This movie has several major strikes against it at the onset. The film is in terrible shape--it's choppy and faded and badly in need of restoration. Also, the intertitle cards are sure hard to read, as Lon Chaney plays a French-Canadian and the cards or written phonetically--and are very hard to read. The story is awfully hard to believe and Chaney overacts occasionally. But, in spite of all this, the film still is worth seeing--particularly for its crazy but exciting ending! The film begins with a scum-bag using legal technicalities to steal a mine away from a decent man (Chaney). Now suddenly poor, Chaney can't afford to marry his sweetheart and is forced into poverty. However, instead of seeking revenge right away, he allows this hatred to seethe within until he has a chance to repay the jerk for stealing his mine. Years later, this new miner owner is attacked and shoots a man in self-defense. The only witness is Chaney--who realizes that if he doesn't corroborate the story, the man will go to jail. So, he keeps his mouth shut and laughs as the guy is sent to prison.
In the meantime, Chaney plans on taking revenge on the man's young son as well, but unexpectedly he grows to love the kid as his own. And, to keep the kid, he plans a complicated trap to kill the father when he is released from prison. I'd say more, but really don't want to spoil this crazy but exciting ending. See the film--just see if you can find a non-public domain version that is in better shape--if that's possible.
In the meantime, Chaney plans on taking revenge on the man's young son as well, but unexpectedly he grows to love the kid as his own. And, to keep the kid, he plans a complicated trap to kill the father when he is released from prison. I'd say more, but really don't want to spoil this crazy but exciting ending. See the film--just see if you can find a non-public domain version that is in better shape--if that's possible.