River of Romance

In this melodrama set in the South, a plantation owner's son (Charles 'Buddy' Rogers) finishes his education in Philadelphia and returns to his father's (Henry B. Walthall) land. There he falls in love with a pretty belle (June Collyer) and gets engaged; he does not realize that her younger sister (Mary Brian) is also in love with him. Trouble begins when his fiancee's ex-love comes to break them up after he is released from jail; he challenges his wealthy rival to a duel, which the rival declines as he finds it old-fashioned and silly. Unfortunately, his father and the rest of his family take it quite seriously and the dishonored father sends his son away. The banished son then begins drifting down the Mississippi where he experiences many adventures. At one point, he meets a notorious cad (Wallace Beery) who becomes his mentor. When the young man unwittingly knocks out a local creep, he becomes a legendary hero; he then assumes the alias "Col. Blake," and heads for home to avenge his honor and marry the girl. (Verleiher-Text)