Plot

Orphaned Mimi (Alice Brady) is taken in by a drunken innkeeper and becomes a maid. She meets Rudolphe (Paul Capellani), heir of a upper-class family, who rescues her from the unwanted advances of a drunken hotel guest. They fall madly in love, but Rudolphe's uncle, M. Durandin, wants Rudolphe to marry a family friend, Madame De Rouvre, and writes Mimi a letter, telling her that she is ruining Rudolphe's life. Musette and Marcel, friends of Mimi, also try to break up the romance by introducing Mimi to other men, and Rudolphe becomes jealous and leaves her. Shattered, Mimi declines in health and eventually throws herself into the river but is rescued and taken to the hospital. Realizing it is only a matter of time before she dies, she drags herself back to the room where she and Rudolphe were happiest. Rudolphe is there and she dies knowing that he loves her.—Pamela Short

Mimi, a foundling, is taken from the convent to an inn kept by M. Ducros. At the inn she receives forced attentions from one of the guests, and Rudolphe Durandin, nephew of the wealthy M. Durandin, administers swift punishment. Rudolphe and his uncle quarrel bitterly, owing to the young man's refusal to marry Madame de Rouvre, a wealthy widow and friend of his uncle. After quarreling with his uncle, Rudolphe meets some residents of the Latin Quarter of Paris. In their mode of living, he sees his ideal life, and in Mimi, his ideal woman. Rudolphe again meets Mimi as his neighbor and falls in love with her. Musette and Marcel, a painter, are separated by a rich young Viscount, for whom Musette deserts Marcel. Musette meets Mimi and introduces her to a rich young man, but Mimi remains loyal to Rudolphe, although he is led to believe otherwise, and in a rage leaves her. Rudolphe's uncle has learned of his infatuation for Mimi and the uncle writes a letter to Mimi informing her that she is ruining Rudolphe's chances in life. Mimi, after Rudolphe's desertion, still remains loyal to him, believing that the uncle is the cause. During the progress of a ball given by Madame de Rouvre, attended by Rudolphe and Marcel, Mimi, weary and hungry, accidentally finds herself in front of her home. She is discovered by Schaunard and encounters Madame de Rouvre, who tells the girl that she will ruin the position of Rudolphe. Mimi runs away, determined to end it all, but before she can do so, she is taken to a hospital. Before she has recovered, Mimi recalls what she heard at Madame de Rouvre's, and knows that Rudolphe still loves her. Feeling that life will not be long for her, she makes her way to the old home where she had been so happy with Rudolphe. Musette, returning to Marcel, finds Mimi and brings the four men to see her. Combined, they have sufficient money to buy her the necessary medicine, so each determines to raise the money himself. They also try to please Mimi with a muff for which she has always yearned, to keep her hands warm. Rudolphe goes to his uncle; Marcel takes his painting to a pawnbroker where he meets Schaunard, who parts with his horn and favorite pipe, while Collins pawns his few beloved books. They raise enough to buy the muff and return to the room, to find Rudolphe and his uncle and Madame de Rouvre, who have repented and are sorry for their selfishness. Mimi passes away in the midst of her loyal friends with the realization that Rudolphe has always loved her and that her dearest friends gave their little to make her happy at the end.—Moving Picture World synopsis