Das Haus ohne Lachen (1923)

The house without laughter is the home of the William Blent family. The father is a true tyrant who takes the greatest pleasure in the profound suffering he inflicts on others. His marriage to his equally embittered, intimidated, and long-suffering wife—and the peace of the household in general—suffers enormously as a result. Mrs. Blent’s son, whom the head of the household once turned out, now dares to come to the house only at night, when he wants to visit his loving, gentle, and patient mother. Enid White, too, who was brought to live with William Blent as an orphan under his guardianship, suffers deeply in this unbearable situation. She is secretly in love with Lester, though he knows nothing of it. One day, Mrs. Blent can see no way out of the situation and, driven to utter exhaustion, brutally kills William. Nothing is the same afterward. When Enid, who feels deep compassion for Mrs. Blent, learns what happened, she wants to protect the essentially kind-hearted murderer and Lester, whom she loves, so she falsely confesses to the police that she committed the murder herself. Mrs. Blent dies that very night. In the end, Enid’s selfless act is rewarded by justice: her innocence is proved thanks to a statement by Mrs. Blent’s confessor, and the exceptionally good-hearted girl can finally fall into Lester’s arms and become his wife.