Soul-Fire

Richard Barthelmess plays Eric Fane, the son of a rich guy who is pressuring him to come work with him. Instead, Eric longs to be a famous composer. However, after a year in Europe working on his craft, his father is cutting him off unless he comes to work. Eric, with the help of some princess, chooses instead to be poor and miserable and work on his songs. While he has some success, his work still isn't all that good and only after he goes to the South Seas does he discover his muse...Teita (Bessie Love). She's a simple native girl and adores him...and vice-versa. But there's a serious problem looming...she might just be a leper!

This one just screams 'melodrama' and at times this is poured on very thick. But, if you don't take it all too seriously, it is enjoyable and worth seeing...and available for free download from archive.org.

Richard Barthelmess stars as a wealthy, would-be composer who just can't write any important music. After studying in Italy for a year, he decides he just doesn't have it. An argument with his father causes him to give up his "allowance" and write cheap songs that become the rage of Paris. But he doesn't want to write popular songs, so he gives up writing and descends into poverty in an attempt to find his muse. After tangling with a thug (Walter Long) and killing him, he ships out with the guy's papers.

A quick cut (missing footage?) shows Barthelmess washed up on an island after he has jumped ship. Here he meets and falls for Teita (Bessie Love) who is half English and has a piano. He starts churning out music, but it's only after Love has a scare with leprosy that he realizes he would have stayed and married her no matter what the disease was. He has found his soul-fire.

Interesting storyline has Barthelmess' parents called "stupidly rich," an interesting phrase. The happy ending also belies his actions. Apparently no sacrifice is too great if one is searching for inspiration.