Pete Prindle (Douglas Fairbanks) is the son of the owner of a health food company. Pete is a layabout. He has a job in name only with the company, and when dad is not looking he drinks alcohol and eats steaks. Cassius Cadwalader, a railroad magnate, picks out a completely unappealing vegetarian as a fiance for his daughter Christine. But Christine, like Pete, likes steak. Christine and Pete meet over a plate of beef in a restaurant and fall in love. But Cadawalader will not agree to his daughter's marriage to Pete unless Pete obtains a half interest in his dad's business. Dad says no way he will give half interest to his ne'er-do-well son unless he manages to get "his picture in the papers", because this publicity would be good for the business.
But it seems that Pete can't even get arrested in New York in 1916. Actually, he does get arrested several times for his exploits which are attempts to get publicity and thus headlines, but the newspapers either just print one line about it and no picture or write a big article and say his name is being withheld because the family is prominent.
In parallel developments, Cadawalader is being extorted by a gang called "The Weazels" but refuses to pay up - Initially his absent-mindedness just caused him to forget about their demands - and it becomes all out war between the magnate and The Weazels.
Seeing Douglas Fairbanks in a modern dress role in a comedy seems odd today, but 1916 was just his second year in film. He does get to show off his athleticism quite a bit here - It's what got him noticed by the film industry in the first place. The film is very quirky and funny and seems to be poking fun at advertising and at society itself. Also notice that one of the scariest looking of The Weazels is Eric Von Stroheim in just his second year in film in an uncredited role. What did I learn? - That the health food industry existed over a century ago and probably had a hand in getting prohibition passed, as one of Prindle's products is Prindle's Prohibition Punch. Also, apparently there was no such thing as a county jail uniform at the time - The police did give you a suit of clothes and even a bowler hat, and when released they let you take it with you. Or at least Fairbanks' character walked out of jail with one.
But it seems that Pete can't even get arrested in New York in 1916. Actually, he does get arrested several times for his exploits which are attempts to get publicity and thus headlines, but the newspapers either just print one line about it and no picture or write a big article and say his name is being withheld because the family is prominent.
In parallel developments, Cadawalader is being extorted by a gang called "The Weazels" but refuses to pay up - Initially his absent-mindedness just caused him to forget about their demands - and it becomes all out war between the magnate and The Weazels.
Seeing Douglas Fairbanks in a modern dress role in a comedy seems odd today, but 1916 was just his second year in film. He does get to show off his athleticism quite a bit here - It's what got him noticed by the film industry in the first place. The film is very quirky and funny and seems to be poking fun at advertising and at society itself. Also notice that one of the scariest looking of The Weazels is Eric Von Stroheim in just his second year in film in an uncredited role. What did I learn? - That the health food industry existed over a century ago and probably had a hand in getting prohibition passed, as one of Prindle's products is Prindle's Prohibition Punch. Also, apparently there was no such thing as a county jail uniform at the time - The police did give you a suit of clothes and even a bowler hat, and when released they let you take it with you. Or at least Fairbanks' character walked out of jail with one.