The Living Wage - Production & Contact Info

The Living Wage (1915)
Short | Short, Drama

The Living Wage (1915)

Short | Short, Drama

Dustin Blake, a millionaire philanthropist, is approached by the rector of his church and asked to aid a girl who is only receiving $6.00 a week salary and who is in need of financial assistance. Blake refuses and tells the rector and his ...See moreDustin Blake, a millionaire philanthropist, is approached by the rector of his church and asked to aid a girl who is only receiving $6.00 a week salary and who is in need of financial assistance. Blake refuses and tells the rector and his family doctor and personal friend, Doctor Merritt: "This girl lacked moral fiber. Statistics prove that one can live comfortably on $6.00 a week. I am sorry, but I cannot help her." The rector leaves in disappointment and a sociological debate follows between Blake and the doctor, which ends by Blake offering to prove his theory by living for a month in one of his own tenements on $6.00 a week allowance. Blake takes board at Mrs. Flannery's boarding house under another name. There he meets Miss Vail, and her brother, Harry. Although Blake does not know it, Miss Vail is in reality the girl he has refused to befriend. She and her brother have seen better days. Blake finds the girl and her brother cultured people and the three become great friends, Blake, of course, keeping his real identity a secret. Harry has served a term in prison in a noble cause. One day Detective Grogan happens upon Harry at work and tips off Harry's employer that he is a crook. Harry is fired and is unable to obtain another job. Miss Vail, in spite of her own hard life, is always cheerful in disposition and is helping others. Blake's friendship and admiration for her turns into love. Miss Vail refuses to accept a dinner engagement with her employer and rebukes him for his attempted familiarities. The employer discharges the girl. She and Harry are broke, and with their room rent coming due and board, Miss Vail makes a loan from a loan shark to meet the landlady's wishes and the loan shark presses his claim. Blake saves her from the loss of her clothes to the loan shark by parting with his own last ten dollars of his allowance. Shortly afterward, while looking for work, Miss Vail is run down by a machine and badly hurt. An expensive operation being necessary, she and her brother are in despair. Blake, rather than sink his pride and apply to the doctor for aid, resolves to burglarize his own house. He and Harry do so and pawn the loot for money for the operation. Grogan trails Blake and Harry and places them under arrest just as the operation is to be performed upon Miss Vail. They are dragged off to the station and it being the last day of the wager, Blake phones for Merritt, who comes down to the station and secures the release of Blake. The operation is a success, and Blake marries Miss Vail and lays plans to aid the indigent poor with the erection of a costly free hospital. Written by Moving Picture World synopsis See less

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Cast	+ Add Cast
6 cast members

Name	Known for
Richard Stanton Dustin Blake Dustin Blake See fewer	Graft (1915)
Enid Markey Ruth Vail Ruth Vail See fewer	Tarzan of the Apes (1918)
Jerome Storm Harry Vail Harry Vail See fewer	Some Pun'kins (1925)
J. Frank Burke Dr. Merritt Dr. Merritt See fewer	The Iced Bullet (1917)
Roy Laidlaw Rev. Mr. Thomas Rev. Mr. Thomas See fewer	The Hunchback of Notre Dame (I) (1923)
Gertrude Claire Mrs. Flannery Mrs. Flannery See fewer	Oliver Twist (I) (1922)