From the Submerged

This lovely short film, From The Submerged, from the Essanay company was made in 1912 and filmed in Chicago. Starring E.H. Calvert and Ruth Stonehouse, it's about a young man who is homeless and hopeless, about to commit suicide by jumping off a bridge near a park. As he is about to jump a caring young woman stops him and tells him that God loves him and that he shouldn't give up hope. He is thankful and embraces her and they separate. On a bread line a hobo gives him some of his food wrapped in newspaper and the young man sees a message in the personals: "Come home Charlie, all is forgiven. I am dying. Father." The young man races home and embraces his dying father. We cut to several years later and the young man is now rich, hanging out with snobby friends. He has a beautiful girlfriend and wants to propose to her but as they walk around town together and pass the same bread line the young man had once stood on he confesses to her about his past and she laughs at him. He decides this beautiful girl is too shallow and not worthy of him.

Suddenly he remembers the caring young girl who stopped him from committing suicide near the bridge, and he becomes determined to find her. He searches and searches and finally finds her destitute and hopeless in the same park. You'll have to watch the film to see what happens next.

This film can be found in the excellent Treasures #3 set on Amazon.com.