The Stake's primary photo
  • The Stake (1915)
  • Short | Short, Drama
Primary photo for The Stake
The Stake (1915)
Short | Short, Drama
John Thornton and his supposed nephew Tom live together in the city. They are fond of each other, but the elder man is worried about Tom, for the boy has fallen into the habit of gambling heavily at his club. One night Tom leaves for the ...See moreJohn Thornton and his supposed nephew Tom live together in the city. They are fond of each other, but the elder man is worried about Tom, for the boy has fallen into the habit of gambling heavily at his club. One night Tom leaves for the club. An old beggar breaks into the house and comes to the library. John captures him. The beggar is too ill to protest. He sees a blue ribbon lying on the floor and picks it up. "My wife always wore a blue ribbon like that," he says. Thornton is startled. He looks closer at the man and recognizes him. Thornton phones Tom. The boy has gambled heavily and lost. Conscience-stricken he goes home and tells his uncle. The older man then tells him the story of a gambler. Twenty years before, John Thornton is a lawyer. Mary, daughter of the storekeeper, is his sweetheart. Hack Martin, a drummer, comes to the store to get an order, meets Mary, and is interested in her. John objects. They quarrel. A month later Martin and the girl are married and move to the city. Martin is a gambler and drinks heavily. He loses his position and decides that they will go back and live with Mary's father at least until after her child is born. Later Mary is ill and the doctor says her husband must be called. John offers to find him. He locates Martin in a saloon gambling. He tells him to come, but Martin will not leave. John plays the man for his wife's happiness. John wins Martin's money. Then John makes the proposition that Mary's freedom and happiness shall be the stake. John wins and drags the drunken man to the house. Mary is dead, the baby born. Martin starts to take it, but John steps in and takes the child as his stake. The picture fades into the library, the white-faced boy and the old man. The latter leads the lad to the bedroom where the butler has put the beggar to bed. "He is your father, Tom," says Thornton. The beggar is dead. Written by Moving Picture World synopsis See less
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Status
Edit Released
Updated Feb 12, 1915
Release date
Feb 12, 1915 (United States)

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