''Youth's Endearing Charm'' (also known as ''Youth's Melting Pot'') is a 1916 American silent

drama film In film and television, drama is a category or genre of narrative fiction (or semi-fiction) intended to be more serious than humorous in tone. The drama of this kind is usually qualified with additional terms that specify its particular ...

directed by William C. Dowlan. The film stars

Mary Miles Minter Mary Miles Minter (born Juliet Reilly; April 25, 1902Louisiana Birth Certificate, Caddo Parish, No. 119, Book A, Page 97, Birth Date: April 25, 1902, Name: Mary M. Reilly ic – Original Caddo birth record was recorded as "J.H. Riley's Child" ...

Wallace McDonald Wallace Reginald McDonald (18 July 1876 – 2 May 1946) was a Liberal party member of the House of Commons of Canada. He was born in Portage-du-Fort, Quebec and became a merchant by career. McDonald attended the University of Ottawa. He bec ...

, and

Harry von Meter Harry von Meter (March 20, 1871 – June 2, 1956; sometimes credited as Harry van Meter) was an American actor of stage and silent film. He starred in about 200 films in the period from 1912 through 1929. He retired from acting just as sound fi ...

. The script for the film was adapted by J. Edward Hungerford from a novel of the same name written by Maibelle Heikes Justice. This was Minter's first film with

Mutual Film Mutual Film Corporation was an early American film conglomerate that produced some of Charlie Chaplin's greatest comedies. Founded in 1912, it was absorbed by Film Booking Offices of America, which evolved into RKO Pictures. Founding Mutual ...

, having previously been with

Metro Pictures Metro Pictures Corporation was a Film, motion picture production company founded in early 1915 in Jacksonville, Florida. It was a forerunner of Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer. The company produced its films in New York, Los Angeles, and sometimes at le ...

. A print is preserved at the

Library of Congress The Library of Congress (LOC) is a research library in Washington, D.C., serving as the library and research service for the United States Congress and the ''de facto'' national library of the United States. It also administers Copyright law o ...

Plot

As described in film magazines, orphan Mary Wade (Minter) is taken in by Farmer Jenkins and his wife. After two years of drudgery and ill-treatment, she runs away to the city along with her faithful dog Zippy. With no means of supporting herself, Mary poses as a blind beggar. This ruse lands her in jail, where a fellow custodian is Harry Disbrow, a wealthy young man who has been arrested for drunkenness. Harry is rapidly released, and, having taken an interest in Mary, he finds her employment in his parents' home as a servant. He rapidly falls in love with her, but he has been engaged to Maud Horton, the daughter of his father's business partner. At a ball given to celebrate this engagement, Mary decides to don a dress of Maud's and attend; Mrs. Disbrow passes off the girl as her niece. It transpires that Maud's father, George Horton, has been systematically robbing from the family, including stealing a bundle of securities from a safe during the ball. When the theft is discovered, a fight ensues between Horton and Mr. Disbrow. When the pocketbook containing the securities falls from Horton's pocket, Mary takes the opportunity to seize the securities, and also to break a vase upon Horton's head. In gratitude for her bravery and for saving the family's fortunes, the Disbrows approve of Mary's marriage to Harry.

Cast

as Mary Wade *

Wallace MacDonald Wallace Archibald MacDonald (5 May 1891 – 30 October 1978) was a Canadian silent film actor and film producer. Biography MacDonald was born in Mulgrave, Nova Scotia, Canada, and attended school in Sydney, Nova Scotia. He started as a mes ...

as Harry Disbrow *

as John Disbrow * Gertrude Le Brandt as Mrs. Disbrow *

Al Ferguson Al Ferguson (19 April 1888 – 4 December 1971) was an Irish-born American film actor. Born in County Wexford, Ireland, he appeared in nearly 300 films between 1912 and 1956. Billed as Smoke Ferguson, by 1912 he was making Westerns for Selig Po ...

as Joe Jenkins * Bessie Banks as Mrs. Jenkins * Harvey Clark as George Horton * Margaret Nichols as Maud Horton

References

External links

* 1916 films 1916 drama films Silent American drama films American silent feature films American black-and-white films Films based on American novels Films directed by William C. Dowlan 1910s American films {{1910s-drama-film-stub