Changed Lives's primary photo
  • Changed Lives (1915)
  • Short | Drama, Romance, Short
Primary photo for Changed Lives
Changed Lives (1915)
Short | Drama, Romance, Short

Maggie Cline, a slavey, is suddenly discharged from her position and registers as a Red Cross nurse in the midst of the war. She meets and becomes the confidant of Clara Grosvenor, also a nurse, who tells her much of her past life. While ...See moreMaggie Cline, a slavey, is suddenly discharged from her position and registers as a Red Cross nurse in the midst of the war. She meets and becomes the confidant of Clara Grosvenor, also a nurse, who tells her much of her past life. While they are about their duties great havoc is being done outside and of a sudden the hospital building is shelled and Clara is killed. Maggie rushes to her aid, but, discovering she is dead, is in the act of getting the girl's few belongings together, when she comes upon the photograph of a child together with several letters belonging to the dead girl, several of which she has already been shown. Among these is a letter from a Mrs. Grosvenor, grandmother to Clara, welcoming her to her door, and stating that as she has never seen her granddaughter, she is anxious to meet her. At this moment Maggie is handed a cablegram addressed to Clara, and she being her only friend, opens and reads the message. She has an idea. The girl is dead, and she (Maggie) is without friends or money, why can she not impersonate Clara and answer the cablegram in person? The cable notifies Clara Grosvenor of the death of her uncle, Henry Grosvenor, and of the fact that she has been named as his heiress. Maggie decides to take the chance, and leaves immediately for the Grosvenor estates. She meets young John Holdworth, the attorney, presents various letters of identification to him and is put in possession of the Grosvenor fortunes, as Clara Grosvenor. Later she writes to Mrs. John Grosvenor, grandmother of the dead Clara, asking her to come and live with her, as she is lonely and yearns for companionship. At the home of the grandmother we find her attended only by a maid and her butler, James, on whom she relies completely. He is a good servant, but evil companionship and gambling have wrought his ruin. One day, having brought his mistress her jewels, James conceives a plan whereby he may pay back his gambling debts. He watches closely as his mistress goes over the precious gems, and when she has finished cleaning them. Mrs. Grosvenor turns them over to him to be placed in the safe. Instead of doing this he hastens to a pawnshop, where he disposes of the jewels, buying counterparts of paste, which he places in the safe. In the meantime, Mrs. Grosvenor complains of one of her frequent severe headaches and calls tor James to administer medicine. He is just in the act of placing the fake jewels in the safe when she sends for him. He comes to her. Then it occurs to him that if he were really encouraged sometime, he might add too much to her headache remedy, then all would be well with him. In the scene Mrs. Grosvenor receives the letter from Maggie, inviting her to come and live with her and share her fortune. She reads it over and over, and, getting a former letter written by the real Clara, before her death, she compares them and finds that the signatures are, of course, different. She becomes suspicious and decides to make the trip to America to see for herself. Back in her new-found home. Maggie and John Holdworth have become great friends. He realizes, however, that her position is far above him in the social world. While they are seated in the garden one day, Maggie receives the message stating her grandmother will arrive on a certain date, hut she does not read it to John. He becomes jealous of the cable, declares his love for her and learns it is returned. Later he is informed that the cable was from the grandmother. A few days later Mrs. Grosvenor arrives with James and takes up her home with her supposed granddaughter. She decides to verify her suspicions and shows one of her own pictures to Maggie. She is not surprised when the girl answers, "My dear mother, how well I remember her." Mrs. Grosvenor is now convinced that the girl is an impostor. In the meantime Mrs. Grosvenor has been sent a message from the jewelers with whom she left her jewels to be re-set before leaving London, stating that they find them to be worthless pastes. James has intercepted the message, and is evolving a plan whereby he might save himself. About this time the Grandmother is attacked with one of her old headaches and again calls for James to bring her medicine, so she may have a clear head to deal with the impostor, Clara. Mrs. Grosvenor sends for young Holdworth so she may expose the girl in whom the world has believed. James, at a loss, remembers the danger of an overdose of the medicine and that Mrs. Grosvenor, alone, could convict him. He decides to put her out of the way. Just as Holdworth arrives the grandmother is stricken and dies and Clara is saved from exposure. The law, however, takes a hand and the guilty James, who has been tracked by Scotland Yard men from London, is taken into custody. Written by Moving Picture World synopsis See less
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Director
Writer
Otis Turner (scenario)
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Status
Edit Released
Updated Feb 16, 1915

Release date
Feb 16, 1915 (United States)

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Cast

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8 cast members
Name Known for
Herbert Rawlinson
John Holdsworth John Holdsworth   See fewer
Ann Little
Maggie Cline (as Anna Little) Maggie Cline (as Anna Little)   See fewer
Mark Fenton
Henry Grosvenor Henry Grosvenor   See fewer
Laura Oakley
Mrs. John Grosvenor Mrs. John Grosvenor   See fewer
Beatrice Van
Clara Grosvenor Clara Grosvenor   See fewer
Helen Wright
Mrs. Foss Mrs. Foss   See fewer
Harry L. Rattenberry
Actor (unconfirmed) (as Harry Rattenberry) Actor (unconfirmed) (as Harry Rattenberry)   See fewer
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