The Yellow Pawn

An artist is in the countryside, painting, when he meets a girl in a roadster. They fall in love, but the girl marries a lawyer for his money. She should have waited -- the artist becomes a huge success, commanding a thousand dollars for a portrait sitting. The girl convinces her husband to let the artist paint her, but one night while she is visiting his studio, a thieving relative of his enters and is killed by a servant. To protect the girl, the artist allows himself to be accused of the murder. Her husband happens to be the prosecuting attorney, and when she reveals she was at the artist's home the night of the murder, he prepares to shoot the artist himself. But before he can raise his gun, the servant stabs him to death.

Directed by George Melford, The Yellow Pawn leans on a strong ensemble — Wallace Reid, Cleo Ridgely, William Conklin — to carry a story that balances spectacle with character.

The film landed with audiences for its craft and performances, and remains one of the most talked-about drama titles of 1916.