- When untalented artist Wilfred Barsley is eager for success, he sells his soul to the devil, who first has him kill his uncle for an inheritance. Then, the devil instructs him to commit the sickly, struggling artist Paul La France to a sanitarium and exhibit Paul's paintings as his own. After doing so, Wilfred becomes an overnight modern master, while Paul, during his convalescence, loses his memory and also his sweetheart, Helen Danver, who does not know that he has been hospitalized. Then, when Helen sees one of Wilfred's paintings and recognizes it as Paul's, she bluffs an interest in the fake artist to get information about the real one. After she succeeds, she goes to Paul, and the sight of her restores his memory. Meanwhile, having returned to the vault where he had stashed his uncle's body, Wilfred dies when the door slams shut on him.—Pamela Short
- Wilfred Barsley and Paul La France are poor but ambitious artists. Barsley's work is hopelessly mediocre, but in Paul burns the fire of real artistic genius. Paul is in love with Helen Danvers, his chief model. She reciprocates Paul's love. Paul succeeds in selling an occasional painting and is just barely able to keep the wolf from the door. Barsley can sell none of his paintings. His wealthy uncle, Simon Cunningale, is his sole means of support. In a period of desperation over his failure to produce real work of art, Barsley offers himself in prayer to the Devil, proclaiming his willingness to sell his soul for the three things he most desires: fame, wealth and love. The Devil appears at Barsley's side and agrees to grant his desires. At the promptings of his evil mentor, Barsley murders his uncle, hiding the body in the old man's secret treasure vault. By Cunningale's will Parsley inherits a great fortune. Meanwhile Helen Danvers has obtained a start on the operatic stage and has gone on a long tour, leaving her sweetheart, Paul, to struggle along with his paintings. Paul hides his dire poverty from Helen, writing her of the fictitious sale of several paintings. In reality Paul is slowly starving to death in his garret studio. He becomes violently ill. Barsley visits Paul and finds him delirious. He is prompted by the Devil to steal Paul's paintings and palm them off as his own. He sends Paul to a sanitarium and gives a great exhibition of the stolen paintings, becoming at once hailed as a master artist and thus achieving his second wish. Paul recovers his health in the sanitarium but loses all memory of his past. He remains in the sanitarium, the doctors hoping some day for his complete recovery. Helen becomes a famous singer, but is saddened by having lost all trace of Paul. She has never met Barsley, but when she does meet him at an exhibition of his supposed paintings she recognizes in them many of the canvasses painted by Paul. She determines to solve the mystery. To this end Helen practices all her wiles upon Barsley and succeeds in inspiring him with a devouring passion. She lures him on to the wildest extravagance. At last she brings Barsley to the point of complete bankruptcy. Barsley appeals to the Devil, who tells him that he is powerless to grant the third wish, love, which he says is the gift of Heaven alone. When Helen sees that her work is done she turns on Barsley. accusing him of treachery to Paul. Barsley plunges into the depths of dissipation and meets a terrible end at the scene of the murder. Through her agents Helen at last locates Paul in the sanitarium and visits him, The sight of her restores his memory and brings the story to its happy conclusion.—Moving Picture World synopsis
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