User Reviews

Violin maker Pedro ( Lon Chaney ) is very much in love with talented Marguerita ( Gretchen Lederer ), and one day Maurice Puello ( William Quinn ) hears the girl playing her violin and persuades her to give a recital at his theatre. She is a huge success and Pedro decides to make a special violin for her and it turns out to be the finest instrument he has ever made. While he waits at the stage door to present Marguerita with the precious gift, he sees her arm and arm with Maurice. Pedro becomes crazed with jealousy and disguises himself as a blind beggar in order to spy on the girl. One night while he is playing the violin disguised as a beggar, Maurice and Marguerita hear the exquisite music coming from the beautiful violin. Marguerita offers to buy the violin, but Pedro tells her that he made it for his sweetheart and refuses to sell it. She notices the inscription on the back "to my Marguerita," in anger, Pedro discloses his identity and smashes the violin. One night Pedro wanders into a café where Marguerita is performing, he asks a waiter to give her a coin requesting another tune. When the waiter points Pedro out to her as the requester, Marguerita performs a beautiful melody, then goes to Pedro asking for his forgiveness. Still hurt, he starts to leave, but notices that she has repaired the broken violin he had made for her. He is moved by the girl's devotion to him and the two are happily reunited.

This early touching drama was directed by Lon Chaney for the Victor Film Company and he received good reviews for his performance. Sadly this silent film is now presumed lost.

"A strong character portrayal is here rendered by Lon Chaney in the role of an Italian violin maker. The story is original in many ways, and pleases all the time by its strong heart- interest action." ---Motion Picture News