry and when Margaret again revisits the factory she learns the news and realizes that the ambitions and worthy young Russian-American had become dear to her and is now lost. Some years later Ivan has branched out for himself and come into keen competition with his former employer. Both men are ardently desirous of getting a certain very large contract and realizes that it has narrowed down to a question as to which one of them shall get it. Ivan has figured out his bid and risks his entire fortune on getting the contract. Irma's brother, Roalf, because of extravagant habits finds himself in need of immediate financial aid. To secure it he allies himself with Ivan's competitor, who bribes him to secure a copy of Ivan's bid. With the assistance of Margaret and the ungrateful brother-in-law the conspirators plan to encompass Ivan's ruin. A compromising letter is written and Roalf brings it to his sister's attention. Convinced of her husband's infidelity Irma gives her brother the coveted copy of the bid, which he turns over to the conspirators. Armed with the figures Margaret's father is in a position to underbid his competitor and put him out of the way. Margaret, who has been used as a decoy, is in a fair way to win back the affections of her old lover when he accidentally reads a letter to her from the conspirators, asking her to keep Ivan engaged so as to have him out of the way. He discovers the plot and has now the only recourse of reaching the state capital before the rivals can get there. He employs a special train while his rivals use an automobile. The wagon road runs beside the railway tracks and there is an exciting race between train and motor car, which ends only when the automobile attempts to cross the tracks in front of the train, is struck and the occupants killed. In the meantime Irma has learned the truth and, when her victorious husband returns, confesses all. To the surprise of each a mutual love is disclosed and they see before them a happier life and a better understanding. Written by Moving Picture World synopsis See less

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Cast	+ Add Cast
7 cast members

Name	Known for
Irving Cummings Ivan Romanoff Ivan Romanoff See fewer	Curly Top (1935)
Pearl Sindelar Margaret Wright Margaret Wright See fewer	Cleopatra (1912)
Eleanor Woodruff Irma Nelken Irma Nelken See fewer	The Perils of Pauline (1914)
Harrish Ingraham Alex Romanoff Alex Romanoff See fewer	Lena Rivers (II) (1914)
Edward José James Wright James Wright See fewer	Mothers of Men (1920)
James Riley Roalf Nelken Roalf Nelken See fewer	Always in the Way (1915)
Riley Hatch Nelken Sr. (as William Riley Hatch) Nelken Sr. (as William Riley Hatch) See fewer	The Conquest of Canaan (1921)